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When it comes to training dogs, most people believe that the only way to instill obedience is to start with a puppy. And while this may be a quicker and more effective way of training certain dogs, it doesn’t mean that older dogs are out of luck when it comes to learning new skills.
If you want to train your older dog but aren’t sure where to start – you’re in luck. Our article will help detail the benefits of training an older dog for the first time or for continuing a dog’s training later on in life. We will also be giving you tips for training your older dog so you can make the best of your training time together.
Is It Possible to Train Older Dogs?
Many people know the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but in the case of an adult or senior dog, this is most definitely not true! All dogs are teachable with the right amount of patience and specific training tactics.
Older dogs may take longer to learn certain skills and need behavioral or physical (depending on temperament or health issues) modifications when it comes to training, but this doesn’t mean that they are unteachable. It is fully possible to train your older dog and give them a high quality of life as they enjoy their adulthood or transition into their senior years.
The Benefits of Training Your Older Dog
There are several benefits of training your older dog that can enhance both you and your pup’s day-to-day enjoyment. We discuss the most important of these benefits below so you can understand how great of an idea training your older dog is.
Quality Time
As your dog ages, you may fall into a comfortable pattern of spending time together simply lazing about the house. One of the best ways to increase your quality time with your dog and ensure that you both continue bonding throughout the years is to start training them.
Whether you are building on existing skills or starting from scratch with an older dog that you’ve just adopted, training provides the perfect opportunity to get to know your dog’s personality completely and to enhance your bond with your pet.
Increased Discipline
Some dogs can develop bad habits as puppies that they bring with them well into adulthood. If you want to correct these habits, you will need to start training your dog and dedicating time to modifying their behavior. Not only will you benefit from this as your dog’s bad behavior will be decreased, but your dog will also be happier and healthier when they are well-behaved and not allowed to run wild.
Keep Your Dog Stimulated
When dogs get to have regular training sessions and the opportunities to socialize with people and other dogs, their overall happiness and satisfaction with life is increased. A healthy, happy dog is one that has consistent mental stimulation, something that regular training and skill practice sessions with your dog can provide.
Tips for Training Your Older Dog
The below tips for training your older dog can be incredibly helpful when it comes to getting started training a dog you’ve had for a while or training a more senior dog that you have recently adopted.
Remember, you should always be taking things slow with your dog and approach training with a fun, positive attitude. No matter how long training takes or the speed at which your dog learns, you should ways be having fun with your pet.
Take Into Account Their Health Issues
Unlike most puppies, older dogs may have certain health issues that prevent them from moving in certain ways or completing certain tasks. Most commonly, this is arthritis that prevents your dog from getting up and down without pain or other joint issues, which can make them want to stop training sessions early.
If your dog does have certain health or mobility issues, you should take these into account before creating a training plan for your dog. Choose skills that won’t require your pup to put pressure on the areas that hurt them or keep in mind to have short training sessions so your dog can maximize their time learning, stopping the session before they start to get uncomfortable.
Be Patient
The reason most people assume that older dogs can’t be trained is that training often takes much longer and needs more repetition than training a puppy does. Patience is key when it comes to training your older dog, as it may take longer to break bad habits or to instill a new way of doing things into your dog’s daily routine.
But as long as you keep this in mind going into your training sessions and ensure that you have patience for any new skill that you are attempting to teach, you will be able to achieve many things with your pup.
Build on What Your Dog Knows
It is important to figure out if your dog has had any previous training if you are newly adopting them or to utilize what you may have already taught your dog earlier on in their life when you are considering training your pet. While reinforcement of previously learned skills can be helpful, you don’t want to end up wasting your time trying to teach tricks that your dog already knows.
Having a good idea of your dog’s current skillset and receptiveness to training, when possible, can aid you in crafting the perfect training routine for your dog that is customized to their needs and your learning goals.
Always Use Positive Reinforcement
Dogs learn best when trained with positive reinforcement, a training tactic that uses things such as treats, attention, and praise as a reward for successfully completing a skill or task. Dogs love to be rewarded, and you love to give attention to your pup, so thing tactic is a win for both parties.
Positive reinforcement also emphasizes the need to never yell at, admonish, or hit your dog, as these are all things that will make them harder to teach and can even frighten them away from training altogether. Always use a patient, calm tone in order to give your dog clear, direct commands and enhance your training sessions together.
Gradually Increase the Challenge
While some puppies can learn new things every day and quickly move up through the ranks to become skilled pups, older dogs typically need a little more time to warm up to new skills. Gradually increase the challenge of the tasks you are teaching and make sure that your dog fully understands how to perform one skill without confusion before moving on to the next. This can help your dog learn things more firmly and will avoid confusing them.
However, you should always move at the pace at which your dog seems to be learning things, and if your older dog proves to be a quick learner, you can increase the challenge a little faster or introduce more than one new skill at once. As with all things training-related, pay special attention to your dog’s needs to ensure you give them the best training plan.
Consider Meeting With a Professional
If you are considering training your older dog because of something like a behavioral problem, reactive behaviors, or a lack of socialization, you may want to consider meeting with a professional.
It is possible to train an older dog (or any dog for that matter) by yourself, but more serious behavioral problems can often benefit from the input of a few professional training sessions. A professional trainer will be able to help identify your pup’s problem areas and give you tips for correcting and modifying behaviors in a way that is safe for both you and your dog.
Make the Best of Training Your Pup
Training an older dog may not be the easiest of tasks, especially if you’ve adopted or raised a particularly stubborn pup, but it is a very rewarding activity for both you and your dog. It is very possible to train new skills in older dogs as long as you approach training sessions with realistic goals and patience. Don’t be afraid to start slow and train in ten-to-twenty-minute sessions or work on one skill until your dog has completely got it pinned down before moving on to the next.
Make the best of training your older dog by simply enjoying the quality time you have together, approaching everything with patience and a positive attitude, and ensuring your dog’s comfort throughout every step of the training process.