Posts Tagged ‘training the older dog’
Ways To Train An Older Dog
You can teach an old dog new tricks but it would take much more effort to be able to do that. Training an older dog needs a proper mind-set. Older dogs are already through with that stage in their lives where they are shaped and influenced on how they would behave or act. Older dogs, same with humans, have established their behavior already and this means a more difficult training. As a trainer or owner, you may have to display more dominance in instructing an older pet compared with a puppy because older dogs have already learned some things during the past and they can manipulate the retraining done. Some older dogs understand things better so things could run along more smoothly. It would be a little more difficult to change the bad habits. Staying patient and sticking with it will pay off down the road. This will be rewarding not only to you but to the dog as well.
There are still more things you need to consider before the start of the training. Older canines and pups are quite different. You have to understand that dogs may have some health problems. Bare in mind that older dogs compared to younger ones have different physical capabilities.
You must make sure your dog is in good shape. Due to old age, some dogs may have developed some health problems. They could also be overweight and this will affect your training. The best thing you could do is to go to a veterinarian if you are in doubt. Some of these older canines may not be able to hear as well as they once could and their joints may be stiff. You are not dealing with a puppy here. Some dogs may experience some pain when you teach them to jump or roll over. If he does not respond to your commands, try to observe his physical condition. The reason that he may not lie down or jump is because it is to painful. Something else you may run into is that your dog may not hear very well. Some older canines don’t hear quite as well so some of the training may be affected. Using certain signals may help if you run into this problem. By doing this, even if his hearing is going he will still be able to understand. Of course, a lot of patience is needed to train dogs with this problem.
Understand that older dogs are not as active as puppies. Their physical abilities may be affected by their age. Do not forget that there are limits to what a dog with some age can do.
Put some effor into it and make it fun.
Same techniques could be used in training old dogs and puppies, however the exerted effort is different. Invest in some training tools and join training classes for the dog. This will improve the bond between the two of you. Just like in all training programs, rewards and praises should be used while training an old dog. Show enthusiasim and support and stay away from force. Don’t get angry or frustrated when he can’t get what you want him to do. In a short while, you will have the result you wanted and all the hard work you and your dog had will pay off.