Training An Old Dog: Is It Possible?

You may have been told that it is impossible to teach an old dog new tricks and commands, but that is entirely untrue. In fact, many dogs are willing to learn at just about any age because they love the attention that they receive. If you have decided to adopt a dog from a shelter that is not a puppy, you can start working on the training process as soon as you bring it home. You may be surprised to see that the dog does understand some basic commands.

When training a puppy, you are starting from the very beginning. However, most of the older dogs have had some type of training in the past, even if it was just for a short period during their stay at the shelter. Older dogs will also give you more attention for an extended period. Puppies have such a short attention span because they are young and want to move around all the time.

An older dog is normally ready and willing to learn. If you are working with an older dog that does not understand even some of the most basic and simple commands, you can still work with it. The dog will begin to get the hang of what you say to him or her when you constantly practice the commands. Your dog will enjoy the time that the two of you are spending together during this training process, which is something you can use to your advantage.

You should always be understanding when you are trying to train an older dog. The dog may not be nearly as active or hyper as a puppy, but that does not mean that it is not willing to go the extra mile to listen to your directions. Never push the dog to do too much at once, especially if it suffers from some health conditions.

Just like humans, older dogs can end up with arthritis, which causes joint pain. Do not get frustrated if the dog takes a little while to get up and move when you say a command because the dog may feel a bit of pain when moving around. It is still good to take the dog for walks and visits to the park, but avoid overdoing it because you do not want your pet to become hurt.

Sometimes dogs have had bad experiences with previous owners who may have abused them. If your dog seems frightened by your commands, try talking in a gentler voice so that there is an understanding between the two of you. You want your dog to respect you, but you do not want him or her to fear you. If you can show your dog love and patience, you can train it do just about anything.

The next time someone tries to tell you that training an old dog is impossible, all you have to do is prove them wrong by introducing them to your dog. You will notice that your older dog is intelligent and willing to learn. You can teach basic commands, along with tons of tricks and other specialized techniques if you want to. There is never a bad time to train a dog, even if the dog is old, especially because you will create an amazing bonding experience.

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