Obedience Training and Older Dogs

Whether you've adopted an older dog or simply decided it was time to teach a little obedience, training a mature animal is different from training a puppy. Although the methods are very much the same, there are certain steps you must take with an older dog, but keep in mind that the old adage is not true. You can in fact teach an old dog new tricks. Here are some tips on obedience training.

      Positive reinforcement is a must. With any pet, you want to let them know you are pleased when they practice good behavior. Do not yell at or hit a dog when it does wrong. Instead, a stern "no" and persistence will pay off. Dogs, no matter what the age, want to please you, so when they perform the training command, enthusiastically praise them. Also, the use of treats works well with grown dogs. When you tell them to sit, and they do so, give them a bit of a treat. Soon, they will associate the word with good things.

 

     Patience is the key. When working with dogs on obedience, the best thing you can do is have plenty of patience. Older dogs may take longer to understand what you want them to do. Just like people, dogs learn the best and the quickest when the are young and in their formative years. So you will need to give the pooch some time to recognize what you mean. 

 

     Keep the training times short. Older dogs may tire quickly or run out of patience with you. Do not push them to learn too much too quickly. Make sure to work at their own pace and in short training times. Thirty minutes a day of obedience training is usually a good rule of thumb when working with an older dog.

 

     Be consistent. Do not confuse the dog by telling them to sit and not making sure they follow through. Whether in the middle of a training session or at some other time of the day, if you give them a command, make sure to take the time to confirm that they followed the command and praise them accordingly.

 

     Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe that older dogs cannot be trained. This is far from the case. Obedience training an older dogcan be a rewarding experience, and it can create an even stronger pet/owner relationship. Do remember that, no matter what age your animal, hiring qualified professionals to assist you in canine training is always a good idea. 

Be the Master of Your Domain

Obedience training is one of the best rewards you could ever give your puppy. It teaches a puppy not only to obey you, but to respect you and your home. Puppies thrive from having boundaries and rules; it makes them confident and loyal to their owner.

 

Crate training your puppy is one of the best ways to get them to obey you. When you lock them up in a crate they will most likely resist, but don’t worry, it's normal. Crate training is also a great way to potty train your puppy and is the most important type of training to most owners. Younger puppies don’t have full control of their bowels yet so they may not realize they have to go until it's too late -- this is why you must be patient. When house breaking your puppy you should make it a daily routine to allow them to get used to it, this will provide the greatest success.

  Puppies love to jump, play, and roll around everywhere, but the only thing they don't love is sitting still. The most accurate way to train your dog to do things, like sitting and staying is to reward them for it. Don't punish them for not being able to do it, this may confuse the puppy. Start by holding a treat in front of the puppy's nose, not to high but not too close. Move the treat toward their back, just far enough to where they are sitting. When they are sitting let them grab the treat and praise them for their good work. Before you know it your dog will be sitting like a pro!

 After you have taught your puppy the sitting process it's time to move on to the staying process. A great way to get your puppy to stay is by first telling them to sit. Once they have sat, you tell them to stay, but don’t give them the treat right away wait a second and if they are staying give them the treat and congratulate them. To make them stay longer try adding on a second at a time and eventually he will stay as long as you please.

 Now that you have learned the basics of puppy obedience your puppy will be off to the greatest start! They will grow to be loyal pets and companions. They learn to respect you and your household. Properly training your puppy can be rewarding for you and your puppy.