The ideal scenario for most dog owners is to train them early because the best way to get a dog to behave the way you want is to establish the ground rules right away. But what if you get a rescue dog and it quickly becomes clear that he has not been trained properly? Is it too late to train an older dog? Does the saying, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks to hold true?
It’s Never Too Late
Thankfully, it is never too late to train a dog. Indeed, as older dogs have a better attention span than puppies, you might even find it easier to train them. If you have recently brought a rescue dog into your home, you might quickly find that he already understands some basic commands. However, because it is hard to know what a rescue dog’s life has actually been like, it is a good idea to be patient and follow his lead instead of expecting things the other way around.
It is also important to consider the dog’s health when trying to train him. An older dog may not be as healthy as an active puppy and so may tire more quickly. Bear this in mind when you start training. It could be that your older dog has joint problems and if you are repeatedly asking him to sit, stand, and lie down, he could find this painful.
Why Even Try to Train an Older Dog?
You might be wondering what the point of training an older dog is. Or you think that your dog’s bad habits are so ingrained that he could never ‘unlearn’ them. Nevertheless, maybe there are certain things that the dog does that bother you and you just wish you could fix them. Or perhaps your circumstances have changed and you need to teach your dog something new. Whatever the reason, know that training an older dog is not impossible.
Imagine for a minute that you have brought a rescue dog home and he gets scared around other dogs, but you regularly go out for walks with your friend and her dogs. You might want to train your dog to be around other dogs. Or what if you have had a dog for many years and then you get pregnant? You will need to train your dog to be around the new baby and be gentle.
Your dog will also learn that it is not acceptable to steal food from your child’s hand if this is something that he does not already know. He has probably never had the opportunity to have such easy access to food in the past. These are skills that your dog will need to learn.
Can You Train an Older Dog to Leash Walk?
Something that many people believe will be almost impossible is training an older dog to walk on a leash. If your dog has previously lived in a rural area where leash walking was not necessary and you have now moved to a much busier urban area, you will need to teach him to walk on a leash to prevent him from running into traffic.
The experts at Voyager Harness recommend a walking kit for dogs that will have everything you need to get started. Using the right kind of harness and leash is particularly important to ensure your dog’s comfort. Avoid using any equipment designed to punish your dog for pulling such as a choke collar or shock collar. Instead, reward your dog for walking beside you, and above all, stay calm and remain consistent.
