Old Dogs CAN Learn New Tricks!

Recently, I have had a handful of older dogs sign up for classes. By older, I mean over 10 years. This is quite new for me, as I have never had people interested in taking classes with their senior dog. While I commend the owners for seeking higher learning for their aging dogs, I don't think training is for all elderly dogs.

One of the dogs is a 10 year old small breed rescue that prior to class, knew zero obedience commands. His owner sought classes because she felt that even though he is a great dog, she would like him to know how to sit, come when called and walk nicely on a leash etc. Poor little guy has had a few road blocks that have made training more difficult. The biggest challenge is his allergies. His owner doesn't know what he is allergic to and he is on a strict diet which really limits what treats he can have. Unfortunately, the approved treats aren't to his liking and he rarely will eat them while in class. Another road block is that he has never had any prior training for 10 years! That is quite a long time to go without challenging the brain to learn something new. While I am sure he learned about his world and socialization etc, learning in a more structured way can be frustrating to some dogs that have never had to do a command when asked. Great thing is that he has been learning. He will be done with his 6 weeks next week and can now sit, stay, come, leave-it and is much better on the leash as well as interacting with other dogs. His progress was much slower than a younger dog as we had to utilize a training method called capturing, rather than relying on lure and reward. There were times I felt guilty that he wasn't progressing like the other dogs in class, though I never felt his owner held it against him. I had to frequently remind myself that his progress will be slower. Thank goodness I had this experience with him, because just last night another, even older dog, signed up for classes!

Dog #2 is an 11 year old maltese mix who has been with her owner since 8 weeks old, but never has had any training. The owner sought training due to some new behavior problems that surfaced from a stressful move (potty training issues, separation anxiety), and hoped that she could get some answers to her issues by signing up for a class. I gave her some guidance on her two top issues and we dove in with teaching her some obedience commands. Surprisingly, the dog picked up the new commands right away! She was thrilled to be learning and seemed to soak it all in like a sponge. The owner was likewise, surprised and so proud of her little old dog.

I realize that my own dog, Lucy, falls into the senior dog category. She will be 9 in December. She enjoys learning new things and learns at an insanely fast rate. I think a life-time of training has helped her love using her mind and even as she ages more, she will only be limited by her body.

When I remember Lucy's age, I feel slightly guilty about judging old dogs learning new tricks. Older dogs CAN learn new things and their past, their breed and their owner's skill level, are all going to be factors in how fast they learn and how well.

However, there are still some cases where an older dog shouldn't be subjected to training class. Thankfully I have only had to talk one person out of training class that fits this category. If your senior dog has trouble hearing or seeing, a class in a new environment probably isn't a good idea. If your elderly dog can't get around well or has medical issues, a class isn't a good idea. If your aging dog rarely leaves the house, is grouchy towards other dogs and strange people, he would be much happier at home. Teach him some new things within his comfort zone and take it slow. After all, it has been said that humans who keep their minds active live longer, so why not our dogs?

Rules of 12

The “rules of 12” are a general set of guidelines used to socialize elite dogs such as guide dogs, service dogs and search and rescue dogs. These dogs need to be “bomb proof” in everyday situations. Most dog owners don’t spend enough time/effort socializing their dogs. Many breeders and experienced dog owners are now employing the same socialization methods as these well trained service animals.

The objective of the rules of 12 is to complete at least all of the tasks below before your dog is 12 weeks old as after 12 weeks of age, dogs are more difficult to socialize to new things. For dogs that are older, it is never too late to start!

People
- Positive experience gained from at least 12 different people (hand feeding a treat works best).
- Baby, toddler, elderly, large people, handicapped people, women, men, people with hats or glasses on etc.

Places
- Positive experience gained from as many different places you can think of.
- Pet stores, Home Depot (yes, they allow dogs!), parks, friend’s homes, the vet office (go in just for a cookie or to weigh your pet), groomer’s .

Sounds
- Expose your dog to lots of different noises. In order to make it a positive experience, pair the sound with a treat if your dog seems tentative.
- Keys, pots and pans, hair dryer, lawn mower, vacuum, smoke alarm, car alarm, and any other possibly offensive noises.

Surfaces
- Walk your dog over different surfaces and even do sit/down/stand on them so there will never be a time your dog will refuse to walk over a surface.
- Tile, carpet, asphalt, brick, wet grass, a small body of water (like a baby pool), gravel, bark, wood flooring etc.

Objects
- Expose your dog positively to any object that might seem out of the usual (for example, my dog used to be afraid of boxes because he didn’t see any as a puppy and we had to work very hard to get over this fear).
- Boxes, hydrants, statues, garbage bags , garbage cans, cars/trucks, ladder, strollers, carts etc.

Dogs
- In order for dogs not to be dog aggressive, they need to socialize with their own kind (preferably off leash). Look for dogs similar in size and temperament for your puppy to play with, but also expose your dog to other dogs of all shapes, ages and sizes. To ensure you have a positive experience, don’t allow your dog to be bullied by another. It is difficult for a novice owner to interpret dog communication. An older dog that shows its teeth or air snaps at a puppy is within good judgment and teaching a puppy proper manners. Any dog mounting another, fighting on back legs only, drawing blood, knocking another dog over continuously or holding a dog down so that the other cannot get up is NOT playing.

Leadership

Dogs thrive when they have a leader. A leader has clear, consistent rules and boundaries.  A leader is not to be confused with being “alpha” or “dominating” our dogs. We want a relationship based on love and respect, not a dictatorship based on fear and avoidance. Here are some easy steps to become a leader to your dog:

1. Have your dog sit before his/her scheduled, rationed meal and stay until released. Mealtime is a great given opportunity to practice sit/stay/release with your dog. Waiting for food teaches a dog patience and impulse control.

2. Make sure that you have your dog wait when going through any door that opens to the outside, car door, back gate, or the crate door for safety reasons. A dog with a good wait isn’t going to rush out a door and get hit by a car. Dogs that learn to wait at doorways better respect our space when going through the door which avoids tripping and falling over your dog.

3. When walking on leash your dog should walk next to you unless verbally released to walk in front of you. A dog dragging you forward is leading you and telling you where he/she wants to go. My dogs are allowed to walk anywhere near my side in a very loose heel. If I release them, they walk in front of me to explore and go potty but will come back to my side promptly when asked. Dogs should know how to heel for safety reasons in high traffic areas (cars, and human traffic like down town or inside a pet friendly store).

4. Decide if you want your dogs on the furniture or not. I personally have a rule that my dogs are allowed only when invited up by me. Dogs that are allowed to be on the furniture whenever they please have the potential to guard your furniture as theirs or damage your furniture by using it as a play-thing. I like my dogs to come up to spend time with me, not to enjoy the comfort of the couch; they have expensive dog beds to use on the floor! Many dogs can transfer over to walking on your coffee table and dinner table as well when permitted to use the couch or bed as a jungle gym.

5. Utilize resources your dog wants as much as possible. Meaning if you want to give your dog a snack, kong or bone, have him sit, or shake or lie-down for you. If he wants you to throw the ball, have him do a trick or look/watch you first. You don't need to do this for every throw, but it is a great way to incorporate training and use other rewards than training treats.

6. Lastly do not give attention to a dog demanding it rudely as you can create a doggie monster! We don’t want to pet or treat a dog barking in your face, scratching your leg or placing toys on your lap when you are doing something else. Wait until the dog has lost interest, then engage with him or her.