TRAINING AN OLDER DOG

I guess you maybe wondering whether any of this applies to training an older animal? There is the old saying “ You can't teach an old dog new tricks “. But as we have already discovered, dogs are just like people in the sense that we all continue to learn things throughout our lives .

WILLING BUT NOT ABLE

Dogs can feel their age just as we can. But for most of us, it doesn't stop us wanting to learn new things. One thing it does do though, is restrict what we can achieve. This is especially true of physical activity. Things like arthritus will limit what a dog can do. This needs to be taken into consideration when training an older dog. For example, if we want to train our dog to jump over An older dog may want to do all those things, but will get tired quicker.

On the other hand the older dog will sometimes keepgoing with an activity longer than he should. There is more likelihood of injury to muscles or stretched ligaments if the dog overdoes things.That's where we come in.We as the Alpha, should take the lead and only train or exersize our dog up to his limitations, not beyond them. On the other hand the older dog will sometimes keepgoing with an activity longer than he should. There is more likelihood of injury to muscles or stretched ligaments if the dog overdoes things.That's where we come in.We as the Alpha, should take the lead and only train or exersize our dog up to his limitations, not beyond them.

WEIGHT PROBLEMS?

It is more tempting to give food treats to an older dog when training because we know they have to put in more effort. A few treats are appropriate but it is best not to overdo them. Older dogs are a bit like us - they gain weight more readily and it takes longer to lose it.So instead of rewarding them with food use other things as rewards e.g.

• Lots of enthusiastic praise.
• Plenty of pats and affection.

BREAK INGRAINED HABITS LIKE DIGGING

Most dogs have the natural and normal inclination to dig holes. This behaviour can be a difficult one to control in any dog, let alone an older animal. Even if you don't have a lot of room, you could set aside a specific area where your pet is allowed to dig. This could be marked by different ground composition or by a change in the smell of the area. Even older dogs can learn what is theirs to play with and what is not.

BUILD ON STRENGTHS

Maybe you aquired your dog as an older pet or maybe you never got around to training him when he was young. Whatever the circumstance, it will require even more patience on your part. So don't expect too much too soon. It is often more productive if you can focus on the dog's strengths rather than trying to change him totally. One dog will be good at fetch and release, while another will excell at playing with a frisbee. Focus on what the dog is doing well and develop those positive things.

STIMULATING TOYS

Leaving a dog alone for extended periods of time is never something we would want to do. Dogs are very social animals. That is why they live in packs in the wild. Sometimes, it will be unavoidable that we will have to leave them on their own for a few hours. It isn't too much of a problem if we have a couple of dogs, but it can be a bit difficult with just one

Toys can be valuable in providing a distraction for our pet while we are out.It's good to remember that a dog will become bored with any toy if he has to play with it all the time. People spend heaps on toys for their children to play with. But unless they are fun, they don't get a lot of use. We can have a lot of toys for our dog too, but they need to be fun things to give him something to do while we are out. Toys that are entertaining and stimulating are a good thing for our pet and make us feel a little better about leaving him on his own occasionally.

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