Can It Be Too Late to Train a Dog?
If you have decided to rescue or adopt a dog, it is likely that they are no longer a puppy. Although it can be a wonderful experience adopting an adult dog, it may have its own set of difficulties. Many people who decide to adopt older dogs frequently ask, "Can It Be Too Late to Train a Dog?" Contrary to what you may hear, an adult dog can learn new behaviors and bring joy to everyone around them.
In certain ways, training an older dog may be less challenging since they could be less excitable and distracted compared to a puppy. Whether you just adopted your dog today or have had them for many years, training offers a chance to strengthen your relationship with them while also providing enrichment. Regardless of size, gender, breed, and yes, even age, any dog can be trained.
Establish new habits
Undesirable habits you encounter after rescuing an adult dog may pose difficulties while training. Any adult dog that received minimal training as a puppy may have developed a few bad habits. Utilizing positive training methods can help change their behavior to establish new desirable habits while also helping to build a strong relationship through trust and respect on both ends of the leash.
Digging
Digging is a natural behavior in dogs. It can also be a strong instinct in some breeds such as terriers. Dogs dig for a purpose. For example:
Boredom
Hunt critters such as gophers
Bury items such as toys or bones
Create a cool place to lay if you live in a hot climate
To decrease your dog’s digging habits, manage your environment so they are unable to dig where you do not want them to. To do this, you can take them out for supervised potty breaks (on leash if desired) and play sessions. You can also block off the high digging areas with temporary fencing.
Digging can be a great enrichment activity for your dog as it may be filling an innate need or your dog simply just enjoys it. To fulfill that need, create a spot (build a sandbox or buy a plastic kiddie pool) for them to dig in. Fill your desired sandbox or pool with sand, dirt, mulch, cedar chips, etc. Bury treats or toys in the desired area to give your dog something to dig for!
All in all, the goal is to understand your dog’s needs and fulfill those needs in a safe and fun way!
Chewing
Chewing is a natural behavior in dogs that is generally not inherently harmful. It helps burn energy and promote oral health. Nevertheless, some puppies and adult dogs have a tendency to chew inappropriately and ruin household items. It can be frustrating when your dog destroys your walls, furniture, clothes, and shoes.
I recommend giving your dog a variety of appropriate and safe items to chew on to deter destructive chewing. Whenever your dog chews on a suitable toy, praise them calmly to give them positive feedback. If you notice your dog chewing on an inappropriate item, redirect them to an appropriate toy or long lasting chew. If the undesirable chewing persists, work on managing your environment to prevent it. Examples of management may be direct supervision, crates and/or other means of confinement such as an X-pen area with plenty of toys to chew on. I also suggest adding in more enrichment to meet their needs through mental stimulation and physical exercise.
Begging
If your dog tends to beg for your food, think about what you would like them “to do” instead. Once you have the answer to that question, you can train for that behavior. Whether it is a puppy or a new rescue dog who may have been rewarded for this behavior in the past, teaching them what we want them to be doing while you are eating is ideal. You can also redirect their attention by giving them their meal in a puzzle toy while you eat, give them a long lasting chew to gnaw on and/or prevent the begging by putting them in their crate or other confinement area combined with a meal or long lasting chew. All in all, be thinking about what you would like them to do instead of begging so that you can work together to meet that goal.
Socialization
Socialization is an important part of raising a puppy or helping an adult rescue dog adjust to their new world. However, socialization doesn’t mean taking them anywhere and everywhere, especially if you have a shy or timid dog. Every dog is different and you need to be aware of what level of exposure your individual dog needs in order to build confidence and gain that much needed socialization. For proper socialization, you want to create positive experiences for all involved.
For shy dogs, sitting on a bench at the park away from all the hustle & bustle can be a great way for them to adjust to the environment without the stresses of being too close to the action.
If someone wants to pet your shy dog, let them know that your dog is shy and not interested but thank you for asking.
Be watching your dog for signs of stress; if they are uncomfortable, the park may be too much for them. You can start in your driveway instead. The goal is to build confidence and not to create more fearful tendencies.
As your shy dog sees distractions (people, dog, bikes, etc) from afar, feed them tasty treats. Shy dog looking at “scary” things = yummy treats!
For those social butterflies, it is nice to be in the midst of the action but also consider how they are interacting with everyone. Have a plan in place for:
How to greet people; having all four feet on the ground and not jumping up.
How to greet friendly dogs; Ask if the other dog would like to say hi. If so, keep it short & sweet. Be sure to move along before your dog or the other dog gets too excited or uncomfortable.
Be prepared by bringing along tasty treats and/or their favorite toy to be able to reward good behavior!
In conclusion, socialization is not about exposing your puppy or dog to as much of the world as possible. Each dog should be viewed as an individual and exposed to the world at their own pace in order to create those positive experiences that will last a lifetime.
Training your new dog can be more challenging than you anticipate. Whether it is a puppy or a newly rescued adult dog, you may find it easier to find a local Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Aloha Positive Dog Training is a good option if you are seeking a dog trainer in Temecula. My lesson plans are geared towards your individual dog to help you and your family move towards achieving your training goals.
