Is it too late to train a 3 year old dog? Get Your Pet Thinking

You May Need to “Untrain” Bad Habits First

Adult dogs might pick up a few bad habits that take some time to train away.1 Your first step in training an older dog might actually involve “untraining.”

The good news is older dogs are still very eager to please; they want to learn what makes you happy. To build on this, use positive reinforcement so your dog will see the new habit makes you happy. Also, give him his favorite treats while training, so he feels even more motivated. Ultimately, you want him to find the new action more appealing than the old habit.

Some habits you might have to “untrain” could include chewing magazines, chewing your shoes, or even barking at the front door. With older dogs, these bad habits might stem from how they were raised at a previous home. If you adopted a rescue pet that didnt have many boundaries at his former residence, you might need to help him learn boundaries do exist in your home.

The key is to redirect his behavior to a more positive action. Maybe teach him to fetch a magazine rather than chew it. Teach him to lie on his bed when a guest visits. If you can give him an alternative activity that he enjoys, then youll have an easier time breaking a bad habit.

One area where older dogs might need a little retraining is housetraining or going potty. If you need to re-housetrain your dog, start from the beginning. Establish a mealtime and potty time routine. Make sure you take her out at the same time every day. This helps your dog know what to expect and when.

If she has an accident, clean it thoroughly. Dont rub her face in the accident; it will just make her timid and scared of the whole process.

Give her lots of praise when she goes outdoors.2 Make sure you praise her right after shes finished going potty outside (before you go back indoors), so she connects the praise to the action.

Use the same phrase every time you take her out, like “go potty.” You may have to use this many times before she recognizes it since theres a chance her former home used a different potty phrase that she has to unlearn.

You might also need to use a crate when house training an older dog, just like you would with a puppy.3 If shes not used to crates, introduce the crate slowly and keep a soft crate pad inside so your pup feels comfortable.

And remember, some older dogs might have incontinence issues that affect training. They may need more frequent outings or even doggy diapers. A Superior Orthopedic Indoor/Outdoor Bed with a waterproof backing can help them sleep more comfortably.

Can I still train my 2 year old dog?

Did you get a puppy a year or two ago, and then time just flew by and you missed out on enrolling for dog training classes and teaching basic commands to your dog? This is not anywhere close to “too late”. While it is never too late to train any dog, a 2 year old dog is actually still very young – just a teenager. Some breeds, especially large breeds don’t mature mentally until they are 2-3 years old, and big dogs will grow physically for nearly that long as well.

Whether your dog needs help with leash training, potty training, manners and polite behavior around people – now is the time to start working with him. Please don’t hold off on training because you believe it is too late. A 2 year old dog is only 15% into his overall lifespan. That means that if you teach him manners and good behaviors now, you will have a lovely, well-trained dog for the next 13+ years!

I’m not suggesting that it’s better to wait until a dog is older to begin training. If you have a puppy or younger dog, it is certainly to your advantage to begin training right away. That said, somewhere along the way people have tried to tell us that dogs reach an age where training won’t work, or that it won’t do the dog any good. That is simply not true!

However, on the whole, there is no reason why you can’t train an older dog. You should find that their intelligence and their ability to focus is very great. They have often gained a great deal of wisdom in the course of their lives and they can apply this to the training you are giving them.

For instance, if your older dog has some arthritis, then give him time when he sits and gets up and down repeatedly. This action may cause him a little pain. If you are doing training that requires your dog to do things quickly then give him some extra time. So, if your training requires strenuous physical activity for your dog, do make allowances for his age.

There are actually some advantages to working with an older dog. Older dogs may already know some commands. They have a much longer attention span than puppies. They can understand very quickly what you want them to do because they already know a lot of human words.  And, older dogs already know how to learn. They know the routine of learning things that humans want to teach them.

Even if you are interested in training an older dog for some kinds of specialized training, such as hunting or herding, many older dogs are able to pick up these jobs and excel. If they have a natural instinct and they enjoy the work they are even more likely to love the training and learn fast.

Michael Ellis Q&A – Is It Too Late To Train a One Year Old Dog?

Hardly a week goes by without a well-meaning dog owner reaches out, asking: “Is my dog too old for dog obedience school?” If you’re asking this question, allow us to put your mind at ease; if your dog is young enough to see you, enjoy food, and get around, it’s not at all too late!

You may have recently adopted an older dog, or you may have training goals for a pet you’ve had since his puppyhood. Either way, there’s no reason to avoid enrolling a dog of any age at All Dogs Unleashed obedience school.

In fact, we’ve noticed that there can be a few perks to training an older dog. Your dog probably has at least some understanding of a few basic commands, has an attention span longer than when he was younger, and has had ample time to pick up at a minimum the basics of common human language.

Additionally, older dogs are often praised for their sweet, gentle temperaments. Once the wild impulses of puppyhood have faded, dogs can be somewhat easier to work with. In their older years, even dogs like labs and terriers—both breeds noted for their energetic dispositions—settle down once they’re closer to five years of age.

If you wish to enroll a dog that’s truly a senior pup (an age that varies by breed, so ask your vet!), make sure your dog is healthy enough for the activities and skills you’d like him to learn. If your aging dog has arthritis or mild cognitive decline, let us know. We can devise an adaptive training approach that will allow you to work with your dog – even with his limitations.

The biggest challenge we face when working with older dogs emerges when it’s necessary to undo bad habits or improper training approaches. Usually this involves retraining you, the owner.

If this turns out to be the case for you and your dog, please don’t feel badly. Many people make slight errors when teaching their dogs at home. You’re not a professional dog trainer, so it’s understandable that you don’t have perfect technique.

When you enroll your older dog with us at All Dogs Unleashed, consider the “owner” training portion a bonus. In fact, it’s a great opportunity for you to learn the tips and tricks that have helped make our dog training programs incredibly successful year after year.

Of course, there are vital socialization windows that close by the time a dog is 14 weeks of age. By the time your dog is one year old, more opportunities for some of the so-called “easy” training have passed. If your dog has flown by these milestones without experiencing proper training, don’t give up.

Training a dog is like planting a tree. It may have been best to get started years ago, but the next-best time to begin is today.

Luckily, it’s beneficial to start working with your older dog as long as he is able to physically handle training classes. Training an older dog can enhance your pet/owner relationship by:

If you’re ready to begin working with your older dog, contact us today. All Dogs Unleashed is standing by to help with potty training, obedience training, off-leash recall, socialization, and agility training, no matter your dog’s age or existing level of formal training.