Just like humans, it’s easier to teach your dog good habits if you start from a young age. But what about if you adopt an older dog or realize you want to establish new habits in your adult dog? Are you doomed to simply accept their behavior as is?
The short answer is: no.
While it’s usually harder to train an older dog than a puppy, it’s never too late to train a dog — you just have to be willing to put in the time, patience and determination required to create boundaries, establish new habits and eliminate destructive behaviors.
Potty training an older dog
There are many scenarios that could lead to needing to potty train an older dog. These are just a couple of common ones:
If you adopt a dog who has never lived inside before
With an adult dog who has never lived inside before, your job should be about the same as if you were training a puppy: it’s all new territory for them, which can actually be helpful. (And it might even be easier than training a puppy, since their bladder will be larger.) Focus on developing a consistent potty schedule and working on crate training, just as you would for a new pup.
If you adopt an older dog who has lived inside but isn’t potty trained
This may be a bit more challenging, but is still very possible to do. Your first step is crate training your dog, if he isn’t crate trained already. Do everything you can to prevent inside accidents and remove carpets or rugs where past accidents have taken place. Make sure you establish a consistent schedule for taking your dog outside and provide ample rewards for correct behavior.
Socializing an older dog
Socializing an adult dog who has developed mistrust or aggression toward other dogs (perhaps from living in a shelter or missing out on the puppy socialization window) can be one of the most challenging hurdles to overcome but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to improve your dog’s relationship with other canines. Here are a few tips for socializing an older dog:
Practice going for walks with other dogs
Try taking your dog for a walk with a friend’s calm, well-behaved dog and gradually decreasing the distance between the two dogs while walking.
Keep greetings short and positive
If your dog is ready, introduce him or her to other dogs who are calm and well-behaved; make sure to keep the greetings very short at first and reward them with treats afterward.
Make new encounters rewarding
When taking your dog to new places, make sure to bring his favorite treats along and start with calm, less overwhelming places and work up to more difficult, stimulating environments.
Obedience training an older dog
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but with patience (and plenty of positive reinforcement), most adult dogs are capable of learning new commands.
If your dog is elderly, he may struggle to learn complicated new tricks but may still be able to learn simple obedience commands like sit, stay and come.
The key to obedience training an older dog is practicing consistency and making sure you reward them positively for every good behavior. If you’re trying to eliminate a destructive behavior, make sure to replace it with a positive behavior for long-term behavior modification success.
FAQs
The short answer is: no. While it's usually harder to train an older dog than a puppy, it's never too late to train a dog — you just have to be willing to put in the time, patience and determination required to create boundaries, establish new habits and eliminate destructive behaviors.
How late is too late for dog training? ›
You may be asking yourself, “Is my dog too old to train?” Despite popular belief, you can teach an old dog new tricks. If you're wondering when it's too late to train a dog, the answer is never! Training a dog as an adult can be beneficial in some ways — he may be less distractible and energetic than he was as a puppy.
At what age can dogs no longer be trained? ›
It's a common misconception that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Modern dog training methods are suitable for canine companions at any stage of their life. From a few weeks old, through puppyhood, adolescence, adulthood and right into their dotage, dogs love to learn.
At what age is it too late to potty train a dog? ›
“Remember, it's never too late to potty train,” says Dr. McGowan. “If your dog joined your family after this age range, it may take a bit longer to transition him away from old habits, depending on his past experiences.” Start potty training your puppy as soon as you bring him home.
Is it too late to leash train my dog? ›
However, dogs never stop learning. This means older dogs can be leash trained too — whether they are learning for the first time or refining their skills. In fact, older dogs may be easier to train than puppies because, under the right conditions, they would typically have more self control than puppies.
At what age is dog training most effective? ›
Ideally, owners should start training their puppies or enroll them in training classes once they are 7 or 8 weeks old. This range is perfect because it is the age at which they are still impressionable but are developed enough to understand and learn commands.
Is it possible to train a 3 year old dog? ›
Yes, you can teach all dogs tricks. New or “old”—we all need to learn.
Why is my dog so hard to train? ›
In many cases, the issue is that the dog has not learned what you want him to do instead (see Greeting Behavior – Jumping Up, Enrichment, Predictability, and Scheduling, and Training Basics). Attempting to reprimand all the misbehavior will be ineffective.
Is it harder to train dogs as they get older? ›
Even though young pups may be more actively curious, dogs never stop learning. In fact, adult dogs are often easier to train than their younger canine friends, specifically because they are not as active. Older dogs are not as easily distracted as pups and can focus for longer periods of time.
Is a 1 year old dog still trainable? ›
According to a study published by the Animal Behavior Society, older dogs can learn commands just as quickly and accurately as puppies do. In fact, obedience training can provide a wonderful way for older dogs to stay mentally and physically active as they age.
Here's what to do when that happens:
- Without a lot of drama, immediately take them to their outside bathroom spot. Praise your pup and give a treat if they finish there.
- Don't punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, just clean it up. ...
- Clean the soiled area thoroughly.
If you're ready to learn how to toilet train a puppy in 7 days, keep reading!
- Choose a toilet location. ...
- Set a schedule. ...
- Pay attention to the signs. ...
- Don't punish you puppy for accidents. ...
- Teach a potty cue word. ...
- Consider crate training to help teach bladder control. ...
- Set your pup up for success!
Training should be fun for you both! Start by training your dog or puppy to walk on the leash by using a technique called 'loose-leash walking', which the RSPCA recommends. To do this, whenever your dog walks on the leash without pulling, reward them every few paces with tasty treats and continue walking.
How to get a dog to walk beside you? ›
Reward them with a treat or some fuss when they sit still or stand by your side. Next start to walk slowly in a straight line. Reward your dog whenever they are by your side, and when they remain by your side consistently, start to increase the time and distance between rewards.
Can you train a 7 year old dog? ›
Older dogs are perfectly capable of learning new skills, tricks, and cues. Training them is not unlike training dogs of any age, though certain modifications make the process kinder and more effective for them. Older dogs benefit from the loving attention of training as much as from the new skills they acquire.
Is it ever too late to teach a dog commands? ›
Contrary to popular belief, teaching an old dog new tricks is never too late. While younger dogs may learn more quickly, older dogs have just as much capacity to pick up on new behaviors. They have the advantage of having more life experience and better comprehension of their environment.
Is a 6 month old puppy still trainable? ›
They're exploring the world, themselves, and your boundaries, so it's a great time to add more training. Their appetite is growing just like they are, and their grown-up personality starts to shine through.
