Training Your Older Dog

Mention dog training and most people think of a young puppy being taught the basic commands. In fact, you may have heard that it is not possible to train an older dog. Thankfully, for many people who have adopted an older dog, this is not true and, in fact, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Dogs learn new things every day, so teaching an older dog doesn’t have to be ay more difficult than teaching a young pup. It really depends on the dog, the bad habits he has picked up and his attitude toward learning.
One thing to remember is that an older dog might have some problems with sight and hearing that need to be taken into consideration when training. Make sure you speak your commands loudly and that the dog can see your hand signals. If you are far away from your dog and call him and he does not come, it could be because he can’t hear you and not necessarily because he is not obeying the command.
In addition, older dogs might not have the same amount of energy as a young puppy so you might want to make training sessions less strenuous and for shorter time periods. It depends on the age of the dog, of course. A senior dog will have less stamina than one that is 3 or 4 years old.
Adopting an older dog can be rewarding, but he might come along with some bad habits which can be a challenge to break him of. Don’t give up on your older dog, though as it can be done. You need to remember that some of these bad behaviors have been ingrained in your pet for many years and it might take some special persistence to correct them.
One thing that can really help your dog be as alert and open to training as possible is to make sure he gets the proper nutrition. Be sure to feed him a good commercial food or prepare home made foods for him. Either way, you want to make sure the majority of his diet comes from meat. Make sure you buy a quality food that lists meat as the first ingredient and has no “by products” on the label.
Training an older dog can be a bit more of a challenge but it can also be very rewarding. Remember, your dog is a pack animal and by proper training you can establish yourself as the alpha dog in your little pack. Training your dog properly helps him to be well behaved and a pleasure to be around

Training Your Dog To Stay

If you want your dog to be safe then one of the most important things you can do is train him to “Stay”. When your dog masters this command you can be assured that you can keep him in a safe spot if there is danger around.
Important as it may be, the “Stay” command can be quite difficult for your dog to learn. Why? Simply because this command requires that your dog stay put while you move around – this can be difficult as it is in your pet’s nature to follow you. However, with persistence and perseverance, you can both master this command.
Before you start training your dog to stay, you must make sure he has mastered the “Sit” command as it is the first part of the “Stay” command. Don’t confuse your dog by trying to teach him too many commands at once, start with one, then move on to the next and then the next and so on.
Having said that, if your dog has mastered the “Sit” command, here are some steps to follow in order to train your dog to “Stay”:
1. Start with your dog in the sitting position. Put your hand up with the palm facing your dog and say “Stay”. Use a firm and clear voice for the command. Then take a step backwards.
2. Your dog’s natural tendency will be to follow you so he will probably get up and come to you. At this point you want to repeat the “Sit” and “Stay” commands.
3. This is where it can get tricky. Some dogs will “get it” and stay in just a few tries, but others insist on getting up and following you. If yours insists on following, there is a little trick you can try to reinforce the behavior you want. You will need to be near some sort of post or even a tree. Put the dog’s collar and a long leash on and wrap the leash around the tree while keeping hold of the end. As the dog starts to move towards you, you can pull on the leash which will keep him in place.
4. Once you get your dog to stay after you have taken one step, try taking two steps, then three, then four. You will find that the further away you get, the less your dog “stays”. Here is where persistence and repetition come into play – just keep trying the command while moving further and further away.
Training your dog to stay can be challenging especially since it goes against your dogs nature of following the Alpha dog – you. Remember, you don’t need to hit a home run during the first training session. Do a little bit each day and you will soon find that your dog is staying in position for longer and longer amounts of time.

Training Your Dog To Sit

The sit command is one of the basic commands that any dog owner should teach his dog. When you can get your dog to sit on command he will be more attentive to you and more obedient. Plus, the sit command is the basis for many other commands so starting your training with this command makes good sense.
Training your dog to sit is probably one of the easiest commands and will help you establish a good training regimen with your pet. Here are some simple tricks to make this training little bit easier:
1. Stand facing your dog and say the word “Sit” in a firm tone. Of course, at first your dog will probably have no idea what you want him to do and you may need to give him a clue by performing the action listed in step two.
2. Take one of your dog's favorite treats and stand facing your dog. Hold the treat above his head slightly and move it back towards his rear. This should cause the dog to look and follow the treat with his head which will actually make him sit. As he is sitting say the word “Sit”. Then praised him and give him the treat.
3. Sometimes, instead of sitting, the dog will back up and, if your dog tends to do this, you want to try step 2 with your dog in the corner of the room so that he can't back up because the wall is in the way – that way he will have no choice but to sit.
4. If your dog is just not getting it, you may need to push on the dogs rear end, near the tail, as you issue the command. Your goal is to get the dog to sit on his own while you are issuing the “Sit” command.
It might take you a few tries to get a series of steps that work for you, but once you have figured out how to get your dog to sit, you simply need to repeat this series of steps over and over. The idea is to get the dog to associate the word “Sit” with the action of sitting and to know that he will be rewarded for it. Eventually, you can try the “Sit” command without moving the treat back or pushing on his rear.
As with any training, patience and persistence is key. Try training your dog at the same time every day but don’t make the sessions last too long or your dog will get bored. Another thing to remember is to always say the command in the same way so that it is clear to your pet what you want him to do.
Training your dog to sit can be a fun task and a bonding experience – attack it with a positive attitude and you will notice that both you and your dog look forward to your training sessions every day!