Who Says Old Dogs Can't Be Taught New Tricks? They're Actually Easier To Train!

There’s an old saying that goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” If you’ve bemoaned this quote while you think about your own older pup, then all is not lost!

In fact, you’re in luck. As it turns out, older fur balls may actually be easier to train than puppies. Yes, you heard me right! Puppies are bundles of energy and can be much harder to control, as they require so much attention and focus. On the other hand, older pups have picked up habits and are fiercely loyal to them. They’ve stuck to old behaviors for so long, and those behaviors have worked out fine for them so far, so why change them?

But why did I say, then, that it’s easier to train a senior than a fresher? Well, the trick is to train older fur balls in a different way than you’d train a puppy, and it’s easier and simpler than you think!

The first thing you can do is try changing your reward system. Puppies tend to want different things than older fur balls. In fact, according to a study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, puppies prefer treats, adult pups prefer praise or petting, and seniors simply want verbal acknowledgement. Aww!

It’s also important to take into consideration your pup’s physical health. A senior pup may have issues with their joints or back, so some tricks and forms of training can’t be done. But there are still plenty of ways to train!

Attention spans are another important thing to remember. Puppies have short attention spans and need to be trained in short bursts. Adult pups can have longer sessions, and senior pups need shorter training again because they get tired more easily.

So now that you know it’s possible, go out and train your big pup! It may just turn out better than you think. Like and share away, people!