Can Old Dogs Learn New Tricks?

I am often asked, "Is it too late to train my dog?"  

99.9% of the time the answer is "NO, It is never too late to work on training!"  

While I am only too happy to make exceptions for dogs who are physically limited (blindness, deafness, incontinence, etc...) I am generally NOT inclined to excuse bad behavior on the basis of age.  

This is not to say that old HABITS won't be more difficult to change.

But, for the most part: Training a dog, is training a dog.  

There are 3 basic parts.

1) Establishing a GOAL.

2) Breaking your goal into SMALL STEPS that your dog can achieve.

3) Providing encouragement, support and REINFORCING SUCCESS.

However, it can be difficult to focus on training new behaviors when you are busy dealing with the results of older, more annoying behaviors.  

A common mistake is to put energy into the wrong end of the behavior equation.  My clients are often too focused on "the best way to punish their dogs bad behavior."  In their zest for finding the perfect punisher (squirt, pinch, roll, choke, pin, rub, shock, squeeze) the miss the point completely.  

I read that I should ...

Somebody told me to ...

I heard that dogs need ...

I was thinking I would try ...

My neighbor used a ...

Focusing on "what to do when your dog messes up" is a terrible plan!  Imagine if airline safety focussed 90% of their energy on what to do when the planes crash.  

This is not to say that I don't punish bad behavior.  The only way to reduce any behavior is to punish it, but punishments are tricky to do well.  Most dog owners dole out punishments that are late or too harsh.  Or, they don't even punish the dog they just nag it or say something and follow that with no consequences.  

When punishments are done badly they ruin relationships and dogs.  If you want to successfully teach a dog to DO something BETTER, you must REWARD the things they are doing RIGHT.  Sometimes your dog will need help getting there.

Goals help you form a reasonable plan.

Try picturing "Your Perfectly Behaved Dog."

What is she doing?

Here is example:

When my family is eating I would like my dog to lie on her bed quietly.  This is a GOAL!  

"I don't want my dog to beg." is NOT a goal, it is an unreasonable request for an animal that evolved as a scavenger.

When guests come over, I want my dog to sit in the hallway while I answer the door.  This is ALSO A GOAL.  

"I'm sick of my dog jumping on people." is NOT a goal, it is a complaint.

In short, your older dog CAN learn new tricks, but you might have to spend some extra time helping them get things right.  Remember just KNOWING better is not enough.  Your older dog will have a long history of doing things their way.  Be patient, set reasonable goals, help them get it right and MOST IMPORTANTLY  --REWARD, REWARD, REWARD.  In fact, even if you feel like you did most of the work, you MUST still reward your dog.  This will give them incentive to try it your way again.

Training Small dogs can be a challenge.  Dogs that weigh less than 10lbs move quickly.  They are also so close to the ground already that using a Food-Lure (a treat held in your hand, close to their nose) can be challenging.  For medium and large dogs Food-Lures are a convenient ways to move dogs into positions like sit or down.  However, with small dogs Food-Lures can sometimes cause more jumping-bean action than is conducive to training.

For really small, fast-flying dogs I prefer to sit back and relax when training.  For this type of training a CLICKER is really, really handy.  A clicker is a small device that makes a click-sound when the metal flap inside the small box is pressed down and released.

Clickers are used to train dogs, horses, cats, pigeonsrats and even marine mammals.  Using a clicker is simple.  In the beginning the animal in training needs only to learn that each click-sound will be quickly followed by a small reward (technically it must be a reinforcer) that the animal will enjoy and working for.  I like using small, tasty bits of food like cheeses or meats.

The rules are simple.

1.  Click what you like.

2.  Click at the EXACT moment the behavior is accomplished.

3.  Don't command the animal to DO anything, JUST WAIT for something -be patient!!!

4.  Reward the animal after every click.

5.  Train is short intervals 5-10minutes

Sometimes it is helpful to think of the clicker as a camera.  At the end of the training if each CLICK was a PHOTO, and if you placed all those photos on your kitchen table you would have only photos of the behavior (sit, down, bow) that you were hoping to train.

Here are two Kinder-CLICKER lesson for fast-flying, jumpy little-dogs.

1.  Click (and reward) the dog anytime they are NOT moving.  Click the dog for being still in any position.  Offer extra treats for clicks that marked exceptionally cute still positions (like sit or down).  After 2 or 3 sessions, raise the bar and click only certain positions.

2.  Click (and reward) All Cute Behaviors.  This is my favorite.  I will click anything cute!!!  Head-tilts, play-bows, prairie-dog position, sit, down, waving.  Then I pick one behavior that gets clicked and a special bonus treat (gorgonzola).  I like to see how long it takes for the dog to offer only that behavior.

Somewhere, somehow it got into peoples heads that if you let your dog sleep on the bed, walk in front of you, eat first, or heaven-forbid taste human food that they would instantly become untrainable, power-hungry, stubborn dogs on covert mission to rule your world?

This is NOT true.  Banning dogs from certain areas and/or activities is a nice way to avoid problems (guarding, begging and pulling being at the top of this list), but does not make the dog any more subordinate or the owner anymore dominant.

What do we mean by "Dominant" anyway?

When my clients tell me that there dog is dominant, I always ask, "What do you mean?"  For starters there seem to be as many definitions for dominant out there as there are breeds of dogs.  DOMINANT is NOT a nice neat word.  It has lots of variables -depending on what books you have read, who wrote them and what they were talking about.  

Here is an example.  If I told you my house was painted blue, you might picture your standard color wheel, primary color blue.  But, I could mean light blue, or bluish-gray, my house might even be what some people call deep turquoise.  If you work as a designer or in a paint store, and you wanted to know what color blue I was talking about you might ask me for a reference # from a color-chart, show me some samples, have me pick a specific color and then mix the paint so that I got exactly what I picked (not your version of my color).

In addition to having numerous definitions, the word DOMINANT seems to be used the way my grandma used slang around my friends.  It did NOT come off as intended -she did not appear younger or cooler.

When interviewing clients I am frequently told that the problem is their dog's DOMINANCE.  So I inquire more....  What do you mean by that?  Can you tell me more about what the dog is doing?  And then its the old dictionary stumbling on itself routine:  

Client:  "Well he's just being dominant."

Trainer:  "Really, What is he doing?"  

Client:  "Well he's not submissive?"

Trainer: "Hmmm... I'm not sure what you mean.  What would you like him to do?"

Client:  "I don't want him being dominant."

Trainer:  "OK, well tell me more about a time when your dog was dominant."

Client:  The other day he was on the couch."

Trainer:  Do you think he was dominating the couch?"

Client:  Well he wouldn't get off when I told him DOWN."

Trainer:  "Oh, would you like to teach your dog an OFF-command, in addition to the command for LIE-DOWN?"

The Bottom Line

If you don't want dog hair in your bed, make your dog sleep somewhere else.  If you don't care, then by all means don't worry about it!  There is nothing wrong with letting your dog sleep on your bed.

If you don't want to be pulled on walks then buy a humane anti-pull harness or halter.  If your dog is not pulling, then who cares where they walk, front, left, right, behind -anywhere you let them walk is fine!  If they keep crossing in front of you and you find it annoying than TEACH them not to do that.  They are NOT doing it to CONTROL YOU!  They are doing it, because it works for them and they don't know better.

And eating first... REALLY?  I don't get this one at all, my dogs eat ALL THEIR MEALS FROM KONGS!  And they also get to lick plates, but I guess that since I don't want them licking the plate while I am eating I do usually finish my food first.

Your dog is NOT being naughty...

On purpose,

To get back at you,

Or, because they are trying to dominate you!

Your dog's behavior is not malicious.  

Behavior is a result of past CONSEQUENCES & current MOTIVATIONS.  

Chances are they...

a) Really DON'T know better.

• They are acting on instinct (dogs bark, whine and chase things).
  

• They are doing what feels best to them (peeing and pooping feels better than holding it).
  

• They are repeating something that has worked before (checking the counter for more toast).

   

b) Just don't care.

• There is no yucky consequences (peeing on rug = relief).
  

• The consequence is late or seems unconnected (yell at dog for chewing couch sometime while you were gone).
  

• The consequence is actually rewarding the behavior (pushing a dog down for jumping up = touch/attention).
  

• Something else is more compelling/appealing at the moment (pulling towards the next great smell is worth the choking sensation).

  
  

Things to think about...

Have you ever done something even though you "knew better?"

Have you ever performed poorly at something you "know how to do?"

Have you ever made a bad meal or burnt dinner?

Did you do it to "get back" at someone or as revenge, or was it just the way things went?

Did everyone notice how "in charge" you were of their food enjoyment and "feel subordinate" to you?

Have you ever missed a payment or fogotten something important?

Was it to "make a statement" about something, or prove your power?

Did you do it "on purpose" even though you "knew better" and had done it right before?

Do you know better than to call in sick when your friend is visiting?  

What is your motivation?  

What is the consequence? 

Are you a "good" driver?

Have you ever sped?

Why, it is "wrong" isn't it?

Have you ever been "sneaky" about when/where you speed?  Why?

Dear Kelley,

I pray you can help me. Last year I rescued a dog, and myself + my family showered her with love. She had had a very distressing past history, this reinforced to us when she bit my Mother In Law on her third day with us. They were very serious bites and our vet said we had no option but to put her down as she had a high risk of re-offending.

We, as a family, found this incredibly difficult but had no choice. She was a beautiful 2 yr old collie and it was so heartbreaking. We recently re-homed a 6-month old German Shepherd who is a real sweetheart.

However we have just realized that our 12 yr old daughter is still traumatized by the incident with my Mother In Law (which she witnessed).

Krya jumped up to lick her and she had a panic attack. My question to you is "Is it better to put a muzzle on a dog we all love or let her move to a home where she does not have that restraint? She would get plenty of stimulation with us, walks beside a canal for 2 hrs a day, hill walking/climbing regularly with loads of love + attention. Please let me know which outcome would be better for Kyra as it is her welfare that is at the forefront of our dilemma. 

Kind regards, Linda

Facts & Summary:

1. "Kyra" is your new, 6-mo. old German Shepherd Dog.  
   
2. Your daughter, age 12, was recently witness to a severe bite inflicted by a different dog to a family member.
   
3. The dog who bit was a 3-day, newly adopted, 2-yr old Collie.
   
4. The Collie was euthanized for aggression as recommended by your vet.  
   
5. Although the new dog is friendly, she is rambunctious and untrained.
   
6. Your daughter is having panic attacks whenever the dog jumps up on her, licks her or does both.  

QUESTION:

Should you use a a muzzle on the new dog,  so that your daughter will not have to worry about being bitten.  Or, is this unfair to the dog?

First, let me say that if your daughters fear is severe, or getting worse, you may want to seek help from a mental health professional.  

It is entirely normal to be afraid of large animals with big teeth!  But it sounds as if you are describing a new change in your daughter that is drastically different because of a specific event.  

Given the bite your daughter witnessed and the events that followed, I am not surprised that your daughter is having a difficult time bonding with your new dog.

If you can't manage the access the two have to each other with gates, crates, and tie-downs while still providing excellent opportunities for mental and physical exercise for the dog, then you may want to re-home the GSD.

If you are able to find professional help for your daughter and the prognosis is good, then it might be possible to temporarily manage the situation and work through the issue.  

Having worked as a humane educator I do have some experience working with social workers and psychologists in controlled settings with dogs and children who were fearful of, or had had a traumatic experience with an aggressive dog.  It takes time to recover from a bad experience and steady, slow progress is best.

From a dog-behavior perspective, "wiggly" & "overly-friendly" are encouraging terms.  They mean that the dog is not afraid (potential fear-aggression), just untrained.  Untrained is fixable with patience and a little work.  The dog's temperament aside, the human needs to be comfortable too and wiggly/friendly can be just too much for a fearful person.  

When working with people who are afraid of dogs, I have never started with a puppy!  They are TOO-WIGGLY!  A friendly, well-trained adult dog who listens well to commands is ideal.  So, don't peg your daughters recovery on your puppy.  Consider training the puppy and getting your daughter (at her comfort level) interacting with older, well-behaved, friendly dogs.

Regarding your specific question, I would NOT recommend muzzling the dog.

I only use muzzles when the is a clear indication that a bite is likely and/or a previously known history of the dog having bitten or fought.  

If this is a concern (that the GSD may have some tendency to bite or nip) than it may be best to re-home the dog and focus on your daughter's feelings and concerns regarding dogs.  

If the dog is not currently biting or showing signs of being fearful or aggressive, then it is your daughter whom you need to turn your energy.  

Muzzling the dog will not fix your daughter's fear, but could give her a false sense of security.  

Furthermore, your 6-month old pup will miss out on the opportunity she needs to learn what (toys) she is allowed to put her mouth on and when (never), she may place (even gently) her mouth on people.

If the dog is NOT biting or puppy-nipping then by all means, please use other management devices such as crates, pens or tie-downs to prevent the dog from jumping all over your daughter.  

This is just good-sense for anyone with a rude, jumpy pup.  

Preventing the dog from practicing the bad behavior is critical to training.  

Finally, please enroll in a Reward-Based (no choke/prong collars) Training Class.  

Don't forget to include your daughter in training the dog.  The class may be overwhelming, lots of young, un-trained dogs, but your daughter could be included in the homework exercises.  

In the beginning this may mean that someone else holds the leash and controls the dog from a distance, or that your daughter gives the commands or food-rewards.

---

 

Do you have a question for Kelley? by DogTime blogger Kelley Filson