May 4th, 2011
A few weeks back, I shared what I consider to be a wonderful video about a 13-year-old Golden Retriever who was being trained with a clicker for the first time. The dog’s obvious delight and enjoyment of the training is, to me, a better argument for keeping training positive than almost anything I could write.
But, of course, I’m gonna write anyway.
Proper training is one of the loveliest gifts that you can give your aging canine companion. Not only do you build the bond and improve the communication between you, but you also help to keep her mind sharp. Just as continuing education helps keep human beings interested in life, so too does continuing education for dogs. kBut that doesn’t mean you can train a senior dog exactly the same way you train a puppy. Here are some ideas for adjusting your dog’s training as he ages.
Keep it short. An older dog may not have the endurance or attention span that he did when he was younger. For that reason, it’s a good idea to keep your training sessions short–no longer than 10 minutes.
Keep it fun. Drill-sergeant techniques have no place in dog training–especially when the dog is a sensitive senior. Positive reinforcement, gentle encouragement, and lots of good feedback in the form of praise, petting, a short play session and/or treats are much more likely to keep your older dog enthusiastic and engaged.
Adjust the treats. Your older dog may love his training treats as much now as he did when he was younger. However, as he ages, his metabolism is likely to slow down. That means he’ll put on weight more easily than he did when he was younger–and excess weight may well shorten your dog’s life, not to mention put him at risk for a variety of health problems such as cancer, arthritis and diabetes. Either give your dog much tinier portions of his current treats, or switch to low-calorie fare such as frozen veggies and fresh fruits (If you opt for those fruits and veggies, be prepared for him to poop a little more often! That extra fiber can up your pooch’s, ahem, productivity).
Adjust the activity level. Your older dog may not be up for strenuous fetch sessions or flyball training anymore. But that doesn’t mean you can’t play “hide the toy” or some other game that makes him fire up a few brain cells. And it certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t teach him a few new manueuvers such as putting his toys away. Maybe you could even train him to pass the Canine Good Citizen test, if he hasn’t already done so.
Always end on a good note. Now, more than ever, it’s important to end your training sessions on a positive note. Make sure that the last thing you ask your dog to do in a session is something that you know he can do easily–and then give him plenty of reinforcement when he does. As our four-legged friends age, their mortality becomes clearer and they become dearer to us. Don’t mar this uniquely sweet time in your lives together with unnecessary negativity.
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One Response to “Training the senior dog”
Susan McCullough has been a professional writer for 30-plus years, but didn't start focusing on dogs until 1996, when an overzealous Sheltie attacked and shredded a message that had been faxed to Susan's office. Instead of merely telling the sender "My dog ate your fax," Susan decided to see seek expert advice about how to share an office with one's animal companion. She turned that advice into an article for a national pet magazine, and she's been writing about dog behavior and care ever since.
I really enjoyed this article as I am always promoting the idea of adopting the older dog. They have so much to offer, and are so easily trained. And you made some excellent points, especially about adjusting the treats.
Thanks!
Elizabeth