Image courtesy of Pixabay
Farewell, old saying that no longer realistically applies to actual scenarios! One would be much more inclined to believe that the saying has a lot more significance when used metaphorically to talk about humans, actually. This is because humans have conscience and they can make the willing choice to be stubborn and refuse to adopt the “new tricks” offered to them. Dogs are a bit simpler than that – just swoon them and convince them with some quality treats.
When committing yourself to undergoing some training with your old pooch, you need to make sure that you have these three fundamental elements on you:
- Patience
- Dog treats
- Health supervision
Patience
It’s true that old dogs learn almost anything they would’ve been able to learn when they were puppies, but their age might pose some difficulties and slow down the process. These interferences can be caused by hearing or sight problems or even the simple fact that the dog’s mind isn’t pristine and sharp anymore. Nonetheless, you need to walk into this challenge packed with plenty of patience. Don’t worry, even if it all seems initially hopeless, with enough perseverance, you are definitely going to succeed.
Treats
The dog treat aspect should be as easy as it sounds, but it does need a little bit of thinking too. They will represent the main source of motivation for your pooch and, trust me, it’s no easy deed to try and impress a dog who’s seen plenty of things in its life. You should either stick to old school treats that you know your dog goes crazy over or experiment with something that will bring a sense of novelty to the table. Just make sure that you don’t accidentally end up feeding it something risky or known to pose a threat to its health, such as grapes or peaches.
Health supervision
We’ll venture into accentuating just why health supervision is so hugely important. Old dogs tend to suffer from a variety of issues, whether mental or physical. Their joints ache, they could be having some back problems, and their bones and muscles, in general, are a little bit rusty. You need to take your pup to a vet and quickly check what is applicable to them and then, depending on the problems, you’ll need to cross some tricks off your list. Don’t force an old dog into learning physically straining tricks such as jumping or leaping.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Furthermore, you should keep in mind that certain breeds, while they may appear similar in their physical characteristics, are actually quite different when it comes to health concerns. French Bulldogs, for instance, may resemble the Boston Terrier, but when it comes to energy levels and risks of obesity, Frenchies are definitely more sensitive. For more information on this topic, read this article that explains all the major differences between two of the most popular dog breeds around. (Featured image via: WikiHow)
