It is clear that the sooner a dog learns basic education, the fewer problems there will be in future coexistence with humans. But what happens when he hasn’t learned these essential commands as a child? Is it possible to train an adult dog? We tell you how to train an adult dog and the seven basic lessons that he must learn.
Dogs learn all their lives
The good news is that dogs, like humans, learn throughout their lives. This means that even when they are older they are able to assimilate new commands, rules and certain behaviors. But, in the same way, they can also acquire unwanted habits Best dog training Houston. A dog’s training should never end. After all, basic obedience is useless when, later, out of laziness, inappropriate behaviors are allowed to happen to the furry dog. When you teach him rules it is important to keep them for life. The command “quiet” in the future cannot become “wait just a moment, please.”
The advantages of training an adult dog
It is clear that when dogs are small, just like children, they learn more quickly. They are easier to mold, as they are eager to learn and acquire a lot of knowledge through play, plus they are still impartial. On the other hand, puppies must also be taught basic behavior, since no dog is born knowing where he should relieve himself or to stop biting furniture or shoes when he has never heard a loud and clear “no.” education and socialization of a puppy usually encompasses more areas than the education of an adult dog, which is usually already accustomed to living with humans.
The advantages of training an adult dog are the following:
They tend to be calmer and more stable than young dogs.
They are clean, they know where they can relieve themselves
They can usually be left alone
They have an established routine regarding sleeping, eating and going for walks
You can take longer walks with them
When training them, they need fewer breaks than playful puppies who tire quickly.
Training an adult dog: possible problems
But training an adult dog can also have disadvantages, since they are likely to have certain behaviors that they acquired months or years ago. If these are no longer desired, it is possible that the dog will react in a stubborn and insecure way. Changing a learned behavior in an adult dog is quite demanding and it is important that you be consistent and patient. The question is not whether it is still possible to educate an adult quadruped, but rather the time it takes to fully assimilate what has been learned. An older furry dog can be trained in the same way as a young one , it just may take a little longer.
What to do in case of behavioral problems?
If you are trying to learn how to train an adult dog that already has serious behavioral problems, you are going to need a lot of patience. Before starting to counterattack the unwanted behavior, it is important that you find out what the cause is. Why does my dog destroy everything? Why is he so aggressive? Why doesn’t he stop barking? The fury behind the biting and mauling of some dogs is usually due to serious mental disorders,which can not only be triggered by traumatic situations or chronic pain, but also by continuous stress, isolation or lack of physical or mental challenges. The better you know the causes behind your dog’s behavior, the more specific and promising his training can be. If you are a beginner in having a dog, it is best to seek help from a professional. But also for those with experience, a conversation with a dog trainer can be quite productive.
Dog training: basic obedience
For coexistence between dogs and humans to work, it is necessary to establish some basic rules. There is no other animal as close to people as the dog, nor another that is so humanized. But we often forget that our furry dogs descend from wolves, so they need a certain order, just like in the pack, as this provides them with security and guidance. Without a doubt, dogs need rules and for them to be enforced consistently. Any exception to these rules confuses them and causes them to take charge themselves, especially if it is a confident breed of dog.
To avoid conflicts, your furry friend must master basic commands such as “sit”, “plas”, “release”, “stay”, “wait”. He cannot cross the road if you are ordering him to sit (“sit”), nor cross the supermarket parking lot when you have ordered him to “wait” and he cannot chase a rabbit or the neighbor’s dog when you have said “come here.” .
The following exercises are basic education for your dog , which will not only make your life easier, but also that of your faithful canine friend and those around you.
How to train an adult dog correctly
Training a dog is for all ages, it doesn’t matter if it is a puppy or an adult dog that has not been trained well. However, you must take into account the age of the quadruped, as young dogs are eager to play, which can be useful, but the learning and training phases are shorter; Meanwhile, adult dogs need more stimuli and challenges to open themselves to learning. Adult dogs have already developed preferences, so the better you know your furry friend, the easier it will be for you to use them to your advantage when you start training him. Obedience training is most successful with positive reinforcement.If you know what your four-legged friend likes, you can use it as a reward. This doesn’t always have to besnacks , but they can also be pampering, praise, adog toy or a little play time with sticks or balls.
The seven most important exercises when training an adult dog
Walking on a leash
Dogs must learn from the beginning tonot pulling on the leash , ignoring other people and dogs when they are tied and not pulling in any direction. When an adult dog has learned that he moves forward when he pulls very hard on the leash, he will always do so. With a little skill and being consistent and patient, you will get him to stop that bad habit. To achieve this, changing the circumstance can be of great help. If, for example, he always wears a collar, change it to a harness. If he tends to pull both and switching from harness to collar or vice versa doesn’t work, you can also put a scarf on him to secure the leash to him. You must make your dog aware of this change by showing him thewalking utensils and letting him sniff them, so he is more likely to be ready to learn something new.
If your dog pulls on the leash, stop
If you go out for a walk and the dog pulls on the leash, stop. Move forward only when your dog approaches you and the leash is relaxed.As soon as he shoots again, stand up again. Continue this pattern consistently. When your quadruped pulls the chain very hard and you have trouble stopping it, you have to encourage it to come closer to you using sounds or gestures. You can also try placing a treat or a toy that he likes at a distance of about 20 meters, but that looks good. Your furry friend will want to run to catch it, but you will have to stop him and tell him to come closer to you. As soon as he turns around, take a few steps back to show him that there is only one way. Only when he can walk without pulling on the leash can you approach the object of desire. He will not have the reward until he learns to control himself and follow the pace you set for him.
“sit” command
Treats and snacks are very helpful when you want to teach your dog to sit with the “sit” command:
Hold the snack above your head. Your hand should remain closed when your dog tries to jump to catch it. To be able to see the snack better, you will sit on the floor.
As soon as his butt and front paws are on the ground, say the command “sit” and give him the much-desired treat. In addition to that, praise him with words and caresses.
After a little practice, you will have learned to sit when you hear the word “sit”, without having to force it with a snack. To make him sit for longer, you can prolong the time from when he sits to when you give him the treat. Practicing the “sit” command is very easy to integrate into your daily routine: when putting on and taking off the leash, when you go to the bakery or at all red lights.