Any ideas on older dog training?

Obie-n-sadie · 06-11-2006, 12:08 PM

We just aquired a chocloate lab who is 1 1/2. She was in a kennel outside and so is not house trained and seems to have no previous training. We are at our wits end. We don't really want to get rid of her..but we live in town and having a trained dog is essential....anybody have a simliar experience..or any ideas on how to get started?

She doesn't respond to anything....

Texas2 · 06-11-2006, 12:43 PM

you need to get the dog into a training class asap. is the dog going to be an inside or outside dog. what are your expectations?

a year and a half lab is still a very smart dog. you will have to figure out what you want to do with the dog.
you need basic obidience now. it will train you to train the animal. if you plan on having the dog in the house then you should think about crate training him or her.
Crate training has never failed in this house and i highly recommend it.
any more info on problems or etc?

GSD lover · 06-11-2006, 01:31 PM

I've trained all of my dogs at an older age. Ages 3, 2 and 1 years. It is much easier to compromise with them instead of completely stop a behavior. Like, is he barks, teach him that he can bark a few times on command but not freely. If there is any other problem behaviors find the cause and get rid of it all together. Watch yourself and make sure you are not rewarding for bad behavior, like when he barks you yell at him giving him attention, in his eyes a reward. And never punish, it only lowers an older dogs strive much more than puppies. It takes time and patience but it is possible. And always find what the dog loves most to use as their rewards, treats, petting, praise or toys, each dog has a different preference.

opokki · 06-11-2006, 05:32 PM

I think signing up for a group obedience class would be a great start. You can then get lots of practice in during off-class hours once you receive some guidance. A dog is never to old to learn new things.

You can do a trainer search here:
http://apdt.com/po/ts/default.aspx

bigdawgs · 06-11-2006, 07:24 PM

You CAN housebreak an older dog, especially one that has been outside. Do it just like you would a pup, and crate training is a good start.

Curbside Prophet · 06-11-2006, 11:53 PM

I have to agree with all of the above. You have to start from the beginning and teach basic obedience and manners. In conjunction with a good exercise regimen, you can teach the dog anything. It's not so much about your dog as it is about your dedication and vigilance. "She doesn't respond to anything..." Does she respond to food?

OwnedBySix · 06-13-2006, 04:08 PM

I have attended several group classes, but myself have found that having a down-to-earth trainer evaluate your dog one on one has worked best for me. There IS something your dog responds to. It may be tiny peices of hotdog chopped up, or in my GSD growing up, it was the chance to chase a ball.

All of my dogs are rescued, and I also foster rescues, so it is not often they are under a year old. Labs tend to take a bit longer to mature (at least 2 years), but it is possible to get them under control, regardless of when you start.

What exactly is the problem? Housebreaking? I can give you advice on that front, as that is the most common problem I deal with in my rescues/fosters.

Do you have a crate? If not, GET ONE. It's not cruel...trust me it would be much crueler to rehome her because she is 'untrained' but not 'untrainable'.

Does she jump? Bark? Rambunctious? Give specifics and you will get lots of tips. In the meantime, check your yellow pages for dog trainers, or ask your vet. You want one that is going to teach YOU to train your dog using positive reinforcement.

You say you are at wit's end, but imagine how your dog feels. She's never been taught how to behave, and now she's in trouble alot but has no idea why. For all she knows, you are speaking Russian and she is from Japan! Once she knows what you want/expect, she will respond in the way you want. But...it isn't going to happen in a day or a week and probably not even a month. But you WILL notice little changes day by day. Short sessions (10-15 minutes) 2 to 3 times a day work best.

Your dog will understand YOU much better if YOU understand HER. I highly recommend this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034...lance&n=283155.

Good luck, and please please please don't give up on her yet. She's desperate to please you...she just doesn't know how.