Training the Older Dog
What
to be aware of
Older dogs is much the same as for Puppy training so read that
for Ideas on how to train. There is differences as the older dog may
be set in its ways. Without knowing or seeing the dog its hard to
give advice so here we can only presume a response to training will
be positive. Suffice to say that the older the dog the harder it may
be to train. Don't let this influence you choosing to adopt a older
dog. they may already be trained and may first need your trust to
start responding as you want. As with pups it may take time. Allot
can depend on its background and past treatment and experiences.
The advantage of the older Dog is that it usually will already be
toilet trained and will not be in the chew up hoses and other
things stage. A dog that was kept outdoors may need some toilet
training but it will be very little and it soon realises that
outside is the place, so long as you let it know. If it does say poo
inside then call it over, let it sniff where it did it then tell it
NO Outside, and using hand and stern voice chase it outside for
awhile.
Digging is usually boredom or in hot weather a cool place to lie.
Hot Pepper usually works where they dig but it washes away when
watered and if it works then they will find another spot so you got
to do it again, and again and .... If you need to leave the
dog for long periods on its own then it may be an idea to let it
have a digging spot in a location you don't mind. You may have to
use the pepper till it finds the mutual agreed spot. Refill the hole
as needed cause it could become a tunnel. Ordinary pepper may not
work, so try a real hot one. Red Hot Curry powder was the one that
worked for me. Show the dog lots and
lots of loving and attention. This will create the bond needed to
get a real friend that will try please you all the time. Training
then becomes much easier. A dog that was mistreated or unhappy may
take longer to warm to you but it WILL, with kindness and attention
and it will end up one of the best dogs you will have. Be aware
though, that such dogs in the early days may not want to come back
to you if you let them off the lead say in a park ( or they may run
away with a open gate ) as they will still have bad memories and
will be wary of you, so gain their trust first. You will know when
the time is right. Smacking
your Dog
Now we have a great argument, do you or don't you smack your dog.
There are those that say yes and those that say no, so what do you
reckon?. There will be times you really lose it and will want to.
Can you restrain yourself and think it over before action? My
opinion is NO, Dogs never do anything to annoy you on
purpose, rather they always try to please you, so think before you
act. Normally a stern verbal scolding with NO and then sending them
outside for awhile is sufficient. This may need to be repeated a
number of times till they understand why you upset with them. Mine
hate being ignored and really get upset and try hide when I'm cross
with them, then eventually they will come back and put their head on
my lap trying to say sorry. Remember there is a big
difference between a dog that is scared of you and a dog that loves
you. Smacking will make them scared and nervous, the type of dog you
don't want. In both cases they obey. This subject is vast and I
don't intend going into it. Use common sense. |
