Tuesday Training Byte: Training an adult dog

Yes, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! While puppies are cute, they are a lot of work. If you are looking to add a dog to your household and you work full-time, consider perhaps getting an adult dog. Decades ago I bought a five year old female Rottweiler. She had been a ranch dog and was never leash trained, crate trained or housebroken. The benefits to me at that moment outweighed the problems, so we brought her home. It can take a dog up to 3 months to fully adapt and settle in, but I started working with her right away. We started with the crate. She loved her chew bone, so I sat on the floor and showed it to her then tossed it in the crate about half way back. I did not correct her as she stepped in the get it and then came back out. The next time I tossed the bone to the back of the crate. She was a bit hesitant at first, but within a couple of minutes she went it and brought it out. On the third training session, I closed the door behind her. I fed her high-value treats through the wire and spoke softly to her. After five minutes, I let her out. Just make sure you do not let her out while she is whining, barking, or pawing at the crate door. By the end of the week, I had her spending the night in her crate and eating both meals in the crate. As an adult (even though she was not housebroken), she could hold it for a few hours at a time in the house. Make sure you keep an eye out and take the dog outside before they have an accident. Some positive reinforcement will help her catch on rather quickly. To start getting her used to the leash, I clipped one on her buckle collar and let her drag it around the house for a bit. before going outside, I attached the handle end of the leash to my belt. Keep plenty of high value treats with you to encourage the dog to follow you around. With some consistency, the dog will quickly learn that the treats come when she is near your left side. Be sure to quickly mark the desired behavior, even if you didn't give a command, with a smile and the word "Yes!". Timing is important in order for the dog to connect the behavior with the reward. If I mark the behavior immediately with a "Yes!" and then the dog moves before I can get the treat out, I do not give the treat until the dog is back in the correct position, etc. Adult or older dogs are often less hyper, even if they come with some bad habits. Decide before the dog comes home, where it will sleep, eat, and potty. Similar to a puppy, until the new dog understands what is acceptable, it should not have access to the whole house. Happy training!

Bruce with Gitta. I gave him Gitta when she was 6 1/2 years. At age 9 he trained her and earned an obedience title!