Is it ever too late to train your dog?

There’s no such thing as a dog too old to train and with reward based training methods, you can really enrich their life. It’s a common misconception that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Modern dog training methods are suitable for canine companions at any stage of their life. From a few weeks old, through puppyhood, adolescence, adulthood and right into their dotage, dogs love to learn. It’s never too late to start dog training. It’s never too late to address problems such as poor recall or pulling on the lead. Is your dog too old to train? Absolutely not! But you do need to adapt your training techniques to your dog’s abilities.

It’s NEVER too late to start training your dog. There is really no age limit on training your dog. Dogs of any age can learn new skills and change habits. Even if your teenage dog is 2 or 3 years old, they’ll be very capable of changing their behaviours. If you are struggling with your dog jumping up at people, running off when you let them off-lead, pulling on-lead or with any other problem behaviour, you’ll find it easier to change the behaviour if you start now. You still have plenty of time to teach your teen dog all the skills they need to be the amazing dog you’ve always dreamt of. The more time your dog repeats an undesirable behaviour, the stronger that behaviour becomes, and the harder you’ll have to work to change it.

The good news is that it's rarely too late to begin training your canine companion. While it may require patience, consistency, and understanding, we can teach an old dog new tricks. One of the most important factors in training an older dog is understanding that they can still learn and change their behaviour, despite any habits they may have developed over time. Dogs are incredibly adaptable creatures, and with the right approach, even ingrained behaviours can be modified. Research has suggested that older dogs may have slowed physically and may have developed different motivations, but this does not mean that they are unable to learn. It's also essential to tailor your training approach to your dog's individual needs and personality. Older dogs may have physical limitations or past experiences that influence their behaviour, so patience and understanding are crucial. While it may take longer to see results with an older dog compared to a puppy, the bond formed through training can be incredibly rewarding.