Kirjoita seuraava otsikko uudelleen Suomeksi. Käytä hieman eri sanoja: You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!

Kirjoita tämä teksti suomeksi siten, että asiat tulevat kerrotuksi mutta teksti ei ole kopioitu, Älä käytä brändinimiä. Kirjoita teksti yhtä pitkäksi, mutta erilaisella rakenteella kuin alkuperäinen. Alkuperäinen teksti: ” This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.Is the old saying that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” true? No! Old dogs can learn new behaviors. They may have some physical or cognitive limitations you need to take into account. But most older dogs love to learn new things.I’ve rescued some adult and senior dogs and they loved the attention–and treats–when I taught them new behaviors.One of my rescues, a sheltie named Lady, didn’t even know how to sit on cue when I adopted her. She was about seven or eight years old when rescued.She had been in at least three other placements and knew her name, but that was about it. One of the first commands most people teach their dogs is to sit. New puppy parents are usually so proud when their puppy learns to sit on cue. Sadly, no one gave Lady any attention when she was young apparently. Lady was the sweetest dog. She loved everyone–and was in heaven when she was petted and told what a good girl she was.Rescued sheltie Lady paying attentionAfter she settled in, we started training. She was a quick study. It was so cute when she learned to sit on cue. She didn’t lure back, so I captured the behavior and rewarded it. She looked at me as if to say: ”I’ve been doing this all my life. I didn’t know I could get a treat for sitting!” Lady sitting on cueWithin less than a year of her arrival, Lady learned all 10 exercises to pass the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test! Some of the tests involved sit and down stay, loose leash walking, come, calmly greeting people and dogs, and more. She even learned tricks and became a therapy dog who accompanied me to a hospital to comfort patients. Lady beamed with pride.Why Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?There are many reasons to teach an adult or senior dog new behaviors. If you’ve just rescued the dog, you may need to teach him even some basic things such as house training. Or if you’ve had the dog for years, he still should keep learning. Reasons include:Teaching a new dog important behaviors. If a dog is new to you, he may need to learn even basic behaviors such as house training and his name. And many other cues, such as paying attention, sit/down/stay, come, leave it, and how to walk on a loose leash. Promoting physical health. Teaching obedience cues and tricks can help your dog remain physically healthy. Depending on the dog’s ability, the trick can involve some physical exertion. And stretching and moving can help rejuvenate a dog and keep his weight down.Preventing cognitive decline and boredom. An older dog is more likely to suffer from cognitive decline. So giving him something fun and challenging to do can help stimulate his mind. And it will also help prevent him from being bored, just lying around.Preparing for a new experience. You may need to train your older dog when he will be experiencing something new, such as traveling, walking on a leash in a more crowded area, or becoming accustomed to a new house.Furthering your bond. Obviously, you love your dog or you wouldn’t be reading this blog post. But whether you have a new dog or a long-time best bud, training can serve to further your bond. After all, dogs love to be with their pet parents–and the praise and rewards they get while learning.So there are many reasons to teach your older dog some new obedience cues or behaviors.Limitations To Take Into Account When Training an Older DogWhat you can or should teach the dog depends on many factors. You need to take into account his physical and mental health. Older dogs may suffer from joint pain or degeneration, arthitis, vision or hearing loss, or a decline in cognitive function. So have a full vet check-up before beginning a new training program. And ask your vet about any limitations your dog may have so that you can choose the right tricks for his abilities and needs. Your vet may even recommend a physical therapist for your pup if he needs it for certain physical exercises. Or may even show you how to have your dog stretch prior to them. If your dog has cognitive decline, ask about what your dog’s limitations–and abilities–are. The same is true of hearing or vision deficits. You should also have his teeth checked, as older dogs tend to have dental issues, which may affect his abilities to do some tricks such as retrieving.When my senior rescue shih tzu Trevor was losing his vision, we still played scent-work type games. I would toss some kibble and treats down. And he would happily sniff them out and scarf them down. The game really perked up his spirits.Trevor relaxingAfter all, he was used to being active. When Trevor was younger, he was a therapy dog who loved the attention he received. And he used to go with me to class and was shown in obedience and rally. But by his last few years, those activities were too strenuous for him. So he needed something to do or he would have been very bored and unhappy. So he looked forward to playing “find it” and other games he was capable of participating in.There are many ways to keep your dog entertained.Factors To Consider When Training an Older DogOther than the previously mentioned physical and cognitive limitations your dog may have, remember that there are other matters to take into account when deciding on and implementing your training program.How an Older Dog LearnsA 2016 study conducted by the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Clever Dog Lab, found that dogs 10 and older took more than twice as long as puppies aged six months to a year old to learn new behaviors. But it found that older dogs did retain behaviors that they knew. So the study found that dogs of all ages retained known behaviors. The study didn’t find any correlation between dog breed and an aging dog’s ability to learn.But remember that, according to experts such as Stanley Coren, different breeds are able to learn and retain information at different rates. He rated some breeds as learning at faster rates and retaining information more readily. These included border collies, German shepherds, poodles, labrador and golden retrievers, rottweilers, and papillons. Shih tzus and Lhasa apsos, two breeds that I’ve had for years, are near the bottom of his rankings.I’ve trained many breeds and mixes over the years. And I pretty much agree with his rankings. But we have to remember that dogs bred for a working purpose–such as herding, hunting, or protection–were bred to work with us and learn certain tasks. And they generally learn more quickly than those bred for other purposes–such as being companions.So my goldens, shelties, and Aussie mix learned obedience commands and tricks pretty quickly without a ton of repetitions. And my shih tzus and Lhasa apsos took more repetitions and time to learn and retain information. So teaching “sit” may take five repetitions for the working breeds and maybe three times that for the shih tzu.But my shih tzus and Lhasas did learn and retain even very complicated behaviors such as scent discrimination where she had to find a dumbbell I touched amongst others that I didn’t. My shetties Amber, Duffy, and Murphy learned these pretty quickly and within weeks were pretty reliable.Murphy demonstrating the sit cueBut my shih tzu China took months to become reliable in finding the right scented dumbbell–especially in new, distracting environments.Have PatienceOf course dog training takes patience. And training an older dog can take more patience than training a younger one. Older dogs can take two times longer to learn new behaviors than younger ones do. So have plenty of time for your sessions. And appreciate your dog for who he is now. Reward Desired BehaviorsOf course using positive reinforcement is the best way to train. Behaviors that are rewarded will generally be repeated. But what is positive reinforcement really? It involves what your particular dog finds reinforcing. And this isn’t always treats. Of course most dogs love receiving food rewards. But there are many other ways to reward your pup.Praise, play, petting, and experiences he likes such as going on a walk or sniffing in your yard…

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