Training and Old Dog New Tricks...literally.

[redfeather2006]

I just recently adopted a new dog, Dexter, from the local humane Society. He's a 10-12 year old 35 lb terrier mix (schnauzer type). I've had him a few weeks now and he's is just a joy to have around. he's quirky, cute, and well behaved for the most part. He's also definitely an old man! Walks like an old man, looks like and old man, and, recently, I've come to the conclusion that he is very slow on the uptake.

Now don't get me wrong, he does have some good manners. He walks very well on a leash and responds well to minor leash corrections. He gets along well with my other dog and my cat, has good house manners and is friendly with strangers and other animals (unless you're a squirrel).

Basic Obedience, however, is another story. I've never owned a dog who was slow to learn new things like Dexter is. I've been working on just one command, sit, for the last two weeks and he is only just barely getting it. I still have to coax him into it with a treat, but he doesn't do it every time, and forget trying to get his attention when we are outside of the home. At first I thought he might be hard of hearing, but I learned that his hearing is just what a lot of us like to call "Selective hearing." He hears me, but chooses not to acknowledge me.

I understand that he is in a new place, with a lot of new things to look at. He lived in a house with a woman who hoarded 15 dogs, and he is the only dog out of those 15 that survived. He has the temperament for therapy work but if he can't even learn what he needs for CGC, how can he be a therapy dog? I am half tempted to just not force him to learn anything and just let him be a house dog. After all, he is 12 years old. He doesn't have as much time left as a lot of other dogs might have, so maybe I should just let him be the well-mannered dog he is so he can spend the rest of his days lazing about on the couch and going for walks.

Am I asking too much from him? I want him to learn sit, down, come, stand, shake.....but is it really worth putting in the time and effort if he isn't receptive to learning it in the first place? We are registered for a CGC class that is 6 weeks long, and I'm not sure he can learn everything in 6 weeks if it's taking him this long to learn something as simple as sit.

Also, I'm having a hard time finding his motivation. He hasn't shown any interest in toys (stuffed, plastic, balls, etc) and he is only somewhat interested in food when we are at home (doesn't care about food when we are out and about). He enjoys praise but it doesn't motivate him enough to do things for it. About the only thing he does like is chewing on his teeth cleaning chews and going for walks.

All this considered, I'm wondering if he's a perfect match for me and my other dog. I think I was expecting him to be a little bit more energetic than he is, and a little bit more playful with my other dog. His kennel card was misleading because it said he was 8 years old and I didn't learn until after I had him that he was closer to 12 and the Humane Society knew that. He doesn't play with my other dog much, but they do lay together. He might not be a perfect match for us, but that doesn't mean I'm going to take him back. If I have to let him have his freedom to be a dog in his last years, with only his good manners and no extra obedience, then I can do that. I'm not going to just willy nilly take him back because he wasn't what I expected!!

Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation? Any advice on training him or should I train him at all? thanks in advance.

[Labradorks]

It wouldn't hurt to work with him and have goals but he is a rescue from a tough situation so I would advise you to keep your goals very flexible and your expectations low. You may not have the time to get where you would like to be but at least you will be learning, too, and maybe for the next dog you have in your life. It can only make you a better trainer.

Terriers, in my experience, are different than other breeds as far as training goes. Perhaps you should enlist some advice from a professional? You can get a one hour training session to assess him and learn some training methods that may work for him. If he loves walks, before you take him out you can get him excited by using some key words like "wanna go walkies!?!?" and then when you are training him, you can use those words, then take him on the walk when you're done. He will learn that the walk is his reward especially if you are consistent. Same goes for the teeth cleaning things. Start small -- the after a sit on command -- then build up to about ten mins of training a few times per day. Always reward on a positive note. If you are having a bad day or a bad session, keep it short, work on what he knows, and end positively.

Here us an example: Working Hemis metal article - YouTube She uses mealtime but you can use the walk or the chew thing.

[POPTOP]

Have also heard that terriers are difficult to train. May be totally wrong.

You say he walks like an old man. Do you think that just the process of sitting is uncomfortable/causes a little pain? Labradocks has some great suggestions.

Melody was 10 when she joined the family. She already had some problems with her lower spine, arthritis. Took her to basic obedience and she so totally surprised me; she did excellent. As her back got worse, I did not ask as much of her.

[bett]

i hear ya. i have a french bulldog pup and i am sure when i tell him something i hear his mutter under his breath "yeah right" (i cleaned it up, for the board, that's not what he really says)

and every time i think he understands not to pee in the house, i step in a wet spot.
just 5 minutes ago.
mule. i think he is a mule.

your new old boy, sure is lucky.

[Maxx&Emma]

Personally, if I had an older guy as well behaved as you are describing I would be happy to let him live out the remainder of his life as a happy, obedient house dog if you don't get any where working with a trainer. I am sure that is your intention anyway! He sounds like a great dog. Congratulations and thanks for rescuing!


Lol Betty, your Eli stories crack me up! Frenchies are tough little buggers, I have a friend with one and boy does that little guy give her a run for her money! Sounds like you are having just as much fun!