I don't care if our Fran "obeys" anymore.

[janedoe]

Our Fran is 12 1/2 now. We adopted her when she was about three or so and had to train her to do just about everything. She was my best agility dog and is our most "agile" dog to this day, going up and down the stairs without a problem.

As she ages, she has become more and more resistant to commands and I just don't care. She has such good judgment with respect to her own needs and indicates when she is uncomfortable because of her allergies. She talks at me when she needs something and I figure it out. But when we run her through training exercises, it's a no go. Her behavior flows with the household activities and we adore her but it's not a "do this now" kind of thing anymore.

Frankly, I think we have an excellent relationship. I just don't feel any great need to make her do specific things anymore and she doesn't either.

Just putting that out there. There may be a point when the whole perfect obedience thing doesn't matter.

[Labradorks]

I definitely let things slide as my dogs get older!

[Dallas dawg]

Fran honey, you move at your own pace and keep up the selective hearing.

[Tanya]

haha, i agree. I won't say Rocky has "good judgement" but he's definately earned some "old man prividges" Pen has to work for her treats, Rocky gets them just cuz

Having said that, when I do training sessions with Penny, Rocky wants in. And by that, i mean he gets in the way In those cases I will ask that he "earn" his treat at least by sitting a few feet away so I can work penny lol!

[POPTOP]

Know what you mean. Mardi gets away with much more than she used to. I used to make her sit for dinner or a treat but knowing here hip and knee are uncomfortable, a stand stay is all I ask. Sometimes when she really wants the treat, she'll sit on her own.

The only thing I still ask her to do is no begging at the table and no crowding the door when someone comes in the house. Otherwise, I let her enjoy her "seniority".

[Annette47]

Yeah, all my guys reached a point when they got older (usually around Fran’s age) where we stopped making them obey in the same way we did when they were younger. They never stopped wanting to do Obedience work though - it was more for stuff in the house like Poptop describes.

Hey - age has it’s privileges, doesn’t it?

[Moby and Barley's Mom]

Totally agree. Moby is 13 1/2 and pretty much has to do almost nothing to get a treat. Mainly because it is harder for him to sit now - so I just give him the treat. I make the puppy do everything for a treat - but Moby - well - while Barley is running around locating treats with a game we play - Moby just stands by my side as I give him a treat every so often. When I throw the treat for him to "catch it" I literally lob it right into his mouth because otherwise it hits him right in the face because his vision and reflexes are not what they used to be. I am just glad he is still around and likes his life.

[LucyTudeOn4Feet]

I'm so glad you put this out there. We are absolutely in the same place with Lucy, and have been for at least a year. She'll no longer sit on command, and that was always her rock solid thing. I assume it's arthritis or stiffness, so I no longer even ask. She sits when she wants, but mostly goes straight to a lay down. She no longer will stay, and that was her second best command, so, we accommodate, plan ahead, alter our behavior, etc. as the situation where we would need her to stay dictates. That may mean one of us goes ahead with her, while the other pays the bill, for example. The other catches up.
We learned to pick up poop a lot faster, as she starts to wander off immediately, LOL!

[shelly]

This is a great thread! We don't make our 6 year old lab Gibbs sit anymore for treats after his TPLO surgery. Yesterday our house guest noticed that he doesn't go into the kitchen even if the gate is open where our 22 month old Newf pushes his way into- over- or through the gate to get at the kitchen. I told her Gibbs respects boundaries even if the gate or a door is open. This thread reminded me how much he has matured and what a great Lab he is

[Snowshoe]

Absolutely, I agree too. Plus, when a normally compliant dog does not comply with a command it might indicate a hurt somewhere. A less than snappy SIT or DOWN might be sore hips or back or something.