is it possible 2 teach a dog tricks if she is over a year old, like say 4 years old?
stupid questions 101 asked:
my dog is 4 and i want to teach her tricks cuz she doesnt even know how to sit and i think she should learn. plus she is obese(fat) and we are working on that right now. but i am told that it is not possible to teach her as old as she is.
Caroline
my dog is 4 and i want to teach her tricks cuz she doesnt even know how to sit and i think she should learn. plus she is obese(fat) and we are working on that right now. but i am told that it is not possible to teach her as old as she is.
Caroline
16 Responses to “is it possible 2 teach a dog tricks if she is over a year old, like say 4 years old?”
Leah
Yes, it will just take longer. Get her into shape by exercising; starting out small, then ending up running 30 minutes a day, or some rigorous exercise, then get a good trainer to help you.
Try starting off with obedience classes, which teach some tricks.
Matthew
Of course you can! I volunteer in rescue, we almost always get dogs in that are a year old or more, they are mostly untrained and unruly, trust me, you can train her to do anything with patience.
Paige
yes, of course. Check out Cesar Millan’s website. He’s got some great ideas on how to deal with dogs.
Gabriel
It’s absolutely possible. Just because a dog is no longer a puppy, doesn’t mean that their brain doesn’t work!
They learn just the same!
Carson
yes it is possible to teach a dog tricks no matter what the age is
Zachary
You probably can teach her something like sit if you’re just persistent and consistent. You may need to work harder than if she were younger, and it will probably take a longer time. Try the same methods as you would with a puppy and reward with treats and/or petting. Be patient. You can also enroll her in a training program. They have those available especially for older dogs.
Angel
Of course it’s possible! My 10 year old greyhound is right now learning search. And using his nose to find things is not something inherent to a sight hound, but he’s doing it and he loves it! Your 4 year old can teach absolutely anything you put the effort into teaching her.
Since you’re trying to get weight off her, more exercise is also crucial for her weight loss. Just be sure you start off rather slowly and let her build up some endurance – just like an overweight person would do. As she gets in better shape, she’ll want to and be able to do more and she’ll be much healthier for it!
William
It’s very possible, you just need to be patient and motivate her. Low cal treats such as vegetables or just praise for anything new she does will help. Be sure to take her for walks so she looks to you as company and will be interested in pleasing you. Try tossing toys, etc. to get her attention too. You should be able to get her to sit, down, and shake easily. Maybe she’ll make up some of her own.
Chloe
Mine is 2 and a half and is learning tricks, it takes patience and persistence. Good luck. Also since she has weight issues, when teaching her, don’t reward her with food, find a nice toy that would be a reward. Happy Holidays.
Sebastian
4 isn’t old, you can still teach her tricks.. She can still easily learn to sit, I am surprised you haven’t taught her that already, usually puppies at 8 weeks of age know to sit for treats. I don’t think you needed to tell us what obese means.
Maya
i have a 12 yr old dog that didn’t even know sit.
i have taught her all sorts of things, I like clicker training the best. Whoever said, Old dogs can’t learn new tricks, obviously never had a dog
Jordan
It’s never too late to teach your dog tricks. Dogs are very smart and will learn if you take the time to show them. I’ve even taught my 15 year old cat tricks.
Kimberly
she is not to old but I will say it will be harder to train her since apparently she has been allowed to getbad habbit that will need to be broken
Brooklyn
Maybe but it will take a while time patience and money[for an expert trainer]
Joseph
Any dog can be trained. It’s never to late for obedience or fun tricks!
My recommendation is to buy a couple of good clicker training books at your local bookstore, a clicker, and lots of treats, and start having some fun. She’ll love it and you’ll love it.
Gabriella
I have a boston terrier that is 5 yrs old and i just taught her how to sit, and i potty trained her , so im sure u can teach her.
plus if she is overweight give her 1/3 cup of dog food 2 times and day and plenty of green beans.