Can an adult dog be re-trained, and if so, how can it be done? These questions are often asked by people who are very distressed by their dog’s behavior. They want to change it by all means, but just don’t know where to start.
When is it necessary to retrain a dog?
There are several specific reasons that indicate it’s time for an owner to start re-training their dog. These include:
– The dog has developed bad habits. For example, he jumps on the bed when you sleep, whines when you eat, or steals food from the table. Such a spoiled dog needs to be trained without question.
– The dog is over a year old, but no one has started training him. This is very unfortunate. An abandoned dog will cause a lot of problems in the future. It’s very important that you get her reeducated right away.
– The dog has increased aggression toward passersby, family members, or the owner. This can lead to a sudden attack, so such an aggressive dog also needs to be re-trained urgently.
– The dog has never gone potty. This will certainly make it difficult to walk outside and the environment of the house.
– The dog has become jealous. She growls or attacks other animals when they are around you. Especially if you pet them.
How to approach the training process?
You should not approach dog reeducation carelessly. It is advisable to make a detailed plan of action and implement the points step by step.
Take your dog to a good veterinarian. Some behavioral problems are caused by illness or pain, and going to the vet can help either eliminate the original cause right away or solve the problem without even having to retrain him. Canine problems can range from ear mites, urinary tract infections, cognitive dysfunction and more.
If there are no health problems, poor behavior can be corrected. You need to start with developing obedience. Start with simple commands – “sit”, “paw”, “bark”. For adult dogs, for example, it may take up to a year before they learn to obey their owners.
Remember to give your dog a treat for each command he gives. Then gradually reduce the number of treats. Otherwise your dog will only obey for the sake of a treat, and this is not what you want him to do.
Training should be short, no more than 10-15 minutes. The dog will definitely not be happy if you continue to wear him down for an hour or more.
Once the dog begins to obey, move on to the next step. A lot depends on the problem here. For example, if the dog is vicious and growls threateningly, you should start correcting the aggression.
Start addressing problems from the most serious to the easiest. First, this will make life much easier for the dog himself and bring him to a stable emotional state. Secondly, you will avoid the serious consequences that the most significant problems can lead to.
Take your dog for more walks. The main rule is to walk your dog for more than an hour before you leave for work and tire him out with all sorts of games and activities. It will take a lot of effort, but the result in the form of a tired and happy dog will make you happy. He simply won’t have the strength and desire to destroy the house or do any other unpleasant things.
Thus, it is quite possible to retrain a dog. It may be an uncontrollable or even a fighting dog, the main thing is to devote your time and energy to the problem, and in the end it will be solved and your dog will live a new, happy life.