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Training Puppies vs. Training Adult Dogs

Many pet owners seek professional obedience training from their Denver dog trainer so that their pups exhibit positive socialization skills and good behavior. Dog training is performed using different methods, and these approaches often depend on the age of the dog. Puppies and adult dogs may require different training techniques, and whether you engage in at-home obedience training or sign your canine up for school, these methods are good for every dog owner to know.

Training a Puppy

Training a puppy is both challenging and rewarding. Because your puppy is so new to this world, it is able to learn quickly, and you do not have to worry about previously learned negative behaviors.

As you begin to socialize your puppy, you will notice if it tends to be more aggressive or submissive. Brave puppies tend to challenge older dogs by standing tall, pushing out their chests, and sticking their tails and ears straight up. Courageous puppies will also wave their tails slowly, and they may growl at older dogs. Conversely, timid puppies will attempt to make themselves look smaller to older dogs. They will crouch low to the ground, wag their tails, and roll over onto their backs. Older dogs typically signal to the puppy that they are the dominant participant of this interaction. The way in which the puppy responds depicts its socialization skills.

Another key component of socialization for puppies involves introductions to children. A puppy should experience interactions with children even if there are no children in its home. Because children tend to make pets nervous, teaching puppies how to play with children safely and without aggression is essential.

When training your young pup, you must acknowledge its short attention span. Behaviors and tricks must be taught quickly and consistently so that obedience is instilled effectively. Food-lure training is an effective way to teach young dogs how to perform simple commands, such as “sit,” “down,” “stay,” and “stand.”

Obedience training classes for your puppy with a Denver dog trainer will allow the puppy to practice positive behaviors and socialize with dogs and people. Typically, puppies between the ages of eight weeks and five months can be enrolled in puppy training classes.

Training an Adult Dog

Although not impossible, training adult dogs is often more difficult and time-consuming. Unlike puppies, adult dogs most likely have established bad behaviors, and these behaviors are harder to unlearn than to learn. Additionally, if you adopted the dog at an older age, you are unaware of its previous training or traumatic experiences that could contribute to its negative behaviors.

With patience and perseverance, you can successfully potty train, obedience train, and socialize your adult dog. Crate training is often an effective housebreaking tactic, and because adult dogs have better bladder and bowel control than puppies, the potty training process is fairly short.

Beginning from the basics is important when training adult dogs. You cannot assume that the adult dog understands the fundamentals of potty training, obedience, or socialization. Start with simple commands instead of leaping to complex tricks.

Regarding socialization, every dog is different, and their aptitude for socialization depends on their past experiences, personality, and many other factors. If your adult dog exhibits anxiety or aggression during attempts to socialize, contacting a Denver dog trainer is a wise decision.

As an owner of an adult dog, you should be aware of the signs of canine cognitive disorder, or “Doggie Alzheimer’s.” Signs include increased sleep, loss of house training, decreased hearing, restlessness, standing in corners, barking aimlessly, inability to recognize familiar people and objects, and disorientation. Canine cognitive disorder can severely reduce a dog’s capability to learn, so if your adult dog exhibits some of the telltale signs of “Doggie Alzheimer’s” as you try to teach it new behaviors, speak to your veterinarian about medication that can relieve some of the symptoms.

Training puppies can be significantly easier than training adult dogs because they have not already learned bad habits and behaviors. However, you can train an adult dog successfully, and both you and your adult dog will benefit from the obedience training. If you experience difficulty training your puppy or adult dog at home, consider attending classes with Dog Ventures, a Denver dog trainer.