It is never too late to train your dog, whatever their age. Whether you have rehomed an adult
The older your dog is when your life changes, the more you might wonder: Is it ever too late to start training a dog? But don't worry – it's not. You can start training any time, with any dog – whether this is when you bring your puppy home at 8 weeks old or when your dog is already 12 years and needs a new skill.
The most challenging time of raising a puppy is the adolescent period. Dogs become “teenagers” and seem to forget everything they have ever been taught. This period is individual to each dog, but it may begin when he's about eight months old and continue until he's two years old.
House training may begin to go more smoothly over the coming weeks. Make sure you keep to a fairly regular schedule. Most dogs can be fully house trained by age four to five months.
Trick Training
10 months is a great age since dogs are already physically and mentally developed.
You may be asking yourself, “Is my dog too old to train?” Despite popular belief, you can teach an old dog new tricks. If you're wondering when it's too late to train a dog, the answer is never! Training a dog as an adult can be beneficial in some ways — he may be less distractible and energetic than he was as a puppy.
Although some things are best taught to dogs while they're still young, your dog can still learn in any stage of their life. The process may be harder, and it may take longer with certain types of training, but all hope is not lost with your older dog — actually, far from it.
Good news: Your puppy is trainable! And her rambunctious attitude proves she needs it now more than ever. Between nipping, potty training, bolting, barking and jumping, you may feel exhausted by your restless little one before the day even begins.
4-month-old puppy
By this time they're likely at least half of their adult weight—and their personality is blossoming. They're more independent, more curious, and more inclined to get into everything that's get-into-able. Like babies, puppies explore the world with their mouths.
Obedience Commands & Socialization: 7 to 8 weeks old
The ideal time to begin training is around 7 to 8 weeks for most puppies, and the most effective training involves positive reinforcement and gentle commands.
Undesirable behaviours such as barking, chewing, counter surfing, house-soiling and jumping up commonly begin to occur at around 3-6 months of age.
As puppies age, they grow more independent, and by 6-12 months you may notice your once obedient pup is developing some unwanted behaviors. Don't worry, some simple training tips will help you both get through these growing pains.
At what age are puppies most hyper? Puppies' energy levels follow a rough timeline as they grow into adult dogs, from their first few weeks all the way through to maturity, but you may find they're at their most hyper at two stages in their journey. The first stage occurs between 10 - 16 weeks.
First off, there is no such thing as an untrainable dog. “But,” you argue, “If there were such a thing, surely my dog would fit into that category!” You can believe what you want, but all dogs are trainable; it just depends on how you go about it and how much time and energy you're willing to invest.
Puppies typically develop the emotional maturity and temperament of an adult dog between twelve and eighteen months of age, although they may continue to occasionally exhibit puppy behavior like chewing and nipping until they're about two years old.
Your 7 month puppy may take a few steps back in training during puppy adolescence, but don't let this discourage your efforts! Learning ebbs and flows for all developing babies and continuing the education is a key to staying on track. We recommend you enroll your pup in an advanced training, tricks or agility class.
You can teach any dog to respond to the 'no' command, regardless of age as long, as you are willing to put in the necessary work. Younger dogs tend to learn faster and some older dogs "forget" how it works. Since this is one of the first commands you will be teaching your pup, there aren't any real prerequisites.
Take your puppy outside frequently—at least every two hours—and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking. Pick a bathroom spot outside, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot.
Now that your pup is a little older, they will begin to benefit from being taught basic commands including “sit,” “down,” “stay” and how to walk nicely on a leash, Barlow says. They can be taught these behaviors through reward-based training sessions that utilize treats, praise and play to encourage good manners.
In fact, when it comes to continuous puppy walking a good rule of thumb is that puppies should have no more than 5 minutes of exercise for each month of age, two times a day. So a five-month-old puppy would have no more than 25 minutes walking twice a day – and this should be decreased in larger breeds.
6 Months Old
Puppies are entering the adolescence stage by this point, and it is the most difficult stage to start training at. That is why it is important to start training them as young as possible!
Growth and development begins to slow around the 10-12 month mark. However, mental and emotional development continues long after your puppy's first birthday. Your pup still needs you there to provide guidance, reward good behavior, facilitate opportunities for socialization, and provide physical and mental enrichment.
Go slowly. Start by working with your dog on favorite or familiar behaviors. Create a positive association with training by rewarding even minor successes. Once your dog understands that training is a good thing, take small steps: Change only one variable at a time.
From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours). If possible, dogs older than 6 months should not be left alone for longer than 4 hours at a time.