I love puppies, as long as they are someone else’s.
Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing cuter than that little face while he is sleeping, the sweet smell of the top of his head, and the delightful way he bounces instead of runs.
But I will take an older dog every time. And I have. All of my dogs are getting up there.
The oldest is Nellie, a Cairn Terrier, going on 14 and still hiking and kayaking with us. Sure, she is slower, needs frequent rest stops, and has to be carried up the steeper hills. But her giddy enjoyment at the gift of leaves in her chin hairs, pine needles under her paws, and warm grass to rub her face into are what make our treks extra special.
Despite the “you can’t teach an old dog…” adage, it is never too late to train a dog. Behavioral issues can and do occur in older dogs who can get increasingly anxious as their senses become less acute. This anxiety may begin to appear in the form of unwanted behaviors, like excessive barking or aggression.
Sierra is a 10 year old Yellow Lab who has always had a tendency to bark. As she got older and her eyesight and hearing diminished, the barking became relentless. It got so bad that her owners called to ask me, somewhat skeptically, if, at her age, anything could be done. They had retired to a camp on a lake in the Adirondacks and Sierra had made it her mission to bark nonstop anytime a family member or friend was at the water – boating, swimming, fishing, or just sitting and admiring the view.
Okay, I’ll admit that spending a workday at a lake in the mountains was an unexpected benefit to being an in-home dog trainer. And yes, Sierra did learn not to bark, once she understood that she was not in charge of keeping her pack safe if they ventured toward the water.
Please don’t give up on your older dog. If you relinquish her to a shelter or rescue group, realize that senior dogs can be a tough sell to potential new owners. In the shelters, they are often deep discounted or subsidized by a sympathetic benefactor to encourage adoption.
Your old dog deserves to live out her days in your home. Whatever her age, get her the training she needs so you both can enjoy her best years together.
NOTE: Read Anna Quindlen’s book Good Dog. Stay. It’s the book I am giving to my dog-loving friends this year.
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