Start Young

Weve all been told a thousand times "you cant teach an old dog new tricks." That popular old saying, of course, is not entirely true. Any dog, regardless of age, can learn new things. However, like most old adages, it has been remembered because it contains a kernel of truth. Dogs, like humans, are much more receptive to learning new behaviors when young. The earlier you are able to start training your dog, the more effective the training will be.

Puppies will learn at a much faster clip and do not have ingrained behaviors that must be un-learned. Thus, any training regimen is sure to be more successful when conducted with a puppy for a subject instead of an older dog.

If you werent able to start training a particular dog when he or she was younger, dont fret. Training is still effective for older animals. However, if you do have the chance, start training early and youll reap the benefits of increased effectiveness.