By: Sam Kabbel, CPDT-KA, Pet Behavior Solutions http://www.petbehaviorsolutions.com/
Dogs, like children, go through stages in their development. Training needs change as they mature and as they move in and out of these developmental stages. Often, training is one size fits all – dogs must learn sit, down, stay, heel, and come. While those are the most common and useful commands, dogs need to learn so much more than that and those needs change based on their age.
Puppies age 8 weeks to 5 months - Puppies in this age group need to learn bite inhibition, gentling exercises for handling, housetraining, appropriate play, how to handle frustration, etc. Puppies have the attention span of a gnat at this age! They shouldn’t be expected to be perfectly precise in their commands nor should they be expected to do behaviors for a long period of time. Generally at this age, they should know sit and down on command but compliance will be inconsistent. They will stay until they forget what they were doing, walk on a loose leash until they hear, see, or smell something exciting, and come when it is fun for them.
Juveniles age 5 months to 1 year – Older puppies need to learn impulse control, how to turn their play on and off immediately, how to handle and negotiate disappointment, how to problem solve and/or manipulate complex situations, etc.. At this age, they should not be puppy biting anymore. They have a little more attention span and impulse control at this age. Often juvenile puppies get into more trouble because they are bigger, more curious, and less fearful. They should learn the house rules of what is not allowed – like getting on furniture, getting up on counters/tables, etc. At this age, they should know how to sit and down on command as well as what happens if they don’t comply (i.e., disappointing consequences - don’t sit when I ask, the door won’t open or the leash is put away, etc.) They should be able to stay for longer periods of time, but they still lose track of the exercise after a while. They are far more independent at this age so the come command can become a real challenge. You should keep in mind that this is their “teenage years” and they think most things don’t apply to them unless it was their idea. They are testing and pushing for as much control as they can have over their lives and consistency in training is critical.
Adult dogs age 1 to 3 years – Dogs in this age group are becoming emotionally and socially mature. They can understand complex situations as a result of fully developed doggy impulse control and a longer attention span. They can connect cause and effect well. It is critical to remember that dogs don’t have a moral sense about them. They know safe vs. dangerous and what works vs. what doesn’t work. They may still test and push boundaries depending on their breed and personality. At this age, it is important to maintain consistency with your rules and provide feedback for their behavior. Adult dogs should know sit and down well – just for the command – not just for treats. They should reliably stay and come provided you have trained them to this level. Walking on a leash should be a pleasure at this age if you have taken the time to train loose leash walking.
Older dogs 5+ years – By this age, dogs should be finished making their mark on the world. All the training that you put in should be maintained in their long-term cognitive memory as well as their kinesthetic or muscle memory. At this age, dogs still need enrichment and still need to think and solve problems. Training is even more critical at this age to keep dogs young, active, and as healthy as possible. Try to incorporate their training into situations they may not expect like when playing with toys, before going for a walk, etc. You should also ensure that their training isn’t sequenced as is common for dogs of this age. (e.g., You ask your dog for a sit and they show you their entire resume of sit, shake hands, sit up, down, roll over, etc.) If this is the case, clean up their command response by asking for a behavior and giving them a reward only if they give you the proper response. (e.g., You ask for a sit and they give you a sit into a down into a roll over – no reward. You ask for a down and they give you a sit – no reward.) These exercises are so important to their mental health and are fun for you and your dog.
