Older dogs with lots of training experience know HOW to learn, and pick up new skills much faster, imho.

Just an update after having spoken with the owner. The trainer didn't recommend obedience training for the dog because other dog owners generally don't like an "older" dog in class with their younger dogs.

Don't know anything about something like that. Suppose this could be another way of saying that trainers aren't fond of older dogs in classes that typically have young dogs in them??? Anyway...happy to say that with the biggest single behavioral issue the owner was having with the dog, the trainer offered a suggestion and there's been good results thus far. Yea! Trainer is following up next week with her.

Dog is a GSD--not the GS-mix I thought it might be due to quality of the photo.

What I hadn't posted earlier, having wanted to keep the question more generic, is that the dog was kept in a basement for its six years and only allowed outside once a day to relieve himself. Grossly underweight. Ear infections. Poor coat, UTI, allergies, no vet records, wouldn't vocalize, didn't know how to play/know toys, bleeding from penis, etc. etc. One spouse didn't want the dog and summoned it to the basement from the beginning. (There were traces of anti-freeze found in panel....)

Present owner truly got a surprise: this dog, behaviorally speaking, was relatively unscathed for the treatment it received.

And he finally ended up in a WONDERFUL home. Present owner is all about this dog and finding resources to learn (and using the advice). A story with a good ending.

Thank heaven this dog has a new human.

PS


"Present owner is all about this dog and finding resources to learn (and using the
advice)."

Did you point straight to the marker videos? I'd urge the new owner to get #219 and then #220.




http://leerburg.com/219.htm
http://leerburg.com/220.htm


Edited by Connie Sutherland (04/19/2011 08:37 PM)
Edit reason: add links

I've been invited to go meet the "old" boy. Told the human that she can go out for a drink while I converse with dog. (Regarding recent posts and recent comments in other threads, I, too, am more comfortable in the presence of animals and "use" them as a buffer in situations that involve people, though I prefer the animal companionship to anything else.)

Didn't. Will do, though.