Is it true that you can teach an old dog new tricks?

Hi I have been wondering about this. See i adopted my dog when he was about a year old and I haven’t really taught him a lot of tricks. He knows how to come or sit and that about it . Do you think its too late to train him? He’s about 5  years now .

Dogs are never too old to learn. They actually love to learn new things throughout their lifetime. The oldest dog I rescued I took in at 10 years old and he learned a few commands after arriving with me (he has since passed away at 12 years old.)  My border collie/husky rescue came to me at 3 years old without knowing a single command. By the time she was  6 she knew almost 200!

Adult dogs can often times be easier to train as they have a longer attention span and are more forgiving of owner mistakes, such as missing the mark for a behavior before rewarding.

Yes, as long as the dog isn’t “forced” to perform or do these tricks they should have no reason not to learn them. They should enjoy it first and be rewarded appropriately each time. Have fun and go easy on the fellow! 🙂

Thanks guys . I will start teaching my old dog new tricks 🙂

It’s a myth that there is a point where dogs or humans stop learning. Neuroplasticity is an accepted principle that basically says  brain structures are capable of being altered when introduced to new stimulus. It may get harder to learn in older ages because there are already so many connections made in the brain but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Teach away! 🙂