Is it easier to train an adult dog or a puppy?

Question

I'm just asking because I have a 5 week old puppy and shes doing great but it seems like older dogs would be easier to train since they are less hyper...So a personal experience ? Which was easier....training a pup or a grown dog?

She appears to be a german shepherd/golden retriever mix. The vet wasn't sure. She wasn't adopted. I found her on the side of the road...either the mommy or the humans had abandonded her.. i searched for more puppies but she was the only one..couldnt find mommy either...hope this info helps...

Answer 1

There is actually a well thought out time line for training a dog,,,,, and it works.
1st. 3-16 days of age *ENS* (early neurological stimulation)
2nd. 5-12 weeks *Introductions* It works best to introduce puppy's to birds, water, gunfire, climbing stairs, walking across a bridge, etc,etc before "fear memory" develops. This insures that as an adult they will have no memory of having been afraid the first time they saw these things.
3rd. 3-6 months *fun time* all training should be on a "lets have fun" basis until the dog demonstrates (new found sense of independence) that it has developed the cognitive skills required to understand training.
4th. 7-11 months *Formal training* "basics" (Derby - Senior Hunter ready when finished)
5th. 12-24 months *transition & advanced* training (Qualifying - All Age Stake ready when finished)

Answer 2

You know, everyone always thinks puppies are easier to train, but that's really not always true. Puppies are a guaranteed 6-12 months worth of heavy-duty, time consuming training. Adopted adult dogs, on the other hand, will often need some training assistance but typically not THAT much time. The difference is that people seem to expect a puppy to take time and work but expect adult rescue dogs to be perfectly trained.

In other words, if you go into a carefully selected adult dog adoption and plan to dedicate the kind of time you would have otherwise given a puppy, you will probably end up with a well-mannered well-adjusted dog much, much, much faster with the adult dog than with a puppy.

So if you've got a puppy right now that you're working with, the answer is that NOT that puppies are easier to train. At this age, there is a very limited amount your puppy will be capable of comprehending. You should absolutely start training her now, but it's like trying to teach math to a toddler: you're going to be counting baby blocks with her right now -- the algebra will have to wait until much later.

Answer 3

Your dog is too young to train, but it is a million times easier to train a dog when it is young than when it is old. Have you ever heard the expression teaching an old new tricks? That omes from the truth, it is hard to break creatures of habits and dogs are just as bad. I would suggest going to the library and.or bookstore and check out some books on canine training. There are so many different styles and theories out there so find one you like and adapt it. If you have any large dog or any type of small breed that is normally hyper(jack russell terriers are horribly hyper) I would suggest professional training, it can be expensive but it is well worth it. Imagine all the things a dog could tear up or ruin in other ways throughout its life and see if you would rather not go through all of that and just get it out of the way by training it now.

Answer 4

Obviously a puppy becuase they are more willing to learn, but this doesnt mean that you can't train an adult dog, it just takes more work. With all dog training you have to be patient ofcourse puppies may be more hyper and might loose focuse on the training which is why you only do it for a few minutes at a time such as 5 or 10 minutes at a time with breaks. Make it fun for your pup with toys, treats, and lots of praise. Best of luck to you an your pup!

Answer 5

Puppies are MUCH MUCH easier to train than adults. They do not already have ingrained bad habits.
I am surprised that you have a 5 week old puppy. Normally breeders will not let a puppy leave until they are AT LEAST 7 weeks old. (Or is it a puppy from another dog of yours???)
Check with local training schools for puppies/dogs. Many will not want to take a puppy into class until they are AT LEAST 12 weeks old since they can be easily stressed. There are others who will take a puppy into class at 8-10 weeks but it is just "puppy play" to help socialize them with other puppies.
My Border Collie puppy went into "puppy play" at 10 weeks of age and then into "puppy obedience" at 14 weeks. She learned quickly and is a marvel!
You do not mention your breed of puppy but regardless...train early and train often and you will have a much happier dog and household because of it.

Answer 6

It is easier to train a puppy however older dogs can be trained. I recommend clicker training. In my Behavior class we clicker trained both cats and dogs and in 1 day saw results. Clicker training is a no-force training method that allows your dog to use its imagination. You can pick up a clicker training book at a pet store and begin training immediately. Before you know it your dog will being to encourage you to train, and it's a lot of fun. My cat at home will sit, high five, jump on and off of a stool, go through a cube on command. I had my doubts when we began to clicker train and now I would NEVER use another method. Animals always have a choice with training (whether or not to comply) but since you will not be using force your animal is less likely to lash out at you when given a "non-force" option. Train now don't wait, the younger the better!

Answer 7

A puppy that is maybe 9 or 10 months old will respond better than a younger puppy-you're right; they are too hyper right now. For the next few months, just practice tolerance, patience, and keep LOTS of chew toys around!

Answer 8

Well, having a bond with my dog, I worked the most with my dog when she was at the "teenager" stage, between being a pup and an adult. She was pretty responsive, and seemed to remember what I had taught her. If your puppy is relatively calm she should have no problems. Good Luck!

Answer 9

Older dogs get set in their ways and sometimes have developed bad habits that are hard to break. Puppies have short attention spans, they need short frequent training sessions. Puppies usually learn easier, may take a few sessions to teach them, but they will learn with repetition.

Answer 10

It's much easier to train a puppy. With puppy's you start from scratch,fresh. An adult is alot harder because they are already used to one thing and set in her ways.
Hope this helps and good luck!