Is a five dog still trainable?

Question

My friend's co-worker was giving her 5 yr. terrier-mix away for she was leaving for NC and couldn't take the dog. My husband and I always wanted a dog but a puppy would have been too much work. The 5 yr is house-broken but still seems to "beg" while we are at the dinner table while she's got food down. Now through the friend we did found out she was fed table food.

So the question is How can we break her of it?
I know she has the taste for people food and that's fine we'll give her scraps I'm just concern for my kids walking around with food and having her grab it.

ANY suggestions??

Answer 1

Eliminate the table food - The more she gets, the more she'll want. She'll eventually learn that she's not going to get any no matter what and give up.

Answer 2

Don't allow her in the room when you are eating.

In the beginning, you will need to do 2 things at separate times:

Teach her a "go lay down" command. Basically, give her this command and literally guide her to a place outside the room where you eat, be it the dining room or kitchen, and have her lay down. Once there, tell her to "stay". This will take a little time for her to really understand what you want, but do this several times throughout the day, and she will get the message.

While this training is going on, you also want to keep her out of the room when your family is eating. Until she fully understands and responds to the "go lay down" command, you will need to block the doorway so he cannot physically be anywhere near the table.

She will soon learn that she is not going to get anything from the table, so she will start to go lay down on her own, without you having to tell her.

The go lay down command will then work for keeping her away from the family dinner table, as well as being useful during times when you need to be sure she is not under foot or distracting to people/guests who are trying to work.

And, yes, any age dog can be trained. The older dogs will have set habits that they have been doing for years, so it will take a little extra time and patience, but they can learn.

Answer 3

You can train ANY dog not to beg.
My dogs only have to make eye contact with me and I ask "Are you begging?" and they'll go into the other room.
The first thing you need to do, is make "food rules" do you give her scraps? Then ONLY do it when you're ALL DONE eating or when you're not eating at all. If you feed a dog while you're eating, you're teaching them they are an equal to you, so they will always beg if they think they have a right to.
In my house, the dogs are not allowed in the room if we're eating. This is what I sugest to you. When we're done eating, if there's anything they're allowed to eat, we give it to them (IF they didn't beg).
We trained them not to beg by not allowing eye contact while we eat. If the dogs so much as looked at our food, they'd get a firm "NO BEGGING" if that didn't make them stop, we would walk towards them saying NO BEGGING until they went and laid down, it doesn't take long for them to get the point. But you have to be consistant. Both our dogs were adopted, one when he was 4 years old, the other 6 months.
When it comed to kids, it's a bit tricky... some dogs respect children, other realise they can get away with more around them. Teach your kids to say NO BEGGING and make the dog "go lay down". Tell tem how inportant it is not to feed the dog while they're eating and that some foods arn't good for the doggie either. My nieces and Nephew now tell my dogs what to do, but only because I've re-inforced it, do they listen.
Remember, you're not being MEAN if you do this. In the wild, the lead dog always takes over the food. If you let your dog walk all over you when it comes to begging and food, they won't have much respect for you. You're not going to make him unhappy by not allowing him to beg, instead, you're creating structure that will make him feel more comfortable knowing YOU are in control.

Answer 4

It sounds like you want a master-dog relationship. You know, I eat at the table you eat on the floor when I give you food relationship.
There is nothing wrong with that, except dogs are pack animals and they think of you as a taller dog alpha food provider of their pack. As alpha members, they know that you will eat first, and they will eat later. Scraps are a treat. If they are used to this privelege, losing this means a demotion in rank, that somehow in this new heirarchy with the new alpha, they are less appreciated than before.
The dog will be unhappy, and might just adapt to its new position as a token member of the family.

I honestly feel that your household may not be prepared for a dog even if you admit to "wanting a dog" so tell your husband not to accept this dog.

A dog is a member of your house. Get a puppy of your own when the time is right and your children will pick their "furry brother or sister" themselves.

This dog will be way happier with a single person, or an older co worker who is alone , etc. There is much less adjustment for the dog. Think about it, new house, and strange.children. Thats a tough environment to adjust to for an adult dog.

Answer 5

I trained for 25+ years.
You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.
It requires patience and consistency.

Do not allow the dog into the eating area when serving dinner.
Place a rug/pillow within your sight as "her place".
Place her on pillow and reward with dog treat (a VERY small amount). Command stay.
Ignore her in her place, no eye contact.
Each time she strays, return her to place.
Initially, you may have to physically move her a number of times.
The eating of people food stops forever NOW.
It is unhealthy and fosters bad behavior.
You are the boss, you must have more tenacity than she does.
Accept only the behavior you desire.
No physical punishment. No yelling.
Firm and controlled each and every time. No hint of negotiate in your voice or conduct.
Good luck. It takes time.

Answer 6

first of all everyone has to follow this rule, don't feed her from the table ever again. take the table scraps you wish to give her and put it in her food bowl, make her wait away from the dish untill you tell her its o.k to eat. give her the same command each time . also make her wait out side the room where dinner is served until everyone is finished eating. give her a sit stay command in the family room if you are eating in the kitchen. its o.k if she begs from a distance as long as she is not right at the table. but Idealy she should be told to stay unrestrained just outside the room where you will be dinning. and never feed her from your hand again except to give her treats when training her.

Answer 7

Cut it off of people food entirely for a while. NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Make her leave the room when people are eating, if you need to at meal times, put it outside. BE CONSISTENT! In a few weeks the dog ought to know what is expected of it, and behave accordingly. Give her puppy treats at different times than when you are eating. Break her association with people eating means doggy eats, too. THEN, once she's behaving for a few weeks, you can treat her to people food after everyone's done eating and dinner is cleared from the table, IN HER BOWL! Never from your hands or your plate feed her people food, or you'll cause a relapse. Good luck, but older dogs do learn with a good owner.

Answer 8

Don't feed table scraps at all. You'll just confuse her when she's allowed to have them at one time, and not allowed, at another.

If you do decide to continue to give her table scraps, do not hand them to her, from the counters, or tables. Put them in her food bowl.

5 yrs old, is still rather young, for a Terrier mix. They're still highly trainable!

Answer 9

All dogs are trainable - clicker training works the best for most dogs. Here is a couple links on how to get started and how to teach exactly what you are talking about
http://www.owningdogs.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15
http://www.owningdogs.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21

In the meantime - a crate works well for dinner time at our house.

Answer 10

Teach the Popular Command "Don't Beg"
or "STOP BEGGING" and in the meantime
don't be surprise if your new dog chews off the fridge door.