When Is It Too Late To Train The Adult Poodle?

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When Is It Too Late To Train The Adult Poodle?

Although training is most effective when started early in the dog's life and practiced consistently while he grows up, that doesn't mean it's too late to train an adult Poodle. The downfall to starting training later in the dogs life is that you then have to break bad habits as well as teach new commands. With a young puppy, you're starting with a blank slate and you can teach the new behaviors before he learns bad habits.

If you've ever had to break a bad habit (smoking, for example), you know it can be difficult. However, with most Poodles up to about eight years of age, you can, with consistent training and lots of patience and positive reinforcements, control most bad habits.

If your dog is older than eight years of age, your success at changing bad habits will be much more limited. You can teach new commands - sit, down, stay, and heel - and your dog will be able to learn these without too much trouble. However, Poodles who have not learned to consistently come when called by the time they are eight years old will probably never be reliable.