My 6-year-old dog barks and lunges at others. Is he too old to train?

Question

I got a chihuahua from this owner who wasn't taking care of him good. My chihuahua is a sweet dog but, when he sees other people or dogs he'll bark at them and sometimes try to attack them. I tried to hire a dog trainer for him but they told me that my dog is too old for training ( 6 ). My dog has never attacked anyone because I won't allow it he's a super duper nice dog when u get to know him, its his old owners fault for not letting be around other dogs when he was young. What should I do?

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor pup! Lots of dogs have this problem, and it's definitely something that can be improved. The basic treatment plan for this issue involves teaching your dog to associate good things (usually treats!) with seeing people and other dogs. You need to start at a distance where he is able to notice them without immediately reacting - so depending on how severe his problem is, you may need a lot of distance at first! Every time he looks at a person or another dog, praise and reward with a treat. If he's barking or not interested in the treats, this means you're too close - back up a bit to where he's comfortable, and try again. It can be hard to do this on your own at first, so I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer to work with you in person. He/she can help you set up controlled training situations at first to practice, until you and your dog are both comfortable with how things are going. Punishment of any kind is not recommended for this behavior, as it only makes the dog more anxious and worsens the problem over time - steer clear of any trainer who recommends corrections for this behavior. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here (www.dacvb.org) or a qualified trainer here (www.ccpdt.org).

My 6-year-old dog barks and lunges at others. Is he too old to train?

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