Читать книгу Collins Good Dog Behaviour: An Owner’s Guide - Gwen Bailey - Страница 12

The old saying that ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ is simply not true! One of the requirements of a hunting/scavenging existence is that you need to be adaptable. This trait has been handed down to our domestic dogs and they remain flexible in their behaviour and open to change throughout their lives. Unacceptable dog behaviour can be channelled into more acceptable avenues and new patterns of behaviour can be developed. With a better understanding, many owners can have dogs that are well behaved and can change their dog’s behaviour for the better.

Older dogs may take more time to learn new ways because you will be working against established behaviour patterns. However, all dogs will readily pick up new ways of behaving if it is to their advantage to do so.

Although it is relatively easy to change the way in which a dog behaves, it is unlikely that you will be able to change a dog’s character fundamentally once he is mature. A shy, submissive dog, for example, is unlikely to become a super-confident extrovert. Being realistic about how much you can change the way your dog behaves is important, but, with knowledge, understanding and some effort, even the most unruly of dogs can be tamed.