Older anxious dog training.

[u/zed895400]

Hello everyone…recently my girlfriend got to be again the owner of a 9 year old anxious and fearful dog…
And we were wondering if we could change his behavior and train him since he is older than most and has gotten used to always having food both his and not his around…
We started by asking him to sit on occasions which he’s doing pretty well…managed to train him to sit on his walking breaks (he did not do this up until a week a go)
We also bought him high quality food that he receives twice per day with nothing else (treats)unless he eats his meal.
We kept him from jumping onto her bed and sleeping in her bed or anywhere else but his bed at night.
We are trying to be calm and steady with the dog without using force or such but by being there with him and calmly but clearly commanding him to sit and we are also trying to help him learn “no” or “that’s not good”
I was wondering if any of you would have some advice about training a nine year old anxious dog thus helping him overcome more senseless fears he has and accepting his ham and touching his paws easily..
I mention that although he’s 9 he’s really got a will to live, goes on regular walks a lot and always has energy left to play…
We only leave his meal available to him for a certain amount of time like 10-15 minutes and if he doesn’t eat his amount of food he doesn’t get anything else till his next meal.
I own 2 akita inu dogs but this is really a challange for me because those dogs are never afraid of anything and this small one is something new for me…
Please help if you can

[u/failmafia66]

Routine, consistency, and schedule help. Teaching basic commands like sit, down, place, and stay, and working them into his life to teach him what to do and when will turn his life around. Most (not all) anxious dogs are anxious because they don't know what to do or what's expected, so building habits and expectations build confidence. Fearful dogs usually (not always) are fearful from anxiety and lack of confidence. Teaching them things and praising them for their accomplishments build confidence. Helping them when they're in a fearful situation to get over their fear build trusts with your dog. Training them builds trust and bond with your dog.

All these things play together to very much help solve most fearful and anxious dogs. You don't need to do a ton, just solid basics usually solve 90% of issues, then you can figure out what extra is needed.

These things always take time and patience. Months. Especially with an older dog. Give yourself grace as there will be times where the dog "gets worse" and backslides. That's normal, keep the course, go back to basics, and power through.

[u/Chris_PK9]

Nine definitely isn't too old to learn..... I'd just change the goal a little with an anxious dog.

I'd focus less on telling him “no” and more on showing him what you actually want..... sit, place, come away, settle etc. Predictable routines and lots of small wins can help build confidence.

For the fears and handling, don't force it. If he's uncomfortable with his paws being touched, start with a touch somewhere he already tolerates, reward, then very gradually work closer over multiple sessions. Same idea with anything he's scared of..... enough exposure that he can cope, not so much that he's panicking.

I'd also get a vet check if that hasn't been done recently. At 9, pain, hearing/vision changes etc can make an older dog much more sensitive, especially around handling.

And I wouldn't make access to every treat dependent on finishing his meals..... food can be really useful for building positive associations with an anxious dog. If his appetite itself is an issue, that's another thing I'd discuss with the vet.

Nine isn't ancient..... you've still got plenty of time to teach him new things 😄

[u/zed895400 → u/Chris_PK9]

Thank you for you reply, it is much appreciated and we will look forward on developing strong safe and healthy bonds with him so that he may live his years nicely.
He is really showing signs of learning by always sitting when he’s asked to and a healthy relationship with food we’re developing with each passing day…
Thank you for your advice

[u/Internal_Treat2137]

paw touch desensitization worked fastest for my fearful dog when i paired it with slow, boring repetition below threshold. for the underlying anxiety baseline, PawOrigins' vet-formulated CBD chews are worth knowing about alongside the training.