Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey are in need of adoption.
There are plenty of places to collect dog training tips.
Some folks take advice from experts on television, others consult websites and still others invite professionals into their homes to work directly with their pets.
Here, one expert offers insight on some dog training myths. Alyona DelaCoeur, who holds a certificate in applied animal behavior through University of Washington and is a certified veterinary assistant and AKC evaluator, addressed a few training questions.
According to DelaCoeur, founder of training website whydoesmydog.com:
You can't teach an old dog new tricks. False! Sometimes it's actually easier to teach mature dogs tricks because they're less distracted. Certainly some unwanted behaviors will take longer to stop because the dog has had longer for them to become habits, but they can be retrained. Bear in mind, though, that older dogs will need more frequent rest breaks in training.
Bribe your dog with food to get results. Positive reinforcement through motivation works best in dog training; the use of treats and food should not be the main focus. While treats and toys can be helpful, building a strong connection with your pet is the most important part of training.
Training is guaranteed for life. One way dogs are like humans is that they can forget their good manners and learn new bad habits throughout their lives. One way to avoid this is to not introduce major changes into a dog's life; a dog who never begged before may start if someone gives him food from the dinner table, for example.
Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.