How old is too old for fixing a pet’s behavior problems?
Dr. Amy Marder, head of behavior department, Animal Rescue League of Boston: Old dogs learn a little bit slower than young dogs, but they still learn. I think when people say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, they forget that dogs get into habits that become really strong. It’s easier to change a behavior than break a very strong habit. So, we can talk about excessive barking at the door — the dog barks at the door every day and you want to stop that habit. It’s hard to stop it unless you teach the dog a new behavior, such as going to your bed and staying there while the person is coming in the door. With cats it is a similar process, but people tend not to train their cats to do anything their whole lives. So they might teach them not to be on the counters, but there are many people who don’t do that — as long as they’re using their litter box, that’s all they care about. How can I take better pictures of my pet? Joe Keller, photographer and co-owner of Keller + Keller Photograph
