An old dog with new tricks
Is it possible?
As one of the most common, well known quotes "You can't teach an old dog new tricks", I’ve been pondering lately, particularly as a dog Mum and behaviour change enthusiast, why some people believe change is not possible (dogs or humans).
The quote was first recorded in John Fitzherbert's book "The Boke of Husbandry" in 1534. Dating back several centuries, the English proverb looks somewhat different half a millennium ago, where Fitzherbert writes:
"The dogge must lerne it whan he is a whelp, or els it will not be: for it is harde to make an olde dogge to stoupe."
The saying, emphasises how difficult it is to change habits later in life.
Is it really that difficult to change, the older you get?
I was turning 50 when I was given a Blue Heeler pup, an Australian Cattle Dog, as a gift for half a century.
Known for their agility and intelligence, as a herding breed.
Placing a Bluey with a mid life woman, experiencing multiple sclerosis, was possibly, not the best choice. Although look at that face below! Flowers and a massage, would have been far less expensive, short and long term. Although ‘Gypsy’ as she came to be known, never asked to be placed with me, so I accepted we were in the same boat.
I was working part-time two jobs at the time. I already had 2 dogs (a Springer Spaniel and Blue/red cattle dog). Two bitches in the same yard, doesn’t always go to well either, particularly Springer Spaniels, as the Aries of dog breeds. I”m Aries, I can say this. We are stubborn as hell! Blue Heelers not so much stubborn as they are persistent and the two just didn’t mix.
Gypsy’s first year wasn’t easy, in fact in hindsight, the red flags were flying that year and all I could see was amber, in more ways than one.
This little Blue puppy, fell into the swimming pool before her paddle paws had developed (yes there was a fence & also a male who couldn’t be told about risk). Then, before 12 months was out, she’d been attacked by a larger dog on a walk with my daughter.
Up until then, children had come and gone through the house, dogs played, kids played, no one questioned the natural order of things. Gypsy was better socialised than most children today, she thrived on the attention.
As we all know, cute puppies don’t stay that way and eventually she grew into her big girl body, with typical Blue Heeler attitude.
My partner at the time and I disagreed on training methods. I spared the rod in my house. In looking back, my lesson from this would be, always listen to your dog, they know who to trust. Why someone would feel the need to argue with someone who gets results without harm, especially when those results do not come with force, is an interesting waste of time. Gaining control through dominance was never on my to do list. You can break a spirit to manage behaviour, sure. However, it’s not in my skill set or necessary.
The following year, our red heeler passed away. The Springer Spaniel spiraled into grief; wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t leave her bed. She missed her mate terribly. Then just like that, the pack dynamic began to shift and shortly after the Springer moved in with my daughter.
Life moved on. New houses, less focus, more chaos. And in the gaps, Gypsy started showing the usual cattle dog traits: anxious, protective of her people, and always angling for a higher spot in the pack hierarchy. Interesting how changes in the environment influence behaviour in all species.
Eventually, my partner’s dog, another Blue Heeler, moved in. He was a gorgeous old boy, more than twice Gypsy’s age. Gentle, slowing down with time. But over the next few years, she quietly claimed dominance in their shared space, outlasting him in youth and energy.
On December 23, 2024, we took our last drive to the beach. I put a ramp into the ute, so Stan could feel the sand and smell the sea breeze, before his journey over the rainbow bridge. He passed the next day, Christmas Eve.
It reminded me of being young, one of five kids always dragging home strays. I was the worst of us for it. I understand now why my dad disliked it so much. He was always the one checking the water bowl, making sure food was out, that the jobs got done. It wasn’t a lack of love, it was the dread of more grief. Broken hearts try to protect themselves. It wasn’t the love that hurt. It was the letting go and it hurt like hell. What stung even more this time around. Stan’s person of nearly 14 years didn’t even have the decency to come and say goodbye.
Bear or a man for safety?
Dog or a human for reliability? I’d choose canines.
I didn’t think I had any tears left for that kind of grief. When Tiggy, the red/blue heeler died suddenly, I couldn’t find the words for as we lay his body to rest. I couldn’t do anything but walk, sit, and sleep with the weight of it. Weeks passed, months went by, a year and it felt like yesterday. Another piece broken, added to the collection.
By January 2025, it was just the two of us left, me and Gypsy, alone with our anxiety, trauma, habits, and a lot more silence.
Things were about to get very interesting.
Brain Chemistry of Anxiety : Humans vs. Dogs
1. The Stress Response System: Shared Foundations
Both dogs and humans rely on the limbic system, particularly these key components:
Amygdala – processes fear and emotional memories.
Hypothalamus – triggers the fight-or-flight response.
Pituitary and adrenal glands – produce stress hormones.
The limbic system is the emotional brain, driving how both humans and dogs feel, remember, and react. In humans, it works with reasoning; in dogs, it shapes instinctive, emotional behavior. Understanding this system helps us better care for, train, and empathise with our dogs and ourselves
2. Key Neurochemicals Involved
In dogs, the stress response involves several key neurochemicals that regulate fear, arousal, and mood. Cortisol, the main stress hormone, is released through activation of the HPA axis and prepares the body for fight-or-flight. Adrenaline (epinephrine) also spikes during acute stress, increasing heart rate and alertness. Elevated levels of both are common in anxious or traumatized dogs.
Other important neurochemicals include serotonin, which helps regulate mood and behavior; low levels are linked to anxiety and aggression. Dopamine, tied to motivation and reward, can become imbalanced in chronic stress. GABA, the brain’s calming chemical, reduces overactivity but may be low in anxious dogs. Oxytocin, which supports bonding and trust, is often reduced in dogs that have experienced trauma or neglect. Together, these chemicals shape how dogs respond emotionally and behaviorally to stress.
3. Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) in canines
Dogs can develop PTSD just like humans, particularly working dogs in the military and law enforcement, dogs who suffer traumatic events, neglect; all resulting in changes to behaviour and brain chemistry.
The symptoms in dogs are recognised also in humans, including;
Hypervigilance
Startle response
Avoidance behaviors
Aggression or withdrawal
Sleep disturbances
Brain scans and cortisol levels in traumatised dogs show patterns similar to humans with PTSD, including amygdala hyperactivity and hippocampal dysfunction (affecting memory).
It often blows my mind how ignorant human beings can be when it comes to other species, to think we are more intelligent and yet expect all other species to suffer, endure, persist and do exactly as we say without any trauma.
How bizarre, given the rate of trauma experienced by humans, how little control, so many have over their own behaviour.
The powerful memoir ‘Until Tuesday’ by former U.S. Army Captain Luis Carlos Montalván, details his struggle with PTSD and traumatic brain injury after serving in Iraq, and the life-changing bond he formed with Tuesday, a golden retriever service dog. Trained to assist with both physical and emotional wounds, Tuesday helped Luis manage anxiety, nightmares, and social isolation, ultimately giving him purpose and hope. Their story is a moving testament to the healing power of human-animal connection and highlights the vital role service dogs can play in helping veterans reclaim their lives.
What is it about canines, with their unwavering love and support, despite the challenges, to persistent, endure, lead with strength, most humans would buckle under?
When we know better, one would imagine we could do better.
Under pressure, despite trauma, healing can and does occur. This suggests, change is not only possible, it happens.
So I set about focussing more on my reactive Blue Heeler and less on human behaviour change, not realising, this little pain in my butt most of the time, was changing me at the same time.
I’ve had people suggest I euthanise a reactive dog, re home and ‘let her go’.
The other night, I had a really horrific night of being unwell. I ended up in bed at 5.15pm. Most humans keep their distance from others when unwell (geez look at what happened in COVID!), not this girl. She pulled herself as close as she could, without getting in my face and stayed there all night. Not a sound, not a whine, not a movement until I woke the next day.
I’m far from perfect as a human being. In fact I’m pretty damn good at making mistakes! People come, people go, there are very few who persist.
Dog’s don’t care if you are still in your pyjamas, hair is up or done, what size you are, career you hold or how much is in your bank. They don’t lie, cheat, steal, leave you empty. They just give and give and give, unconditionally (well, with as little as some play, attention and food/water). Human beings want so much more and give so little in return, some will take and take and take, until you are in drought with nothing more to give.
In this curious exploration of ‘can you teach an old dog new tricks’ I wondered; maybe we are here, together for a reason (interesting her triggers seem to be men and socialising with her own kind, off the lead).
Pattern & history
From my child protection days, two words have etched in my memory ‘pattern and history’.
Pattern and history of behaviour plays a pivotal role in predicting behaviour in the future. Sometimes, for many human beings, it is difficult to teach ‘an old dog, new tricks’; difficult however, does not equal impossible.
Without the ego, arrogance, attachment to the sense of self, other species are not anchored to toxic behaviours as human beings are.
As change requires persistent, intentional effort over periods of time, what’s possible overnight, maybe be more difficult, sustaining over time.
The brain is a pattern recognition machine. It is finely tuned and wired. Patterns, habits, save us time.
The brain’s synapses peak at around 3 years of age. At its peak, the brain creates 1 million synapses per second (now you know why toddlers are so head strong! Their brain is literally wired for absorbing as much information as possible).
Around 25 years of age the brain is structurally mature, after years of pruning, to shape the human physiology. However, the brain retains neuroplasticity. This means neurons, can form new connections, strengthen existing ones, or even reroute functions in response to learning, experience, injury, or trauma. Neuroplasticity is how we build new skills, recover from brain damage, adapt to changes, and even reshape harmful patterns, like anxiety or addiction, by creating healthier ones. It's the foundation for learning and emotional healing in both children and adults.While neuroplasticity does decrease with age, is impacted by health, wellbeing, diet, substance misuse, disease; it does slow down and takes longer as we age.
Longer, harder and slower, does not equal impossible. It’s about finding your way.
The older we become, the more difficult it can be to change. Why repetition and persistent is critical for learning. Change is possible, yes you can teach a new dogs new tricks. Yes, human beings can learn to manage challenging behaviours. It’s finding what works!
When stress is high (just like in canines), the brain engages the limbic system, as critical for understanding behaviour. So, the key here is ensuring the environment is conducive to change.
If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you keep getting the same results.
🧠 Why It Matters
The limbic system is central to emotions and memory (canines & humans); fear, affection, anxiety, attachment, and excitement all stem from this system.
It helps explain why dogs can form deep bonds, suffer from separation anxiety, and even experience post-traumatic stress.
It connects emotion to behavior and works closely with the prefrontal cortex (high order thinking centre) to help us make decisions influenced by both logic and feeling.
Can an ‘old’ dog learn new tricks?
1. Habit & Brain Wiring
The brain forms habits to conserve energy. Toxic patterns get wired deep, making them automatic, but not unchangeable.
2. Neuroplasticity
Our brain can adapt at any age, though it gets slower with time. Change is still possible with repetition and motivation.
3. Emotional Triggers
Unhealthy coping mechanisms (e.g., addiction, anger, avoidance) often come from trauma. Changing them requires safety, support, and patience.
4. Identity & Fear of Change
Shifting long-held behaviors can feel like losing part of yourself—especially if others expect you to stay the same.
5. Environment Matters
If your surroundings reinforce toxic habits, change is harder. Real love supports your growth, not your destruction.
6. Lack of Awareness
Habits can be unconscious. Without feedback or self-reflection, we stay stuck. Awareness is the first step toward meaningful change.
Making the challenging, possible
For the last 5 months, since things took a dive in a different, harder direction, I suddenly had a lot more time on my hands and motivation to give Gyps the best chance at living a good life.
There are days when I think about how much it has altered my life. I travel a lot, would love to travel more and even more, hiking. There are a lot of places she cannot go. Today is one of those days and I’m very fortunate to have a lovely boarding kennel nearby.
I knew this year wasn’t going to be easy on either of us and something had to give. I wasn’t going to part with her, after all, she was giving her best. We stay with humans for a lot less. I had to change and I had to, in a way that supported her needs and my own.
I started with a check-up at the Vet on ‘reactive’ behaviours. I started reading. I compiled lists, made up an online file of strategies, I began to think again, like a behaviour analyst. (Interesting how the self-esteem returns when you stop surrounding yourself with put you down)
We decided to try an anti-anxiety medication.
I already know, having flown two Blue Heelers on a small plane, medication is highly effective in calming things down and at times necessary.
As canines are instinctive in their behaviour, whereas human beings use a lot more thought process, stress can escalated quickly. I imagine she is trying to communicate ‘who the F… are you?’ ‘why the hell are you in my space?’ and since, she can’t communicate that, her behaviour tells the story (mmm just like humans).
The idea ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ is actually a myth. Age and while all the factors mentioned above, play a big part in capacity, it doesn’t reduce possibility.
In fact, age can be helpful in canines and with humans.
A developing brain is far more easily distracted. An adult brain is more focussed (when not stressed) and with medication and medical support, be in the right ‘frame of mind’ to begin behavioural training, to re shape behaviours.
In human beings, the right frame of mind equals a thorough evaluation of the current circumstances.
It may require making different choices (how you fuel your body, substances, friends, environment, workload, career choice recreational activities etc.), to provide yourself with the space, energy and time needed to tackle change, before you even begin.
Change requires intentional effort, repeated over time. This requires consistentcy. What I find difficult, is knowing Gyps’ triggers and my own, this doesn’t mean I have control over others pushing those buttons intentionally or ignoring boundaries. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve tried to find a safe place for both of us to walk, only to find in a dog on lead area, all the dogs off the lead. Not great for either of our anxieties.
You need awareness, motivation, support, and often emotional healing. The hard part with Gyps and I, is we both have our own stuff, which can trigger each other. I try not to tackle her behaviour stuff on a day I’m not doing so well. It doesn’t always go to plan. Sometimes I need to get things done and try to take her with me. I choose the easiest task, wash the car. A guy decides that Bluey in the ute looks rather cute and approaches the vehicle (what kind of mind approaches a Blue Heeler in its ute! - male & her space).
The brain can rewire at any age, but it needs a reason and a routine, back to motivation! If something matters, you will be motivated, no mountain is too high when you really want something or should it be.
Toxic habits don’t define a person—they reflect what once worked to survive or cope. Growth begins when we understand the pattern, not make excuses; take responsibility and own our role in changing behaviours. This is for humans and canines.
Yes, an old ‘dog’ can learn new tricks! Although don’t be surprised if it takes a while, if surrounded by people who are not on the same game plan.
If you have decided to tackle some hard behavioural changes, think objectively.
Sit down, write this stuff out. Strategise.
Understand your behaviours, what pushes your buttons, how you react and why.
Until you are managing those responses effectively, what can you do to minimise exacerbating your behaviour?
(eg. with Gyps, I do not expose her to dogs off the lead, I don’t take her into situations which put her at risk of over reacting, until the ground work is done)
I know I am more myself on some days than on others. It is human nature, we are not human doings, we are human beings; it doesn’t come with perfection. However, try to think about environments and situations which exacerbate your challenging behaviours and make it harder.
If you’ve hit a stage of life where the light bulb has finally switched on, you’ve inherited or learned toxic traits, maybe there are more unpinning reasons why. The thing is you want to change, need to change and your quality of life depends on it.
Take a good look around. Own your shit, what belongs to you, the decisions you’ve made, the mistakes you are ready to learn from. Identify your triggers. Think critically, act decisively.
Start from a place of clarity. If this is tough, then make some calls, book in with a therapist and have support to guide your through the challenges of behaviour change.
Whether it’s a toxic habit impacting on your health, a communication or coping mechanism, maybe it’s a lot of things all at once. You still have the capacity for change.
It ain’t over yet, give yourself the benefit of joy.
This is your one incredible, amazing, precious, life.
In memory of Tigger, the best dog any human could ever have xo
Feel like shouting a budding writer a coffee??? From my cup to yours, I am extremely grateful xo
