Why Your Dog Suddenly Picked Up a Strange New Habit

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to love an older dog, you know that the idea that they don’t change as they get older is one of the biggest myths out there. Maybe your dog suddenly has to burrow under the blanket every night in bed (that was never a thing before!). Or suddenly that last set of stairs on the staircase is the scariest place in the house, and you have to carry them down. Or maybe they suddenly have to sniff the neighbor’s mailbox on every walk for some unknown reason.

The saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” has been proved wrong by seniors over and over again — but they will also teach themselves new hobbies and habits — without you having to step in at all.

Kate LaSala, a dog behaviorist and trainer, tells me that dogs are constantly learning at every age, even if we’re not actively training them. In actual fact, she says, “older dogs often learn more quickly because they have a longer learning history of reinforcement and aren’t as distracted by their environment as puppies and younger dogs.”

Pups are constant observers and easily pick up new things.

Dogs are great at connecting the dots and figuring out what works, then repeating that behavior. “When a behavior is reinforced, it gets repeated. Think about training your dog to sit. He sits, gets a cookie, and then starts offering to sit even when you don’t ask, to see if he can get another cookie. That’s positive reinforcement at work.” 

Dog trainer Sian Lawley-Rudd agrees, telling me that dogs are learning all the time, regardless of their age. “Every experience they have shapes how they respond to the world, so new habits can be learned quickly, especially when something feels rewarding or becomes part of their daily routine,” she says. This might be something small, like checking a particular window every morning, or something we notice more, like barking at a new noise outside.

Lawley-Rudd says that, just like us, dogs change as they grow and their needs evolve with it. “Older dogs might get new habits because their senses, confidence, or mobility change, while younger dogs often pick up habits as they explore the world and figure out what gets attention or feels good for them,” she says. “Sometimes, these changes happen because the environment changes, like a new house, a n ew baby, or even small changes to routine can all shape new behaviors.”

Sometimes, these changes and new habits can be positive. For example, my dog, Bowie, stopped barking at passersby as she aged and mellowed. Sometimes, however, they can be negative. Recently, for reasons neither my vet nor I can explain, she started to eat rocks. She had never previously been interested in picking up things off the floor, but now I can’t take her anywhere without keeping a constant eye on her.

This behavior is dangerous, and its sudden nature is bizarre. The good news, according to the experts, is that the same training that I used on her as a puppy should work to reinforce the behavior we want — and discourage what we don’t. We’re working on it!

As long as they’re safe, trying new things is fine.

Lawley-Rudd says that she’s seen older dogs pick up new habits many times. “I’ve seen dogs who suddenly take up digging, dogs who start carrying toys around like comfort objects, or older dogs who fall in love with sniffing games after years of high-energy walks,” she says. Usually, when they’re not doing something dangerous like eating rocks, this is a good sign. “When dogs feel emotionally safe, their personalities have more room to shine, and that’s often when these new hobbies appear. It’s a lovely reminder that learning and joy don’t stop with age, they just look a bit different.”

If you want to encourage your dog to pick up new interests, there are ways you can. Lawley-Rudd suggests following their curiosity.

“Notice what your dog naturally enjoys and find ways to build on that. If they love using their nose, try scent work or scatter feeding. If they’re showing more interest in calm activities, give them enrichment that allows them to lick, chew, or forage,” she says. “It’s about matching their energy and needs in the stage they’re in now, rather than trying to recreate what they loved a year ago. New hobbies can build confidence, reduce boredom, and keep your dog’s mind and body active.”

On the off chance their new “hobbies” or habits are negative or dangerous, Lawley-Rudd suggests curiosity before correction. “If a new habit crops up that you don’t love, like barking more, chewing, or attention-seeking, first ask why it’s happening before anything else,” she says. “Dogs don’t form habits for no reason; there’s usually an unmet need underneath such as boredom, stress, lack of outlets, or even pain. Once you understand the root cause, you can redirect it toward something more appropriate.”

Adjust their activities to their needs.

LaSala says that, as dogs age, we may need to change their skills and habits to accommodate natural changes. Their joints may deteriorate, they may lose their hearing, their eyesight might fail. They could lose mobility, stamina, or interest in the things they liked to do when they were younger.

After all, do you want to do the same things you did when you were 10 (though on second thought, Mario Kart is still kind of the best way to pass time). You can encourage these changes with lower-impact activities, like nosework, LaSala says. “You can do a dog scavenging hunt with hidden food around your home, do a low-impact online tricks class like teaching your dog to paint, or work on important skills like cooperative care for vet or grooming since older dogs tend to need more vet care,” she says. Adapting to changes in your dog can be fun for both of you.

Per Lawley-Rudd, whether your pup’s new hobbies are positive or worrying, you need to stay calm, consistent, and kind. “When you approach it with empathy, you’re not just changing behavior, you’re strengthening trust,” she says. Developing new habits is completely normal for older dogs, but if you have any concerns at all, reach out to a vet. Meanwhile, Bowie and I are still working on the rock-eating.