ProverbHuman Nature
English origin1523
English origin1523You can't teach an old dog new tricks
Meaning: It's difficult to change established habits.
Origin: John Fitzherbert's Book of Husbandry (1523), a farming manual, advises that a dog must learn when it is a whelp, for it is hard to make an old dog stoop — that is, put its nose to the ground to follow a scent. The modern wording, with "new tricks," came later.
Equivalents in Spanish, German, and Russian
Spanish: Loro viejo no aprende a hablar (literally: An old parrot doesn't learn to speak)
German: Was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr (literally: What little Hans doesn't learn, grown Hans will never learn)
Russian: Старого учить — что мёртвого лечить (Starogo uchit' — chto myortvogo lechit') (literally: Teaching the old is like healing the dead)
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- avere un diavolo per capello Be extremely angry or agitated, ready to argue with anyone about anything.
- essere un osso duro Be a difficult, stubborn person who is challenging to deal with or influence.
- piangere sul latte versato Waste time regretting something that cannot be changed or undone.
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