You can't teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning: It's difficult to change established habits.

Origin: English proverb from John Fitzherbert's Book of Husbandry (1523).

Translations

• French: On ne change pas les vieilles habitudes (literally: Old habits don't change)
• Spanish: Loro viejo no aprende a hablar (literally: An old parrot doesn't learn to speak)
• Japanese: 老犬に新芸は教えられぬ (Rōken ni shingei wa oshierarenu) (literally: You can't teach new tricks to an old dog)

More proverbs about Human Nature

• Beauty and the beast — Opposites can coexist or attract.
• A watched clock never moves — Time seems slower when you're focused on it.
• Hunger is the best sauce — Food tastes better when you're truly hungry.
• The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world — Mothers have profound influence on society.
• No news is good news — The absence of bad news is itself good news.
• Every man for himself — In crisis, everyone must look after their own interests.

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