Is it ever too late to teach a dog commands?
Yolanda Hill
2025-06-29 09:50:41
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The short answer is: no. While it’s usually harder to train an older dog than a puppy, it’s never too late to train a dog — you just have to be willing to put in the time, patience and determination required to create boundaries, establish new habits and eliminate destructive behaviors. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but with patience (and plenty of positive reinforcement), most adult dogs are capable of learning new commands. If your dog is elderly, he may struggle to learn complicated new tricks but may still be able to learn simple obedience commands like sit, stay and come. The key to obedience training an older dog is practicing consistency and making sure you reward them positively for every good behavior.
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