[header] How to teach your older dog basic commands [title] Use positive reinforcement. [step] Your older dog will be more motivated to continue learning new commands throughout its life, if you use a positive rewards-based method. Training with verbal or physical punishment can scare your dog and make training sessions less fun. 
You can teach a variety of basic commands, such as " sit ", " down ", " stay ", and " come " to an older dog by using positive reinforcement. [substeps] For example, teach your dog to " sit " by holding a treat in your hand in front of the dog.