Originally Posted by dodigna

Some can argue older dogs are easier to train as less excitable, prone to distraction and able to hold concentration for longer periods of time. Not to mention quick to grasp the quickproquo of being rewarded for good behaviour, but that would only apply when positive methods were used. I can see an older dog being more likely (and rightly so!), to retaliate if older school methods were to apply instead....

It's the old argument of positive training against dominance methods. Guess which one is the one that makes you feel more Godly! Promises results in fixed amount of times and completely disregard each dog is an individual with individual problems.

Teach a dog as if you were a dog, except you are not a bloody dog (or wolf!), your dog knows that, you don't smell like one, you don't look like any he has ever met.
You lead your dog in the right direction by making him want to do that not because you say so...

Ultimately if everything fails and you haven't managed to scare some discipline in your dog, well start again with a younger model!