Is it too late to train an 8 year old dog who hasn't had any training. My dads partner has two dogs both siblings are a cross between labrador and Irish wolf hound i think! She got the dogs when she lived in barbados to have more as guard dogs, she said when they lived over there people didn't walk there dogs, they just kept them in huge gardens. Now situations have changed and she is back in England with her dogs, and we were playing in the garden with the dogs the other day, but as they have had little or no training you throw the ball and they don't bring it back, also if she takes them for walks she daren't let them of the leash incase they don't come back. Although my dad doesn't live with her, he has been very strict but also loving with the dogs and they do take notice of him. He said he would like to have a go at taking them to obedience lessons and have a go at training them. Would it work with 8 year old dogs? I have also been told that a dog can only have one master, so could that be a problem, although the dogs take notice of my dad, his partner is the boss. Hope this makes sense.

A dog is never too old to learn - it just takes a lot longer, because you have all the bad habits to overcome, not like with a puppy where you have a 'clean slate'. And a dog will obey anyone it respects and trusts, so your dad and his partner can both be the 'boss'. They must be careful though that they train the dogs in the same way as each other - using the same commands etc, so as not to confuse them. By that I mean it's not good if one says "Sit" and the other says "Sit down" when they want a sit; or one calls "Come" and the other calls "Here boy!" when they want a recall.
Good luck.
:)

I got an 8 year old spaniel terrier cross from an animal shelter. He had obviously been hit for not coming back when off lead (obvious by the way he behaved). It took 6-8 mths of training every day and he just got better and better until he was 100% reliable. Sadly he died at the age of 12 but he was definitely worth the time and effort and I was glad the last years of his life he could have happy off lead walks.

ps to stand a chance he would have to take them out separately I would think

yes i agree with that, taking them for walks is bad enough if they come in contact with other dogs.