How To Use Obedience Training With Your Golden Retriever
There are few things cuter than a Golden Retriever puppy, but that adorable fur ball that you brought home from the breeder will quickly become a fifty-pound chewing machine if you are not ready and willing to whip that pup into shape. Not literally of course. This eager to please dog will respond best to plenty of praise and positive reinforcement when it comes to effective Golden Retriever obedience training. The best way to train this type of dog is to begin the first day you bring it home, by teaching and reinforcing the rules of the house immediately.
This means that if you don’t want your full grown dog hopping up on your bed or sofa, don’t let your small puppy up there now. Not once, not ever. This way, your dog learns in no uncertain terms what the expectations are, so he can learn to live within the boundaries that you set for him. Beyond this basic step, there are additional obedience training tips that will help you and your Golden Retriever to live harmoniously.
Some of the earliest Golden Retriever obedience training that you will do regards housebreaking. Teaching your pup the proper place to potty is a top priority, and should begin from the first day you bring him home. Crate training is usually the easiest way to housebreak any type of puppy. By keeping your pup in his crate when you cannot watch him closely, he learns to hold it until he is taken outside, since most dogs will not go to the bathroom in the same spot where they sleep or eat.
When your puppy is not in his crate, you need to keep a close eye on the signs that he might need to go outside. This might include sniffing the ground, whining or going to the back door. Take him out right away if you see any of these signals and praise him when he does his business successfully. It is also good to take him out after meals and naps, when he is most likely to need to potty.
Once your puppy is successfully housebroken, you can begin to think about formal Golden Retriever obedience training. There are many classes available with trained instructors who can teach you the finer points of teaching your Golden Retriever proper behavior.
If you have been through an obedience training course before, you can probably train your dog effectively at home, as long as you make sure to spend at least a few minutes every day working together.
If you have been through the formal training programs with other pups, you can train your Golden Retriever at home. It is very important that you work with him for at least a few minutes every day on the basic commands to ensure that your dog gets a good grasp of what is expected and how to behave.
Make sure that you and your dog work on the techniques for a few minutes every day so that the training principles will sink in and stick. That way, you can enjoy a dog that is well behaved and a delight to have in your home.
