4 Tips for Training Your Golden Retriever Dog
Golden Retrievers are the ultimate symbol of canine cuteness. It’s not surprising that they rank third in the American Kennel Club’s popularity ranking.
Although Golden Retrievers are intelligent and even-tempered, they don’t train themselves. These bundles of joy can get bored quickly, are stubborn, and easily forget their weight. That being said, Golden Retrievers are also easily trainable, eager to please, and very active. So once you start training, you can quickly have a well-behaved pup in your home.
Whether teaching them basic commands or housetraining your puppy, use the following tips to make training a pleasant experience for you and your Golden.
1. Keep Things Fun and Motivational
Golden Retrievers are active dogs, so they can get bored very quickly. Make training as fun as possible to keep them engaged and ensure they’re learning. Using games and being playful is a great way to keep training fun rather than a chore.
According to Golden Retriever News, this dog breed loves a happy and bubbly environment. Experts recommend using a happy and cheerful voice while training and not a stern voice.
In addition to being playful, they are also highly motivated by food. Make sure you have tasty treats on hand and reward the behaviors you like. That way, your pup will directly connect the dots between good behavior and yummy rewards.
2. Make the Training Age and Skill Appropriate
Make reasonable expectations for your dog. You cannot expect a toddler to do calculus or geometry. Same for the Golden Retriever. Young puppies have brains that are still developing and have not yet reached maturation. So for an 8-week old active Golden with a short attention span, 5-minute drills may be all they can handle.
Be patient with your dog. Especially when they are new in the family, it’s wise to give a dog time to adjust to the new environment and get used to the people in the home before training starts in full force.
Find appropriate skills to train your dog depending on the dog’s age. Don’t throw too many skills at them at once. Start with a command or two, and move on as they master each.
3. Use Trusted Dog Training Methods
For an effective training session, it’s important to use tried, tested, and trusted methods that work. Experts overall recommend positive reinforcement training like the clicker method. This rewards the behavior you like rather than punishing your dog for what you don’t like.
Golden Retrievers are happy dogs who want to please. They will be very motivated by fun, games, and treats. Steer clear of negative dog training tactics that may cause long-term harm to your Golden in addition to being a less effective training tool.
4. Be Consistent
The only way to speed up the learning process for a Golden Retriever is to teach regularly. If you only train in 20-minute sessions once a week, your dog will forget the commands between sessions.
Goldens are very intelligent. So incorporating the commands into their everyday activities can pay dividends in obedience training results. Use opportunities to practice commands they learn. For example, call your dog’s name before going for a walk. Practice “sit,” “stay,” and “down” at the appropriate moments.
In the early days, keep some treats on hand at all times so you can consistently reward the good behavior you see, even outside of training sessions. Your Golden will remember these moments of positive reinforcement, and your structured sessions will be even better for it.
Start Your Training Today
Not every training session will be perfect, but every 10 minutes you can spare can make a big difference in training your Golden. Dog training is excellent for brain stimulation and is ideal for a high-energy dog like a Golden Retriever. So get started today and see what your pup can accomplish.
