How to Train a Golden Retriever Puppy

Golden retrievers are known for their pleasing and loyal personalities, making them easier to train, unlike the other races.

However, despite their inhibit behavior; you’ll still need to work to improve that and make them like its normal.

If you’re planning to buy a puppy, you probably have to plan on what to consider in training a golden retriever.

This article includes the guidelines and tips on how to train your puppy. The golden retrievers are a combination of a hunting and friendly dog, and a great buddy if taught well.

Other breeders train them for hunting purposes because of its agility and predatory instinct. As owners, we must consider their lust for hunting and different work-oriented manners.

As owners, you must know their inherent characteristics, lineage, despite their charismatic appearance.

Personality Traits

Golden retriever puppies are not that high-driven predator like other breeds like Dobermans, Rottweiler’s, and Pit bulls but they can be extremely hasty. Having your golden retriever as a puppy is much better than taking an adult one.

It is because puppies are more enthusiastic and more vigorous. However, it can be a problem sometimes. Because they are still in the puppyhood, you can often see them biting anything.

You cannot take it away from them, but you can mitigate it by giving them a toy or whatever it can play.

Make sure to teach them that it is not good to bite whatever or anything such as shoes, pillows, and sofas. If you find it hard, you can ask for advice from expert dog trainers and breeders.

If you fail to teach your dog correctly at a young age, it can be hard to change its negative personalities and can lead to unforeseen accidents.

Sometimes golden retrievers are purchased for protection, and it is not a good reason. Any dog that is always leashed develops aggressive behaviors.

If you want your dog to develop obedience and eliminate its violent side, better make a training regimen. You ask or research it online. By merely teaching it how to sit and fetch will improve its characteristics.

Verbal Commands and Cues

Adding verbal cues and commands after a few weeks is also a significant step in making your puppy submissive. These cues are consisting of words to ask our pets to do something.

It is usually a one-word command that is used to teach your pet for specific behavior. Rewarding them after they execute your order will create a stimulus that every time they follow your order, they will get a treat after.

You can add some hand gestures and signals for more straightforward direction. Repetition of the words will help your dog understand the command faster. Verbal training can be in any language, but it advisable to use a natural style.

The following words are used for an obedience command:

• Short and sharp – Choose a word that short and sharp, because it will be more helpful to your dog to understand what you want to convey.

• Use simple words – You can also use some fun words on your commands, but, it could be dragging to say it at the right time.

For example, you want your dog fetch and instead of saying “fetch” you refrained from saying flurry words. The dog will probably wonder what you are trying to say.

Use words which are not too casual and often said at all times – Choosing a word that you use quite often at your home might be a wrong choice.

Because your dog hears it regularly, it might think that the word isn’t that captivating and will make your command weak.

For example: if you want to use “OK” to release your pet from its current position, you might release your dog accidentally. Try to use catchy and appealing words to get their attention.

It would help if you chose the right words that don’t come easily from you. Finding the right balance will establish a retaining effect to the commands you want to execute.

If you want your dog to be a hard-core canine, and then choose powerful words, but if you want your dog to behave, use commands that easily come from you.

You can read German Commands for more helpful tips on how to make your dog understand your instructions.

If your golden retriever responds to hand command training, then, adding verbal cues must be easy:

1. First, say the verbal cue clearly with a hand gesture
2. After the dog response, reward them
3. Repeat the procedure until the command becomes natural
4. Try the verbal cues without the hand signals
5. If your dog didn’t respond then, that’s the time you will give the hand signal
6. If your dog responds, give a reward
7. Repeat the procedure

Train your Golden Retriever Puppy Different Verbal Commands

If you’re planning to add more verbal cues, follow these procedures:

Your dog must be performing the behavior casually during your training session even before you say the command.

It will help you to impose more accurate communication with your dog. You can also add treats after they complete the instruction.

1. Now, say the new command with an appealing voice.
2. Observe and reward your dog’s next response.
3. Repeat the actions several times.
4. If the dog performs the behavior without you stating the authority, snub it.
5. Repeat the steps until the dog shows the behavior every time you say the obedience command.

TAKE NOTE: Once you start training your dog/puppy to understand the said steps, remember not to mention the word more than once.

Practice patience and give the dog enough time to respond before you repeat the cue. Counting 1-10 will also help you to calculate the time interval.

Basic Dog Commands to Train Golden Retriever

• Sit
• Stand
• Down
• Stay
• Take-it
• Heel
• Leave-it
• Drop-it
• Watch me
• Go-to
• Wait
• come
• Back-up
• Find
• Touch
• Stand still
• Stop
• Fetch
• Growl
• Defend
• Attack

Since you chose a puppy, it’s also your responsibility to discipline them. You’ll have to establish rules that will make them realize their boundaries.

It would be best if you learned how to react to such negative behavior, as well as how to reinforce and reward their good behavior. Understanding and giving the time to your pet will help you become a good trainer as well as a great buddy.

Learn to React on Your Dog’s Lousy Behavior

It would help if you disciplined your golden retriever as soon as you bring it home. Golden retrievers learn quickly, so imposing firm regulations must be consistent at your home.

If you fail to do this, your puppy will be confused, making it harder for you to restraint those bad behaviors.

For example, your puppy shows aggressiveness at your neighbors and sometimes even in you, but instead of doing something, you just ignored it.

Chances are: your dog will be puzzled if it does the right behavior or the wrong manner.

Practice Reward-Based Training Approach

This approach will help the puppy to understand if it did something wrong or right. In your puppy’s mind, anything will be rewarded.

However, if your puppy is performing a self-rewarding behavior such as chewing your shoes and peeing on your sofa, then this approach will not work. If that’s the case, you can resort to a short but pleasing command.

Every time your puppy exhibits behavior that is terrible, verbal cues like “NOT THAT” or any term with disapproving voice will help to teach them that they are doing the wrong action. The aim of this approach is not to reprimand your puppy, but to facilitate it.

Ignore Self-Rewarding Behaviors

Every time your dog tries to get your interest by jumping, barking or nipping, it is best to disregard it.

Try to realize what reward your puppy is trying to get from you when doing bad behaviors to determine when to snub them.

Mostly, your dog will exhibit jumping to get your attention, and ignoring them will send a message that they will need to act differently to get your attention.

If your puppy begins to bark at you, turn your back to it and try to look them in the eyes. Eventually, your dog will realize that it gets nothing if it acts poorly.

Another technique is to distract and redirect your dog. You can use loud and distracting noise to get your puppies attention.

Clapping your hands and actively speaking “no” every time you catch your puppy doing something wrong is also recommended.

Use a disappointing tone to distract your dog will redirect its attention to you and act desirably.

Making use of such approaches and techniques will guide to produce an obedient and well trained golden retriever.

Avoid using painful punishment or any physical castigation such as kicking, sticking, and hitting.

Studies have shown that dogs that receive such punishments and grow in a violent environment will also become furious and vicious.

Treat your pets as your own family, and it will also treat you the same way.