Watch The Video To Discover How To Train A Golden Retriever Puppy Quickly & Easily
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Golden Retrievers are among the most docile breeds across the globe.
Their eager-to-please nature is among the numerous traits that keep them in the top three spots of the most common dog breeds in America.
Nevertheless, learning how to train them isn’t walk in the park.
It takes patience, effort, and above all, consistency to cultivate the personality and obedience which makes them so popular.
So if you are considering purchasing a golden retriever puppy or you’ve just bought one, then read on to discover how much time and effort you need to invest in training them.
Are Golden Retrievers Hard To Train?
Most often than not, training a golden retriever puppy can be complicated.
However, the real challenge comes from creating the initial bond with your puppy.
That’s why it’s important from start to fully understanding all his bad habits, fears, and above all his unique personality and working with your golden retriever to get past these issues together.
And remember like most puppies, golden retrievers enjoy exercising and they love nature.
So it’s only fitting that this personality trait will make them ideal for training outdoors at all times,
But be warned, they also need ample time to get used to training.
You also need to realize that at times, golden retrievers can have health complications which make them difficult to train at times.
Simple things such as changing your training tactics are your best friend here as it will keep your puppy engaged and eager to learn throughout the entire training process.
You might find that they find certain things uncomfortable such as being on a leash for a long period of time.
For personal experience, this is probably the hardest thing you will have to teach your puppy.
Of course, it does take time to get used to it at first, but in time, your puppy will eventually learn to follow every guideline and mechanic you offer.
Every Puppy Is Different
While some golden retrievers are easier to train than others, the duration of time it takes to train them is solely dependent on you and the methods of training you use.
You can try out some new things that will fit your requirements and expertise. But it’s a wonderful opportunity that can pay off significantly, especially if you approach it the right way.
So remember, change things up, keep it interesting, and you’ll have a well behaved obedient puppy in no time.
How To Train A Golden Retriever Puppy – A Complete Guide
Begin Training Early
So the first thing you should know when you bring your Golden Retriever puppy home is that there is no typical grace period when getting started on the training process.
8 weeks is the absolute earliest you should start training your puppy but if he’s already reached this age, you should start as soon as possible.
Golden retrievers are popularly known for their high intelligence and you’ll soon discover that with persistence they learn pretty fast.
And while the tips outlined in this post are highly valuable, I’d always highly recommend that you teach your puppy via The Online Dog Trainer Membership Site.
Develop A Routine
Golden retrievers can often fight off a regular routine, especially if they feel they have a task to accomplish.
You can start by creating a meal routine for your puppy and showing him where he should, and should NOT eat.
It’s a good idea to develop a sound and structured routine from the beginning.
And much more importantly, a specific time and place to have their meals each and every day.
By establishing this routine early, you are immediately setting a good foundation for your puppy.
Encourage Early Socialization
After a week or two and once your puppy is settled, it’s time to begin exposing them to their surroundings.
The earlier you teach your puppy to engage with other dogs, environments and people, the easier it will be for them to become confident in various places and comfortable in their own skin.
You can start by taking your puppy for short walks during the day, introducing him to other canines at local parks, and taking him with you when running your daily errands.
By doing this, you will expose your pup to strangers, smells, sounds, and life as it is going to be.
Most dog experts stress the great significance during the first four months of a dog’s life and state that during this time, a dog should be socialized as often as possible.
But up to now, Golden Retrievers are among the best breeds that love socialization.
They are naturally welcoming, social, and adore being stimulated by the new things around them.
Just take your puppy out and see the way his eyes will burst with excitement as he watches the world unfold around him.
Potty training
Before we dive into the subject of potty training, I’d just like to direct your attention to this FREE Potty Training Course
Trust me, It’s going to take all the hassle and frustration out of potty training your puppy and get him up to speed in no time at all.
Anyway…
Ideally, potty training should be the first lesson you teach your puppy.
There’s nothing worse than training a well behaved, obedient puppy that still defiles every single corner of your home every chance he gets.
I understand it’s a huge pain, however, it might help to know that it’s quite difficult for a puppy to hold its bladder for a longer than 2 hours.
So it’s essential that you keep a close watchful eye on your puppy especially in the early days of potty training.
I mean, when you gotta go, you gotta go.
Avoiding Accidents
There can be many signs that your puppy needs to go but the main ones to look out for are…
- Pacing around the house
- Sniffing the floor
- Scratching at the door
- Barking or whining
- And of course… assuming the position/squatting
You can begin this training process by grabbing them when they are about to have an accident and putting them in the correct spot for the potty.
If you’re training them to go in the yard, make sure you take them back to the same spot each time as they’ll become familiar with their own scent and become more and more attracted to the same spot each time they go.
Once they’ve done the deed, use positive reinforcement and reward them for their good behavior.
As you do this, maintain a reassuring and gentle tone each time because these breeds are quite sensitive to their owner’s voice.
Here’s another quick tip…
…Puppies don’t soil where they sleep so crate training can also be very useful for teaching bladder control.
You can go ahead and read my full puppy crate training guide here.
And finally, this is a wonderful time to work on your patience as a puppy owner because Golden Retriever puppies can be quite a handful.
They are incredibly enthusiastic, excitable, and intelligent enough to direct themselves into trouble.
However, the path becomes manageable eventually, but during the early days you will have to be diligent, supportive and strictly stick to positive reinforcement.
When it comes to Golden Retrievers, positive reinforcement is the best way to reward them. Even as they grow into a mature adult dog.
Puppy Biting Habits
Puppies love to bite.
Much like human babies, it’s their way of exploring the world and getting a sense for new textures and flavors.
Gently biting a nipping isn’t necessarily a problem, however, it’s something that you should definitely address should the behavior become excessive or physically painful.
So it should come as no surprise that Golden Retriever puppies love to bite and nibble at every opportunity.
One option to consider would be to distract your puppy by giving him a stick/ball or replacing whatever he’s biting with a proper chew toy.
However, if he happens to bite you hard and aggressively, you should immediately let your puppy know by giving a sharp yelp and then pulling back your hand.
Your puppy needs to understand when he is biting you too hard, and you should make it obvious particularly to a naive young pup.
You can train your Golden pup not to bite and assist him in developing good behaviors for the future using the above tips.
And if that’s not enough, you can stop your puppy biting for good by following these 5 Step By Step Calming Exercises…
How To Train A Golden Retriever Puppy
Obedience Lessons
So now that you have done your part and placed them on the right track to become a well-behaved pup, it’s time to take things one step further and take some for puppy classes.
Now, you can choose to train your Golden Retriever at home using our FREE Training: The Easy Way To An Obedient Dog…
…Or you enroll them in a local obedience class.
Whichever option you choose, just remember that online lessons will not only help you bond more with your puppy, but it will also teach your canine friend the basic cues you would like him to learn.
And in time your pup should know how to lie down, sit, stay, follow, quiet down, come when called among many other awesome commands.
The Easy Way To An Obedient Dog will save you thousands of dollars you would otherwise have spent letting someone else teach your puppy the entire collection of commands.
So if you don’t have the extra cash lying around to let someone else train your pup, then this will be the obvious option for you.
But regardless of how you decide to train your Golden Retriever puppy, you should consider the following…
Use positive reinforcement at all times
As a general rule, with a Golden Retriever, you should use a positive, rewarding system at all times.
Golden Retrievers are not alpha-breeds that need firm hands to keep them in place and nor are they pack dogs that naturally seek out leaders.
They are incredibly sensitive and loving canine companions that will respond very poorly to scolding.
Even at a young age, Golden Retrievers are intelligent enough to when you’re upset with them.
So you should be very careful about how you behave in their presence.
This means rewarding them at all times for good behavior, instead of scolding them when they behave badly.
Final Thoughts
Although Golden Retrievers are highly trainable, it’s still essential to use their puppy years appropriately to prepare them for well-behaved adolescence because this combination will bring out the best personality from your puppy.
Take your Golden to puppy classes since they love to learn, and the professionals will teach them different commands, obedience, and then guide you on how to integrate these lessons at home.
If you prefer doing it yourself, you should know what you want from the training process and then do your research.
But remember, Golden Retrievers can be more fickle during their adult years and require a lot of effort to keep them on track.
However, if you follow the tips listed above and remain consistent, then this shouldn’t be a challenge.
In closing, Golden retrievers have earned their good reputation for a reason.
They are wonderful canines that can blossom well during their training process.
So don’t be surprised if you discover how fast your Golden Retriever learns what you are teaching him, and how easily you will fall in love with the naive little puppy.
So what are you struggling with most when it comes to training your Golden Retriever puppy? Let me know in the comments below…
