Wednesday, July 30, 2008

An Obedience Training Guide For Golden Retriever Owners

By Carol Matthews

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.

Most owners will begin Golden Retriever obedience training with housebreaking. This process will usually start the first day that you bring your puppy home from the breeder, and is usually most effective when a crate is incorporated into the training. When you are unable to keep a close eye on your puppy for short periods of time, you can let him stay in his crate. Once you take him out, bring him to the yard first thing so that he can go to the bathroom right away. After he goes, praise him and bring him inside.

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.

Housebreaking is just the first step of Golden Retriever obedience training. Once your puppy has mastered where to go potty, it is time to move on to other types training. The best way to do this is by enrolling you and your dog in a formal obedience training course. You can find these classes at pet stores, community centers and from your veterinarian's office. A formal training class will ensure that your dog learns correct behavior through proper methods that will ensure success.

Look for smaller class sizes, and instructors who are experienced and emphasize positive reinforcement over punishment and intimidation. Golden Retrievers are very eager to please as a rule, so a positive training program will work infinitely better than a negative program will. 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.

A lover of dogs, particularly Golden Retrievers, Carol Matthews has trained many of these dogs and has a good understanding of the time and effort that goes into a well-behaved Golden Retriever. There are plenty of proven methods of Golden Retriever training, but all will require the basic elements of effort, time and plenty of patience and praise to get the job done right. To properly train your Golden Retriever, articles like this and dog training books will give you the necessary information to begin.

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