Hello! In today’s Golden Retriever Training Tips I’m going to talk about basic training commands for your Golden Retriever, specifically Golden Retriever Obedience Training. First, I’d like to point out the difference between “obedience” and “behavioral” training. Obedience training is teaching your dog how to sit, stay, come, heel, etc. This is what I will be writing on today. Behavioral training is trying to correct negative behaviors your Golden Retriever may have learned, such as jumping on people, tearing apart your house, barking for no “apparent” reason, chasing cars, etc. I will be writing Golden Retriever Training Tips on Problem Behavior and behavioral training in a future post, so check back soon for those tips.
Ok, to begin with, decide when you are going to train your Golden Retriever. Pick a time when you and your Golden are relaxed, but not tired. A good tip is to train right before meals, as your Golden will come to associate eating the meal as a reward. Next, gather some small treats. This could be pieces of your dog’s food, or another small treat.
Remember to keep your training sessions short. I would suggest 10 – 15 minutes maximum. Start with getting your Golden Retriever’s attention by calling his or her name. Then, begin with the “sit” command. You can lure your dog’s nose upward by holding a small treat in your hand, and say “sit” as your dog brings his nose up and bottom down. By guiding his nose upward, you are helping him to succeed by initiating a situation where he would sit naturally. When he sits, immediately reward him with the treat. You may need to repeat the command, but if your dog does not understand it, I would caution against saying any command over and over again, as it may become meaningless to your Golden Retriever. Use a pleasant voice, not harsh or irritated. Do not yell at your Golden Retriever or force him or her into the position you want. If you find you are getting frustrated with your dog, stop and come back to it later. Your dog can sense your frustration and this can cause him to dislike training sessions. Remember, your Golden Retriever wants to please you!
After your dog sits, you can move on to “stay”. Have your dog sit, then hold your hand out with your palm facing your dog and back away (just a small distance at first) and say “stay”. Do not reward your dog if he gets up to follow you, but do not yell at him either. Simply try again, rewarding his successes. You may need to teach your dog to lie down first, and sometimes that is more helpful. To teach this, have your dog sit, then use a treat to guide his nose down, say “down” and when he lays down, reward him.
After your dog has mastered these commands, move on to “come”. When your dog is sitting or lying down, back away, using the “stay” command. Then, say “come”. Reward his successes. An important thing for you to keep in mind with this command is to NEVER punish or yell at your dog when you’ve told him to “come”. Doing this will teach him that obeying this command results in punishment, and he will learn to not obey it, out of fear of being yelled at or displeasing you.
After your dog masters a command, reward him with a treat and lots of praise. He will learn quickly that what he accomplished made you happy, and Golden Retrievers LOVE to please their owners!
I hope these Golden Retriever Training Tips have been helpful to you. Obediece training is so important if you want a healthy, happy relationship with your Golden. Also check out my videos page (use tab at top of page) where I have some great videos on Golden Retriever Training!
Susanne Trainor
Golden Retriever Lover
Posted by goldenretrievertrainingtips 
Posted by goldenretrievertrainingtips 
Posted by goldenretrievertrainingtips 
