Golden Retriever Training Tips – Clicker Training, Part 2

Golden Retriever Training Tips – Clicker Training, Part 2

I would like to expand just a bit on Clicker Training, since I think it is a wonderful way to train your Golden Retriever! It worked so well for Sunny, but there are some specifics I would like to mention in today’s Golden Retriever Training Tips.

First of all, remember when you are introducing the clicker to your dog, you don’t want to begin training him with it immediately.  You first need to teach him that the clicker means he will get a reward!  Then you can move on to introducing commands.  I recommend spending even a few days to be sure your dog understands that when he hears a click that he will get a reward immediately following.  Treats should be something tasty but small, because you will be giving your Golden lots of them!  Everytime you click, give your dog a treat immediately.  He will quickly associate the click with a reward. 

Once your Golden Retriever learns that a click means a reward, you can move on to giving commands to your dog.  Remember to click at the exact moment your dog performs the requested command correctly.  This is called operant conditioning, and is the basis for the clicker training method.  Goldens are so smart… they will learn quickly that the click is associated with what they are doing at that very instant, and that it pleases you, because they receive a treat! 

A couple of things to keep in mind:

1. Keep sessions short. 

2. Stay positive.  Never yell at your dog, or he will begin to associate the clicker with unhappiness and stress.

3. Don’t use the clicker to get your Golden’s attention. Use it only for reinforcing behavior.

4. This one may be obvious, but do not use the clicker for behaviors you do not want repeated. For example, do not click when your dog jumps up on someone.

5. Remember to praise your dog, too!  In general, you will be training your dog quietly with this method, but make sure to verbally reward him for learning a new command. When he makes the connection between a command and the behavior, reward him with a bonus of extra treats,too. (Not to be over used or will lose effect. Only for this major accomplishment, otherwise one treat per click will do.)   

6. Have fun! You are on your way to a happier, well-mannered Golden Retriever!

Come again soon for more Golden Retriever Training Tips!

Susanne Trainor

Golden Retriever Lover

Golden Retriever Training Tips – Clicker Training

Golden Retriever Training Tips – Clicker Training

Today’s Golden Retriever Training Tip is on Clicker Training.  I will list the basic idea of Clicker Training today, and expand on it in a future post. 

Clicker training uses positive reinforcement to teach your Golden Retriever the behavior you want him or her to display.  The trainer uses a clicker device when the dog obeys the commands given.  The click is sounded at the same time the dog performs the command correctly.  So, when you give your dog the command “sit” for example, you would push the clicker so it makes the click sound simultaneously with your dog sitting. 

The idea is that the dog learns exactly what behavior is asked and expected.  It is important to follow up the clicks with a reward. Give your dog a treat immediately after sounding the clicker.  This way your Golden Retriever will learn to associate the click with pleasing his owner and he or she will know that you are happy with what he or she did. 

I, personally do not use the clicker to substitute praise.  I keep my training sessions brief, and always follow each session with lots of praise.  My Golden, Sunny was clicker trained and I don’t know which he liked best – the treats (rewards) during the clicker training sessions or the belly rub he usually got when the session was over!

This is one type of training that may be right for you and your Golden Retriever.  I will write more about it in a future Golden Retriever Training Tips post, so check back soon.

Thanks for reading!

Susanne Trainor

Golden Retriever Lover

 

Golden Retriever Training Tips – House Training

Golden Retriever Training Tips – House Training your Golden Retriever

How to House Train, or ‘House Break’, Your Golden Retriever

 

 

Today’s Golden Retriever Training Tips is on House Training. You can ‘house train’ your Golden Retriever by following a set routine.  Consistency will help your dog learn to trust that he or she will be let outside regularly and that they can trust you.  Here is an example of a routine you could follow:

 

MORNING

 

Take your Golden Retriever out first thing in the morning.  Lead him or her by leash to where you would like him or her to go.  Lead them to the same general spot each time you let your dog out.

 

After your Golden relieves himself, give lots of praise and attention. He will learn to go in the designated area and will begin to understand that going there will make you happy. When you get back inside, offer him water and let him relax.  When you need to leave for work, you will find that you will return to less messes if you crate your dog or confine him to a small room. Dogs do not like to relieve themselves in the same areas they eat and sleep in, so you are less likely to return to a soiled house this way.

 

MIDDAY

 

Return midday to let your dog outside again.  If he has had an accident, do not yell, but clean it up and take him outside to the designated area again. He will learn to trust you to return on a regular schedule, and will learn to “hold it” until you are able to let him out. Let your Golden run around a bit, if you have the time, to get any kinks out and enjoy the fresh air. Remember to praise him for relieving himself where you want him to. If you can’t get away at lunchtime, ask a friend or neighbor that you trust to help you out. Consider hiring a pet sitter if necessary.

 

EVENING

 

Take the time to let your Golden run around and get plenty of exercise when you get home.  Give your dog dinner at about the same time each day. Make sure he has access to fresh water. Some trainers suggest taking the dog’s bowls away a couple of hours before bed. This will lessen overnight accidents. Its also not a bad idea to take your dog out, briefly, one more time before bed.

 

Remember to stick to your routine, make sure your Golden has plenty of exercise and a regular eating schedule, and always always always to praise your dog each time he goes outside!  This is the best Golden Retriever Training Tip I can offer… always praise the good behavior you want to see continue!

 

Susannne Trainor

Golden Retriever Lover

Golden Retriever Training Tips DOs and DON’Ts

 

 

Golden Retriever Training Tips: DOs and DON’Ts

 

 

If you are the new owner of a Golden Retriever and need some quick advice right away, these Golden Retriever Training Tips should give you a good base to start from. Here are some basic DOs and DON’Ts:

 

Golden Retriever Training Tips – DOs:

 

~ DO be consistent.  Praise positive behavior, ignore bad. If you ignore bad behavior some of the time and correct it some of the time, you will confuse your Golden Retriever and delay progress.

 

~ DO be patient. Behavior is learned, but it takes time. If you are beginning to get frazzled, take a break. Training is only effective if you can remain calm. This way your Golden will feel secure and be able to follow your commands more easily.

           

~ DO be firm. Your tone of voice should be natural. Even when saying “no”, you should avoid speaking harshly, as this will only frighten him or her and not produce the results you want.

 

~ DO give plenty of praise. Golden Retrievers love praise and attention. Yours will want to please you above anything else.  Praise him or her before, during, and after each training session. Remember to offer treats when he performs your commands successfully.

 

~ DO train consistently.  Golden Retrievers will appreciate the routine of having training times at roughly the same time each day.  He or she will begin to look forward to them. Keep sessions short. If your dog is tired, you will have a harder time getting him or her to obey commands.

 

Golden Retriever Training Tips DON’Ts:

 

~ DON’T train if you are in a bad mood. If you are having a bad day, are stressed, sad or tired, it’s better to wait to train until you are in a more positive state. Training your Golden should be a positive experience for both of you.

 

~ DON’T repeat commands. If you say “stay” and your dog follows you, then you need to demonstrate what “stay” means.  Remain positive and repeat the process a few more times, and then move on or take a break to play for a bit. If you keep repeating the command over and over without show your Golden Retriever what it means, the command starts to have no meaning to your dog.

 

~ DON’T train too long.  Dogs do not have lengthy attention spans.  Move on to something new or fun after 5 minutes. (New command, quick game or jog around a bit.) Your Golden may start losing interest after three minutes anyway, so don’t push it.

 

~ DON’T worry too much. Learning is a process, and as I already mentioned, it takes some time. You might have some minor setbacks now and then, and you should expect some.  If your Golden Retriever seems stuck on a certain command, try to make it fun for him or her by incorporating some fun into the activity.

 

Come back soon for more great Golden Retriever Training Tips! 

 

Susanne Trainor

 

Golden Retriever Lover

Golden Retriever Training Tips – Positive Dog Training

 

Golden Retriever Training Tips – Positive Dog Training

 

Welcome back! Today, my Golden Retriever Training Tips will focus in on Positive Dog Training.  This is a very popular method for training any dog, but since Golden Retrievers especially thrive on praise, this is a valuable tool for any Golden Retriever owner.  I am happy to be able to include this in my series of Golden Retriever Training Tips.

 

Positive dog training came about through the work of two men: Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner. Pavlov is the scientist who is famous for his dog experiment where he trained a dog to salivate upon hearing a bell ring. Skinner is also known for his work in behavioral science.

 

Positive dog training’s main goal is about conditioning and learned behaviors. The main idea is to associate a “reward” and “positive outcome” with desired (good) behavior for your Golden Retriever.

 

Here are some main philosophies held by this method:

 

*Learning occurs through association and repetition

 

*Behavior that is rewarded is likely to be repeated.

 

*Behavior that is ignored (not reinforced, either positively or negatively) will disappear.

 

*Variable reinforcement can be used to direct the appropriate

response in situations which appear globally similar, but differ on the

detail level (e.g. playing with old tennis ball, but leaving children’s baseball alone)

 

Through positive training, Golden Retrievers learn to enjoy obeying commands and associate them with rewards of treats, affection, praise and love. The bond between dog and owner is based on trust, patience and respect.

 

There is no yelling, hitting or punishing in this approach. These practices are counter-productive and go against the core beliefs of this method.  And, many would say, are just plain unkind to your Golden Retriever!

 

If your Golden Retriever is motivated by attention, then even negative attention will work to reinforce his or her behavior. If negative attention is always given when the dog performs the exact behavior you don’t want, this will only reinforce the unwanted behavior.

 

Ignoring bad behavior is NOT easy!  Another great Golden Retriever Training Tip – You may need to make sure you keep your favorite shoes, and special or expensive items out of your Golden Retriever’s reach, especially if you have a puppy who loves to chew!   When Sunny was young, he chewed up my brand new coat, and believe me, I was so tempted to lose my temper. I quickly learned to keep my nicer things in a closed room or closet to avoid even tempting Sunny! 

 

If anyone has any funny (or not so funny) stories about their Golden Retriever, especially training attempts and misfortunes, I invite you to drop me a comment! I love to hear from readers. If you have any topics that you would like to see more about, I welcome your questions and ideas as well. Tomorrow’s Golden Retriever Training Tips will be sure to bring a smile to your face…

 

Susanne Trainor

 

Golden Retriever Lover

Golden Retriever Training Tips – Handling a Fearful Golden Retriever

Greetings, fellow Golden Retriever lovers!

In my last post, I wrote about the signs of fearful Golden Retrievers. Today I will expand on that and offer my Golden Retriever Training Tips on how to begin working with these dogs.

It is very important to have patience with a fearful dog. A Golden Retriever that has been hurt or has experienced any kind of abuse will require some special handling. Use a gentle approach, and remember to go slow.

The first of my Golden Retriever Training Tips I will offer today is this: reinforce the positive behavior you see in your dog. This is crucial to Golden Retrievers, because like most breeds, they love praise! Your Golden Retriever wants to please you, but he or she may need extra encouragement and lots of gentle handling. I know it’s hard to ignore bad behavior, but you will find it’s much more effective to encourage the good stuff and ignore the bad.

You may need to alter how you pet your Golden. Approaching your dog from above his or her head with your open hand may make your dog feel threatened and afraid. To lessen this, I recommend approaching below the head, and gently petting his or her chest or chin. You may want to try cupping your hand slightly, palm down to appear less threatening. Your dog may only tolerate a quick rub or scratch at first, but as he or she learns you can be trusted, you should see more acceptance.

Be aware of how you approach your dog at all times. Find out when your dog seems most comfortable around you. You may need to alter your position or posture until your Golden becomes more desensitized. (If sitting down while speaking to your dog seems less threatening to him or her, it is okay to do that.)

Avoid carrying your dog. Unless your Golden is in imminent danger of being hurt or attacked by a larger dog, have him or her walk. Stay close to home and make walks brief at the beginning. Know your neighborhood, if possible, to avoid any unwanted confrontations while your dog is learning and gaining confidence.

Finally, remember to praise your dog often for behavior you want to see continue. This is one of the best Golden Retriever Training Tips I can offer you! When your dog is calm and appears confident, reward him or her with tons of praise! If you see negative behavior, such as I wrote about in yesterday’s post, ignore it and do not give in to comforting at that time. This will be difficult, no doubt, but it is best. This way the process of gaining trust and seeing more positive behavior from your dog will not be delayed by reinforcing negative behaviors! Always give your Golden lots of love and attention when he or she is behaving well.

Sunny, my Golden, is patiently waiting for me to put aside my laptop and give him some attention! He has come a long way and is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever owned. I wouldn’t have believed I would say that when I first got him! Since he is being so good, and so patient, I will reward him with a favorite of his – a game of fetch in our backyard.

Tomorrow I will share my Golden Retriever Training Tips for Positive Dog Training methods. Thanks for reading!

Susanne Trainor

Golden Retriever Lover

Golden Retriever Training Tips – The Fearful Golden Retriever

Golden Retriever Training Tips – training your fearful Golden Retriever.

Some of you may have dogs that are more shy or fearful, even around you, the owner. If this is the case, your Golden Retriever will require a little extra help before you can begin training in earnest.  Today’s Golden Retriever Training Tip will focus on how to notice signs that your dog is stressed or afraid.

Some of your Golden’s behaviors are obvious signs of stress, such as cowering before you.  But here are some others that may be a bit more subtle:

1.       Ears pinned / turned back.  Your Golden’s ears should be relaxed or slightly curved upward most of the time.  If the ears appear to be significantly pinned back, this is a sign of fear. 

2.       Yawning.  One of the most subtle ones.  All dogs yawn, but if your Golden Retriever is yawning quite a bit, it could be a sign of stress.  Watch his or her body language for other signs as well, this will help in determining if your dog is just relaxing or under stress.

3.       Tucking tail between legs.  Your Golden is wary of something or someone if you see this behavior.

4.       Shaking.  Fairly obvious, but if your dog is shaking, he or she is under some seriously high stress.

5.       Crouching.  Like cowering, often accompanied by tail between the legs.  Head is down.  Sign of submission and fear of being hurt. 

6.       Involuntary elimination of bladder or bowels.  Certainly a sign of fear! 

Take time to observe your golden retriever, and if you are seeing some of these signs, remember to have patience. Rushing your dog could set him or her back further.  You want your dog to trust you and learn to behave in a confident manner. 

I hope this has been helpful.  Tomorrow’s Golden Retriever Training Tip will give you ideas on how to work with a fearful Golden and start desensitization.  The sooner you start, the sooner you will have a happy and healthy relationship with your Golden Retriever! 

Susanne Trainor

Golden Retiever Lover

Golden Retriever Training Tips for Bad Dog Behavior

Is There Hope for my Golden Retriever?

“Sunny is a sweet dog… He’s just a little naughty.”

Oh, how I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard myself say this about our Golden Retriever!  Now a well-behaved member of our family, he used to be quite the stinker! I wish I had some valuable Golden Retriever training tips when I first got Sunny! For those of you who have “stinkers” as beloved members of your families, read on.

You love your Golden Retriever. They are beautiful dogs (some would say the most beautiful.) But what do you do when you have tried everything you know to train your beauty into an obedient dog you can be proud of? As if dogs don’t shed enough, now you are pulling your hair out, looking for a solution.

If you are nodding your head, and thinking, “Yes – that is me! You are talking about my dog!” I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that there may still be hope to change your dog’s behavior. The bad news is you may discover you are not the one who can do it.  Keep reading for Golden Retriever training tips and suggestions.

There are several things to consider when you think of your Golden Retriever’s behavior. Your dog is not a bad dog. I don’t believe there is such a thing.  Some dogs have special circumstances, obstacles to overcome. You know your dog. Think of its history. Some dogs have encountered abuse, starvation (many strays and some dogs from rescue shelters,) some dogs have been subject to poor golden retriever training methods or, unfortunately, are just not a good match for the home they are in.

First thing to consider is how much you know about Golden Retrievers. Are you prepared to work with this breed, and to do what it takes to train your dog, either yourself or by a professional trainer? Decide if you have been part of the problem – or if the dog has previously been sent to a poor trainer.  Do you know where your dog has picked up its bad behavior?

Next, ask yourself the following:

Where did I get my Golden Retriever?  If you bought your dog from a quality breeder you should have less chance of issues arising as you might from strays or dogs rescued from shelters.  Of course there are exceptions to this, and I do not mean to imply that shelter dogs are not trainable or are not good family dogs.

How old is my Golden Retriever? Generally speaking, younger dogs have less bad habits and can learn as they are growing.  Again, this is not to say that “you cannot teach an old dog new tricks.” However, you may find that you need more time and patience with an older dog, if he has bad habits to turn around.

If you decide to there is hope, and want to work with your Golden Retriever, wonderful! This blog is meant to be a resource for you as a Golden Retriever Lover. Feel free to comment and share your experiences.  I will share my Golden Retriever training tips with you in future posts.

And you just might hear more stories about my own Golden, Sunny…

Next post I will offer you a golden retriever tip that will make you fall in love with your golden again and again,

Susanne Trainor

Golden Retriever Lover