Golden Retriever Obedience Training

Golden Retriever Puppy

Image by Damian Synnott
A puppy in training for the Irish Guide Dogs for the blind society getting used to the crowds at the dublin street performance world championships, 2010

Obedience training for your golden retriever should begin the day you bring him home from the breeders. You should decide what your new puppy will and will not be allowed to do and stick with it like glue. This means that the day you get your new puppy, you shouldn’t allow him climb up on your furniture or jump up on people unless you want him to perform the actions in the future when he is heavier as puppy’s have a hard time figuring out why you won’t allow them to do something that they are used to doing.

Golden retrievers absolutely love being praised and will do whatever it takes to get it. You can use this to your advantage and when training your puppy to behave. Even if it’s something small, as long as you want your retriever to keep repeating the action, such as not jumping on the mailman, some praise is in order and maybe a treat as well. Keep in mind that punishment does not work well for a golden retriever. If your puppy does something that you don’t want, such as begging at the table or getting on the furniture, a firm “no” is all you need. It may take a couple of times, but he will soon realize that no means no and he will not be praised or rewarded so he won’t do it.

Golden retriever obedience training does take some time and determination on your part, but with the right tools, you can successfully train your golden retriever at home. It is best to start training when you first get you puppy, however, you can re-train an older retriever yourself but it will take more time and effort for him to learn a new way of doing things. The most important rule is to never give up, keep up your obedience training, and soon you will have a well trained dog that everyone will love.

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