It’s very hard not to love an adorable, fluffy golden retriever puppy. They have to be one of the cutest, friendliest, and the perkiest of all dog breeds. Their fierce loyalty and absolutely loveable attitudes make them excellent companions for everyone, be it kids, adults, or other furry friends in your home.
However, many dog owners worry about training golden retriever puppies, especially because of their super-high energy levels that never seem to go down. The thought of training these energetic pups comes off as daunting for many people, but you know what? With the right teaching method, approach, and tricks, you can raise a very obedient, friendly, and playful golden pup. The best way to train a golden retriever puppy is to be consistent and prepared if you really want your pup to do exactly what you tell them to.
Yes, the whole process might exhaust you, and you will have to exercise a lot of patience and persistence, but in the end, it’s all worth it! When your pup looks at you with their googly eyes and licks your hand with great affection, the sight will truly melt your heart.
Understanding the Best Way to Train a Golden Retriever Puppy
So, gather up all your patience, a positive attitude, and some toys and treats for your furry companion, because we have some easy and basic ways to help you train your golden pup.
The Basics
First things first, when bringing a golden retriever puppy home, you should make it a point to follow two basic rules at all times. These are:
- Rewarding behaviors you like
- Not rewarding behaviors you don’t like
Rewarding pets is a fun and exciting task. It is one thing you should always do when your pup does something praiseworthy. For instance, if your golden greets another dog in a friendly manner, maybe reward it with a treat openly express your appreciation for their behavior. Or if your pup duly follows your commands, ruffle its fur or pet it in a loving manner. Doing this will strongly reinforce all their positive behaviors.
Similarly, don’t reward their negative behaviors. We know this might be difficult, especially considering how golden pups look at their owners with round eyes full of love; however, you shouldn’t appreciate behaviors that you don’t like. For instance, if your pup excitedly jumps all over you, perhaps even scratching you in the process when it sees you bringing it dog treats, you might want to put the treat away for a little while till your pup calms down. This will let them know that getting all scratched up is something you don’t like.
Obedience Training
When training a golden retriever puppy, one of the first few things to teach them is how to be obedient. You don’t want your pup jumping on people, chewing your belongings, and not obeying your commands, for instance. It is very important to start the training process by teaching your golden retriever how to follow a set of essential commands.
The 4 basic commands that every dog should know are:
- Sit: This requires your dog to adopt a sitting position.
- Stay: This teaches your dog to stay in whichever position they are, be it sitting or standing.
- Down: This tells your dog to take on a ‘laying down’ position with their belly and legs touching the floor.
- Come: Regardless of what your pup may be doing, this command requires them to come to you immediately.
Name Training
One of the most important aspects of training your golden retriever puppy is teaching them their name and how to respond to it. Many pet owners often tend to neglect this part, but you’ll be surprised to know that this can be incredibly useful when it comes to training your golden retriever.
As a pet owner of a beautiful golden pup, you should make sure that it responds to you every time you call out its name. Being able to get your dog’s attention will make it easier for you to train your golden pup and will also ensure a higher degree of control over it.
Here are a few ways you can successfully name train your gold retriever pup:
- Begin by calling your pup’s name in a room where the two of you are alone, and there aren’t any distractions. This will make it easier to get their attention.
- If your pup doesn’t respond to its name, try clapping your hands or clicking your fingers first before calling its name.
- When it does respond, reward the behavior with a lot of appreciation and even a small dog treat. This will act as a very effective positive reinforcement strategy.
- Repeat this exercise in a room with distractions and continue making the hand gestures if your dog doesn’t respond in the first go.
- Once you can get your pup’s attention at all times in the house, take the exercise outdoors. Keep rewarding and praising your dog until you both finally master the art of name training.
House Training
One of the biggest concerns of any pet owner is none other than their pet doing its “business” inside the house, in places where it is not supposed to. This is why house training your golden retriever puppy is extremely important. House training refers to teaching pets the appropriate toilet habits, which apply to both indoors and outdoors.
You must have a designated toilet area when you begin house training to teach your pup to differentiate between that particular spot and other areas of the house.
You should also be aware of the common signs that indicate your pup needs a toilet break. These typically include:
- Restlessness
- Sniffing the floor
- Running out of the room
- Going around in circles
While there are several methods of house training your golden retriever, all of them boil down to two important factors:
- Praising your pup when they do their business in the right place
- Preventing any toileting inside your home
Once you successfully accomplish these two rules, you will have a pup that knows where to do their business in no time at all.
Key Tips to Follow When Training Your Golden Retriever Puppy
In order to successfully train your golden pup and teach him or her all the basics, there are a few tricks and tips you must follow during the training process.
- Plan ahead and decide what skills you want to teach your pup. Goldens are very moldable, so it is best to teach them all you want during their initial puppy years.
- Teach one skill at a time with consistency and patience so as to not overwhelm or confuse your pup.
- Choose your preferred training methods and stick to them at all times.
- Keep training sessions short and simple because golden retrievers have a very short attention span. The best way is to do multiple short sessions throughout the day, giving your pup little breaks in between to play and have fun.
- Develop a training routine because golden pups prefer having a certain level of structure in their lives. They enjoy being on a particular routine.
- Employ positive reinforcement as that is one of the best ways to teach your puppy new skills.
Our Final Thoughts
Have fun! Training your golden pup can be quite frustrating, but you can always make the whole process fun and exciting. Use it as an opportunity to bond with your friend because the puppy years are the best time to establish a loving relationship between you and your beautiful golden retriever. Always remember, the best way to train a golden retriever puppy doesn’t just involve strict teaching methods, but it should also include some fun, love, and laughter!
