6 Ways to Train a Golden Retriever Puppy

Congratulations on being the mom or dad of an adorable little puppy! Now the next step is to train your little one on some basic tricks, manners, and behaviors that would stay with them throughout their lives.

The good news for you is that Golden retrievers are some of the most friendly and trainable dog breeds out there. Here are a few tips that would help you and your puppy in the training process;

6 Tips on Training Your Golden Retriever Puppy

1. Be Positive and make your Training Sessions Fun

Punishing your Golden Retriever puppy is never a good thing because most of the time they do not understand why they are being punished for.

Being rude, yelling, and using a stern voice will simply frighten your puppy and make things more difficult for him or her to learn.

The only way to train your puppy is to reward them immensely when they have done something good, and not to punish them when they do something bad.

The puppy will naturally respond to the positive emotion and would want to do more of those actions to get validation from you.

2. Use Treats and Rewards that your Puppy Responds to.

Make sure to use treats that your puppy truly loves. This will make them want to perform well to get that reward. Always remember, the more he or she loves the treat, the easier it would be to train them.

You need not necessarily use food all the time. You can occasionally give them their favorite toy, or give them a cuddle or praise if they like that.

3. Reward Good Behavior at the Right Time.

Timing is everything when it comes to training your Golden Retriever puppy. If you miss out on rewarding your puppy right after he or she did something good then your puppy won’t remember what it is you are praising them for.

This would confuse them a lot. During the initial stages of training, always keep some treat with you when you are around your puppy to instantly reward them when they do something good.

4. Train only one Skill at a Time.

If you teach a lot of tricks at the same time to your puppy, it might get quite confusing for them. Start with one training goal for a week and do not go to the next one without progressing from the first.

Have patience when you are training them since it may take a long time for them to understand what it is that you want them to do.

5. Reward each Time your Puppy Pees or Poops Outside.

Potty training is one of the essential training phases of your puppy, and you should start with it as soon as you get them home. When they pee or poop inside the home, quickly pick them up and keep them outside.

Do not scold or shout at them since they would not understand you. Make sure that you reward them every time that they are pooping or peeing outside, this will create a positive feedback loop in your puppy’s mind.

6. Be Patient and Consistent.

Although they are very quick learners if they are trained properly, generally it takes a long time, and you cannot train a puppy without being patient.

You not only have to wait for them to make the right moves and reward them instantly but also encourage them to do it again and again. Always remember that repetition and patience is the only way to train your puppy.