Tips for Training
- Your attitude and approach should always be positive. Remember, attitude is a choice......Choose to have a happy and positive one!!
- Be ready to learn yourself. Training is for you, too.
- Get your dogs view on learning, and you'll obtain training techniques that work for you both.
- Take the lead in training and watch your dog follow. Remember, these are commands, not requests!
- Learn how to use rewards and corrections, and you'll observe speedy results.
- Talk to your dog. Communicating effectively in doggy language is easy.
- Don't leave all the training up to the trainer, dog training doesn't work that way! You must do your share of the training.
- Young or old, your dog is ready to learn at any age.
Start Training early
- Find a trainer or a training class and sit in on a class before you bring your dog.
- Talk to your trainer about starting your puppy at about 3 to 4 months of age. I recommend the earlier the better approach with puppy training.
Links to Training Clubs and Organizations
The health of your Golden Retriever is vital for a happy and long life. Goldens are active dogs that need daily exercise. It could be a short jog, a swim, a steady hike, or simply playing fetch the ball. Regular exercise increases stamina and strength, and Goldens love to get their paws moving!
Crate Training:
- I highly recommend you continue with your puppies crate training that I’ve started and have your puppy send his/her first months in his/her new crate at night and periodically during the day. This will help with potty training too, but please be sure to remove any collars, tags, and leashes before putting your puppy in his/her crate to prevent possible entanglement.
- Crate training is easy, simply start from early puppyhood and have your puppy sleep and rest in his/her crate. Almost without trying your puppy will train himself to seek security and comfort inside his/her little "dog room." Your puppy’s crate should be his/her home (secure place), and it should not be associated with punishment, fear, or anything negative. Encourage your puppy to go into his home on his own. If necessary, toss a little treat in the home. DON’T FORCE HIM! He may quickly back out or be shy, but that’s normal. Just take it slowly. At first, don’t close the door on him, let him go in and out on his own.
- Once he/she is happy and unafraid of their new crate, simply restrain him/her at the door with your hand with the “Wait” command and close the door gently. Make him/her stay in the home for a few minutes, let him/her out, praise your puppy, and then gradually increase the time and be sure to praise him/her for each success!
- Once he/she is comfortable with this routine, (probably a few hours or days of short training sessions) simply restrain him at the door with the door—again praising him lavishly. Don’t be tempted to take your puppy out of his/her crate just for whining because this is not puppy-training, it is people-training. Meaning your puppy is training you to get his/her way and this should not happen. If your puppy is in his/her crate with the door closed, and doesn’t have to potty then ignoring their whining is the best way to train your puppy that you’re in control. Soon he will be secure in his crate with the door closed. Slowly you can get further and further away from him, always praising his accepting behavior. Eventually, your puppy will sit quietly and sleep in his/her crate with the door closed.
- Understand that little puppies need to “go” about every 2-4 hours. On a schedule, (such as after feeding, before bedtime, first thing in morning, and right after each nap) let your puppy out, teach him the route to the door, praise him at the door and take him out to the part of the yard you want him to use. Very quickly, you are teaching him an elimination schedule that will stay with him for the rest of his life.
- As your puppy gets older (4-6 months) you can gradually leave him in his home for longer periods of time because he can “hold it” longer. Soon he can be home in his home all day, if necessary, until someone arrives to let him out.
And here are some Crate Training Do’s & Don’ts:
- Do buy a crate large enough for your dog when he/she grows up. However, if the home is too big when your puppy is small, he/she may eliminate in one corner, then go to another corner to sleep so take your puppy outside often to potty. At 6 weeks, a pup can hold his bladder about 4 hours, by 8 weeks—5 hours, by 12 weeks—6 hours and by 5-6 months a pup should be able to "hold it" for an 8 hour work day.
- Do get your pup used to his/her new crate gradually. Provide soft, washable bedding in their crate so that it is comfortable and warm. Make the inside of the crate as cozy as you can. Keep it clean and free of fleas by washing their bedding regularly.
- Do supervise your puppy anytime he/she is free in your home. Supervision is what allows you to direct behavior. Chewing, digging, elimination, barking, and all other behaviors are all dependent on your direction. If allowed to be unsupervised, he/she will begin to direct his/her own behavior and schedule, and your puppy will end-up learning some very bad habits that are hard to “un-train” .
- Don’t leave your very young puppy in his/her new crate all day.
- Don’t put “housebreaking pads” or newspaper in your puppy’s crate. We are trying to take advantage of the pup’s natural instinct NOT to go potty in his/her home.
- Don’t let your new puppy roam through your house unsupervised. Keep an eye on him/her so that when he/she sniffs and circles (an indication he/she is about to go potty) you can quickly and gently guide him/her to the door and outside.
- Don’t force your puppy into his/her new crate for the first time. Plan on taking plenty of quality time with him/her the first few days to get him/her accustomed to their new surroundings.
- Don’t punish your puppy by putting or forcing him/her into the crate. Your puppy’s crate should be his/her home (secure place), and it should not be associated with punishment, fear, or anything negative.