While Christmas is a popular time to buy a new pet, these Golden Retriever training tips apply all year-round, and as the old saying goes – pets are for life, not just for Christmas!
This page outlines my top ten Golden Retriever training tips to help you understand what is going to be required of you, as the owner. Here we go…
My Top 7 Golden Retriever Training Tips
1. Consistency Of Golden Retriever Training
At a young age dogs need consistency to help them learn new skills and behaviors, and to help them commit it to memory. Repetition is the mother of skill, after-all. Later in life, as your dog matures she will still need training to help her retain those good habits you have spent so long instilling into her, and to help her avoid picking up any new bad habits too.
2. Exercise your Dog (and with your dog!)
Golden’s are a very active and energetic breed of dog – your Golden Retriever training program requires a lot of physical activity in it to both keep them healthy and to help stop them from becoming bored. A bored dog tends to get herself into trouble as they develop ways to amuse themselves… barking, chewing, jumping and so on. Make the exercise more interactive and exercise with your dog, take her jogging, move around with her as you play fetch, go for a long hike.
3. Think Like A Dog
It should come as no surprise that dogs think differently to people, so it’s important to look at the world from your dogs point of view. Having a better understanding of how and what your dog thinks will help you develop a Golden Retriever training program tailored to your dog.
4. Doggy Diet
Check out the ingredients on the food you give to your retriever, and keep track of the snacks you give to her – a poor diet is the cause of many health and medical problems, diabetes and obesity to name just two. A good diet is essential for a long healthy life in your Golden Retriever.
5. Retriever Health And Care
Following on form the diet bullet above, you need to ensure you take her for regular check-ups at least annually to ensure your Golden Retriever stays in optimum health. Good diet and good health in your Golden will take worries away from the other elements of a successful Golden Retriever training program.
6. Be A Leader, a Teacher
To make your Golden Retriever training program easier for everyone involved, it’s important to set yourself up as the pack-leader or alpha-dog. You can be the Alpha by forcing your dog into submission, but this will have bad effects on your dog in the long-term, so instead look to lead as a teacher to your Golden. Encourage good behavior in your dog, reward her when she complies, and ignore her behavior when her behavior isn’t what you wanted from her.
7. Take Time To Play
Here is a lesson every parent knows – a playful child is a happy child. The same is very true about dogs too. Take time out of your day to just play with your dog – play with chew toys, a ball in the back yard, sing and dance with her, be creative! Goldens are an easily bored breed of dog, they need to be engaged as much as possible, and taking quality time to just bond with her in a playful way is a great way to reinforce those good habits you are developing through your Golden Retriever training routines.
What Do You Think About My Top 7 Golden Retriever Training Tips?
This should give you a good overview of what is involved in Golden Retriever training – does any of that sound hard? Training dogs, being involved and engaged with her makes Golden Retriever training a lot of fun!
To complement these Golden Retriever tips i recommend you check out the free report below and learn about 5 Golden Retriever training myths!
Do you have any Golden Retriever training tips to add to this list? Please let me know in the comments below.
