Labrador Puppy Training

Training Your Labrador Retriever Puppy

The most popular dog in the United States, Canada and Great Britain is the Labrador Retriever.  The Lab has reigned as the most popular dog for decades.  There’s no two ways about it:  people love Labrador Retrievers.  They are all-around great dogs.  Labrador Retriever puppies are very smart and eager to please which makes training them relatively easy.  Here are some tips on Labrador puppy training.

Socialization

All right, it’s true:  Labradors are friendly and social dogs, so you may not think that they need much socialization.  However, all puppies need socialization in order to develop properly, even dogs as good-natured and affectionate as the Labrador Retriever.  Without proper socialization, any puppy, even a Labrador, can grow up to be nervous and lack self-confidence.  This can lead to problems with separation anxiety, nuisance barking and dog-on-dog aggression.  These are all classic ways dogs express insecurity.  Socialize your puppy when he’s young in order to build his confidence and he will grow to be a happy, well-adjusted adult dog.

You can start socializing your Labrador puppy as soon as he’s had all of his vaccinations.  Take your Labrador puppy to pet stores that welcome dogs, parks and to other places where dogs are invited.  Encourage friendly strangers to pet him.  Take some puppy treats with you so you can give them to people who pet your puppy.  You want these encounters to be positive experiences for your puppy.

You should also encourage your Labrador puppy to meet other friendly dogs. However, you should make sure that you have the other owner’s permission first.  Some dogs don’t like puppies and they don’t like to have a puppy bounce into their face.  Make sure that your puppy and the other dog are both on their leashes so you can control the situation.  Meeting other friendly dogs teaches your puppy about proper manners with other dogs.

Puppy Preschool

You can also enroll your Labrador puppy in puppy preschool or puppy kindergarten classes.  These classes are often offered by pet stores, kennel clubs and animal shelters.  They teach puppies good manners and some basic obedience lessons.  They are also a great way to encourage more socialization.  Your puppy has a chance to meet and play with other puppies his own age.  He also meets other friendly people who can pet him each week.  These classes are highly recommended.

Training At Home

You may also want to do some Labrador puppy training at home.  This is easily done with Lab puppies.  They are very smart and very eager to please. You can start training your Labrador puppy around 8 to 10 weeks, teaching him some basic obedience lessons.

Your Labrador puppy will need a collar and leash to start training. A flat nylon buckle collar is recommended. You probably won’t want to purchase an expensive collar at this age since your puppy will quickly outgrow it.  Chain collars or slip collars are not recommended since your puppy will likely pull on the leash and choke himself at this age and these collars can hurt his neck.  You can find lots of nylon collars in pet stores.  They come in many different colors and designs.  You should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and your puppy’s throat for it to fit properly.  You can get a leash to match the collar.  A six-foot leash is a good choice.

Basic obedience lessons to work on with your Labrador puppy at this age include teaching him to sit, stand, lie down, come when called and to walk on a leash.  Your Labrador puppy should be able to learn these lessons in just a few weeks.  Your puppy has a short attention span at this age so keep your lessons short.  Two 10-15 minute lessons per day are suggested.  However, it is recommended that you try to train every day.  Otherwise your puppy can forget the things you’ve been working on until he has them mastered.

You should try to keep your lessons as fun and upbeat as possible.  Your puppy will take his cues from you.  if you are positive and cheerful, your puppy will love his lessons.  If you’re grumpy and don’t want to train, then your puppy won’t like it either.

Try to find the things that motivate your Labrador puppy.  Lots of Labs love food (sometimes too much).  Your puppy may be happy to train for treats.  Other puppies love toys or play time.  Find what makes your puppy happiest and use that to encourage him in his training.

There may occasionally be times when you need to correct your puppy.  When this happens you should be firm but gentle.  Do not be harsh with your puppy.  All sporting dogs tend to be somewhat “soft” in temperament and this is true of Labs, too.  If you are in any way rough with your Labrador Retriever puppy you can lose your puppy’s confidence and trust. This is why it is so important during your labrador’s youth to ensure you undertake the right techniques. This article unfortunately can only cover a small snippet of all the puppy training techniques. I therefore recommend you take a look at Secrets to Dog Training, which ensure your puppy grows into the obedient dog you all dream about. It’s well worth the look.

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