Does Your Labrador Retriever Need Professional Training, Or Just This Article?

June 29th

Labrador Retrievers are one of the friendliest, most active, and energetic dog breeds out there. Their patience and social demeanor make them a popular choice for families and for those who need service dogs.

Because of their intelligence and curiosity, Labrador Retrievers are one of the easiest breeds to train. Here are some tips on how you can quickly train your new Lab puppy.

Socialize Your Puppy

One of the most important steps in dog training is socialization. You need to make sure that your puppy feels comfortable around other dogs and people, and that they know how to respond to others appropriately.

Fortunately, Labradors get along well with other people and dogs. But they do tend to be a bit too energetic when they’re young, and they may get worked up when they meet people and dogs.

Try to introduce them to as many people as possible when they are young so that they can adjust and learn how to interact with others without jumping. If you have children, socialize your Labradoodle to them when your dog is as young as possible.

Get Them Plenty Of Exercise

When training your Labrador Retriever, you should make sure that they’re getting plenty of exercise. They are a high energy, active breed that will quickly get bored without the right stimulation.

Boredom tends to bring out the worst in dogs, and it can cause a range of behavioral problems. They may start to bark, chew up furniture, and go potty around the house.

Prevent these problems by making sure your dog stays active. Aim for around an hour of exercise a day, which can vary a bit depending on the intensity. An afternoon walk and a half an hour of fetch should be enough to keep most Labs happy.

Take Them To An Obedience Class

Before you think about running obstacle courses with your dog, you should make sure they know the basics. Take them to an obedience class, where they will learn simple commands and how to behave around other people and dogs.

You can do a lot of obedience training on your own. However, the process may be a bit easier with a trainer around, and you can speed up socialization if you take them to a class. Trainers can help teach you how to walk your Lab properly, as well as teach your dog simple retriever commands.

Train Them With Positive Reinforcement

Once your dog has mastered the basics, you can consider teaching them some more advanced commands. The best training method for this is called positive reinforcement. This means that you reward your dog when they do as you ask, but don’t punish them when they get it wrong.

Dogs learn a lot more quickly from rewards than they do from punishment. Positive reinforcement will also help you form a strong bond with your Labrador Retriever, one based on trust rather than on anxiety.

When picking out a reward, try to use fairly small treats. Labs can quickly gain weight, so you won’t want to give them too many calories while training. You can also use toys or praise in place of treats.

Be Patient

Labrador Retrievers are one of the most playful dog breeds. Although many dog owners love this trait, it does mean that it can take a while for labs to grow up. They may have a puppy mindset even when they’re a few years old.

The good news is that this energy is perfect for training, and Labs tend to stay engaged throughout their life. This makes them easier to train when they’re older than some other breeds.

Train Them To Become A Service Dog

Because of their social nature and intelligence, Labrador Retrievers are some of the most common service dogs. Labs like to stay active, so training them to be a service dog is a great way of ensuring that they stay busy.

There are many different types of service dogs, and the training your dog needs will vary depending on what you want them to do. Check with the agencies that regulate therapy dog certifications to find out what training your Lab needs.

Common Problems

Labs aren’t perfect, although they’re pretty close. Here are some other tips for ensuring that training goes smoothly with your dog.

Crate training

Crate training is simple, but it’s important that your dog learns how to be alone. If they don’t, they may start to develop behavior problems.

Practice basics

Many dog owners think that once they’ve taught the basics, they can move on. But it’s important to keep practicing basic commands throughout your Lab’s life.