Labrador Training

Training a Labrador puppy is often where most of us wish we had started. All to often we don’t get the choice. Sure, we love our dog but we got him from the pound so he kinda had his own ideas about the correct way to behave before we got him! Sound familiar? Well maybe that’s for another section.

Lets just say you have just got your new puppy from the store or the breeder and just as the title on this section says you are now faced with training a Labrador puppy.

First off lets acknowledge your good taste and judgement in choosing one of the more intelligent, level headed and altogether “trainable” breeds that exists. Yep, Labradors are smart and it’s because they are so adorable at the puppy stage that owners often fail to recognise just “how smart” they really are…before you know it, guess who’s in charge!

However, follow a few simple rules and you’ll build a foundation on which you can base all the future work with your dog. Training a labrador puppy is not easy, in fact training any puppy is demanding…but, stick to the basics, keep it regular, be consistent and you will prevai.

Remember some of these basics:-

1. Be The Biggest Thing In Your Puppys Life – The world is a fascinating place for a puppy. Wonderful sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures all around. You, or more importantly your voice, stance and gestures need to be the biggest thing in your puppys life. Don’t even think about training until you have GOT and can HOLD your puppys attention. Use a friendly tone, high pitched is better and use his name..lots!

2. Sitting Down Is Good, After All You Like It Don’t You? – A puppy will do a lot for his favourite treat. Use it to raise above his head and as his head goes up to keep his eyes fixed on the treat, “hey presto” his rear goes down. Don’t forget to use the word “SIT” as you do it so he associates the word with the treat and the position in which he ends up.

Above all – Training should be enjoyable, for you and the puppy!