Training your puppy is of critical importance. Puppies are born into this world knowing nothing but basic instinct and learn every minute of every day from those around them just like human children. While the puppy is in our care during it’s first 8 weeks it will learn from it’s mother, siblings and from us and our family. We will take great care to handle them every day and show them love and kindness. We’ll be supplementing mom’s milk with additional bottle feedings, and after a few weeks; good quality puppy food. These things will teach the puppy to enjoy human contact and look to us for food. We will let the puppy experience some variety of textures to walk on, various new sounds and supervised safe exposure to cats. All these things should tell you that training starts right away.
Once you receive your puppy at home they are now learning everything they know from YOU. It is important that you make everything positive and reinforce good behavior with rewards that could be as simple as petting them and saying “Good Girl!”. For the first few months only reward, never correct. the absence of reward at that stage is enough punishment. Even when they get older, “punishment” should NEVER include physical or verbal abuse. Golden Retrievers REALLY want to please you and overtly negative punishment can actually hurt their feelings and shut them down. They absolutely respond best to positive reinforcement, the challenge is communicating to them what specific things please you.
There are MANY theories on what is the best way to train but it’s pretty much universally accepted in recent years that positive reinforcement is the best, most effective and humane way to train any dog; especially the Golden Retriever. Goldens are loving, emotional dogs that really care about your feelings and punishment just scares them and breaks their spirit.
Another option to supplement your at-home training is commercial obedience training. This training is typically delivered in one of two ways:
- You attend classes with your puppy.
- In these courses YOU are taught how to teach your puppy at the same time the puppy is learning. We strongly recommend at least one of these classes if you have not been training dogs all your life (and sometimes; even then). Google is your friend here. Search for and research good dog training classes and go!
- Group classes
- Typically inexpensive and relaxed.
- In a group class it should be $90 to $180 or so for 6 to 8 classes.
- Note that group classes can be VERY good for socialization with other dogs. Many people attend these classes several times just that purpose.
- Typically inexpensive and relaxed.
- Private classes
- More expensive (cost varies widely.) but may deliver better results for specific training goals.
- Can be used to supplement group classes to target specific behaviors
- Group classes
- In these courses YOU are taught how to teach your puppy at the same time the puppy is learning. We strongly recommend at least one of these classes if you have not been training dogs all your life (and sometimes; even then). Google is your friend here. Search for and research good dog training classes and go!
- Residency training
- These are intense training courses where you actually board your puppy with a trainer for some number of weeks. This option can get amazing results in a really short time but……
- They are typically expensive; the good ones will typically be well over $500 per week.
- Do your research! Do not just blindly drop your puppy off and trust that all will go well.
- Research their training methods.
- Meet the owner.
- Meet a trainer.
- Tour their facility
- Read reviews and testimonials
- Ask questions!
- Remember that if you want to continue having success after your puppy comes home that you MUST reinforce the training every single day. The training facility should be willing to give YOU training as well and provide followup support.
- These are intense training courses where you actually board your puppy with a trainer for some number of weeks. This option can get amazing results in a really short time but……
Other than the above advice as well as a few specific other pages on this site (see sub-menus of this page on the navigation bar) we’ve opted to provide some links to other sites that have very thorough training advice. Disclaimer: The content of the provided links is the sole responsibility of that site owner. Texas TLC Goldens takes no responsibility for anything you find there. We strongly suggest you do your research and come to your own decision about how you will train your puppy; there is no ONE right way.
- General advice
- Specific Training Tips for all Goldens
- New Puppy Training
- Crate Training
- We at Texas TLC Goldens do not typically crate train but that is a personal choice. Crate training has been proven to be a safe and effective thing to do with most dogs if that is the direction you’d like to go. Do your research and make an informed decision.
- Totally Goldens
- The Benefits Of Crate Training A Dog Or Puppy
- Is Crate Training Cruel?
- How To Use A Dog Crate: When Should You Crate Your Dog?
- Crate Training: Times When You SHOULD NOT Crate Your Dog
- What Size Dog Crate Do You Need? Which Type Is Best?
- What Should You Put In A Dog Crate And Where To Put It?
- Crate Training Your Puppy Or Dog: A Step-By-Step Guide
- Guest Post: Crate Training With A Full Time Job
- House Training
- House training can be accomplished in MANY different ways. The keys are vigilance, consistency and reward. As before, do your research and find ways that work for you and your puppy.
- Totally Goldens
As we find more good links we’ll post them here.
Every day is “Happy Puppy Day!”
Bryan and Terri