Last Updated on March 3, 2022 by Pets Feed
When it comes to training a Golden Retriever puppy, you will only achieve positive results when you use the reward method. This material will be able to tell you about the peculiarities of training puppies of the specified breed, as well as get the necessary knowledge regarding the process itself.
When a puppy appears in the family, and especially if it is a Golden Retriever breed, then the atmosphere becomes festive and touching. But remember that the appearance of a new pet imposes some responsibility on you. You must learn to take care of him properly and, of course, teach him to behave correctly. Therefore, training is a very important process that should be started when the dog is still at a very young age.
When should the learning process start?
To begin with, you can train a puppy from the very first days of his appearance. Some say that you need to wait until the dog is six months old, but this is not the case. A puppy from a very young age must understand the rules of behavior and know what can and cannot be done.
Some dog owners have doubts that the early parenting process can negatively affect the animal and become stressful for him. This opinion is erroneous, because with the correct use of training methods, the dog, on the contrary, will be useful. To do this, you need to establish relationships from the first days and make sure that the puppy trusts you.
Golden Retriever puppy training: 2 months old
At this age, the baby still does not go out for a walk, since he is in quarantine after all the necessary vaccinations. Now is the best time to start practicing at home.
First of all, it is necessary to teach the puppy to walk to relieve himself on a diaper. The learning process is always very difficult for everyone. Remember that if you see positive results, do not assume that the puppy could understand everything the first time, continue training and consolidation. When this becomes a habit for the baby, then you can already talk about something.
Another very important point is to teach your puppy to wear a collar and leash. This should be done when your golden retriever puppy is at home. This will be the preparatory stage for taking him out into the street. Moreover, wearing a collar is a mandatory thing and it is better for the pet to get used to it immediately.
One of the main and most problematic questions in the training process is: “How to teach a dog to understand the boundaries of what is permitted?” It’s pretty simple – you have to show it initially. Here’s a rough list of actions:
- Teach your puppy to play with his toys, not use your belongings for this;
- Do not allow biting, even if it is in a playful way;
- Make an appropriate schedule in which the puppy will sleep in the morning and not wake you up;
- Do not allow to chew on objects that are in the house, baseboards or clothes;
- Train the puppy to independence and your absence from home, so that later the dog does not bark or howl.
In no case should you constantly and strongly punish a puppy, because at such a tender age it will have an extremely negative effect on his psyche, and your baby will turn into a cowardly and embittered dog. Be very careful and let him know the world naturally.
At this age, you can start teaching the puppy some simple commands, but it is advisable to do this in a playful way. Don’t forget about rewards for a job well done and don’t be too hard on him. Get him interested in a toy or treat, then the puppy will be more willing to follow commands.
Golden Retriever puppy training: 3-month-old
During this period, a golden retriever puppy begins to get acquainted with the world around him. You can already take him out for his first walks outside, however, you should not spend a lot of time there, so as not to tire the animal.
Also, right now, the baby’s nervous system is being formed, so show him as much as possible. Take him through noisy streets, crowded places, etc. Be very careful in this, do not scare the puppy and gradually increase the time the little one spends in noisy places.
Another challenge will be to establish contact between the pet and other dogs who are friendly, including towards people. Your puppy should not show aggression or fear of new things. You must teach him to communicate and make new acquaintances.
And now, when you already go out with your puppy on the street, new rules appear. You have to train your golden retriever puppy to be outdoors and not everyone wants to socialize (human or dog), so don’t let your puppy run after everyone. Also don’t let your puppy eat out of the hands of others.
The training process takes place in much the same way as at two months of age. Keep in mind that conditioned reflexes are very easy to develop in dogs. And just as quickly, they can be forgotten. Therefore, repeat the commands after a certain time and do not scold the puppy if he does not immediately remember them.
Golden Retriever puppy training: 4-5-month-old
When the puppy reaches this age, he has almost completely got used to the house, got used to those places where he is most often walked and does not need your support so much. Right now, some disobedience, non-observance of commands begins to appear.
If you notice this behavior of your little pet, then you need to move on to a full-fledged training process. Here you can already show exactingness in implementation and perseverance. But still, do not overdo it with such things, remember that for the puppy, classes should be a joy, then you can get the desired result.
Commands you can practice with a 4-month-old puppy:
Training a golden Retriever puppy 6 months old or older
This is a very difficult period, as puberty begins for your little pet. And during this period, the golden retriever puppy behaves very violently. It seems that he again forgot all the prohibitions and limits of what is permitted. This is done in order to check what will be your reaction to his behavior. You have to stop it, otherwise the dog will feel permissiveness.
But even with all this, at this age, a golden retriever puppy is just the same child. Therefore, do not be too strict with him, so as not to lose his trust.
Now you can see all your shortcomings in terms of training (if any). And now is the optimal age to correct them. Therefore, keep learning, read a little about zoopsychology and if necessary. Remember that it is better to see a specialist than to try to fix something yourself.
