Training Your Golden Retriever
Sunday, October 2nd, 2011On the list of most intelligent dogs the Golden Retriever ranks fourth. Behind only by Border Collies, Poodles and German Shepherds. Initially bred as gun dogs they were taken on hunting expeditions to gather downed water fowl. The reason they make such fantastic hunting dogs is due to their intelligence and patience and their nack for following instructions. Thanks to their affable nature and friendly disposition they also make excellent pets for young families.
One other thing Golden Retrievers are renowned for is their mild character and calm inclination. They have a reputation for being extremely faithful, affectionate and tender. Although this does mean they aren’t very good gaurd dogs it does mean they are great pets and training them is a breeze. Any type of aggressive behavior is very unfitting for a Retriever and if your dog is displaying signs of aggression you should probably look to find out the cause and deal with it. This website has a great article on stopping aggressive behavior in dogs and if you are having problems with your dog I recommend you check it out
Thanks to their loyalty and the fact that they constantly seek out your approval and respect training a Golden Retriever is a pleasure and a breeze. They are sensitive however and do not respond well to harsh training methods. Its best not to shout at your retriever or harshly reprimand him for making mistakes or failing to understand your commands. While no dog responds well to this type of treatment the Golden Retriever is particularly sensitive and can develop issues if treated this way. The best way to train them is with a lot of praise and affection as the more their confidence grows the better they will become.
Training any dog regardless of the breed involves following a few basic principles. The number one thing to be aware of is to make sure you are clearly the master in your relationship with your dog. Your messages and commands you use with your dog should remain the same as not to cause confucion. You should always stay upbeat and positive and do not scold or shout at your dog. Encouraging your Golden Retriever for sucess will be much more productive than berating him for failing.
For training young Golden Retrievers start with four basic commands. Sit, stay, lie and heel. Starting with ’sit’ these should be taught in order. For ‘sit’ use a simple hand gesture like pushing your palm downwards while you say the command. Its crucial to keep your gestures consistent as to avoid confusion. If he completes the task show some affection and give him a good rub around the ears and show him you are proud with a few ‘good boys’. Repeat the process several times to really drill it in.
After he seems to be getting the hang of you ’sit’ command try the next two. With ‘stay’ I find a palm up gesture works well and for ‘lie’ I roll my hand over. After he’s mastered these you can try ‘heel’ which is a little more tricky.
With this command walk away from your dog and give your thigh a gentle slap while you say ‘heel.’ The idea is to get your dog walking alongside you but not in front. The first few times you may need to grab his collar and gently pull him in close to you while you continue to walk along. Remember to buy Pulmicort online keep up the encouragement and show your appreciation for his effort.
I find that giving out treats works best when you keep t to a minimum and only give them out at the end of each training session. Your Golden Retriever should soon learn that if he works hard during free cialis the session he’ll get that treat at the end. Positive reinforcement works particiularly well with retrievers so keep it up you’ll see results in no time.
As you now know Golden Retrievers are very clever dogs. Many retrievers are entered into dog shows and competitions and do very well so after you have taught yours the basics you can move onto other much more complex commands and even a few tricks that will really impress.
For more advice and tips on how to train a Golden Retreiver and for other dog obedience training tips click on either of these links.
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