Training A Labrador Puppy - Building A Long Loving Relationship

While puppies may have a shorter attention span then older dogs, you shouldnt wait until it is too late to being the training. Besides, if you wait too long, your carpet will already be stained and possibly ruined, by the time he is trained.

So how do I know when to begin training a labrador puppy?

You can being the training when he is approximately six to eight weeks old. You may be able to start a bit sooner, or have to wait a bit later, you just have to be the judge. Look at his characteristics, and his response to the training, some puppies take a bit longer to be able to listen than others.

Why Start The Training So Early?

In my opinion, it is easier to start training a labrador puppy this early, because he is fresh. He has not yet developed the bad habits, and does not understand the different tones of your voice. By catching him/her early, your puppy will easily understand what the different tones mean, which is VERY important.

Using Positive Reinforcement

Using positive reinforcement is probably THE most important part of dog training, ESPECIALLY when it comes to puppies. The most common form of positive reinforcement is giving the puppy a treat when they perform the correct action.

Not only is that the most common form, that also is the most productive form, because puppies LOVE treats, and they will do whatever they have to to get some more.

On the flip side, always try to avoid negative reinforcement. It confuses puppies when you are calm and cool, then turn around and shout at the puppy or raise your voice. When training a labrador puppy, always try to avoid negative reinforcement, it can reverse all the progress you worked hard to gain.

Control Your Tone Of Voice

Always be sure to control the tone of your voice, bceause this plays a big factor in how your puppy responds to you. While calling a puppy, it is best to use a friendly, happy voice. While teaching your dog to sit, stay, lay down, and such, it is important to be friendly, but be stern at the same time. Train your puppy to understand which tone means what.

Make sure you are consistent. A lot of mistakes people make while training a labrador puppy, is that they get frustrated and start raising their voice, while issuing a friendly command. This is a BIG no-no, because it will scare your puppy, and he/she will think what they are doing is bad, therefore they will not perform that action.

How Do I Correctly Punish My Puppy For Mistakes?

There are a lot of forms of punishment, that can help correct your dogs behavior, and should be used in place of physical abuse.

If your puppy is performing a negative action (like peeing on the carpet, or straying away during the training sessions) use your stern voice, and say no. This is the most obvious and basic form of punishment, but people insist on hitting their puppy.

While walking your puppy, if he is barking, or trying to run all over the place, a quick tug of the leash, and a stern no is sufficient enough. It may take more than one, but eventually, you will not even need to tug on the leash, your dog will know what not to do even before he does anything.

How Long Should Training Sessions Be?

Training sessions should be approximately fifteen minutes. Any longer, and your puppy may start to lose interest, and you will get frustrated, and no progress will be made. Always be sure to keep patient during the training session.

While training a labrador puppy, be sure to focus on one command per session. There is no use in confusing your puppy, because he/she may mix up the commands, causing further confusion, and frustration for you.

Training is all about knowing when to stop due to frustration. Any yelling, hitting, or giving up, can ruin an otherwise great relantionship with your friend. Just remember, puppies are babies, they still have much to learn.

It is very important for the dog owner/trainer to ALSO be properly educated and trained. Puppy training can be a stressful and frustrating experience if you do not know how to do it properly.

I believe that proper technique is REQUIRED to properly train your puppy. It is easy to go in blind while training a labrador puppy, but it can really ruin the relationship, which is a very sad thing that happens all to often. I have owners come to me and tell me they have no hope anymore for their puppy, only to find out they have used shock collars, physical abuse, etc. to try and dissuade their puppy into doing things. This is a BIG no no for me, which is why proper technique is priceless.

I have now been training dogs, specifically labrador retrievers, for about 2 and a half years now, and the Sit, Stay, Fetch Dog Training Guide is how I learned all my techniques. I do not recommend other dog owners/trainers any other guide, because it is FULL of information, techniques, tricks, and probably the most important part, what NOT to do.

More Information: Sit, Stay, Fetch