Golden Retrievers are an intelligent breed known for being an easy breed to train. They are excited to learn, eager to please, and their high aptitude allows them to learn behaviors and tricks quickly. Most dogs of this size benefit from dog obedience training, and a good program that allows them to socialize with other dogs is an added bonus.

New puppies when they first arrive home can be very excitable as well as disorientated with the change in environment. Add to that missing their mother and your new Golden puppy will appear timid and perhaps little withdrawn. Rest assured this normal and they will quickly grow accustomed to their new family and surroundings.

Golden Retriever’s are large dogs weighing in at about 70 plus pounds. Without early dog obedience training they will be very difficult to control. It does not take much to train this breed, however, as with all dog training it does take time, consistency, and repetition.

If you are a first time dog owner, a Golden Retriever is an excellent choice especially for those households with kids. One thing you will have to remember is that your new dog needs a leader and that leader must be only one person: the “Alpha Dog” as it is referred.

While it is perfectly okay for the rest of the family to help with dog training and run them through the paces, there can be only one person to teach the dog obedience lessons. When your new puppy comes home, the first lesson to teach is housebreaking. Purchasing a dog crate for this lesson will shorten your time by half, as dogs do not soil where they sleep.

When choosing your first dog crate for your new puppy we recommend a life style dog crate. These crates have a movable internal panel that work great for creating that “den” like feeling as your puppy grows to an adult. Even with a dog crate, new puppies will have to relieve themselves about every half hour for the first week or so, so be ready.

As your dog progresses you should begin real training commands as early as three months old. Any training of basic commands prior to 10 – 12 weeks will be lost on your dog, as they have not matured enough to understand what it is you are trying to teach them.

When the time is right and you are ready to begin, have ready a training collar and training lead. Training collars are not the same as the collar for your dogs’ tags but rather a collar specifically designed for training such as a choke, pinch, or martingale collar. For the first timers a martingale collar is the best choice.

Standard choke collars are fine for experienced dog owners who know how to place the collar on the dog and keep it place; to do otherwise will damage your dog’s throat quite possibly permanently. Martingale collars offer the training benefits of a choke collar without the danger of harming your dog.

A training lead is generally nylon and about 25 feet in length. Save your six-foot dog leash for walking. When you are ready to teach your first lesson, choose a small room in the house with little to no distractions for your dog. Let him/her get acclimated to the space.

The “come” command is one of the first basic commands to teach. While in the small room, begin saying the word “come” the first few times your dog will most likely come right to you, the first time he/she doesn’t slowly walk over and attach the training lead to the collar. Step away and repeat the command while gently pulling your dog to you.

The first time you do this, your dog is likely to feel his world is coming to an end; gyrating, pulling, tugging anything to get away. Do not back down! Keep going and when your dog reaches you, give plenty of affection, and let them know all is well in the world. Only work on dog obedience training lessons for about 20 to 30 minutes at a time, any longer and your dog will not learn anything.

The goal here is to repeat this lesson every day gradually moving outside with more distractions until your dog comes without hesitation. When that happens move on to your next lesson. Teaching the “come” command first will help you as you teach dog leash training and begin their socialization with other dogs and people.

As with all large strong dog breeds it is very important to train as soon as possible. Your friends, family, and neighbors will appreciate being around a well-trained dog. Always keep training fun and upbeat get yourself in the right mind-set, that is understanding your dogs limitations, be firm and gentle at the same time, and you will truly experience the definition of man’s best friend.