Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Understanding Labradors
• Part 2 of 3: Becoming a powerful trainer
• Part 3 of 3: Using standard training techniques
• Tips
• Warnings

Labrador retrievers are incredibly cute dogs. Their big bellies, happy faces and wagging tails touch our hearts. But these dogs also need to be trained. Labradors are high energy animals, mainly because their breed was developed to work, hunt and run all day long. Fortunately, Labradors are friendly and trainable.

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Part 1 of 3: Understanding Labradors

1. Remember, there is no such thing as a "naughty" Labrador. The concept of "mischief" is a human characterization incorrectly applied to an animal. Your Labrador is not natural naughty or bad. In fact, your dog does what Labradors do in Labrador way until you teach him new behaviors. Keep in mind that he was not born with automatic knowledge of the precepts of the human world.
2. Read about the breed. Labradors are generally intelligent, happy and energetic dogs. They need a lot of attention and an outlet for their energy.
   • Labradors are native and developed in Newfoundland. They were often used by fishermen to find fishing nets and loose fish. To this day they are still good "workers" and swimmers.
   • The Labrador's versatility is why the breed is used for many "tasks" including rescue dogs, police dogs, drug dogs and guide dogs for the blind.
3. Treat Labradors in a way that is right for their breed. By giving them what they need, you can ensure that they do not display "bad behavior" in response to what they lack.
   • For example, Labradors need to be able to play and take long walks. If you don't, they will get bored and destroy. Keep them active by throwing a ball and going for a long walk at least twice a day. Lots of physical activity helps keep a dog healthy and also makes him tired. As a result, a tired Labrador will be less likely to steal food from your hives and dig your yard. Swimming is also excellent exercise for a dog, and throwing the ball into the water is a good combination that consumes a lot of energy for the dog.

Part 2 of 3: Becoming a powerful trainer

1. Be precise and direct. Don't preach your Labrador. Your commands should be simple and consistent. No, Loose, Wait are powerful, simple and direct. Stop that, oh for heaven's sake or Hey, stop eating my shoe will not work because they are too complicated. Keep in mind that dogs don't process language in the same way that humans do.
2. Be determined and be in control. In general, yelling at a dog is not effective. This is especially the case with Labradors who are already a flammable breed by nature. Use a determined tone when giving commands to your dog; don't yell or lose control. Dogs are very intuitive and will sense and react to your frustration.
   • Strong and assertive commands will let the Labrador know what you want him to do.
3. Be on time with your responses and commands. Addressing a Labrador long after the incident is not effective. If you need to address or correct your dog about something, it should be during or within seconds of the act. Dogs will forget about the event in seconds, so it's important to address the behavior right away to be of benefit to the retraining process.
4. Coach the family. If you live with several people in a household, your family must also be trained. Explain to both your family and visitors what your dog can and cannot do. For example, if you do not want your Labrador to be fed to the table, you will have to inform the others. If other family members or visitors don't know about this rule, they can still feed your dog, confusing him and interfering with your training.

Part 3 of 3: Using standard training techniques

1. Never hit your dog. Hitting a Labrador when he's acting inappropriately won't help you make him a better trained dog. Rather, he'll get scared of you, which will eventually ruin the training process.
2. Reward the behavior you want to encourage. It is easy to apply human morality and motivation to your Labrador. But the fact is that your Labrador is not human and "just is" and "just does". For example, biting the sleeve of your best work shirt is not a conscious action by your dog to upset you. In most cases, the shirt was readily available and chewable.
   • Rewarding good behavior is more effective than punishing bad behavior. Rather than being annoyed and angry with your Lab for chewing your shirt, you can also encourage him to chew his toy and reward him when he does.
3. Consider using clicker training. Clicker training allows instant positive reinforcement. Labradors are particularly trainable because they are so highly motivated by food, which makes clicker training ideal for them.
   • In clicker training, you use a sound - a click - to let the dog know that he has done something good. The clicker itself is a small plastic box that you can hold in the palm of your hand, with a metal lip that you quickly press to make the sound. The method works by teaching the dog to get a treat every time he hears the click sound. Eventually, the dog will learn that clicks are always followed by a treat, which is a very powerful reward for Labradors. Once your dog has made that connection, you can use the click to mark the moment when the Labrador has performed the correct behavior, such as sitting. Over time, he will learn that he will receive rewards for sitting on command. Learn how to clicker train your dog.
4. Address your Labrador's belly. Most dogs are hungry all the time. Labradors in particular are food-oriented and motivated. Reward desired behavior with food and you will likely get a repeat of that good behavior.
   • For example, if your Labrador gnaws through your couch, you can encourage him to grab his toy and then reward him with a treat and make a fuss about it. The treat can be gradually replaced with praise and over time your Labrador will learn not to chew on your couch.
   • Rewards should be small, such as kibble. Boiled kidney is a cheap alternative to dog treats and also very easy to make and cut into pieces. Many dogs will even work for their regular dog kibble.
   • Giving treats as a reward for the behavior you want to encourage should only be used as a starting measure. Treats should be replaced with praise as a reward, otherwise the dog may become overweight or even obese.
   • Some trainers recommend letting a dog with attention problems earn every treat in their bowl, rather than getting large meals all at once. That way your dog is very focused on you and the food, so you can easily convey the message that he needs to “learn to earn”.
5. Apply distraction techniques. For example, if your Labrador has gotten into the habit of jumping at passers-by or other dogs, or barking at people and other dogs, you can try to distract him. You should temporarily interrupt your Labrador's stream of thoughts by talking to him or giving him a command, or making a movement (such as stomping your foot).
   • Anticipate and work on treat distraction techniques in a low-distraction environment and at home. Make sure to follow up with compliments and treats. As you gain confidence in quiet locations, increase the difficulty by walking a block or going to a dog walking spot to work on his skills. Gradually work your way up to busier areas once your Labrador responds consistently to your commands such as “let that” or “look at me”. Then slowly work your way up to more distraction and both of you will start to feel more confident in your Labrador's ability to interact with a group.
6. Consult with a professional trainer. A professional dog trainer has a lot of knowledge about dogs and can help you learn basic skills.
   • You may need to start with a few private lessons to learn the basics before you and your Labrador can join group lessons.
   • While it is an additional expense, professional help can be of long-term benefit as it teaches you and your energetic dog to communicate effectively.
   • You can even consider asking a behaviorist. These are veterinarians who have received additional training and expertise in animal behavior. Your vet can refer you to such a specialist.
7. Enjoy your Labrador. They are wonderful dogs. Be honest, consistent and clear. They will reward YOU with love and affection in return!

Tips

• Consider having your Labrador spayed or neutered. Discuss the right time to get your pet to help with your vet. Neutering a male will definitely reduce any hormonal reasons your dog is rash. Intact male dogs are more active and tense when there are females in heat around, and may behave badly in their eagerness to mate. Neutering won't solve all of your problems, but it can help if you do it before the unwanted sexual behaviors become a habit (usually before they reach sexual maturity at around 6-9 months old). In addition, female dogs will no longer look for a mate to mate with if spayed before reaching sexual maturity when she is 6-12 months old.

Warnings

• Do not use a surge collar on your dog. You can ruin a dog very quickly if you use a surge collar the wrong way. Pulse collars are controversial and should only be used by experienced professionals for very specific and limited training purposes (hunting, long-distance work, etc.). The contact points on power surge collars can cause serious injury to the dog. Furthermore, poorly timed correction can quickly shut down a dog and you run the risk of creating a confused and aggressive dog. Power collars should be seen as a last resort and should only be used by highly knowledgeable professional dog trainers.