Labrador Retriever Training
Labrador Retriever training is a huge must for anyone who’s either considering adopting or has already adopted this breed. Apart from a Lab’s large size (a puppy can easily weigh 70 pounds), this breed is well-known for being highly intelligent and energetic. However, if you want to thoroughly enjoy your new Lab puppy, knowing this breed’s temperament and personality will make Labrador Retriever training fun. You’ll also be able to keep your puppy and your family happy and healthy.
Labrador Personality
To know a Lab is to love him – as long as he’s not allowed to do whatever he wants. Labs are warm, playful and smart. They’re very energetic and need lots of activity to keep them from getting bored and restless. A bored Lab is a mischievous Lab. If you neglect plenty of exercise and play, don’t be surprised to come home and find your couch torn to pieces!
Take Your Lab to Dog Parks
Give your puppy or adult dog lots exercise and playtime. Dog parks are excellent places to take your Lab to burn off energy. Dog parks enable your dog to socialize with other dogs. So you’ll be killing two birds with one stone.
Labs Love to Swim
Labradors are great swimmers – and, of course, great retrievers. They stay puppies for longer than most people expect them to. This means they’re forever playful. They’re always searching for their next prey. Throw in their nearly insatiable appetites, and you’ll also discover that you have a puppy who’ll eat anything if not trained to know what’s his and what’s not.
Keep Training Toys Around
Because Labs love to chew and retrieve, the best thing you can do for this breed is to have lots of chew toys and frisbees. Having lots of chew toys in your home will help keep your Lab from sinking his teeth into things other than furniture, shoes, chords, and other items that shouldn’t be eaten.
Warning: When you decide to play frisbee with your Lab, make sure the dog park is an enclosed area. You don’t want your dog running to catch the frisbee and forgetting to come back!
Labrador Retriever Training
The great thing about Labrador Retriever training is that the training is relatively simple to implement because these dogs are so intelligent. However, you have to be consistent when training your Labrador. Consistency yields fast results and also reinforces lifetime behaviors.
For instance, you can train Labradors not to jump on people or pull against you during walks.
Labrador Retriever Training and Problems with Barking
One area of Labrador Retriever training you’ll want to focus on is problem barking. Labradors tend to bark a lot. And they bark over anything. Not only would his unnecessary barking be annoying to you, it would definitely be irritating to your neighbors.
Teaching Him Not to Bark
Part of your Labrador Retriever training will require you to train your dog not to bark at everything. This will take some discerning on your part. You can learn how to train your Lab not to bark so often by paying attention to him and discovering the reasons he barks.
For instance, if he’s warning you that a squirrel is nearby, show him he can relax because you’re the pack leader, and he has nothing to fear. If he just barks when he sees you, show him that he’ll get attention only when he’s quiet.
Labrador Retriever Separation Anxiety
Dogs are social animals and need to be around other dogs. If you leave your Lab home alone all day, he’s bound to get anxious. Part of your Labrador Retriever training requires making sure you provide for daily walks with a dog walker. The walks should include trips to the dog park.
How Often Should You Take Your Lab Out?
You’re probably wondering how often you’d need to take your dog out for play. I’d say, have your dog walker take your Labrador Retriever out three times a day. Two of the walks should consist of trips to the dog park. On one of the walks, have your dog walker run with your Lab. These are just a few tips to help with your Labrador Retriever training. You can learn more about training a Labrador Retriever by visiting Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.
