Labrador Dog Training Step by Step
Making the decision to bring a Labrador into your home is a serious choice that should not to be taken lightly; along with your new addition comes the need for pet supplies, veterinarian expenses, and a real change in your lifestyle. Effective Labrador dog training is another side of dog ownership that you may not have considered before bringing home your fuzzy little new member. However, a step-by-step guide to Labrador dog training can simplify the steps and processes so that you are assured of a great experience.
Establish Pack Order
Your Labrador is incredibly intelligent and likely devoted to you; however, he will still make every attempt to try and establish himself as the dominant member in the pack by barking, whining, or ignoring you when you issue a command to him. Work towards establishing pack order so that you Labrador recognizes you as being the decision maker in the household.
Food Incentives
Many trainers discourage the use of food as a training incentive; however it can be incredibly beneficial to use snacks or crackers in order to encourage your Labrador to follow your commands. When your Labrador sits on command, provide him with a treat; when your Labrador walks on his leash correctly and politely, reward him with a treat! Just be sure not to feed him from your plate during meal times as this could reinforce to him that you are there to serve him – and therefore he is the dominant member of the pack!
Sit, Stay, Down, Etc.
Due to their large size, it is important that you make your Labrador dog training a priority as soon as you feel that your dog is ready to begin learning and understanding you. While it is never too early to start gently working with him on the sit, stay, down, and come commands, your Labrador puppy is not likely to realize their true meanings until he is closer to four months old. You are sure to see results with your Labrador dog training if you keep up with the food incentives; however, offer a significant amount of praise in addition to the treats so that your Labrador can learn to understand that not every well-behaved action can expect a treat in return.
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Defining Boundaries
It is a good idea to establish and define the boundaries of your household and of your yard in order to minimize the trouble that your Labrador can get himself into. If there are areas in your garden that you don’t want him to get into – like your prized vegetable garden or roses – then consider placing a small fence around them so that you can avoid the frustration of losing them to the curiosity and entertainment of a young dog!
Defining the boundaries in your home can be also as simple as establishing which areas your Labrador is allowed onto – if you wish to keep him off of the furniture then you need to stick to that by never allowing him onto the couch for even a cuddle when he is sick. That will simply serve to confuse him by giving him the idea that it is acceptable to climb onto the furniture at all times.
Labrador dog training can be tedious and time consuming; however, it is not only the responsible pet owner thing to do but it is also a vital part of ensuring that your shared life with your Labrador is positive, fun, and full of nothing but the good stuff!