Training

There are many different types of training sessions. We like to use daily activities such as meal time, going through a door, even house work as training tools. When we do scheduled a session it is no more than 10-15 min long. Keep it short and sweet.

This is not the easiest thing to do but if you are consistent with all of your training, your puppy will be solid with all of his/her commands.

Training a puppy is not like taking steps up a ladder or going from 1 to 2. Sometimes with training you have to take steps back to make progress forward. You might go from 1 to 2 to 3 to 1 before moving to 4. 

Set your puppy up for success by limiting distractions and training in a familiar environment when working on a new skill.

Add challenges one at a time, and only move on to the next one when your puppy has overcame the first challenge.

It is very important to end each training session with a win. Even if you are trying to teach your puppy a new trick and the puppy isn't catching on, end that session with something you know your puppy can do such as sit or down. Give the puppy just as much praise as if he/she sat or laid down for the first time on command.

It is a good idea to have every member of your family practice with your puppy. This will teach your puppy to listen to everyone in his/her home and not just the person teaching him/her the commands.

If you have had a short night and a long day at work, it is better to pass on the training session for that day, rather then push through a training session that might end in frustration and push you and your puppy backwards in your training.

It is better for your relationship with your puppy to have 3 great training sessions every week instead of 6 stressful training sessions.

Remember your puppy is only a little puppy for so long, so take time to enjoy your puppy and have fun.

We like to use one ingredient freeze dried or dehydrated treats.

Cut the treats in to small peaces the puppy will not have to chew. This way you can keep your puppies focus on what you are teaching him/her and not what he/she is chewing on. As well as getting more out of the calories your puppy consumes. 

 After working with your puppy you should put them in their safe place or kennel for a nap. If you let your puppy take a nap after training, it will allow what he/she learned to sink in.  

If you are getting a puppy from us you get a head start with this one! We recommend you have the puppy in a quiet place without a lot of distractions. Hold the treat in your hand out of the puppies reach. You can let the puppy sniff your hand so he/she become aware of the treat. Be patient and I guarantee our puppy will sit down and look exasperatingly at you. The moment he/she sits give the command (sit) and give the treat. repeat this several times in each training session. We like to do this 2-3 days in a row before asking the puppy to "sit" before the puppy is sitting.

You do not need to repeat the command simply say the puppies name to get their attention and then say "sit" if the puppy doesn't sit right away take a step back and do the previous exerciser a few more times. After you have your puppy sitting on command start asking him/her to do it in other locations and start adding distractions. Remember go slow and don't be disheartened if you have to go back a step or two.

Start out in a quiet place with little distractions. We like to have the puppy sit then using a treat lure the puppies front end down into a laying position. Sometimes we will help the puppy by moving the front feet foreword. As soon as he/she touches his/her elbows and belly to the floor we say "down" and give the treat. We repeat this several times over a day or two. When the puppy is easily luring into a down position we will lift our hand away from the puppy after he/she is in the down position we wait a second before giving the treat. (sometimes we hold our hands on their shoulders to help them stay in position) When the puppy will hold in the down position without our hands on him/her we start adding seconds before we give the treat. (Remember we are still only giving the "down" command when the puppies elbows and belly are on the floor) Repeat this exercise every day for up a week before asking the puppy to down without lousing him/her. Once he/she is laying down on command slowly add distractions and do it in new locations.

Again start in a quiet room with little distractions. Ask the puppy to sit and wait to give the treat for a second give the "stay" command. If the puppy gets up put the puppy back in sit in the same spot. Repeat this exercise several times SLOWLY adding more and more time before giving the treat. When your puppy can go 15+ seconds before you treat him/her you can put the puppy in sit, give the "stay" command then lift one foot. (if the puppy brake his/her stay just put him/her back in the same spot and try again). Slowly increase the time before you give the treat, and slowly increase your movements. We like to be able to turn around, sit down and do jumping jacks in front of the puppy before we try to add distance to the stay. After the puppy is solid with all of this we will walk around the puppy. (BE CAREFUL NOT TO STEP ON HIS/HER TAIL).  Most of the time the puppy will spin like a top to try to keep us in sight. We just keep putting the puppy back in the position he/she started in and try again. Eventually the puppy realizes your just walking around them and the sit still. Once the puppy has this mastered we slowly add distance, distractions and new locations. 

Tip: Add time before distance.

Tip; When adding distractions stay close to the puppy in the beginning.

Teaching a puppy to come is about repetition and positive reinforcement. We recommend practice recalls on your walks (we do this during the off leash part of our walks). Use treats and praise as rewards when the puppy comes to you on command. Also give praise or treats when the puppy checks in (this is when a puppy chooses to come back to you without you calling). We also recommend keeping a few treats in your pocket when you are with the puppy around the house, randomly call the puppy to you and reward with treats and praise. 

A great game to play with your puppy is "hide and seek".

 Start by having someone hold the puppy where he/she can't see everyone else hiding. Have the other people go and hide with a toy or treats.

Then let the puppy go and have the first person call the puppy. When the puppy finds the first person reward the puppy with praise and toys/treats. Then repeat this until everyone has bed found. This is a great game to play with your kids, it will help teach the puppy to listen n to all the members of the house.

"Off" is the command we use when we need the puppy to get off of something.  We teach this by luring the puppy off of his bed or or the couch with a trea't or toy.  As soon as the puppy steps off we give the command "off" and reword with a treat or toy.  After repeating this several times in different locations over a few days, we ask the puppy to get "off" before showing the treat or toy. (If the puppy doesn't get off right away take a step back and practicing the first steps a few more times). 

Teaching the puppy to get "up" on something on command is the same as teaching them to get off.  Just use a treat or toy to lure the puppy up onto a step or bed etc.  After repeating this several times in different locations over a few days, we ask the puppy to get "up" before showing the treat or toy. (If the puppy doesn't get up right away take a step back and practicing the first steps a few more times).

We like to make a game out of asking the puppy to get "up" and "off" of different  objects such as rocks, benches, downed treas, etc. (Keep in mind not to ask the puppy to get up or off of things taller than his/her belly) 

(Also be sure if you ask the puppy to get up he/she is successful even if you have to help a little). 

By playing this game you will insure your puppy will not guard his bed or your couch.

"Leave it" is a very important command to teach your puppy. We start teaching this at meal time. Have the puppy sit in front of you, hold the bowl of food in one hand and hide some food in your other hand. Slowly lower the bowl of food, if the puppy goes for it pull the bowl up out of his/her reach, in a low voice tell the puppy "leave it" and lower the bowl again.  as soon as the puppy looks at your eyes give him/her a treat from your other hand.  Practice this several times every meal. Your goal is to be able to set the bowl of food down, tell your puppy to "leave it" and have your puppy look at you. (Never let your puppy get the bowl of food if you tell him/her to "leave it"  after rewarding the puppy pick the bowl back up and when you are ready to feed him/her set the bowl in front of you puppy and give  him/her a release command).  

Once your puppy has this down you can practice dropping toys or treats (be sure you are close enough to block your puppy if he/she tries to go for it), give your puppy the "leave it" command and as soon as he/she looks at your eyes give him/her the treat you were hiding in your hand. You can also set up a obstacle coerce in your yard or living room by placing food and toys on the floor. Walk your puppy (on a leash) through the coarse and as you come up to a  distraction tell you puppy "leave it" as soon as he/she looks at our eyes give a treat and walk past the distraction. If the puppy tries to go for it give the "leave it" command, and treat when he/she looks at you. Your goal is to be able to walk over theses distractions without going for them.

Golden's are big dogs so teaching them to greet people with 4 feet on the floor is good manners. We do this by never giving puppies attention when they put feet on us. If they do jump up we ignore them until they calm down with 4 on the floor then we will give them attention.

We also ask that anyone wanting to great our puppies wait to give them attention until they have all 4 feet calmly on the floor. 

If the puppy starts to put paws on someone after they have calmed down and are getting attention we ask the greater to stand up and wait for the puppy to calm down with 4 on the floor again before getting more attention. 

This can be more challenging with kids because they are easier for the puppy to reach and usually make fun squealy noises when the puppy jumps on them. We recommend a adult using their body to black the puppy from the kids until he/shes has 4 feet calmly on the floor. If the puppy starts to get excited step between the kids and the puppy again until he/she calms back down. Teach your kids that they can play with the puppy as long as the puppy doesn't put his/her feet on them. If the puppy does teach the kids to stop playing and turn their backs until the puppy has all 4 feet back on the floor. 

Consistency is definitely the trick to teaching 4 on the floor

Teaching a puppy to back up is easy and most pick up on it quickly.

Start by having your puppy in a hallway facing you. Take a step towered's your puppy (you may have to bump into him/her gently), as soon as your puppy moves even one paw back give him/her the "back" command and shower him/her with praise. repeater this several more times. Slowly ask your puppy to move bake more steps before giving praise. After several sessions over several days, you can ask you puppy to "back" before stepping into him/her. If the puppy steps back without you moving give lots of praise, if not do a few more sessions like you began with.

After your puppy is moving his/her feet on command practice it in other locations and slowly add distractions. Remember if the puppy has a off day take a step back. 

Place training is teaching your puppy to stay in a designated place such as on a cot, bed, or rug. We like to use a cot to teach this because there is a very clear line by the cot being raised off the floor. To teach your puppy this place him/her on the cot while giving the "place" command and be ready to catch him/her when he/she tries to get off. Your goal is to not let any of your puppies paws touch the floor. When the puppy tries to get of in a low voice say no and place the puppy back on the cot wile giving the "place" command.

Your puppy may fuss and try several times to get off but just keep placing him/her back on the cot and give the "place" command. Eventually he/she will settle in and fall asleep, we like to let them sleep for a little bit then wake them up and lift them off the cot while giving a release command.

Keep practicing this several times every day, within a few days your puppy may have it down well enough that you can place the cot next to you wile you make dinner or do some computer work. Just remember always keep one eye on your puppy and be ready to catch him/her. 

After several times of placing your puppy on the cot without him/her braking you can try it in different rooms and even outside. Just remember, treat each new location like its the first time you ever put your puppy on place. Slowly build on it by stepping out of your puppies sight for a second, if he/she brakes take a step back and try again.

TIP 1: Make sure your puppy has just relieved him/her self before placing them on the cot.

TIP 2: Never call your puppy off of place. Always lift our puppy off the cot while giving your release command.

 When the puppy gets to big to lift off of the cot, touch his/her shoulder or grab their caller while giving your release command.

TIP 3; Be consistent it is worth it! 

We teach your dogs to heal on our left side. To teach your puppy this start by standing with a fence or wall on your left hand side. This teaches the puppy to stay close to us instead of swinging out. 

Have your puppy in front of you. Use a treat to lure the puppy in a U-shape (while giving the "heal" command), past you between you and the wall. Then lure him/her back so that he/she is facing the same detection as you, when he/she is in the position you would like him/her to be in ask the puppy to sit and give him/her the treat. Repeat this several times for several days before asking your puppy to heal without the fence/wall.

 If you try it without the wall/fence and the puppy sits to far away or goes past you before sitting, take a step back and practice next to the wall/fence a few more times.

We like to ask our dogs to take a few steps backwards with us while we are next to a fence/wall.

We recommend teaching your puppy this before you ever take your puppy on a walk. 

Start by putting a flat collar or a greyhound collar and leash on your puppy.

 The puppy will probably pull and fight against  the leash and collar. As soon as the puppy stops fighting even for 1 second release the pressure on the leash and praise the puppy. 

Slowly put a little pressure on the leash, as soon as the puppy moves even just one paw towards you, let the pressure off the lead and reward the puppy. Repeat this over and over each time ask the puppy to move a little more than the time before.

TIP 1; Never release the presser on the leash when your puppy is fighting the leash. If you do your puppy will just fight the leash longer and harder next time.

TIP 2: Never use a slip lead or choker chain with this exercise.

Find it is a great trick that is fun to teach.

Start by scattering a few treats around the living room. Let the puppy in the room and when he/she starts sniffing for the treats  tell the puppy to "find it" repeat the"find it" command  as long as the puppy is searching for the treats. (keep track of how many treats you hid and how many the puppy has found, you do not want to give the "find it" command unless there is a treat for your puppy to find). After you have plaid this game several times, your puppy should have a idea what find it means.

We like to Incorporate find it during fetch games. We do this by holding the puppy back while rolling a tennis ball into some cover grass, give the puppy a "find it" command and let the puppy go get the ball.