Mary Allen
When people in the UK decide to have a dog in their home, there’s a good chance it’s a Labrador. The Labrador is one of the most popular dog breeds in Germany.
Here are 21 essential Labrador tips to help you get off to a flying start with your new pup. And of course, these training tips do not only apply to Labradors, but also to any other breed of dog, whether young or old.
#1 Timing is everything
When it comes to training your pup, your timing is everything.
Your timing will signal your pup when he's done something you want him to do. So he knows what the command means and what to do and when.
When you first say "sit" and reward with a treat, he will initially offer all sorts of positions to get a treat. Even behaviors you don't want. He will jump. He will bark.
Eventually, he will settle down, and now you have to be quick. Reward him immediately when he exhibits a desired behavior. Now you have his attention
He will realize that his behavior combined with the word "sit" means a reward. And that's exactly where we want to go.
#2 Keep your training sessions short
One of the most common mistakes people make when training Labradors and puppies is overtraining.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't spend time with your dog. In fact, I think you should spend a lot of time with your dog. The more the better. But not everything is training time
Training sessions with young puppies should last 5-7 minutes. But several times a day, even 2-3 in an hour. Rest and play in between.
Puppies are like babies. Attention spans increase with age. Then you can expect more from your Labrador - including longer training sessions.
If overwhelmed, your puppy quickly loses interest. And you should always end a training session with success. Puppies sense frustration in humans. And then it could be that he is not motivated for the next training session either.
#3 It’s supposed to be fun
The best way to get your pup's attention is to have fun with it. For example, use a toy that you have in your pocket for your dog. You can use it to play a little tag game on the spot or throw the toy far away.
Your dog will be delighted and get back to business.
Shortly before the end of the training session, you should introduce this playful element. And at the very end go back over the 1-2 commands you worked on and then the “lesson” is over.