Training a Labrador Puppy Can Be Fun
Training a Labrador puppy is not that much different than training most other breeds of dogs except that a Lab generally has more energy to burn off. They were originally bred in Britain as an all around gundog and still have the waterproof double coat and webbed feet of their forbearers. They like nothing more than to go for a swim or dash off and retrieve something for you.
With this level of high energy inbred, Labradors require constant attention and the need to work off this energy through daily exercise by their owners. This natural high energy level of the Lab must be a major factor to consider before bringing one into your home environment. If you are not a high energy level person yourself, training a Labrador puppy will be an exhausting process for you.
Labrador breeds are very friendly and social dogs. As a consequence, a Labrador puppy will want to spend a lot of time with his owner. This is important when training a Labrador puppy because they are prone to separation anxiety and should not be left alone for long periods of time. If you cannot be home all day because of work you should consider having a dog walker come by and walk your puppy when it reaches a certain age.
A full-grown Labrador can reach almost 90 pounds. At this weight, an out of control Lab that likes to jump up on people can be very scary for the recipient of this behavior. That is why training a Labrador puppy in behavioral issues is very important. The last thing you want is a dog, although friendly in nature, is scary to most strangers.
As part of the training process of Labradors you need to get them to come to your side on command. Bribing them with a few treats is a good way to accomplish this task. Also, you must train them to walk nicely on a leash without jumping up at passers by. This is considered heelwork, which trains the Lab puppy that you are in control, and they must obey your commands.
Also, your Lab puppy will need to be trained to stay and lie down on command. This behavior is a little more difficult for rambunctious puppies and will take time and persistence for them to master. Work on this training in short time frames of 5-10 minutes because the attention time span of a puppy is short.
In any form of training with Labrador puppies, rewards of treats and rewards of kindness always work better than fear. The simplest activities like sitting, having them learn their own name and retrieving are best to start with. A well-trained Labrador puppy generally grows into a happy dog. With a little work on your part you may find that you like the obedience work and the rewards it brings you with a well-trained happy puppy.
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To learn more about training a Labrador puppy and learn things related to training puppies and dogs, including behavior problems, from an expert in the field, please visit: Training A Labrador Puppy. For additional information visit: http://www.PuppyDogBehavior.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Pace |
