Retrievers are among the most intelligent dog breeds that exist. Training retriever dogs is therefore very easy. Many people don’t know where to start or what to do for training, so here is a basic list of 7 tips you should keep in mind when training your retriever.

Photo: dogslife.com.au

Why 7, you may ask? I didn’t want to make it 10, just so it could be 10. These are the most important tips. Remember them well, especially the first 4. Also remember the last 3, they are just as important. Yes, you’ve counted them well… So, here goes:

1. Be Consistent

Retriever dogs are smart, but they can’t always figure out humans that change their mind very often. Keep commands always the same. If he does something right twice, and once you reward him and once you get angry, he will not know what to do the next time.

2. Don’t Expect Too Much

Many dog owners have too high expectations. Dogs will not fetch your newspaper the very first day you start training them. They will also not do all the things Lassie does, either. In fact, Lassie is not even one dog.

3. Teach Difficult Commands in Small Steps

If you do want your dog to fetch your newspaper, start by teaching it not to tear it up first (he’ll probably want to do that). Then teach him to hold it in his mouth at command. Next teach him to give it to you on command. Then teach him to fetch it.

4. Be Positive

If your dog does something you don’t want him to, it’s not the dogs fault. He’s not too dumb, he just doesn’t understand you. If he doesn’t learn something immediately, take a break and resume training later. He will get it sometime.

5. Reward Good Behavior

This trick works with humans, too. Rewarding good behavior works better than getting angry at bad behavior. Give the reward immediately when the dog does something right. Don’t give the same rewards every time: you can give a treat, you can pet him or just award him verbally. "That’s a good dog!" A positive tone of voice will do wonders.

6. Don’t Make Your Training Sessions Too Long

Retrievers love to play. They’ll learn a lot when you’ll play with them, but don’t train too long. This will be counter productive. Also, use a lot of variety in your training sessions. It’s better to do a few short training sessions a day than one long session.

Photo: brigburn.com

Although it’s not a bad idea to go to a training center with your dog, training sessions are usually a bit too long. They do this because it’s rather inconvenient to have people come over 3 or 4 times a day for 15 minutes. You can teach him all the important things yourself. If you do want to train your dog, but there’s no center nearby, or the times they train are not convenient for you, I would suggest you to buy a book. It’s good to know a bit more about which training methods work best.

7. Have Fun With Your Retriever

The most important thing is to have fun with your dog. Training retriever dogs is a lot of fun: you’ll love to see your dog grow and learn more and more commands. He loves to please you, and a well trained dog means you’ll not get annoyed by any bad behavior. Train him well, but do have fun. That’s what you got him for in the first place, isn’t it?

Hi, I’m Eric and a love training retriever dogs. I grew up on a farm where we had many retrievers. I’ve had many dogs myself, too, and I did a lot of training with them. Retrievers are really the best dog breeds out there! They will love you unconditionally and that’s why I love them so much, too.