Training a Golden Retriever: what works and what to expect
How the Golden Retriever learns, common training challenges and what motivates it.
Few breeds are easier to teach. Goldens read your body language closely and repeat anything that earns food, praise or a toy, which is why they fill so many guide dog and assistance programs. With a young dog, short sessions of five to ten minutes, several times a day, beat one long lesson.
The challenges are enthusiasm and mouthiness. Teach 'sit to greet' early, because a 30 kg dog leaping at visitors is no joke, and give the mouth a legal outlet: a soft toy to carry when the doorbell rings solves a surprising amount. Harsh corrections backfire with this breed. A Golden that is shouted at tends to shut down rather than comply.
Golden Retriever training in numbers
Easy to train
Barking
5 means very vocal
Copes with alone time
Open with strangers
Good with other dogs
Good with children