Training a Labrador Retriever: what works and what to expect

Food, praise and the chance to carry something: those three motivators make the Labrador one of the easiest breeds to train. Short sessions of 5 to 10 minutes, using small pieces of the daily food allowance, work well. Many Labs learn a retrieve almost without teaching, and the breed fills a large share of guide dog, assistance and detection roles worldwide.

The usual problems are about manners rather than ability: jumping up, pulling on the lead and mouthing hands in play. Teach a sit for greetings from the first week, reward loose-lead walking generously, and redirect mouthing onto a toy. A Lab that learns to fetch and hold a toy when visitors arrive often stops grabbing sleeves on its own, because its mouth already has a job.