Training Labradors

  What Colour Labrador is for Me?

 Labradors, like all dogs need to be trained. All breeds take to diffrent types of training. After you know the Labrador Breed, and you have now decided if they are right for you, its time to learn how to train a Labrador.

 (Please Note: This article has copyrights published by Destiny Sweet on Nov 26,2010. Thankyou)

 Yellow Labradors are the calmest out of the Labradors, and probably therefore easier to train. The choclate is the most active, and the black in right in the middle. You have now got to decide your energy. Take the following test to see how active you are and see what Labrador Colour matches you.

 Answer the following questions:
Do you prefer an active dog or laid back one?
1-10 how active are you?
Do you enjoy outdoor activities?
Do you like to hike?
Are you willing to take long walks with a dog?

 If you answered at least 3 of these questions "Yes", the a Choclate Lab is for you. If most answers are "No" you should go with Yellow Labs. Get a black if you are in the middle. Now that you had finally figured the right colour for you, its time to start training. Its important to get a dog that fits your energy level.

  Its Time to Train... Basic Commands.

 Labradors are a very sensitive breed. Training should be possitive as they get offended easily. Take a tastey treat, as Labs are usually food driven and have a mean appitite. Calling your Labrador over to you to teach him his name stating his name... "Barney"... as soon as he comes to you reward him with the treat saying "Good Dog". Training a dog to sit is the all time easiest. Just gentley and happyily push on the dogs back side adding the command "Sit" as soon as he reaches the floor, reward him. You should do this training a little at a time about 15 minutes a day. Coax him into a laydown possition added the Lay Down command, or the Down Command. Take the dogs paw saying "Shake" or "Give me your paw" and then tell him good boy. Make him sit and wait before going out the door. You should always go out the door First. Teaching your Lab to stay is also Easy. I'll be posting videos to help you out here in the near future. Just make your dog Sit. Then putting your hand out, flat, say "Stay" or "Wait" pick which one you always want to use. Then slowly, with lots of eye contact walk back, if he gets up patiently, and quickly, sternly move foward saying in a loud alarming voice "uhhh uh!!!' He should sit back down but if he don't get him into the sit possition and try again. Make the time longer as you see him advance, but don't get to excited and over do him. Training Needs lots of patients.

  House Broken Dogs are The Best! ...

 Walk your new puppy at least every 2 hours. When you get a puppy you must be comitted. As he gets older the time will shorten of how often you must take him out. Little puppies cannot hold it like older ones can. Patients must be included. If the dog is caught going on the floor, a "No" Command should be inforced, but as I said before, Labs a offensive dogs and this should not be overdone.


 Clicker Training...

  Labs respond well to Clicker Training. This is possitive and well. Clickers are a cheap and effective training method. To start clicker training buy a clicker at Petco or Walmart. Then Click the clicker at the dog. Then, saying "Good dog!" and reward him with a treat. Repeat this as a daily thing until the dog has associated the sound of the click as a good behavior. Then when you see your Labrador do something bad, like grab a shoe, have a bag of treats and a clicker with you and click it, his head should turn and look at you right away. Then Reward him when he drops the shoe, take the shoe and give him a treat. This works better than chasing your dog around the house for the shoe all day 



 Leash Training.. Wait Up!

 Labs are well known Pullers. But not to fear! The Head Harness is here! What is a Head Harness? it is a device that is put on a dogs face, so when they pull they receive a annoying yank back that stops the pulling. Get one of these that fits your dogs head. See a picture of the Hear Harness Here. I use this on my dogs and it is far beyond description. Dogs sometimes never get used to the feel of it on their head, my hasn't. They smack their face while your walking and all the time. Some dogs get used to it and other don't. Teach your dog the hault command. Slapping your hips to get the dog's attention and adding the command hault. The head harness teaches the dog to hault after a long period of use. In most cases the head harness can stop being used on the dog after a long while. Trying Watching shows like The Dog Whisperer, and Its Me or the Dog. These shows can be most helpful as all dogs can take to diffrent types of training.

 Personal Space

 Claiming Space is important. A little poke on the dog's neck will redirect his behaviour. Claiming territory and understanding dog body language is also important. Walk into the dog a little to claim space around the door or the counter telling the dog you own this and stay away.

 Speaking Their Language

 Understanding body language is how to know what your dog is saying.

Tail Up and Wagging, Ears Alert
Means that the dog is either guarding or is in an aggressive possition.

Tail Wagging in the middle, ears back
The dog is happy to see you.

Head Down, Frozen in place, starring at you from the corner or the eyes Means the dog is about the bite you, back away hes saying. Dogs have this possition when they are food, toy, or gaurding or some other agressive display.

Kicking Feet Back
Dominence! Fighting over territory, rivaling other males or females rivaling females, even spayed dogs will display this behaviour in both sexes. The dog is marking his territory or is trying to protect what is his from other dogs or people. If a dog does this to you it is dominent aggression.

Rolling on back
This is another way of marking territory, dominence, most common in males, but females can display this too.

Howling
lonely, depressed, stressed out, or trying to tell you something.

Barking
Alerting of strangers wanting to see people, sometimes aggression.

Got any Dog behaviour Questions?
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Service dogs

We're looking into making Barney our Lab a service dog! Many Labs, almost all can be trained to be a service dog and help in hospitals and help sick or mentally sick people. This is a fun hobby, and dogs enjoy doing this. Look for local organazations in your area today.