From basic commands to advanced tricks, our comprehensive resource is your go-to for cultivating obedience, enhancing communication, and fostering a joyful partnership. Explore the keys to a well-trained and happy Golden Retriever, making every learning session a rewarding experience for both pet and pawrent.
TRAINING SEQUENCE
Cue – You tell the dog to do something (e.g., you say his name: “Buster!”)
Behavior – The dog complies (he makes direct eye contact with you)
Mark - Bridges the gap between the behavior and the consequence (“Yes”)
Reward – The consequence - give him a treat (rewards can also be praise, petting, smiling, or playing his favorite game)
Note: if you want to say “good boy!” or something similar,
that’s OK. But it’s a reward and should follow the mark.
1st STEP – Get two big handfuls of really tasty treats. Stick both closed fists in your dog’s nose then pull your hands up *slowly* from his nose to the sides of your head. Say his name. When he makes direct eye contact, say “Yes!”, smile, then give him one treat. Keep doing this for about 2 minutes max. Alternate the hand you reward from. Stop while he still wants more. Do at least two sessions per day and more if you can. During commercial breaks while watching TV is a really good time!
2nd STEP – Start moving your hands outward in very small increments. Little dog- little movements. As your hands come up to your head, move them out 1”. Work at this distance until his eyes stop following your fists and focus on your eyes, then move out to 2”, etc. After you say “Yes!”, always bring the treat hand back to your nose before it goes down to his mouth otherwise he’ll never take his eyes off your fists. Keep working him in 2 minute sessions until you can get your arms fully outstretched at shoulder height.
3rd STEP – Start putting your closed fists behind your back.
4th STEP – Start substituting his meals for the treats. Put his meal in his bowl but instead of giving it to him, put it on the counter and scoop up two handfuls. Start back at Step #1 with your hands by the side of your head. Work for 2 minutes max, then set on the floor whatever food remains.
5th STEP – When he’s otherwise distracted, call his name. If he looks at you, Mark & Reward! Practice indoors until he’s solid then move outdoors. Be alert and call his name when he’s in high-distraction situations.
In a week or two you’ll have a dog that can’t keep his eyes off of
you which will make teaching other behaviors much simpler.
Remember, your dog receives multi-sensory input from the environment in a more concentrated and rapid way than our human senses can comprehend. Scenting ability is 500X that of a human, hearing 60X and movement sensitivity 5X-7X our visual ability. To compete with this barrage of information, our reinforcement (movement, voice, offering of rewards) must be presented at a rate of every 3-5 seconds to keep the dog interested in what we are doing.
The Four Reasons Dogs Pull On The Leash:
1. Because it works!
2. Opposition Reflex (Sled Dog Syndrome)
3. Environment
4. Leadership
1. Start with attention at your side with rewards that come from the point where the dog’s nose meets your leg.
2. Start to walk. As the dog looks up, MARK “yes!” and reward from your hand next to the nose height or drop treats next to the outside of your left foot.
3. If your dog forges ahead, STOP. When he looks back at you, MARK “yes!”, lure him back to a parallel position at your side then reward.
4. If your dog continues to pull, lower the leash to the dog’s shoulder height and back up until you get attention. MARK “yes!”, lure him back to a parallel position at your side then reward.
5. Maximize no-pulling reinforcement by tethering your dog, body length, 30+ minutes per day while you are present.
BE CONSISTENT. DON’T ALLOW YOUR DOG TO PULL YOU IN CASUAL SITUATIONS.
Crate training helps with the following:
The Crate Training Process
Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament, and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant, and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast.
STEP #1: MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION
STEP #2: ENTER AND EXIT ON CUE
STEP #3: CLOSING THE DOOR
STEP #4: THE FIRST LOCK-IN
STEP #5: LOCKING THE DOG IN THE CRATE FOR MODERATE DURATIONS
STEP #6: LEAVING THE HOUSE
If your dog jumps on you to greet you, realize that this is the instinctive way dogs greet each other. It is very difficult to suppress a greeting behavior from a social animal but what you can do is teach him a different way to greet you.
When your dog jumps up on you, he's looking for three things: he wants you to look at him, talk to him, and/or touch him. If you only try correcting his bad behavior by shoving, staring and/or yelling at him, you’re actually rewarding the behavior!
From Zombie Training -Or- Solving the Obnoxious Behavior Problem
By Sue Sternberg
*****Use this if the dog has already jumped up on you*****
We are going to teach your dog to sit to get your attention, instead of him trying obnoxious behaviors, such as:
This is the way it will be from now on: If your dog acts in an obnoxious manner, this will immediately convert you into a ZOMBIE.
Your dog will escalate his attempts to get your attention. Guaranteed. Remain in the Zombie position no matter how obnoxious he gets.
Wait until he sits or has “four on the floor” then count to 5, turn to face him, smile, reach down to pet him, and talk nice to him. This will reinforce him for NOT jumping.
At this point, he'll get up out of his sit and resume his obnoxious behavior. Guaranteed. When he does, you immediately retreat into the Zombie Zone again.
From Clicker Training the “Off!” Command
by Chris Samuelian-Babiarz
*****Use this as a preemptive strike before the dog jumps up on you*****
1) Offer the dog your fist with the treat in it. Keep your fist is closed around it. Say nothing. Don't give the dog the treat. The dog will paw, nudge, etc. At some point, (usually takes 45 sec. to a minute the first time) the dog will pull back in frustration and look at you. Say “Yes!” (or click if you use a clicker), then deliver the treat to the dog. Repeat. By the 10th repetition, the dog will probably see your closed fist as a signal not to lunge for the treat.
2) Begin to say “Off!” immediately before you present the closed fist to the dog. Do this 10 times.
3) Now, instead of a fist, use the two-handed traffic cop signal right before you say “Off!” Do this 10 times.
End the lesson. This usually takes 3-5 minutes total. Next time you begin a training session, the dog will probably regress a little then nail it perfectly. They have now begun to grasp the concept of “doggie zen” - if they want something, they have to solicit permission from you to get it.
5) Begin to try the same exercise with other coveted things like tennis balls, bumpers, etc.
6) Once they become fluent in pulling back and away from something in your hand on the cue “Off!”, you are ready to move the object to the ground. Slowly move whatever it is toward the ground while practicing. When it finally is on the ground, keep one finger on it for a while, then be prepared to put a foot on it if the dog should lunge.
7) Practice walk and run-by's while cueing “Off!” when your dog observes the coveted object.
8) Practice “Off!” on the dinner bowl, with the jackpot being to get to eat dinner. Dogs seem to love learning this, and very quickly it becomes a positively trained fluency.
The above sequence will probably take less than a week. Good luck!
Prerequisites: “Shake!”
The foundation for this trick is the shake, that’s why it's recommended your dog knows that trick very well before attempting to teach him the High-5.
1. WITHOUT using the voice command for the shake, offer your right hand (the visual cue)
Your dog should willingly shake it.
2. Keep repeating the the visual cue only for the shake but move your hand a little higher for each repetition.
3. Keep doing this until your palm-up hand is at your dog's head height
4. Next, flip your hand so the palm is facing your dog
Your dog will still touch your hand with his paw
5. Repeat for 5 more repetitions but keep your hand at your dog's head height
6. Now start saying “High-5” before offering your hand
7. Finally, you can begin to incrementally raise your hand higher and higher.
Go slow though! Remember, you're trying to accumulate a history of successful repetitions.
The principles of housetraining are easy: 1) arrange for a lot of right responses in the desired location and reinforce each one, and 2) interrupt wrong responses. This means close supervision & crate training. (refer to the Crate Training handout for instructions on using that tool)
THE RULES
Rule #1: Catch performances by the dog (both good & bad) with timely feedback.
Rule #2: Be the good guy most of the time. In order to give feedback and be the good guy, you must arrange for elimination to occur outside and be present with treats.
Rule #3: Prevent any mistakes indoors. Each and every instance of elimination that is prevented inside the house is one saved up for the right place - outside. This is another opportunity to reinforce outside elimination and be the “good guy”.
KEEP CAREFUL TRACK OF WHETHER YOUR DOG IS “EMPTY” VS. “FULL”.
Empty: You have just witnessed and reinforced the dog for doing both functions outdoors so you know you’re safe for a short while. In this situation you can grant freedom in limited dog-proofed areas of the house.
Full: You have three choices: 1) crate the dog, 2) be outside with the dog at the elimination area, treats in pocket in case the dog guesses right and performs, or 3) tethered to you using the “umbilical cord” technique.
HOUSETRAINING STEPS
1. Your dog sleeps in its crate in your bedroom (ideally)
2. Upon waking, grab your treat bag & timer, immediately hook your dog to her leash, and carry her to her designated bathroom area
3. Put 10 minutes on the timer
4. Don’t “walk” her around- just stand there and wait for her to make a decision:
Scenario One: She Decides To Go
5. When she does both functions, REWARD HER! BIG TIME!
6. She then gets 15 minutes (more if possible) to run and play in the yard off-leash
7. When “free” time ends, take her inside
8. She can now be granted 20-30 minutes of supervised “freedom” in limited dog-proofed areas
9. After one hour, repeat beginning at step #2
Under no circumstances does she get any freedom to roam the entire house unsupervised!
Scenario Two: She Doesn’t Go
5. If the alarm goes off and she hasn’t gone both functions, pick her up and carry her inside
6. Crate her or tether her to you using the “umbilical cord” technique
7. After 30 minutes, repeat beginning at step #2
WHEN DO DOGS NEED TO GO?
Tip: Put your dog on a regular feeding schedule. What goes in on a regular schedule will come out on a regular schedule!
GOING TO THE RESTROOM IN THE CRATE
For dogs who continue to eliminate without reserve when closely confined, the crate is useless as a management tool. These dogs have lost their “cleanliness instinct” and you’ll have to nurse it back by:
1. Keeping the crate (AIP) and dog (shampoo) immaculate
2. Removing porous bedding that might elicit urination
3. Getting the dog out often enough so she never gets close to being full, and thus eliminating, in the crate.
HOUSE TRAINING PROBLEMS
RECOMMENDED ENZYMATIC CLEANING PRODUCT
Anti-Icky-Poo. GDT recommends the "Starter Kit" which will run you $79.95 which sounds expensive, but this product can be diluted with water which brings the actual cost down.
This command teaches your dog to take his attention away from an object of interest and focus it on you. This is important when the item of interest is unsafe for the dog to consume (grapes, medication, safety pin, etc.) or just plain disgusting! It's also a useful self-control exercise.
1. Have treats hidden in both of your fists. Put one fist behind your back and stick the other in your dog’s face. He’ll try everything he knows to get that treat out of your fist but will eventually give up and look you in the eye. MARK & REWARD (M&R) when he looks away from your fist and gives you attention. Deliver the treat from your other hand. Repeat until he no longer tries to get the treat from your fist when you show it to him.
2. Open your hand containing the treat and show him the treat, but close it if he tries to get the treat. M&R when he finally ignores your open hand and gives you attention. Deliver the treat with your other hand. Repeat the exercise until every time you present your open hand w/treat, he ignores it right away.
3. At this point, add the cue "Leave it!" Say it just once before you display your open hand w/treat.
4. Sit or kneel on the floor, say "Leave it!" and set a treat down. Cover the treat with your hand if he tries to get it. M&R when he looks away from the treat and gives you attention. Repeat the exercise until he doesn't try to get the treat from the floor.
5. Stand up, say "Leave it!" and drop a treat on the floor. Cover it with your foot if he goes for it. M&R for ignoring the treat and giving you attention. Repeat.
6. Drop a treat on the floor and walk him past it on-leash. Say "Leave it!" when he sees the treat and keep him from getting it with the leash. M&R when he ignores the decoy treat on the floor and gives you attention. Repeat until he’s solid.
7. Sit or kneel on the floor, say "Leave it!" and set treats on his paws.
8. Say "Leave it!" and set a treat on his nose!
9. Finally, teach him that "Leave it!" also applies to objects such as toys and living things. Begin with something very easy and build up to more difficult items.
by Gateway Dog Training
1. The dog’s name and the recall word should always be positive! Do not use their names to preface a correction.
2. Disassociate the recall from situations the dog finds unpleasant (such as giving a bath, calling away from play, etc.) Remember “Disassociation Time” – interrupt the sequence with something the dog enjoys (treat, petting, praise) for 20-30 seconds before executing the action. Be unpredictable.
3. Protect your recall command from being diluted by specializing it to the specific action of coming to the front of your body where you can reach and hold onto the collar. If your current command has unclear expectations or negative associations – change your command word and start the conditioning process from the beginning.
4. Resist chasing after your dog shouting and waving your arms! Remember “Critical Distance”. If your dog manages to bolt away, follow the dog without direct eye contact or voice (remember “Greeting Behavior”) and when you’re within 10 feet, do one of two techniques: 1) adopt a play position or 2) do the emergency recall.
1. Person #2 holds dog on leash at distance
2. Person #1 sticks whole handful of treats in dog’s nose then runs away
3. Person #1 calls dog’s name as many times as necessary to get his attention then uses recall word once only
4. Person #2 lets go of leash
5. Person #1
Step #1: work indoors with no distractions
Step #2: work indoors, add distractions
Step #3: work indoors, increase distance
Step #4: move to the backyard, use drag line, start short
Step #5: increase distance then add distractions
Step #6: move to the front yard, use drag line, start short
Step #7: increase distance then add distractions
Step #8: move to a new location, use drag line, start short
Step #9: increase distance then add distractions
Repeat steps 8 & 9 ad nauseam. This is also called “generalizing” and isn’t as time-consuming as it sounds. Your dog will “get it” quicker and quicker at each new location that you workout at.
These directions assume a right-handed shake. Dogs, like people, are either righties or lefties, and yes, some are also ambidextrous. Also, like people, the majority of dogs are righties. If your dog insists on offering his left paw, there's a good chance he's left-handed. If you like, simply reverse the instructions below to accommodate your dog.
1. Get a fistful of treats in your left hand
2. Put your dog in the sit position
3. Kneel in front of your dog
4. Position your right hand down near your dog's right paw, hand open flat, palm up
5. Stick the fistful of treats you have in your left hand in the dog's nose. Let him get a good whiff.
6. Next, move the fist down to the dog's neck area
Your dog will use his right paw to attempt to push your hand away so he can get the treats
7. When he moves his paw (and it may only be a slight movement at first), grab the paw with your right hand and shake it up-and-down three times
8. Mark (“Yes!”) and Reward (give him the treat)
9. When your dog is voluntarily moving to place his paw in your open right hand, it's time to quit luring and add the cue
This technique works well for hard-headed dogs...like Jory.
1. Put your dog in the sit position
2. Kneel in front of your dog
3. Take your right hand, open flat, palm up, and present it to your dog
4. Next, grab the dog's right paw with the right hand you just presented
5. Shake it up-and-down three times
6. Mark (“Yes!”) and Reward (give him the treat)
10. When your dog is voluntarily moving to place his paw in your open right hand, it's time to add the cue
by Gateway Dog Training
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