Few breeds are more popular with young families than the Golden Retriever. Bred with an endearing, friendly temperament, loyal and patient, the Golden is a great dog for young children and can be a lot of fun to own. A member of the Retriever family, the Golden is naturally imbued with the instincts of a hunting dog, meaning it is loyal, obedient and intelligent.
Life with a Golden
There are few things cuter than a Golden Retriever Puppy. However, this can be a danger, as new owners are often ready to cater to the pups every whimper. This is a mistake, however, as it is important to begin setting limits as soon as the dog is brought home from the breeder. Goldens will invariably do better when they learn the limits of their relationship with the owner at the onset of their arrival.
Golden Retriever puppies should be socialized within the first three months of their arrival. Socialization is a process where the owner introduces the pup to variety of people, locations and experiences. Golden Retrievers are an innately friendly breed, so socialization should be a lot of fun. The more people your pup interacts with at a young age, the better the dog will react to unpredictable situations in the future.
This largest behavioral malady afflicting the breed is that of Separation Anxiety. Goldens form very strong bonds with their owners, and they often crave an inappropriate amount of attention. To avoid this, new owners should crate their pups, meaning they should establish a place where the dog can learn to be on his or her own. When the pup protests, simply respond in a kind tone of voice, but do not necessarily remove the dog from the crate. Once they learn to be on their own, they will not crave excessive attention and their relationship with their owners will thrive.
The working dogs belong broadly to the Working Group as classified by the Westminster Kennel Club. The Working Group boasts of a venerable tradition of service, industry, and skill. These dogs originated as herders and guard dogs, and with modernity have branched into a diverse array of fields, including rescue work and bomb sniffing.
The Hardest Working Dogs on the Planet
Working dogs include some of the most famous and well-loved breeds, including the Saint Bernard, Husky, Boxer, Great Dane and Rottweiler. Bred for a host of specific purposes, these dogs are intelligent, stoutly built, and fiercely loyal. Prospective working dog owners should be sure to maintain a firm hand with their dogs, as these animals are powerful and determined. Training occurs on a daily basis, and these dogs require a great deal of exercise to fulfill their appetites for activity.
Training for these dogs can be extremely intricate if they are to perform in professional environments. Few dogs develop such a highly specialized skill set, and the Working Dogs are unique among many for their continued use by a variety of public and private organizations. The image of the ruddy Saint Bernard bounding through snowbound valleys is symbolic of the historical significance in the lives and welfare of human beings everywhere.
New training methods for working dogs continue to be developed as the challenges they face grow in sophistication. Training takes place every day, and more often than not Working Dogs are accomplishing tasks that could not be performed in any other way. The relationship between man and dog is rarely as reciprocal as in the case of the Working Dog. Very often lives are at stake, and these dogs perform with grace, determination and courage.
Hand signals are commonly used in training wetland hunting dogs, but can also have everyday domestic uses as well. The use of hand signals can open a new channel of communication between you and your dog and provide a rewarding new game to play. Wetland hunters often use hand signals to direct their dogs to the location of a downed bird.
Comminicating Without Raising Your Voice
Successful Dog training relies on implementing a system of positive and negative enforcement of good and bad behavior. Remember, your dog wants to please you. The mistake many owners make is assuming their dog understands the context for a particular response. For example, if an owner gets home and finds their newspaper shredded, it makes little sense to admonish the dog because the dog will associate the punishment not with the newspaper but with your arrival.
The key to training your dog to understand hand signals is, well, food. If your dog has been to obedience school and has learned how to sit, stay, heel and come, hand signal training will come easily. Begin by leading your dog though a series of commands, and accompany each with a hand signal. Each time the dog executes the command, reward him or her with a treat. Gradually stop verbalizing the command and communicate only through the gesture.
There is no guarantee that this technique will be successful the first time, and the key to long term success is repetition and fun. Make sure the sessions do not last more than approximately 10 minutes or the dog begins to reach the extent of the canine attention span. Once your dog understands the relationship between hand signal and command, you will find that you will be able to add further commands, and even have some fun trying out new tricks with your dog.
Obedience training is an integral part of your relationship with your dog. Too often owners neglect to properly train their dogs, and whether the training takes place in obedience school or not, the results are often a poorly socialized animal that ends up living a life of isolation. Obedience schools are a good source of information and support for new owners, as well as a point of contact with other dog owners.
Controlling Your Dog
Obedience training builds trust, comfort and understanding between dog and owner. It is important to begin obedience training early in the life of a puppy, so that bad habits do not start to develop. Properly trained puppies grow into well-loved adults and tend to live fuller, healthier lives.
Training begins with the imposition of clear limits of behavior through a system of positive and negative enforcement. For instance, small treats are often used to indicate to the dog when he has made the right choice. When a dog makes a mistake, a stern verbal rebuke is all that is necessary. Trainers now point to the use of praise, or effusive verbal and physical affirmation, as the touchstone of successful training.
Positive incentives should always win out in training situations. Remember that training is an everyday activity, and should always be consistent. Dogs tend to do well when their days fit in a predictable routine for feeding times, elimination, exercise and training. The more time you spend teaching your dog about yourself through training, the richer your relationship will become. There are a variety of resources on obedience training available through kennel clubs, obedience schools, and breed associations.
There are five basic obedience commands that owners should use to train their dog; sit, stay, down, come and heel. Unfortunately, there is no uniform method for instilling in your dog an understanding of these commands, as each breed and individual has different personalities, temperaments, and abilities. However, with patience, dedication and love, owners should be able to instill in their dog basic obedience skills in weeks.
Obedience Training Can Be Fun
Dogs must first be able to associate the name you have given them with themselves. Therefore, be sure to use your puppys name frequently when interacting with him or her. This association generally happens very quickly, and is the key to further training. Generally training should be kind and loving, something the dog enjoys. If not, you could have an obstinate, or worse, sullen student on your hands.
Training should take place during short five minute training sessions with clear goals in mind. Start with one command and work on it several times per day until the dog demonstrates an understanding of the command. Praise is an extremely effective piece in the training regimen. Be sure to praise your dog affectionately whenever he correctly responds to your command. The use of praise is vital as the dog will come to enjoy the training sessions and there is no better way to motivate a student.
Food or treats are also key to successful obedience training sessions. When accompanied by praise, the delivery of a well timed treat will create a strong impression in the mind of your dog that he has done the right thing, and that he should continue to do the right thing. The further you progress in your training, the more you and your dog will learn about one another. The trust and understanding you develop will be the basis for a long and enjoyable relationship.