Dog Training Tips: How to Train Your Dog

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed in the United States. Labradors are known for their gentle temperament, family-friendly nature, and exceptional trainability, making them stand out in dog training. We often see professionally trained Labradors serving as guide dogs, police dogs, therapy dogs, and more. They come in three colors: black, chocolate, and yellow. Labradors are high-energy animals, so if you don’t have ample free time to dedicate to their dog training, please do not get a Labrador.

Labrador Dog Training Preface

I. Never hit your dog. Striking or hitting a Labrador Retriever will cause fear or frustration, severely hindering training effectiveness. The purpose of dog training is not to punish bad behavior. The key to successful training is to reward good behavior and ignore bad habits. Labradors are naturally eager to please their owners. Through training, we simply teach them how to behave in ways that satisfy us.
II. During training, avoid overfeeding your Labrador. Focus its attention on the treats you provide, rather than allowing it to become so full and satisfied with regular meals that it loses interest in treats from you. This ensures active cooperation during training sessions.
III. All training commands must be clear, concise, and unwavering. Avoid ambiguity and consistency is key—commands should never change. All family members must use identical commands, otherwise the dog will become confused, hindering training progress.
IV. During training, if a Labrador repeatedly performs an action too easily, its execution will deteriorate. This happens because rewards come too readily. Try rewarding only after 4-5 attempts to sharpen its thinking. Teach it that rewards are harder to earn if it doesn’t sit, sits too slowly, or sits poorly. This ultimately fosters greater focus on you during training.
V. Begin training your Labrador between 8-12 weeks of age. They are often highly excitable at this stage, and establishing a close bond now greatly benefits future training. Start by giving them a distinctive name—like “Lala” (we’ll use “Lala” throughout to refer to the Labrador). Begin with the simplest training exercises.
VI. Strictly manage training sessions: ideally twice daily, each lasting no more than 15 minutes with a minimum 20-minute break between sessions. Overly long training periods will cause Lala to lose interest, ultimately backfiring!​

Dog Training Methods

1. Potty Training (most effective after meals): During this training phase, lay dry newspaper outside the doghouse, in a designated corner, or inside the bathroom. To help your Lab understand this is the potty area, place a small amount of its own waste (like urine) on the newspaper. The familiar scent will help. During the initial training phase, use a larger area of newspaper. Gradually teach it to relieve itself only within the designated space. Remember to praise it immediately when it gets it right. If the Labrador relieves itself outside the designated spot, clean the area thoroughly to prevent it from becoming a new toilet spot, which could undermine training progress.
2. “Sit” Training (Most effective before meals) At this stage of dog training, Lala won’t understand the “sit” command initially. You must press down on its hips with your hand while giving the verbal cue. Repeat this practice with the hand signal until Lala recognizes the gesture alone. This makes dog training (dog training) more efficient!​
3. Add distraction training. Once Lala has mastered basic commands like “Sit” and “Stay” during dog training, introduce distractions like noise or another dog. When distracted, redirect her attention with a new command. Reward her immediately for good execution. This also builds Lala’s confidence in dog training. Later, we can continue training her on the street or in the park.
4. “Shake Hands” Training (Best performed before meals) In dog training, only proceed with this exercise once Lala is thoroughly familiar with the ‘sit’ command and action. After she sits calmly, gently lift your left or right hand while giving the “shake hands” command. Repeat this until Lala understands and responds to the handshake cue, completing this stage of dog training. Repeat training patiently. The biggest mistake in dog training is rushing ahead to teach a new command before the current one is mastered.
5. “Lie Down” Training: During this dog training session, have the dog wear a collar and command it to lie down on your left side. Next, hold the dog’s front paws with one hand while holding a treat in the other. Slowly move the treat outward. The dog will gradually shift its body toward the treat to reach it. Repeat several times until the Labrador understands! Eventually, the dog will assume the lying-down position. Immediately reward the dog with the treat as encouragement upon completing the lie-down command.
6. Training “No” and ‘Good’: During dog training, if you observe your Labrador exhibiting undesirable behavior, stop it immediately. Issue the “No” command to make it understand this action is unacceptable. Conversely, when your Labrador demonstrates good behavior, praise it immediately with the “Good!” command. Pet its head or neck to show approval—this positive reinforcement is crucial in dog training.
7. Training “Stay” and “Come” In dog training, the ‘Stay’ command temporarily halts the Labrador’s movement. During mealtime, place food in front of the dog, give the “Stay” command, and prevent it from approaching the food. Repeat this training consistently. To train the “Come” command, practice during walks. When the dog responds to your call and approaches, praise it immediately. If it ignores the call or runs away, never chase or scold it. Let it be, wait a moment, then call again. In dog training, establishing a habit of leash walking from a young age is crucial (especially when crossing roads to prevent accidents). When letting it roam freely in open areas, if it strays slightly, call it back gently. It’s crucial to establish leash training habits early (especially for crossing roads to prevent accidents). When in open areas, if your dog wanders slightly away while off-leash, call it back to foster the habit of staying close—this is part of dog training.
8. Fetch Training: During this dog training exercise, gently open your dog’s mouth. Give the “grip” command, then place a newspaper or other object in its mouth. Support its jaw gently until it understands to hold the item firmly. Have your dog hold the item while you lead it forward with the leash, helping it get used to walking while carrying something. Remember to reward your dog immediately upon success. Repeat this dog training exercise several times until it becomes proficient. Finally, try releasing the leash and training your dog to fetch items from a distance on its own.
9. Crawling Training: During this dog training session, have your dog wear a collar and command it to lie down on your left side. Hold the leash in your left hand and a toy or treat in your right. Slowly move the treat away from the dog’s line of sight, starting close and gradually increasing the distance. The dog will crawl forward to reach the toy or treat. You can also use your left hand holding the leash to assist its forward movement. If the dog lifts its rear too high during crawling, gently place your hand on its hindquarters and use light pressure or a pat to guide it into lowering its rear. Once the dog completes the crawl without lifting its rear high, reward it with the toy or treat as a dog training incentive.