Free Lab Obedience Training Tips
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed of dog in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club. Labs are outgoing, intelligent, eager to please and nonaggressive, which make them ideal family pets and adept to obedience training. There is no need for expensive clickers or obedience classes to train most labs. All you need is your voice and a leash.
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Leader of the Pack
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Dogs are social animals designed to work within a pack with a clear leader. A dog will follow commands from a strong and fair leader. Behavioral problems arise when an owner is not established as the alpha and the dog feels obligated to take the role.
Handle your lab with confidence and authority. When you praise the dog, do not do it timidly. Give the animal a firm hug or a strong pat. If you need to correct behavior, do it quickly and firmly. Push the dog's rear down firmly if it does not sit the first time you make the command.
Sit and Stay
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Command your lab to sit and stay for five to 10 minutes. If the dog moves, put it back as many times as necessary. After a few minutes of this, your lab will know you are the leader.
Put a leash on your lab when doing this training exercise so it understands the idea that whoever holds the leash has the power. If your lab is a family pet, have other family members repeat this training exercise to establish their authority over the dog.
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Be Consistent
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When you give your dog commands, use the same words and hand signals every time to avoid confusion. One-word commands said with authority encourage immediate obedience. Be equally consistent with your language when praising your lab. The dog doesn't know "Good boy" and "Nice job" mean the same thing.
Train your lab every day, but keep obedience lessons short. Ten to 15 minutes is enough time to be effective while keeping the interaction pleasant for both dog and owner.
Rewards
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Avoid punishment when training your lab. Offer rewards instead, giving the dog more incentive to obey your commands. The rewards can be small treats, a pet or a word of encouragement.
Don't ignore any behavior. Respond when your lab displays desirable behaviors to show consistent positive reinforcement. Act immediately when your lab does something undesirable. Don't wait to correct the behavior or the dog may not connect the discipline with the undesirable behavior.
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References
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