Labradors are a breed, that want to please. As such, they are very willing and eager to be trained and in fact are a much happier dog if this is so. Also, it is as well to remember that an adult dog can weigh up to 40 kilos, and alot of people are not very comfortable with large breeds. To see a large dog bearing down on them can be a frightening experience for them and of course your dog will pick this up and his or her natural curiosity and friendliness will make them want to investigate. One of the endearing traits, it has been said, that if your Labrador detects a non-dog lover then they will immediately pester them in a vain effort to convince them how loveable they are! If you want to take your dog out out in public there are several things he or she must be able to do, especially if you want to let him or her off the lead.
1) Know his or her name and come at all times the instant they are called. Obviously, bribery in the form of treats is very good. Keep calling them back to you, get them to sit and reward then send them off about their business again.
2) Walk nicely on the lead without pulling or jumping up at passers by. Use only one word, such as heel, and when the puppy starts pulling administer a sharp tug and say heel. In time your dog will associate heel with walking quietly by your side. When this happens, you can move on to heel work – that is, take the puppy off the lead and concentrate on getting him or her to stay by your side. Say heel, reward with a pat when this happens and make sure your puppy knows the difference between staying by your side under control and going off and enjoying him/herself by sending him or her on ahead with a wave.
3) Go down on your word and stay. This takes work and patience but is very satisfying when it happens and can get you out of a lot of trouble if you need to control your dog from a distance. Once they have learnt the words down and stay, choose a peaceful environment they are used to which holds no distractions for them and practice the down and stay from a distance which you can increase gradually. Never push your puppy too far – if he or she is starting to lose their confidence go back to the previous step and start from there more slowly.
Remember all puppy training must be short at first, A puppy’s concentration span is only a few minutes. Rewards and kindness always work better than fear. Simple activities such as sitting and knowing their name and retrieving are best to start with. A well-trained Labrador is a happy one, and you might find you get the taste for obedience work and competitions in agility.