Education

You've just had your new puppy or you think to have one soon and you've some questions regarding his education.We try to answer to some of your questions here and to give you soome lines to follow. But we advise you to go to a puppy school with your labrador.

Baseline :

The labrador has a great "will to please", so it's essential to use this quality to make his education.We' ve already use the reinforcement of the good behaviour preferently to the use of punishement.It's beter to ignore the bad behaviour.

It's important too to be always consequent in our acts and requests. Something authorizes is always authorized and something forbideen is always forbidden.Don't forget that your dog is an animal and not a human, it's not a child, it's a dog. Use always the same word for the same order and don't make long sentences.

A  well-educated dog is a dog that you can take everywhere with you.

Base orders :

follow on lead, come back sit, down are the most important orders in a dog's life.

 

  • follow on lead : the lead must be only a link between you and the dog. As a puppy, you can let him without lead (in safe place of course) and the puppy will follow you, so use your voice and the congratulations. Later you can put the lead but not hold it and finally you can hold the lead. If your dog pulls on the lead, change of directions, stop, if you change  direction often, he has to be attentive to what you do. You can also put some food in your hand and keep your hand at high of his mouth.
  • come back : when you dog is a puppy, you must use each occasion to call him back, it's very important to always congratulate him when he comes back, never be angry or hit him if he doesn't come back directly. Always use the congratulation for the good come back. When you go walk, call him back many times during the walk and then let him go  away again.
  • sit, down,.. : the most easy order is "sit" as it's a natural position for the dog. Each time you see that he'll sit down, say it "sit", he will shortly make the association between the order and the position. Down is more difficult as it'a dominance position, I use food in my hand and the dog on sit position, then I let him feel my hand and let my hand go back further on the ground , that will make the dog does down and in the same time I give the order "down".

If you want to make more obedience, it's good to go to a canine club where you'll find people to help you and to give you lessons.

FaLang translation system by Faboba