The Labrador was created with work in mind. The breed was bred to help man hunt birds. They’re known for their love of water, and are excellent swimmers. Their bodies are compact, with webbed feet and rudder-like tails, which aid in their swimming efforts. Bred to chase down and retrieve fallen birds in open fields and water, Labradors are also top athletes. Spending long days in the field running, and swimming in the water, is what they are meant to do. This breed is high energy and requires a lot of exercise. Training can not be ignored, as this breed is known for becoming destructive if their intelligence is ignored.

It’s important that you begin labrador training from the time your pup comes home. Along with potty training, teach your new Lab how to sit, lie down, and come to you when called. Positive reinforcement works very well with this breed, so use encouraging words and treats. Finding a professional trainer that specializes in training Labs will not be difficult, either. Private and group lessons are offered by most, with many types of classes available. For those who are interested in a challenge, there are plenty of sports you can compete in with your Labrador. Dock Diving, Obedience Competition and Agility are just a few. Dock Diving channels the breed’s speed and excellent swimming abilities, while Obedience Competition allows you to show off your skills as a team. Labrador Retrievers are routinely known as the top winning title holders in Obedience Competition. Agility is a sport that has gained much popularity, and is perfect for the Lab. This sport times a dog and handler team through an obstacle course which is not only challenging, but a whole lot of fun!

What are you waiting for? Your Lab is begging for some fun!

Dogs can be taught other, more appropriate ways to get their owner’s attention, from nuzzling a hand to standing at the door. It’s up to the owner to read his or her dog’s signals, however.

Dogs bark out of boredom or anxiety. Dogs get lonely and stressed, just as humans do, and they bark to relieve their emotions or tension. This bark is often the one that triggers the most irritation for owners and neighbors, and it can be a very annoying sound, sometimes high pitched and full of frustration.

A dog that is bored or anxious is a needy animal. These dogs desperately yearn for the attention of their owners. A bored dog will benefit from exercise, training, or a fun toy that dispenses treats with a little bit of work on the part of the dog. An anxious dog may be alone for too many hours throughout the day, or it may be chained outside by itself. Dogs are social animals and need to spend time with their owners.

If the dog is regularly with its owner and continues to suffer from separation anxiety, it may be comforted by the sounds of a radio or TV. It may also want to sleep on an unwashed shirt or blanket that smells of its owner. Spending more time in active playtime with its owner may help the dog feel more bonded.

Barking may be natural, but excessive barking can be annoying for a dog’s owners and their neighbors. Dogs bark to communicate their needs, and owners as pack leaders should listen to better meet those needs.

If your dog continues to bark inordinately after you have made adjustments to your own behavior, it’s time to consult a veterinarian or behaviorist for professional assistance.

Some dog breeds bark more than others, and a few, like the Basenji, don’t bark at all. Dogs often bark for behavioral reasons as well, and understanding those reasons is often key to moderating and controlling the bothersome barking.

Dogs bark as a warning. When a dog senses a threat, they will bark an alert to their owners. Someone may be passing by or knocking on the door, or there may be a very real threat to the family home. This type of bark will usually be a distinctive alert bark.

Labrador training to bark only at legitimate threats and not just the mailman will take a certain amount of training on the part of the owner. The dog should be rewarded for barking at obvious threats, such as lurkers or threatening behavior from strangers, and corrected for inappropriate barking to help it learn appropriate boundaries for warning barks. It can also be helpful for the owner to teach the dog when to “speak” and when to “quiet” or “be still.”

Dogs bark out of excitement. Dogs and especially puppies bark when they are playing with people or with other dogs. They will usually sound happy and excited. This bark may also come before an exciting event, like a walk or when they see a favorite treat or toy.

A natural reaction on the part of the owner may be shouting at the dog to quiet down, but the dog may perceive this as encouragement. The owner, as far as the dog can tell, is also barking, and quite loudly, too. The owner should instead stay calm and redirect the dog’s attention, ordering the dog to sit or lie down.

These “natures of your dogs personality” are easily found through the positions and postures in relationship to your, as you and your dog perform your labrador training routines.
Each position will show particular types of body language from your dog (and vice versa, so act natural). If you pay attention, you can see how well or not your dog is relating to you.

Each exercise or command in the following text will articulate what must be paid attention to, and how to make this knowledge work for you and your dog. We have special routines to break stress and tension, as well as methods to express dominance and elicit strict, exacting, discipline.
You will develop a feel for these as you progress through this system. Any time you are in doubt about what your next move should be, just relax, take your time to mentally review the exercise you are performing, and then execute the correct move.

Everything has a particular progression.
Although this is, admittedly, a very complicated system, there’s absolutely no need to worry about mastering the technique and psychology involved.
It will become very clear as you begin to work on it.

Just as we will expect your dog to learn something new with practice, you too, will develop a sense for what we are doing, but only with practice.

You’ll develop a “feel” or “sense” for what we’re doing. The pieces fit together, like a jig-saw puzzle, and, like a jig-saw puzzle, you start by dumping the whole thing out in front of you and then try to put it in some sort of order. Think of our method like that puzzle.

And just so it doesn’t come as a surprise, things change here, according to what has been mastered.

But we do have a procedure that is very much like the kind of steps you would follow as though you were starting your car or computer system.
These steps are like your keys to your car or password to your files.

It’s unlikely your dog, when trained, will listen to anyone that does not approach the “control panel” to his mind, without the “keys” imbedded in this series of commands.
He’ll understand that anyone asking business of him is not approved, without “them keys.”
Practice on a daily basis should not exceed four minutes to accomplish the exercises.
Practice needs to be performed at least every second day. With problem dogs, this is critical.
If you are using this training to suffice your dogs emotional needs, whether it be anxiety from separation, aggression, or stress from any source, the benefits of this exercise will wear off in three days, at least until some time down the road.
Also, dogs do tend to forget a lesson if it has not been re enforced for several days.
After the initial labrador training period, practice may be limited to once a week.
When your dog is fully trained, and his behavior is not an issue or goal for improvement, a brief exercise should be formally done once a week, later once a month.

EXAMPLE:
Your dog chatters his teeth.
Look at him and say, “good boy, what do you want?”
He may say; “It’s about time you noticed me!”

SOLUTION:
Ignore his sarcasm.
Ask if he wants to do this, that, or the other thing, and when he gives a big sigh, DO IT!

I’ve quoted other dog trainers and authors on dog behavior in the misstatement that “dogs don’t think.”
In light of the fact that I’ve also have quoted and subverted most of their training techniques as nonsensical and ineffective, let’s not get boggled down in semantics.

My philosophy is based on experience and observation:
The abilities to think, rationalize and solve problems are learned qualities.

By challenging our dogs to think, they develop the areas of the brain where thinking, rationalizing and solving problems occur.

The bonding and sense of security that can come with being properly on command can reassure and give confidence to even the most insecure animal.

EXAMPLE:
“My dog is afraid to get into the car, elevator, boat ramp, etc.”

SOLUTION:
This is very common, and a major problem if it is your dog that won’t go into the car or otherwise.
Usually the problem starts when he first balks, by the handler pulling on the leash and trying to force him inside.
REMEMBER… Any pushing or pulling on the dogs collar will trigger positive thigmotaxis, the opposition reflex, thus compelling exactly the behavior you wanted to avoid.
Handle the lead properly and ask him to go inside.
Face the direction you want him to go, and move forward.
Praise immediately. If he balks, repeat the command with sound and praise again. Usually it requires no wore than two repetitions.

SIBLING RIVALRY??? YES.
When you have more than one pet, or when you have children, this can be a big problem.
If you scold one sibling (children included) in front of the other(s), a natural resentment or jealousy is instigated. This is common with any peer group, adults as well, office workers, etc.
The others take this as an opportunity to follow your lead and use their authority to further humiliate or even attack the “trouble maker”.
Given that scolding is a poor example of proper discipline, it need not be mentioned at this point.

EXAMPLE
“My dogs fight if they have a bone, (or food, or a pat, etc.).

SOLUTION:
Set the example of proper leadership and don’t engage in verbal arguments, as it will only be copied.
Use all of these training techniques as a guide. When you see an argument beginning, resort to praise.
Praise? Yes.
This will always be your first response to solve a problem.
As always, avoid physical praise, as it will in this case create wore jealousy. If proper discipline and leadership are expressed, the dogs do not have an option to fight amongst themselves.

Often for convenience, but frequently because of lack of proper control, we must tie or otherwise restrict our pets.
The barrier or chain that is used causes a natural frustration, because everything is out of reach. This can cause stress, which can result in serious behavior problems, even extreme viciousness.
How can we restrain a dog on a chain or behind a barrier without risking difficulty?
Either remove the source of stimulation, such as by keeping him out of sight and/or hearing of children, guests, etc., or work to break the cycle of over-stimulation.

EXAMPLE:
“I crate my puppy during the day when I’m at work. He seems fine, but gets really upset when we’re home and have to put him inside.”

SOLUTION:
Use the distraction techniques contained herein to break the barrier frustration syndrome.

HOW CAN WE BREAK THE CYCLE OF OVER-STIMULATION?
Four Properly timed interruptions! WITH PRAISE!

This condition needs further mention… It is natural for most dogs to become very protective or territorial about the area of their confinement or tie out.

Never allow strangers to greet or pat a dog while tied out or confined in a run or crate.

MALINGER/SUBTERFUGE:

To pretend injury or illness in order to avoid responsibility or work; a scam or ploy to avoid doing something.
Dogs are great, even witty when it comes to thinking up ways to avoid or get out of doing what you want.

EXAMPLE:
“every time I try to train my dog, he becomes “lame,” like the old “war injury.”

SOLUTION;
Make sure there is nothing wrong, start to train, and when that old affliction appears, say “you poor baby, I hate to see you so lame.

Let’s quit this work stuff and we’ll take a ride and buy you an ice cream.”
As soon as ‘old sooner’ jumps for joy and heads for the car, you’ve caught him

“FLAGRANTE DELICTO”.
Point it right out to him and really rub it in.
Dogs don’t like to be made fun of… the embarrassment might cause a good laugh!

SEPARATION ANXIETY:
When you leave, your dog may become worried that you may not return. Or, because while you-are-gone, a visitor or disturbance of some sort may have come by— causing a tense disruption.

EXAMPLE:
“Every time I go out, my dog barks/whines, chews things, soils the house, etc. He’s vindictive. He does it on purpose! I can’t leave him alone!
I can tell he knows he’s done wrong just by the look on his face!”

SOLUTION;
There could be several factors involved.
If a dog is indiscriminately relieving himself in the house while you are gone, it could be caused by stress if you have been in the habit of scolding him for any mischief he had indulged in, in the past.
That could make him nervous enough to need to relieve himself every time you go out.
Or, it might be the result of barrier frustration, or just a negative attention getting device satisfied by your response upon return. Don’t fall victim to these tactics.

Your dog is programmed to do what it must to insure the survival of itself and its species.
That’s one powerful tool that is often overlooked as a training aid. Most trainers utilize this with food bribes.
To get results at any price is their motivation.
Other aspects of survival instinct can be more successfully employed. At some point bribery will cause trouble, as with each treat, survival instinct comes into play.
Soon your dogs appreciation level of you is lowered from a mind appreciation to the gut level. When your dog would rather go to his food than you, look out!

Pack mentality is one manifestation of survival instinct.
Your dog looks upon his family as his “pack”. We can manipulate this instinct, or be victimized by it.
“Checking back,” a familiar term with hunters, is a side ways glance to keep from straying too far from the hunter, or in our case, the pack or family.
Praise when you see your dog “checking back,” and he will move in closer.
If he forges on ahead, turn and he will “check back” on you.

If you keep moving away he will turn to follow. Praise him and he will continue.
Just don’t get caught checking back on him, or he will expect you to follow. This principle will be used effectively in our program latter.
Symptoms of behavior, good as well as bad, may be attributed to survival instinct.
These symptoms may be manifest outwardly or inwardly. Over protectiveness or cowering could be examples of very closely related but opposite ways of dealing with circumstances of the environment.
They are often interchangeable within the same individual. Other symptoms of a self-concerned rigid nature could be compulsive scratching, paw licking side or leg sucking, hiding, balking, withdrawal, cowering, and submissive urination.

EXAMPLE: Fear biters can be made to be aggressive biters. “My dog bites/shies out of fear when strangers try to pat him.”

SOLUTION:
Don’t try this without our professional guidance
(This graphic solution is just one of several possibilities.)
Teach the dog to bite on command, thus building confidence, overcoming shyness or fear.

SOLUTION: Don’t allow pulling. When your dog pulls, just say “no”, relieve the tension on the leash and praise immediately.
Do this consistently. We have just a split second to praise him after telling him “no”, or else the message will not get across.
Pulling on the leash, even as little as one pound of pressure per square inch, for just a second and a half is enough to trigger the opposition reflex. That’s just one small example.

Here’s the real story on POSITIVE THIGMOTAXIS, the OPPOSITION REFLEX.
ANY PULLING OR~EVEN~SLIGHT TENSION on your dogs collar, or PUSHING OR-PULLING ON HIS BODY can SHUT OFF his ability to think and or listen to you, even while praising him.
Like when you might ask him to sit, and then reach back to place him, he may just stop going into position.
Look at it like this: Your’ dogs first obligation is to oppose you.
It’s built in. Once he understands the object of your desire, forget it! He is naturally obligated to do EXACTLY OPPOSITE…. - Physical opposition, say as you reach for his collar while greeting a guest at the door, will cause exactly the behavior you wanted to avoid.

Next, as he becomes familiar with your hand coming out to restrain him, he consciously goes faster to avoid being restrained. Physical opposition, as you try to prevent jumping or bolting, or even vocal opposition as you shout to prevent whining or barking or fighting, can trigger the opposition reflex, compelling the undesirable behavior to begin. In just moments your dog can learn to out-maneuver you.
This physical opposition soon becomes a mental opposition. Learn to control without restraint or confronting. Forced restraint, or forced control will always defeat its own purpose.

It’s like trying to grab a handful of water… Try to grab a fistful of water, and all you will get is a wet hand.
Scoop gently, and you could empty the whole basin.
Vocal opposition, or shouting, needs further mention.
We see this quite often, especially when people try to prevent fighting or aggression.
The first thing they usually do is express panic by screaming. Just think of how your dog might copy this.