Golden Retriever Puppies in Cleveland OH: Positive Reinforcement In Training

Golden Retriever puppies in Cleveland, Ohio are a blessing for homes looking to add a loving, loyal dog to their family. Once you have found a reputable dog breeder that has a companion you are interested in bringing home, adjusting to the newcomer and allowing him or her to learn what is considered to be acceptable behaviors is crucial to making your new family member feel welcome. Above all, dogs are highly motivated to please their families, so gently guiding them to learn the rules will make your new fur baby happier in his or her new environment. Here are some tips to help you reinforce good behaviors in your new pet…read on!

A Word About Treats

While giving your new Golden Retriever puppy treats to help him or her learn the rules of the house is a great way to train your fur baby, great care should be taken to ensure that you aren’t going to cause him or her problems down the road. Golden Retrievers are one of the breeds that is prone to excessive weight gain, so being completely reliant upon treats to train your pup may be a bad thing later in his or her life. Yet, there is still a few ways to indulge your pet while keeping dietary concerns under control. First, you can ask your veterinarian or breeder to recommend a low calorie brand of treats. Secondly, you can break the treats into smaller pieces since a puppy doesn’t really care about the size of the treat as much as earning the kudos from you.

Praise

Even though treats may seem to be what your Golden Retriever puppy wants the most, it is well documented that dogs enjoy praise and attention just as much if not more than treat rewards. When your pup has done something good, letting him or her know with a resounding voice and reassuring snuggles will elicit joy and make him or her want to repeat the behavior. Attention is the most powerful form of positive reinforcement and will undoubtedly bring you and your new four-legged family member closer together.

Clickers

Professional dog trainers will often use a positive reinforcement device known as a clicker. When paired with treats from the onset of training, a clicker can eventually become a substitute for treats since it denotes a reward and gets associated with positive behavior. If used correctly, your Golden Retriever puppy will become excited every time he or she hears the clicker and come to you for further positive reinforcement.

For more information about Golden Retriever puppies in Columbus OH and positive reinforcement training methods, call (330) 204-5498 or click on the provided link.