Everyone loves the Golden Retriever. They are super-friendly with their tail always wagging and a smile on their face. Most Golden owners swear that they are the best of all breeds. But getting a new puppy is kind of like inviting a tornado into your home, regardless of breed, right?…or are Golden Retrievers easy to train?
So, are Golden Retrievers easy to train? Yes. Golden Retrievers are consistently ranked top 5 “most trainable dog breeds” by most dog experts. Goldens are also known as “intelligent”, “eager to please”, and “reliable”. Because of their amazing work ethic and trainability, they are highly sought out and trained as assistance dogs and search and rescue dogs.
There are plenty of reasons why the Golden Retriever is ranked 4th most trainable by AKC and 4th most intelligent by Stanley Corin in The Intelligence of Dogs. The Golden ranks high in its ability to perform the tasks it was originally bred for (retrieving), its ability to solve problems on its own and its ability to learn from humans.
Instinctive Intelligence
Instinctive intelligence refers to the dog’s ability to do what it was originally bred to do. Golden Retrievers are a retrieving breed.
This means that their original “job” is to fetch…No wonder they are so eager to go after that ball!
Some people would argue that you can’t really call one breed smarter than another based on their instinctive intelligence – that would be like comparing apples to oranges. But nobody would challenge the claim that a Golden Retriever is really good at fetch.
There is no need to train them, the majority of Goldens just know how to bring you back that ball.
Adaptive Intelligence
Adaptive Intelligence is the intelligence that dogs have to be able to learn things for themselves.
This type of intelligence is what might make some people claim that their Golden has trained them. A Golden Retriever can learn things on their own, without being specifically trained. Your Golden will learn about you, your routines, your home and your own behavior towards them.
Your Golden’s adaptive intelligence is what responds to the consistency in their training routine.
They will very quickly come to anticipate “what comes next” in their routine.
They may prove this by waiting at the door when it’s time for their walk, or by eagerly pawing their food dish just before feeding time.
Willingness to Learn from People
A Golden Retriever’s willingness to learn from people is where they most stand out and earn their reputation for being easy to train.
Did you know that most Goldens will learn and understand a new command with less than five repetitions?
They pick things up really fast. This type of intelligence is equivalent to a person’s school learning capabilities.
The Golden is an A+ student!
A Golden Retriever puppy’s willingness to learn increases dramatically with the introduction of positive reinforcement. This can include lavishing your dog in positive affection and praise or can be as simple as a tasty dog treat. Goldens, as a breed, are incredibly responsive to this type of reaction by “their person”.
Basic Golden Retriever Training Advice
The most important thing to remember is that training your Golden Retriever starts the day you bring them home.
If you have a puppy on your hands, prepare yourself for the high energy that Golden’s are known for! Take advantage of their natural intelligence to help them learn certain things right away.
- Maintain a consistent routine. Feed your dog at the same time and in the same place every day. Take them for a walk around their territory, every day. Let them out for potty breaks at frequent and specific intervals.
- Remember that Goldens thrive with positive reinforcement. This can be especially difficult at the beginning when your puppy is peeing everywhere, chewing on things they shouldn’t be, and biting but make sure to be positive with them and reward them with a treat when they do what you want them to.
- Be diligent and stay consistent. The puppy phase is the hardest but with consistency in training, you will end up with a great family pet. Be diligent in your efforts and don’t give up the first time your command is ignored.
- Don’t let your puppy bite! Give a good yelp when they clamp down with the cute little puppy play bite. Your Golden Retriever puppy is super sensitive to you and will get the idea really quickly that biting causes you pain.
- Socialize your puppy! Take your puppy everywhere that you can and expose them to all the different sights, smells, sounds, and people they are going to experience in their daily lives.
Remember that the foundation for more advanced training is that your dog trust you and the environment they live in.
What About Obedience Training?
Once your puppy is potty trained, accustomed to going for walks and has a good solid relationship with you it might be time to consider more advanced obedience training.
The basic commands of sit, stay, come, to follow, and ask for permission can all be trained at home.
The advantage of signing up with a professional trainer is that you can spend a dedicated amount of time learning with your dog the most efficient and effective methods for training and then continue to practice them at home.
If you are going to train your dog exclusively at home, be sure to do your research on individual training techniques for the desired behaviors you want to teach.
Remember to always use positive reinforcement (low-fat treats are a great option) and to take advantage of your Golden’s eager-to-please personality and high intelligence.
Related Questions
Some think that crate training is cruel, but many reputable sources recommend it as a very effective training method. If you think about it, it makes sense to give a dog their own private territory or bed – a place that is exclusively theirs. Dogs are animals that naturally make a den, so a crate is instinctively a place they should be comfortable in.
Crate training is also really helpful for house-training your puppy because they usually won’t pee in their own bed, so it’s a good tool for helping them to develop their ability to “hold it”. Crate training also allows you to control your puppies behavior and movements.
If you decide to do crate training, just keep in mind that puppies should not be confined to a crate day and night. Once you can trust your puppy to not destroy your shoes or pee all over the place, you should not confine them in the crate with the door locked. Their crate should eventually be a safe place that they seek out voluntarily.
Bless you, if you have adopted or are considering adopting an adult dog. When you welcome an older dog into your home, you oftentimes end up inheriting any traumas, insecurities, or bad manners that your dog may have.
Luckily, the Golden’s intelligence does not fade with age. Your dog may need to be retrained or just re-adapted to his new life, but with patience and consistency, you can achieve great results. Be sure to use positive reinforcement and lots of encouragement! Follow the same advice that you would as if you were training a puppy, keeping in mind any insecurities the older dog may have.
No. Not even close. Their “eager-to-please” temperament just doesn’t align with the temperament needed to be a good guard dog.
