Short answer: Golden retriever puppy training starts the week she comes home. Burn off some energy first, then teach in short sessions, about five minutes, a few times a day.
Reward what you want, like four paws on the floor. Also, give her mouth a toy to carry. Keep her play gentle on her joints until her growth plates close, as late as 16 to 18 months. Then expect a wobbly teenage stretch.
Grandma comes through the door, and your puppy launches at her knees. Ten minutes later, those little teeth are on your sleeve. Then you try a sit, and she lasts about four seconds.
Left alone, the puppy jump keeps coming while she grows to an adult 55 to 75 pounds. After all, a child or frail adult can be knocked down and seriously injured.
Are golden retrievers easy to train?
Mostly, yes. AKC Breeders of Merit call young goldens eager to please and easily trainable. That gives golden retriever puppy training a head start. Breeder Nancy Lewine names the public’s biggest misconception, though.
“…naively believe they almost ‘train themselves.’”
Nancy Lewine, AKC Breeder of Merit, GoldenSoul Dogs
The calm couch golden comes later, say Lewine and partner Jenny Cochran. First her mind, body and social needs get met daily.
How to train a golden retriever puppy, starting at 8 weeks
An 8 week old golden retriever puppy can start learning on day one.
- Play first, then train. Golden Meadows Retrievers says to let her exercise before a session.
- Keep sessions tiny. Three or four sessions of about five minutes beat one long one.
- Reward one word at a time. A treat or praise the second she does it right. Get sit solid before you add down.
- Handle her all over. Touch her ears, mouth, feet and tail often, the AKC’s breeders say.
Why does my golden retriever puppy jump on everyone?
Dogs jump because it gets them attention, the AVSAB explains. Even yelling counts, and pushing her away can turn into wrestling, the AKC adds.
AKC trainer Stephanie Gibeault, MSc, CPDT, teaches the “four on the floor” method.
- With her on leash, a helper walks up.
- Before they reach her, toss several treats on the floor.
- While she eats, the helper greets her, then backs away before she finishes.
- Then repeat, stretching the greeting as you keep tossing treats.
- If she jumps, the helper walks off and the treats stop.
Some people say they don’t mind a jumping puppy. You should mind, says Humane World. A simple “no thank you” works.
Until she greets kids with four paws down, keep a gate or leash between them.
A story from Michael Northcutt, our founder: The doorbell rang, and our quiet little house turned into a fire drill.
Worst was my friend’s little boy. The puppy jumped on him so fast he tumbled back into the bushes. He wasn’t hurt, but he cried. I felt about two inches tall.
That night I realized I was getting loud too. “No! Off! Sit! NO!” I was part of the party.
So we made a mat by the door her happy spot. So we practiced with a quiet doorbell sound on my phone. Bell, then a treat on the mat. Later, for real guests, a baby gate or a leash went on first.
It wasn’t fast, and she still barks sometimes. Then the same little boy came back. She stayed behind the gate, wagging, until he was sitting on the couch. Then she said hi with all four paws on the floor.
We sell the kit and the comb linked on this page.
Golden retriever puppy biting and the land shark phase
Goldens were bred to carry waterfowl in their mouths, the AKC notes. Teething makes it worse. Baby teeth start falling out at about 3 to 4 months. Then most puppies finish teething by about 6 months.
First teach bite inhibition, her control over how hard she bites. Then teach that teeth never belong on skin, using the ASPCA’s mouthing steps.
- Say “ow” and go limp. Praise her when she backs off. Yelp no more than three times in 15 minutes.
- Then a short time-out. Step away for 10 to 20 seconds.
- Fill her mouth. Swap in a toy or chew. Play fetch and tug instead of hand wrestling.
- Leaving the room isn’t sticking? Supervise with a leash on, and calmly lead her behind a baby gate.
Pick one response for the whole house, kids included. After all, yelling winds some puppies up, the AKC warns. If “ow” does that, quietly walk away instead.
Also, skip forum tips to hold her jaw or push a hand down her throat. Physical punishment can cause fear and even real aggression, the ASPCA warns. For bites with a stiff body or bared teeth, it also suggests a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
If biting spikes during evening sprints, our puppy zoomies guide covers that hour.
Brushing counts as golden retriever puppy training
Lewine and Cochran start brushing several times a week, plus weekly nail trims, at 2 to 6 months. Like the rest of golden retriever puppy training, keep it short and end with a treat. A dog training clicker can help you mark the exact moment she gets it right. Our golden retriever shedding guide covers brushes and seasons.
How much exercise does a golden retriever puppy need?
Field-line breeders Karen Edwards and Jim Pearce say large working-line puppies need plenty of exercise. Labs are built the same way, so Labrador puppy training leans on exercise too. Growing bones need care, though.
- Choose self-paced play. Free play with twists and turns, ideally on grass or sand.
- Skip jogging on concrete. AKC vet Dr. Jerry Klein says it’s thought to harm growing joints.
- Ask before sports. Check with your vet before agility.
Sources: AKC golden timeline and AKC large-breed care page.
Golden retriever hip dysplasia: what you can control
Of golden x-rays sent to the OFA, 20.3% showed hip dysplasia, a Golden Retriever Club of America handout reports. Obviously dysplastic dogs often go unsubmitted. However, vet hospital estimates run higher, from about 30.3% to 53 to 73%.
Keeping puppies lean and fit appears to help reduce hip dysplasia, the club notes. Many breeders aim for ribs easily felt but not prominent. So ask whether both parents had their hips and elbows examined.
The teenage months: when do golden retriever puppies calm down?
Around 6 months, your sweet angel can turn cranky, feisty, subdued or reclusive. The AKC’s breeders call 6 to 18 months the “Teenage Rebellion Phase.” She reaches 80 percent of her growth, and another fear stage shows up. Her baby coping skills help her through it.
Then the rebellious streak fades near 18 to 24 months. Big dogs are usually calm, trustworthy pets by three, say Edwards and Pearce.
- Give that mouth a job. Fetch, give, drop it and leave it channel her need to carry.
- Never pin her or use “alpha” moves. Coercion and force generate passive resistance, the AVSAB notes. Reward calm choices instead.
How to potty train a golden retriever puppy
House training, or toilet training, a golden works like it does for any big puppy. Take her out after she wakes, after meals and before bed. Treat the moment she goes outside, and watch her at all times indoors.
A puppy can usually hold it about one hour per month of age, until about 9 to 12 months. Her age in months plus one is the outer limit, the AKC says.
Also, a crate divider keeps one end from becoming her bathroom. Our large breed potty training guide covers housebreaking a big pup.
Our free Potty Break Timer shows when she needs to go next.
How to teach a golden retriever puppy to come when called
A reliable recall is potentially lifesaving. Start indoors on leash, with the AKC’s recall steps.
- Teach her name. Say it happily, mark her glance with “yes,” then treat.
- Call from a few feet away. Her name, then “come.” Reward big.
- Add distance slowly. Other rooms next. Run backward as you call.
- Practice “gotcha.” Take her collar gently, then treat, so she won’t dart off when you reach.
- Go outside on a long line. A 6-foot leash first, then a 20 or 30-foot line.
Sound angry or boring, and she has little reason to come. Still, only let her off leash somewhere safe.
Golden retriever puppy training FAQ
What is the Rule of 7 for puppies?
Golden Meadows Retrievers credits it to Dr. Carmen Battaglia. By about 12 weeks, a puppy meets seven kinds each of surfaces, objects, places and people. Don’t push her if she seems uncomfortable.
When should a golden puppy start a training class?
Make it a priority, the GRCA says, because her best learning window is limited. Lewine and Cochran start puppy kindergarten at 2 to 6 months.
How long does it take to train a golden retriever?
Plan on two years of steady work, Lewine says, for the dog of your dreams after. Golden retriever training keeps going for life, the GRCA notes.
Where this came from: In October we read the pages below, the top Google results and owners’ threads. No one on our team is a veterinarian, so take your vet the rest.
Sources
- American Kennel Club: Golden Retriever Puppy Training Timeline, plus the AKC pages linked in the text
- Golden Retriever Club of America: Improving the Odds for Obtaining a Healthy Golden Retriever Puppy
- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory
- ASPCA: Mouthing, Nipping and Play Biting in Adult Dogs
- Humane World for Animals: How to Stop Your Dog From Jumping