A Labrador can be the perfect choice as a family pet, as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort for proper Labrador obedience training. These cute, playful puppies quickly evolve into big, rambunctious dogs if they are not taught good manners while they are still young.

Training a Labrador doesn’t have to be an unpleasant challenge for you or your dog. This breed is extremely intelligent and eager to please, making it a good candidate for effective obedience training. However, these dogs can also be a bit strong-willed, meaning that if you don’t show your Lab who is boss in the house right from the beginning, he may very well try to run the show himself. Much of Labrador obedience training has to do with teaching your dog respect for the alpha dog in the household – who happens to be you. Once you have established the proper pecking order in your home, your Lab puppy will be much more likely to acquiesce to your authority with prompt obedience.
Labrador obedience training needs to incorporate respect, but it doesn’t do so using harsh, punitive methods – unless you want a dog that is afraid of you and prone to snapping and biting others. Labs respond best to training that is encouraging and positive, and loaded with rewards instead of punishment. Your Lab will enjoy positive training sessions because it allows him to spend quality time with you as he exercises his mind and body to follow your commands and please you. You can begin with basic commands like sit and stay and gradually move onto more complex instructions as you and your dog develop a positive relationship and he learns to follow your instructions.

Consistency is another important key in effective Labrador obedience training. For example, if you want to make it a rule that your dog does not jump on the furniture, you need to be consistent with that rule and never let him up on the couch. Not once. Not ever. Intelligent dogs like Labs will quickly recognize when they can push you and the rules to the limit and will do so whenever possible.
Labrador obedience training with a very young dog should be limited to just a few minutes, and should include lots of praise and rewards. When your dog is first learning a command, keep distractions to an absolute minimum to ensure that you have your puppy’s full attention. As your dog begins to be comfortable with a particular instruction, include some distraction to the training session, like tossing treats around him or bouncing a ball as you give the command. This will help to ensure that your dog will obey you in any circumstance, no matter what distractions might be lurking about. Good beginning commands will include sit, fetch and stay, but lie and come should be close behind those. In the beginning Labrador obedience training sessions, make sure to reward your dog even if he sits for only a second or two. As you progress, you can require that he sits for longer periods or stays put even when you walk away or turn your back to him. These training sessions will pay off with a dog that is well behaved and a pleasant addition to your family.

Before you bring your Lab puppy home from the breeder, it is important to educate yourself on the most effective techniques for Labrador training. Fortunately for the new dog owner, there are many good Dog training books and articles like this available so you and your Labrador retriever can start off on the right foot.