I’m currently reading through the Labrador handbook and have got to basic training. It makes no mention of what age the puppy should be to begin training - is eight weeks ok? What age do others start? This will be my first lab pup having had various other breeds previously.
I'm no expert but id say straight away, as long as you're using positive reward based methods. Absolute dogs have some good puppy games: https://absolutedog.s3.amazonaws.com › ...PDF puppy - AWS
Training starts from the moment you bring them home. All the learn snd are exposed at young age will pay dividends as the get older. Particular settling, patience and recall
thanks, thats what I've always done with other pups but thought best to double check as I was reading through!
Whatever training method you use begin when your pup comes across the threshold. Be consistent and work on something every day even if for only 2 minutes. You'll be rewarded in the end.
Hi @DavidH If your puppy is in the range 8 to 16 weeks, then my advice is to place more emphasis on socialisation. By all means reward the puppy's natural instinct to check in and follow you. And encourage the puppy's instinct to play tug with you. But socialisation with fun is more important than obedience training at such a young age.
I start training as soon as they can walk and like treats. By 6 weeks all my puppies will come running 100% of the time to their whistle. For the first few months, any training you do with them needs to be a game (they don't know they are being trained), but you can get them motivated with food and retrieve rewards which will make your future training so much easier. 'Proper' training doesn't start until around 6 to 10 months, but that varies between individuals. By 12 months, I like to have basics firmly established; recall, stop/sit to whistle at a distance, retrieving to hand etc. Basic manners are 'explained' as we come accross situations from the first time it happens; waiting at open doors (not rushing through), not knawing the kitchen table etc
