How To Train a Golden Retriever To Stay

Golden retrievers tend to jump on people because of their friendliness and exuberance. They are also very curious and will run after any distractions. The “stay” command resolves both issues.

Sometimes, this command can be life-saving. Imagine walking near a busy road, and your dog suddenly runs after a cat crossing the road. If your dog doesn’t know the “stay” command, it could be hit by a car.

Learning golden retriever training tips and the mistakes to avoid in dog training will help you raise a well-behaved dog.

When to Start the Training

The success of your training largely depends on your dog’s readiness for it. If you start the training too early, your dog might struggle to memorize the command. And if you start it too late, you might have to spend more time.

Canine behavior specialists recommend starting golden retriever training after eight weeks of age. Before that age, puppies should be with their mother. However, you will likely begin by teaching your dog to go potty or sit in the crate.

Don’t overwhelm your puppy with learning several commands at once – give it time. Around ten weeks is the best time to start training a golden retriever puppy.

However, you can train even an adult dog that already has set habits with enough patience and discipline.

Setting the Dog Up for Success

Before you begin the training, learn how to set your dog up for success. Puppies and young adult dogs are like children – they have a short attention span and are easily distracted. Plus, they are energetic and curious.

Your goal is to pick the right moment for your training sessions and make them quick and fun. Exercise your puppy before training because a tired dog will be more obedient but don’t wear it out. Otherwise, your puppy will lose interest.

Start training in an environment with minimal distractions. It should be a room that’s already familiar to your dog, like your living room. Over time, you will be able to move to more spacious outdoor environments with more distractions.

Keep the first sessions short, around two to five minutes. Otherwise, your dog will perceive them as a burden and strive to avoid them. If your dog finds training fun, it will learn more quickly.

Your goal is to leave your puppy wanting more training rather than being exhausted. Lastly, match the difficulty level with your dog’s age and training progress. It shouldn’t be too simple, but it shouldn’t be too challenging.

1. The “Sustained Sit” Method

There are several methods to teach a golden retriever to sit. One such method is the “sustained sit.” Before you begin, you need to understand that teaching a command properly takes time, so you shouldn’t attempt too much too soon.

Technically, this method is teaching your dog to sit rather than stay. But it’s equally effective at keeping your puppy from jumping on people or running after a squirrel.

Your ultimate goal is to teach your puppy to sit for over a minute instead of jumping up in a few seconds. The first step is teaching your dog the “sit” command. To do this, hold a treat near your dog’s nose.

Slowly move the treat up and over your dog’s head in an arc. Your puppy will follow the treat with its nose and eventually sit. Praise your puppy and give it the treat. Practice for some time, then add the verbal cue.

Keep practicing until your dog learns to sit on command. Then, command your puppy to sit and hold your hand towards it with your palm forward. Hold it for several seconds. Your dog’s attention should be focused on you.

Praise your dog and give it a treat if it remains seated still. Over some time, add the verbal cue to the hand signal. Command your dog to “stay” as soon as you extend your hand.

Gradually increase the “sit” time and add distractions. If your dog breaks the command before you release it, say “uh-oh” in a disappointed voice and keep the treat.

A clicker might be handy in teaching your dog the verbal cue because it facilitates quicker memorization. Most importantly, be consistent – always say the verbal cue at the same moment.

2. Add Distance

The “add distance” method is a level-up from the “sustained sit” method. To teach your dog to remain seated when you move away, you must first teach it to sit for extended periods on command.

Once your dog can sit for over a minute without running after distractions, command it to sit and take a step away. This may sound simple but can be tricky because your dog will instinctively want to follow you.

Wait a few seconds after taking the step back, then reward your dog if it remained seated. Once your dog learns to stay seated when you take a few steps, add challenges.

Increase the distance between you and your dog gradually, taking one step at a time. If your dog breaks the stay, don’t reward it. Take note of how far you were when your dog broke the stay and work within the distance.

3. Proofing the Stay

Now that your dog can remain seated when you back away to the bottom of your yard, you should teach it to stay still regardless of distractions. The first hurdle to overcome is keeping your dog in place while walking away with your back turned.

Work on this challenge first, then add distractions – try tossing your dog a toy or command it to sit when you see a bird flying by.

Your golden will be much more likely to get distracted in a public park or another unfamiliar environment than in your backyard. Practice each of these challenges in different environments.

The proofing stage consists of three D’s – duration, distance, and distractions. You can work with each one and mix and match them to create new challenges.

Remember that golden retrievers are intelligent dogs that never stop learning. You don’t have to stop the training once your dog remains seated on command – you can constantly add challenges to the process even when your golden is an adult.

Mistakes to Avoid

Training a golden retriever to stay might seem foolproof, but you should be aware of the most common mistakes in dog training that will hinder your progress.

One of such golden retriever training mistakes is trying to make an energetic dog obedient. If your golden retriever is full of energy, it won’t obey your commands no matter how hard you try because instincts will prevail.

You want to find a balance – your dog should be calm but not sleepy or exhausted. Another widespread mistake is increasing the training difficulty too soon. Your dog needs time to learn new commands and proof them.

Imagine trying to understand trigonometry without even knowing the definition of a triangle. You need to learn the fundamentals before moving on to complex topics. Likewise, your dog needs to practice the basics first.

However, your dog might also be disobedient because of tiredness. Ensure that your training isn’t too long. About five minutes is enough for puppies. Training duration for adult dogs can be longer, but no more than 25 minutes.

If your dog refuses to sit still, you’re likely asking for too much. Adjust the difficulty level to avoid frustrating your dog and yourself.

On the same note, don’t get stuck on the same level for too long. Otherwise, your golden retriever will get bored and lose interest in the process, hindering future success.

You want to move on to the next step once your dog performs the previous one impeccably several times in a row. Remember to be consistent with your verbal and visual cues to speed up the training.

Many owners fail to train their dogs because they say the verbal cue at the wrong moment, and their dog couldn’t draw a connection between the command and action. Give rewards immediately after your dog performs the action.

Never punish your dog for not obeying the command. If you do, your golden retriever might develop aggression or anxiety. You want to build trust between you and your furry friend.

However, be strict and consistent with your negative reactions. Some owners unintentionally encourage undesired behavior by talking to their dog in a cute voice or petting it when it breaks the command.

You want to firmly say “no” or similar, without a smile. Don’t pet your dog right afterward, and don’t give it treats.

Lastly, treat your dog as an individual. Methods and rewards that work for most dogs might not work for yours, so pay attention to your pet’s reaction and track its success.

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