Labrador Retriever Training – Fun in the Water

Labrador Retriever Training is easy as long as you know what you are doing and how to make the most of your Labrador puppy’s short attention span. In addition, you also need to know how to show your Lab you’re in command and be ready to meet the demands of his high energy.

Your Lab needs the right training in order to be a credit to his breed, and a loyal member of your family. The best training he can receive would be in an obedience class.

However, while obedience class can teach your Labrador Retriever many excellent things, the one thing it doesn’t teach your Lab is how to swim. The following is a short lesson you can put to good use if you have a Labrador and want him to benefit from the fun and exercise water can provide him:

Swimming Lesson For Your Labrador Retriever

While you can virtually teach a Labrador how to swim at any age (if he’s willing) the best time to do it is when he’s still a young pup.

1. Select a warm day and take your puppy down to a clam lake or pond. Have someone come along with you. You will be getting wet, so make sure you wear bathing gear or clothes you don’t care about.

2. Pick up your Labrador Pup and take him out into the water. Go to about your thighs. Make sure the other person remains on shore.

3. Place one hand directly under the belly of your Lab and secure the other one at the base of his tail. Talk to him gently all the while and lower him down to the water but don’t release your hold on him.

4. As soon as he makes contact with the water, your Labrdor Retriever will likely begin to move his paws in a paddling motion. Encourage him to keep this up by praising him.

5. As soon as he has a strong paddle, remove your hand from under his belly, but continue to hold on to his tail to ensure that his back end is level with the rest of him. Keep giving him words of encouragement and praise.

6. Once you think your dog is ready to give it a go, signal to the person on the shore to start calling the dog to them. As soon as you notice your Labrador Retriever is responding to the person on shore and is paddling even more, release your hold and let him go to the person on the shore. Follow him closely so you can rescue him from the water should he stop paddling.

7. Praise him and provide him with a treat if he successfully reaches the shore.

8. Continue to repeat this lesson and increase the distance from the shore each time.

Labrador Retriever training should be a fun experience for both you and your puppy. When you make it fun, you’ll keep your dog’s interest.