Labrador Training Articles Archives - The Labrador Site

Should You Teach Your Dog To Ring A Bell To Be Let Out?

Pippa Mattinson — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:20:50 +0000

It sounds like a brilliant idea doesn’t it! Instead of having to remember to let your dog out at intervals throughout the day, why not teach them to ring a bell, or press a buzzer to let you know that they need the bathroom? This can be especially appealing with a new puppy or with...

The post Should You Teach Your Dog To Ring A Bell To Be Let Out? appeared first on The Labrador Site.

7 Awesome Reasons To Play Fetch With Your Dog

Pippa Mattinson — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:41:17 +0000

A well designed fetch training program does so much more than simply teach your dog to retrieve. Here are just a few of the benefits. #1 You’ll Be More Important To Your Dog When a human is the center of their dog’s world, the possibilities for further training and teamwork are endless. The best students...

The post 7 Awesome Reasons To Play Fetch With Your Dog appeared first on The Labrador Site.

6 Effective Ways To Teach A Dog NOT To Jump On People

Pippa Mattinson — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 16:06:52 +0000

I have written a big guide to training a dog not to jump up. It has plenty of detailed explanation, some videos and step by step instructions for my preferred method. You can check it out when you have twenty minutes to spare. This page is a bit different. What we are going to do...

The post 6 Effective Ways To Teach A Dog NOT To Jump On People appeared first on The Labrador Site.

Introducing ‘Fetch’ – Force-Free Retrieving for Every Dog

Pippa Mattinson — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:10:20 +0000

As dog owners, we all benefit from the joy and energy our beloved companions bring into our lives. Especially the joy part. Sometimes the ‘energy’ part can be a bit much! But what if there was a way to channel that energy, without squashing the joy? And what if that way also kept our dogs...

The post Introducing ‘Fetch’ – Force-Free Retrieving for Every Dog appeared first on The Labrador Site.

Paws Off My Stuff! (Or How To Stop Your Dog Stealing!)

Pippa Mattinson — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 13:15:55 +0000

Fed up with your dog stealing your shoes, your kid’s toys, food from the table, and anything else they can grab or lay their paws on? You are not alone! And I’m going to show you how to help your dog turn over a new leaf and stop stealing your stuff. And we’ll have a special...

The post Paws Off My Stuff! (Or How To Stop Your Dog Stealing!) appeared first on The Labrador Site.

How To Get Your Dog Into A Harness Without A Fight: Mini-Course And Video

Pippa Mattinson — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:16:52 +0000

Modern dog trainers are increasingly recommending harnesses over dog collars for puppies and adult dogs alike. I recommend a body harness for most of my students’ dogs. And I’m going to show you how to get your dog into and out of their harness, using a few simple games. I’ll also give you some tips...

The post How To Get Your Dog Into A Harness Without A Fight: Mini-Course And Video appeared first on The Labrador Site.

Dog Shock Collar Training: Is It Worth It?

Liz London — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:17:00 +0000

Training a well-behaved dog can be hard. Training a dog to mind his manners even when he’s off his leash is even harder. So, you might think that training a highly motivated, high energy, high prey drive dog to leave other animals alone while off his leash is downright impossible. It’s so tempting to go...

The post Dog Shock Collar Training: Is It Worth It? appeared first on The Labrador Site.

Clicker Training Fetch – Teaching The Clicker Retrieve

Elsa Blomster — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:28:00 +0000

I’m Elsa Blomster, a postitive reinforcement dog training expert. And today I’m really excited to tell you about how I clicker train fetch. Because retrieving using the clicker philosophy means that we put the spotlight on the correct behavior, rather than upsetting and confusing our dogs by punishing behaviors we didn’t want to see. My...

The post Clicker Training Fetch – Teaching The Clicker Retrieve appeared first on The Labrador Site.

Trick Training: A Fun Activity To Share With Your Lab

Pippa Mattinson — Sat, 11 May 2024 08:43:00 +0000

Some people look down their noses at those that teach their dogs tricks. I know because I used to be one of them. Not any longer I used to think it undignified and pointless teaching dogs to ‘ape’ humans with a handshake, or roll on their backs on command. I now understand that there is...

The post Trick Training: A Fun Activity To Share With Your Lab appeared first on The Labrador Site.

Should you send your Labrador away to be trained?

Pippa Mattinson — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:17:00 +0000

I understand how tempting it can be, especially if you are struggling with your Labrador, to send them away to ‘boarding school’ and let someone else solve your problem for you. For most people sending the dog away to be trained is not a decision they take lightly. And people who ask my advice on making that decision have...

The post Should you send your Labrador away to be trained? appeared first on The Labrador Site.