Golden Retriever puppies are very adorable, but even their cute behavior, like jumping onto laps and barking at anything different will get old as they grow up.
They don't stay small for long.
A pup that is twelve pounds at a couple of months will be thirty-five pounds by four months and easily sixty-five pounds by a year of age.
It is best to teach them good habits right from the beginning, as bad habits are much harder to get rid of than to teach good habits from the start.
The best time to determine boundaries with your puppy is before you even bring it into your house.
Will you have any rooms be off limits to the Golden Retriever puppy? Is it allowed to jump into laps or climb on the furniture? It is important to identify early on which things you will allow and disallow, and then be consistent with your puppy so that he isn't confused.
Golden Retriever puppies tend to nip and chew as they play, as they are getting in their adult teeth and mouthing things feels good.
Using a firm voice and removing your hands can discourage it, though.
Instead, give your puppy a rope toy or another interesting chew toy.
Be sure to praise your puppy when he chews on an appropriate toy.
It can also be helpful to not let your puppy out of your sight when he is out of his crate, since they often chew out of curiosity.
Puppies also tend to bark and growl as they play.
This is best to curtail from the start.
Don't bark or growl at your Golden Retriever puppy while you are playing, as that will encourage the behavior.
Along the same lines, some Golden Retrievers smile or talk with a growly sound when they are excited and happy.
While it isn't dangerous, it can be confusing to visitors.
It is also important for your Golden Retriever puppy to not begin to be possessive of its food bowl or toys.
You should be able to take away toys or food without the puppy growling at you.
Training for Golden Retriever puppies is very important.
It is important to teach your puppy to not chew or bite, to not growl and intimidate during play, and to not get growly when a person touches the food bowl or toys.
These behaviors can be taught at home, but another wonderful alternative is to train him at a training facility established for these types of obedience training classes.
Hopefully, the facility has small classes and few distractions, so your puppy can learn quicker.
It is also smartest to use positive reinforcement when your puppy does what he should, using praise and food.
It is not helpful to yell at your dog or use intimidation with him, as your puppy wants you to be happy with him and wants to please you.
The obedience classes are also for the owner's benefit - so you can learn how best to treat your dog, both when they obey and when they don't.