This excitability and energy comes from the fact that golden retrievers were bred as work dogs. The “retriever” name comes from their bloodline being meant to help hunters get back their catch when they go out hunting. This means that they will be very hyperactive and energetic. If you want to own one, you will need to be able to calm them down from their usual state.

Golden Retriever Problems

Start A Routine

Tire Them Out With Exercise

Teach Them Tricks

Learning to Relax

Teach Them To Be Great Companions

Golden retrievers are a smart and intelligent breed that will give you years of companionship. However, because of their friendliness and high intelligence, golden retrievers also tend to be very excitable and have a lot of energy. Though this is fun, it can get pretty exhausting in the long run.One of the things that you have to remember about your golden retriever is that they require a lot of physical stimulation. They will need to be trained into a particular type of physical activity unless you want them to be unfocused and cause problems for you later on. It would be nice to start them off as puppies but it is also possible to train behavior later in life.Anyway, it is not as if having an overexcited golden retriever is that much of a problem. Tiring them out by playing with them is also a good choice. However, going on a mile-long walk every day is going to get boring.Fortunately, there are different methods to keep their energy levels at manageable levels and get them calmed down. This may take two weeks to a month of intensive training to get them used to new habits.Here are some ways that you can train your golden retriever into being a calm companion in your home.The first thing that you have to remember is that dogs are creatures of habit. If you want them to learn something, you are going to need to teach them by establishing a daily routine. This should involve exercise, obedience training, and free play. This allows them to learn at their own pace and gives them something to look forward to every day.The key factor though is repetition. You just can’t do this routine off and on. You need to be doing it everyday. If you’ve got work or something similar, you need to have someone supervise it and do it for you when you can’t.This can be another member of the family or even a dog sitter. Getting into the habit will develop your golden retriever’s instincts and have the on the way to proper training.For these daily excursions, you will want to start with the basics: exercise. Walking and running with your dog is pretty simple and will allow you to get into decent shape yourself. However, you’ll want to go beyond that. Golden retrievers are very athletic dogs and the running around is easy for them.This is where playing fetch is the next level. As hunting retrievers, this is what the breed is known for – getting things back to their owner. A hearty game of fetch will please them a lot and will also allow their instincts to run free.When outside, golden retrievers should be allowed to socialize with other dogs and people. They are very friendly and can be a joy to be with. Play time will also exercise their mind and body.Finally, golden retrievers love the water. Take them out to a pond or a river and they will enjoy swimming around in it. This is especially so in the hot weather. Take not though of the cleanliness of the water and to dry them out after.After exercise, you should try to teach your dog a few tricks. Obedience training is a very useful thing to do, especially if you want your dog to stay well-behaved in the future. It would also allow your golden retriever to learn a few tricks to impress people with.There are several dog sports that will require them to be obedient and attentive. This mental and physical focus should help exhaust them so that they will be a whole less hyper when they come home. This includes frisbee and flyball. You can even take them dock diving to enjoy a swim. Having them run an obstacle course for speed training is also a good idea.Of course, golden retrievers can also be trained to do a variety of jobs. There is search and rescue training, which is a good thing to know if you have kids who like to wander around. There is also therapy work. Dogs are great therapeutic animals that bring a lot of love into the world. Training them for these jobs can involve additional effort though but they can be worth it.Finally, the benchmark trick that you can teach a golden retriever is prey retrieval. The breed is meant to help hunters so taking them along when you’re bird hunting is a great idea and actually what they are born for. You are going to have to work with a professional trainer though since you’ll want a golden retriever that works with you like a part of a team.After all this effort and training, you will need to teach your dog how to relax. For one, you are going to give them the idea that there is quiet time. This can be done via different ways.One way is to ignore them when they have bad behavior. Golden retrievers love attention so ignoring them makes them feel bad and is punishment enough. But you should also reward calm behavior with attention which teaches them this.Next, teach them there is a specific relaxation time. This ensures that you and your dog will have time to relax. Schedule it properly and every day your dog will be able to relax and calm down.Golden retrievers are lovable dogs. They can even be more lovable if you train them properly. Be patient and put in some effort and you will be rewarded with a loyal companion.