Instructions
Socialize your puppy early on. Labradors are very social dogs and do not like to be alone, so getting them accustomed to you and the household is important.
Begin training your puppy around its eighth week of birth.
Create a space for your puppy to go to the bathroom and lead it to this space when it has to go. This will familiarize it with house-training.
Teach your dog commands early on. Start with teaching the dog its name. Repetition is key here, as dogs recognize repeated words. As it gets older, its capacity for learning expands and you can teach it words like "sit," "lie down," and "stay" by repeatedly making the dog do the action while saying the command in a strong, clear voice.
Set guidelines early to curtail bad behavior. If you don't want the dog on the furniture, make sure to remove it every time it goes there and then discipline it. If you don't want it jumping on you or your kids, discipline it when it does this. Disciplining may simply be using a negative tone, saying "no" and scolding the dog. You can slap a nearby table to associate loud unpleasant noise with its behavior or put the dog outside for a time-out.
Reward your dog when it does as it's told, either with positive words (the dog will recognize your tone) or occasionally with treats. This will reinforce good behavior.
Steps in Training a Labrador Retriever
Training a dog can be an arduous task. If you add a Labrador retriever to your family, you may find it catches on to training more quickly than other breeds; labs are known for their warm and eager temperaments. Because Labradors are group animals that recognize a leader, as a lab's owner, you must assert your dominance over your puppy so it recognizes you as that leader. One way to do this is to occasionally take the dog from whatever it's doing and roll it over on its back. This will establish the dog's subservient position to you.