5 Easy Tips to Teach Your Golden Retriever Basic Manners

Last week, my golden retriever decided that my living room couch would make an excellent trampoline—while I was hosting my boss for dinner. As mashed potatoes flew through the air and wine glasses toppled, I realized that my dogs charm couldn’t always compensate for his enthusiastic lack of manners.

That night, after my boss left (with potato-speckled pants and a promise to “do lunch sometime”), I made a commitment to transform my lovable but chaotic companion into the well-mannered dog I knew he could be.

Training a golden retriever doesn’t require professional expertise or military-grade discipline. These intelligent, eager-to-please dogs respond beautifully to consistent, positive training methods.

Whether you’ve just welcomed a golden puppy into your home or are trying to teach an old dog new manners, these five straightforward tips will help you build a foundation of good behavior that will make life more enjoyable for both of you.

1) Establish a Consistent “Sit-Stay” Command

The “sit-stay” command is the cornerstone of canine good manners and arguably the most important skill for your golden retriever to master. This fundamental command establishes you as the pack leader and teaches your dog impulse control—a critical skill for a breed known for its enthusiasm.

Start with the basics: Find a quiet area with minimal distractions. Hold a treat close to your golden’s nose, then move your hand up and back. As their head follows the treat, their bottom will naturally lower. As soon as they sit, say “sit,” give the treat, and offer enthusiastic praise.

Add duration gradually: Once your golden can sit reliably, work on the “stay” portion. With your dog sitting, hold your hand up like a stop sign, say “stay,” and take one step back. If they remain sitting, immediately return, reward, and praise. If they get up, simply start over without scolding.

Build distance and distractions: Gradually increase the time and distance between you and your golden while they maintain the sit-stay position. Only when they’re consistently successful should you begin practicing in more distracting environments, like your yard or a quiet park.

Use real-life scenarios: Practice the sit-stay command before meals, before going outside, when greeting visitors, or when approaching street crossings. These practical applications reinforce that good manners lead to good things.

Be consistent with your cues: Make sure everyone in your household uses the exact same verbal commands and hand signals. Goldens thrive on consistency and can become confused if family members use different training approaches.

Troubleshooting Common Sit-Stay Issues

• For the wiggly puppy: Keep initial sit-stay sessions under 30 seconds, gradually building duration as your puppy matures.
• For the distracted dog: If your golden breaks the stay consistently, you’ve likely progressed too quickly. Return to a less distracting environment and shorter durations.
• For the treat-focused dog: Begin phasing out treats by rewarding intermittently, replacing some treats with verbal praise and petting.

2) Teach Polite Greetings with No Jumping

Golden retrievers are famously friendly, but their enthusiastic greetings can knock over children, elderly visitors, or anyone unprepared for 70 pounds of joyful fur launching at them. Teaching polite greetings is essential for a well-mannered golden.

Ignore jumping completely: The moment your golden’s paws leave the ground, turn away immediately and withdraw all attention. Do not speak, touch, or make eye contact. Attention—even negative attention—rewards jumping behavior.

Reward “four on the floor”: When your golden has all four paws on the ground, immediately offer calm praise and gentle petting. This teaches them that calm behavior gets the attention they crave.

Practice with helpers: Enlist friends to help with training sessions. Have them enter, ignore any jumping, and reward calm behavior. Multiple practice sessions with different people will help your golden generalize this lesson.

Create a replacement behavior: Teach your golden an alternative greeting behavior, such as sitting or bringing a toy. When someone arrives, prompt this behavior before jumping starts.

Be patient and consistent: Jumping is self-rewarding for dogs, so this habit may take longer to break than other behaviors. Every member of the household must follow the same rules for this training to succeed.

Training Exercise: The Door Greeting Protocol

1. Have a helper stand outside your door
2. Place your golden on a leash
3. Ask them to sit before opening the door
4. Open the door just a crack—if your dog breaks the sit, close the door immediately
5. Repeat until your dog remains sitting when the door opens
6. Gradually increase the door opening and eventually allow the visitor to enter
7. Reward calm behavior generously

3) Master Leash Manners for Enjoyable Walks

A golden retriever pulling on the leash can turn a pleasant walk into an arm-wrenching ordeal. Teaching proper leash manners not only makes walks more enjoyable but also ensures your dog’s safety in public spaces.

Start with the right equipment: Choose a 4-6 foot leash (not retractable) and either a front-clip harness or head halter for training purposes. These tools give you better control without causing discomfort.

Establish a “heel” position: Your golden should walk beside you with their shoulder approximately level with your leg. Use treats held at your side to guide them into this position initially.

Implement the “stop and reverse” technique: When your golden begins to pull, immediately stop walking. If they continue pulling, calmly turn and walk in the opposite direction. This teaches them that pulling achieves the opposite of their goal—forward movement.

Reward proper position frequently: During early training walks, reward your golden frequently for walking in the correct position. As they improve, gradually reduce treats while maintaining verbal praise.

Practice in progressive environments: Begin leash training in your yard or a quiet area, then gradually move to more stimulating environments as your dog’s skills improve.

4) Develop Reliable Recall for Safety and Freedom

Few things are more important (or impressive) than a golden retriever who comes when called—every time, under any circumstances. A solid recall command gives your dog greater freedom while keeping them safe in potentially dangerous situations.

Choose a distinct recall word: Select a specific word or short phrase (like “come” or “here, pup”) that you’ll use exclusively for recall. Avoid words that come up frequently in conversation.

Start in distraction-free environments: Begin recall training indoors, in a hallway or between two people. Use an enthusiastic, high-pitched voice that communicates excitement.

Make coming to you the best choice: When your golden responds to your recall command, reward them lavishly with high-value treats, excited praise, and physical affection. Coming to you should always result in something wonderful.

Never punish after recall: Even if your golden has been ignoring you for five minutes, always reward them when they finally come. Punishment after recall teaches dogs that coming to you leads to negative consequences.

Practice the “recall game”: Randomly call your golden throughout the day, reward them generously, then release them to continue whatever they were doing. This prevents them from associating recall only with the end of fun activities.

Advanced Recall Training Techniques

• The “restrained recall”: Have someone gently hold your golden while you walk away, call them excitedly, then reward them lavishly when they reach you.
• The “hidden owner”: In a safe, enclosed area, hide from your golden and call them, making them search for you. This builds motivation to find you.
• The “recall chain”: Have multiple family members call the dog back and forth, rewarding after each successful recall.
• The “emergency recall”: Train a separate, rarely used recall command with extraordinary rewards (like chicken or steak) specifically for dangerous situations.

5) Teach Impulse Control Around Food and Belongings

Golden retrievers are notorious for their food motivation and tendency to grab interesting items. Teaching impulse control prevents counter-surfing, garbage-raiding, and the dangerous ingestion of non-food items.

Start with basic “leave it” training: Hold a low-value treat in your closed fist. When your golden stops trying to get it and backs away, say “leave it” and reward with a higher-value treat from your other hand. This teaches them that restraint leads to better rewards.

Practice “wait” before meals: Have your golden sit while you prepare their food. Place the bowl on the floor but don’t allow them to approach until you give a release word. Gradually increase the waiting time.

Create boundary training: Teach your golden invisible boundaries around areas like the kitchen or dining table. Use a specific command like “place” to direct them to their bed or mat during meal preparation or family dinners.

Implement the “exchange game”: If your golden picks up something inappropriate, offer a high-value treat in exchange rather than chasing or scolding them. This prevents resource guarding and teaches them to willingly surrender items.

Practice with tempting scenarios: Gradually set up controlled situations with food or interesting items at dog level. Reward your golden for showing restraint and responding to “leave it” commands.

Building Impulse Control Through Games

1. The “Treat on Paw” Game: Place a treat on your dog’s paw and only allow them to take it on your command
2. The “Tug-and-Release” Game: During tug play, periodically say “drop it” and reward compliance with resumption of the game
3. The “Wait at Doorways” Game: Have your golden wait as you open doors, only crossing thresholds when given permission
4. The “Zen Bowl” Game: Place treats in a bowl on the floor, only allowing access when given a release word

By implementing these five foundational training tips consistently, you’ll develop a golden retriever with manners that match their naturally sweet temperament. Remember that training is an ongoing process that builds your relationship while creating a well-behaved companion. Each training session, even brief ones, strengthens the communication between you and your golden, resulting in a happier household for everyone—including future dinner guests who won’t need to dodge flying mashed potatoes.