At five months old, Buck saw a floating log on his first river trail visit and jumped straight into a swift current after it. He hadn’t learned recall yet, and I ended up sprinting down the bank to pull him out. Labs are easy to train, but they need it early, before their size catches up with their enthusiasm. The best dog training program for a Lab is a reward-based course built by a certified trainer, and Brain Training for Dogs earned my top score.
I’ve re-scored five online courses against the criteria we use for every LabraJoy review. Only three made the cut, and I’ll explain exactly why the other two didn’t.
Quick note: some links on this page may be affiliate links, and LabraJoy may earn a small commission if you sign up. It doesn’t change what I recommend, and it doesn’t cost you anything extra.
The best training programs for Labs at a glance
Here’s how the five courses scored, highest first:
| Program | Format | Best for | LabraJoy score | My take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brain Training for Dogs | Online games and obedience | Bright, bored or mouthy Labs | 8.4 / 10 | The one I’d start with |
| Success Dogs | Short video courses | Pulling and basic manners | 7.9 / 10 | Best for leash walking |
| The Online Dog Trainer | Video library and coaching | Owners who want live help | 7.8 / 10 | Most support, by far |
| Dog Training Depot | 10 video lessons | Not recommended | 5.6 / 10 | Uses corrections |
| Train Pet Dog | Email course and guides | Not recommended | 3.8 / 10 | Outdated, no named trainer |
If you’re only going to try one, start with a reward-based course that has a money-back guarantee, so you can see whether its teaching style suits you before you commit.
How I scored these programs
These courses are researched, not tested at home: I scored them on what each program publishes about its trainer, its methods, its lessons and its guarantee. Scores come from the six weighted training criteria on our review scoring page:
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Reward-based methods | 30% |
| Lab-relevant content | 20% |
| Clarity | 20% |
| Trainer credentials | 15% |
| Support and guarantee | 10% |
| Value | 5% |
Reward-based methods carry the most weight for a reason. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s humane dog training position statement says the evidence supports reward-based methods for all dog training, and recommends against methods that rely on force, pain or discomfort. Any program built on shock, prong or pain-based tools is a dealbreaker for us.
Lab-relevant content comes next. A Lab’s typical problems are pulling on the leash, jumping on people, mouthing, poor recall and counter-surfing, so a course that skips those isn’t much use to a Lab owner.
Brain Training for Dogs (best overall)
LabraJoy score: 8.4 / 10 (researched)
This is the course I’d point any Lab owner to first. It was created by Adrienne Farricelli, a trainer certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), and it’s built on positive reinforcement. The core is a set of 21 brain games, alongside obedience exercises.
Why does that suit a Lab? Most Lab problems come from a smart, high-energy dog with nothing to do. Games that make a dog think, like impulse control and problem-solving exercises, tire out a young Lab in a way a walk alone doesn’t, and a mentally tired Lab is far less likely to chew the kitchen chairs.
The catch is format. It’s a self-guided course, so you won’t get a trainer watching your dog. Check the current price and the refund terms at checkout, since independent sources list different figures.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Reward-based methods | 9 |
| Lab-relevant content | 8 |
| Clarity | 8 |
| Trainer credentials | 9 |
| Support and guarantee | 7 |
| Value | 9 |
What I like:
- Built by a CCPDT-certified trainer
- Brain games that tire out a busy young Lab
- Fully reward-based
What bugs me:
- Self-guided, with no one watching your dog
- Pricing and guarantee details vary between sources, so check before you pay
- Comprehensive Content
- Positive Reinforcement Techniques
- Access Anytime, Anywhere
- Puppy to Adult Training
- Cognitive Focus
- Self-Discipline Required
- Depth of Information
- Lack of Social Interaction
Success Dogs (best for leash walking)
LabraJoy score: 7.9 / 10 (researched)
Success Dogs is a set of short online video courses founded by Jean Cote, who also built the Dog Trick Academy. The methods are reward-based, using luring, capturing and shaping, and the site says it uses no physical punishment. Lessons are designed to take a few minutes a day, which suits most busy households.
For a Lab owner, the standout is the Walk In Harmony course: 32 video lessons on loose-leash walking, built around attention, self-control and leash manners. If your Lab drags you down the street, that’s the course to buy. The Good Dog Every Day course (25 lessons) covers puppy basics, and the Superhero course (37 lessons) is all tricks. Each course has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The weak spot is credentials. Jean Cote is open about learning mostly through classes and trial and error with his own dogs, and the site lists no formal certification.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Reward-based methods | 9 |
| Lab-relevant content | 8 |
| Clarity | 8 |
| Trainer credentials | 5 |
| Support and guarantee | 8 |
| Value | 9 |
What I like:
- A whole course on loose-leash walking, the number one Lab problem
- Short daily lessons that are easy to stick to
- 30-day money-back guarantee
What bugs me:
- No formal trainer certification listed
- You buy each course separately
- Online Platform
- Affordability
- Relationship Focus
- Specialized Puppy Program
- Reputation
- Online Limitations
- Self-Discipline Required
- Lack of Specific Methodology Details
The Online Dog Trainer (best for live support)
LabraJoy score: 7.8 / 10 (researched)
The Online Dog Trainer is run by Doggy Dan, a trainer who’s worked with dogs in the UK, the US, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The site says the program never uses force, fear, shock collars or prong collars. It’s big: more than 300 videos, a Puppy Coach section covering potty and crate training, and courses on barking, jumping, leash pulling and aggression.
Its real strength is support. The Canine Coaching Club tier adds live weekly coaching and consults, which is the closest thing here to having a trainer on call. For a Lab with a stubborn problem, that’s worth a lot.
Two things hold the score back. The program is framed around “leadership” and avoids food rewards, and Dan’s certification is in the Amichien Bonding method rather than a credential like the CCPDT’s. It’s gentle, but it isn’t the reward-based approach most vets now recommend. It’s also a subscription, so the cost keeps running.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Reward-based methods | 7 |
| Lab-relevant content | 9 |
| Clarity | 8 |
| Trainer credentials | 7 |
| Support and guarantee | 9 |
| Value | 7 |
What I like:
- Huge library covering most Lab problems
- Live coaching on the higher tier
- No shock or prong collars
What bugs me:
- Leadership framing, and little use of food rewards
- Ongoing subscription cost
- Online Accessibility
- Gentle Training Techniques
- Affordability
- Emphasis on Consistency
- Online Only
- Self-Discipline Required
Two programs I no longer recommend
Both of these appeared in an older version of this guide. When I re-checked them against our criteria, neither made the cut, and I’d rather tell you why than quietly drop them.
Dog Training Depot
LabraJoy score: 5.6 / 10 (researched, not recommended)
This is a 10-lesson video course for dogs over six months, covering loose-leash walking, recall, sit, down, stay and greetings. The topics suit a Lab well. The problem is the method: the site describes “balancing both positive reinforcement and fair, well-timed corrections”, without saying what those corrections involve. It doesn’t name its trainer or list credentials either, and the older version of this guide described features (a “Canine Coach” module) that the current site doesn’t mention.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Reward-based methods | 4 |
| Lab-relevant content | 8 |
| Clarity | 7 |
| Trainer credentials | 4 |
| Support and guarantee | 6 |
| Value | 4 |
What I like:
- Covers the right Lab topics, including recall and greetings
What bugs me:
- Uses corrections, with no detail on what they are
- No named trainer and no guarantee listed
- Holistic Approach
- Canine Coach
- Access to Expert Knowledge
- Customer Testimonials
- Flexibility
- Limited Personal Interaction
- Potential Learning Curve
- Dependent on Owner Commitment
- No Free Course Trial
Train Pet Dog
LabraJoy score: 3.8 / 10 (researched, not recommended)
The older version of this guide credited this course to a trainer named Nancy Richards and promised results in 17 days. Neither appears on the current site. What’s there is a free email mini-course, manuals and an online library, with no named trainer, a copyright notice dating back to 2007 and advice about being the “pack leader or Alpha Dog”, which is the dominance thinking modern behavior science has moved away from.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Reward-based methods | 4 |
| Lab-relevant content | 5 |
| Clarity | 4 |
| Trainer credentials | 2 |
| Support and guarantee | 3 |
| Value | 4 |
What bugs me:
- No named trainer or credentials
- Outdated dominance language
- The details in our old review no longer match the site
- Comprehensive Coverage
- Interactive Learning
- Personalized Support
- Depth of Content
How to choose a training program for your Lab
Start with your dog. A 10-week-old puppy needs house training, bite inhibition and crate training. A 10-month-old needs impulse control and leash manners. An adult rescue may need help with one specific problem. My step-by-step guide to training a Labrador covers the order I’d teach things in.
Then check these before you pay:
- That the course is reward-based and never uses shock, prong or choke collars
- Who the trainer is, and whether they hold a recognized certification
- That it covers pulling, jumping, mouthing and recall
- Whether there’s a money-back guarantee
- Whether you can get help when you’re stuck, by email, community or live coaching
Here’s how the main training options compare:
| Option | Good for | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Self-guided online course | Motivated owners, tight budgets | No one sees your dog |
| Online course with coaching | Specific problems, first-time owners | Higher, often ongoing cost |
| Group class | Puppies, socialization around other dogs | Fixed times, distractions |
| Private trainer | Serious problems like reactivity | The most expensive option |
Free content is a fine place to start too. Zak George’s reward-based training videos cover a lot of the basics, and Fenzi Dog Sports Academy runs online classes for owners who want to go further, from manners to dog sports.
Online course or a real trainer?
Online courses work well for most Labs, because most Lab problems are about manners and energy, not deep behavior issues. You can learn at your own pace and practice in the place your dog actually misbehaves: your kitchen, your hallway, your street.
A real trainer is worth it in a few cases. If your Lab shows aggression, serious fear, or a problem that’s getting worse despite consistent training, get hands-on help. The CCPDT’s certified trainer directory is a good way to find someone with a recognized, reward-based credential near you.
Group puppy classes are worth doing regardless of which course you buy. A Lab puppy needs to meet other dogs and people in a controlled setting, and a course on a screen can’t give him that.
What a Lab should learn first
Labs are bright and eager, which is why Labradors are easy to train compared with many breeds. They’re also big, strong and food-driven, so a few skills matter more than others:
- Recall, because a Lab who won’t come back near water or a road is in danger
- Loose-leash walking, before he’s strong enough to pull you over
- Leave it, for the food, socks and dead things a Lab will find
- Calm greetings, so he doesn’t knock over visitors
- Settling on a bed or in a crate when the house is busy
Recall is the one I’d start on first. That river scare with Buck is the reason I’d urge every owner to work on it before a Lab gets anywhere near open water.
Mouthing and puppy biting also need early work. My guide to teaching bite inhibition covers how to do it without punishment.
Why reward-based training works for Labs
Labs were bred to work with people for food and praise, and that makes positive reinforcement a natural fit. Reward the behavior you want, the dog repeats it, and you build a dog who wants to work with you rather than one who’s waiting to be corrected.
Based on my research, punishment-based methods carry real risks for a breed this sensitive and this strong. Fear and stress can make problems like pulling, jumping and reactivity worse, not better, which is the same conclusion the AVSAB statement reaches.
A few habits make any course work better:
- Keep sessions short, five to ten minutes, a few times a day
- Use small, soft treats, and count them in the daily food allowance
- Practice in easy places first, then add distractions
- End every session on a success
A tired Lab learns better too. Training goes much more smoothly after a walk than before one, and a well-chosen chew toy gives him somewhere to put that energy afterwards.
If your Lab is anxious rather than unruly, my guide on how to calm an anxious Labrador is a better starting point than an obedience course.
A simple first month with a new Lab
Whichever course you choose, the first few weeks set the tone. From my experience, owners who try to teach everything at once end up with a confused puppy and a frustrated household, so I’d spread it out like this:
| Week | Focus | Why it matters for a Lab |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Name, crate, house training routine | A predictable routine makes everything else easier |
| 2 | Sit, down, gentle handling, swapping toys for treats | Builds the habit of working for food instead of grabbing |
| 3 | Recall in the house and yard, leave it | The two skills that keep a Lab safe |
| 4 | First leash walks, calm greetings | Before he’s big enough to pull you over |
Keep each skill short and fun, and don’t move on until the last one is easy. Four or five short sessions a day beat one long one, and a Lab puppy’s attention span is shorter than his appetite suggests.
Expect setbacks around six to twelve months. That’s adolescence, and plenty of Labs who were perfect puppies suddenly forget their recall and rediscover jumping. It’s normal, and it passes. Go back a step, make the rewards better, and keep sessions in easy places for a while. This is also when an online course with coaching earns its money, because a trainer can spot what’s slipping before it becomes a habit.
Crate training belongs in that first month too. I think every Lab puppy should be crate trained: it speeds up house training, keeps him away from things he shouldn’t chew when you can’t watch him, and makes vet visits and travel less stressful later. If you haven’t picked a crate yet, check what size crate a Labrador needs before you buy one he’ll outgrow in a month.
FAQ
What is the best online dog training program for a Lab?
Brain Training for Dogs scored highest in my review, at 8.4 out of 10. It’s built by a CCPDT-certified trainer, it’s fully reward-based, and its brain games suit a busy, intelligent young Lab. Success Dogs is the better pick if leash pulling is your main problem.
At what age should I start training my Lab?
Start the day your puppy comes home, usually around 8 weeks. Short, fun sessions on name recognition, sit, house training and gentle handling work well at that age. Formal leash and recall work can build from there as he grows.
Are online dog training courses worth it?
For most Labs, yes. Most Lab problems are manners and energy, which online courses handle well. Choose a reward-based course with a money-back guarantee, and get a hands-on trainer for aggression, serious fear or problems that are getting worse.
How long does it take to train a Labrador?
Basic manners usually take a few months of short daily practice, but training never really stops. Most Labs are fully reliable on recall and leash walking somewhere between one and two years old, once adolescence has passed.
Should I use a shock or prong collar on my Lab?
No. Veterinary behavior organizations recommend against force- and pain-based tools, and a Lab responds very well to food and praise. For pulling, a front-clip harness and a good loose-leash walking course are kinder and work better.
My final word
The program matters less than the five minutes you put in every day. Pick a reward-based course from a trainer you trust, start with recall, and keep it fun. Buck still chases dock bumpers into freezing water at nine, so I’m glad recall was the first thing we worked on, and it’s the skill I’d want every Lab to have.
