re: How are there no dog training threads in Flair Chops OB How To's?

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never had a golden and I'm pretty excited about it

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I have an 11y/o Topbrass golden and am on the list for another. Have you worked with labs before? Goldens are pretty similar in a lot of ways but also pretty different. This is all speaking in generalities and there are always exceptions, but dog training used to be a side hobby/hustle of mine and I've worked with a lot of labs and goldens. In any case, insert "generally" into every single sentence here and I'm sure everybody has a lab or golden that contradicts everything I'm about to say.

Goldens are more thoughtful dogs and they have incredibly strong senses of smell, both of which can get them into trouble if they aren't trained at obeying and force at a distance. Emphasis on whistle work and e-collar conditioning unless you have something against that. They are also more biddable, but you have to be careful with them with pressure. They are not as tough as your average lab when it comes to heavy-handed training and too much pressure can really mess them up. A lab is more likely to run through an obstacle, whereas a golden is going to try to figure out a way around it. I have found that positive reinforcement training is a lot more effective with goldens. I probably could have gotten away without forcing my current dog when she was a puppy, but old habits. A golden is more apt to obey a command because it genuinely wants to make you happy, whereas a lab is more apt to do something because of prey drive/training.

Goldens are super social compared to labs and I would echo the earlier posters advice about bringing them everywhere early and often. They are much more apt to greet people and show affection whereas labs are more laissez faire, easy-going type dogs. This is all of course subject to individual personality types (and age), but again, just speaking in generalities.

They are basically labs with long hair and a little different brain chemistry, so you'll be fine. Both (field bred) breeds are highly energetic, hyper focused, cold-tolerant, love retrieving/water, and generally awesome dogs.

Enjoy the process. I can't wait to get a puppy to work with again. Some books/videos I really like: (1) 10 Minute Retriever (Dahl), (2) Finished Dog (Jurney), (3) Fowl Dawgs (Stawski), (4) Mike Lardy's videos. All are great. Even if you aren't planning to hunt the dog a lot, obedience is the foundation of all hunting programs and training can be really fun and rewarding. It can also make you want to put your head through a wall. Most important thing IMO is finding a program that works for you and sticking to it. My program is kind of a combination of the first two books above.