Training Our Lab Puppy

Question
I have a 9 week old lab/retriever that I brought home from a breeder. I'm having a hard time training her to listen to commands. She's starting to understand what "No" means but I'm still not getting her to listen to me 100%. When I take her for walks, she doesn't come when I command her to "come".  In fact I have a hard time getting her attention altogether because she's distracted by twigs and leaves in the grass.  She then lays in the grass and when I command her to come and get lower to the ground on her level, she just stares at me.  What do I do?

Also, I'm having a hard time walking her on a leash.  I attach the leash to her collar and when I pull on her to start walking, she remains stationary and gives equal tug in the opposite direction.  Any advice besides giving her tush a push because that's not really working either.  Thank you.

Answer
Hello Anthony and congrats on the new puppy.

A 9 week old lab puppy or 9 week old puppy of any breed is going to have a very short attention span something like a 2 year old child....intrested in one thing one minute and talking about something complelety oppisite in another five minutes lol. By 12 weeks the puppy's attention span will be better but this is no reason why you cant try training her now, i reccomend a pupyp obediance course to anyone with a larger dog such as a Labrador retreiver i never took my dog when she was a pup and really paid for it...she can only be walked with a Gentle leader head collar and wont stop barking unless I go call her grab her collar and bring her in lol but other then that shes good but I wish she would come/sit and stay but she was never trained so that is my fault. If your puppy isnt listening during walks and it sounds like she isnt try one of the Gentle leader head collars:

http://www.gentleleader.com/pages.cfm?id=19

they are safer then chokers or prone collars or shock training collars and are easy to put on take off and I give this product 10/10 my lab gives it 1 paw because it itches her nose but other then that shes doesnt mind it. I am fairly sure thre safe for puppies but since i offered the link you can check that out....this will work for basic training/advanced training and for just walking. Some people thin this is a muzzel its not the dog can pant/drink/eat and bark/growl/bite with this when its properly fitted its just a training aid not a bite prohibiter. You attach a normal nylon or leather leash to this just as you would a collar...it works well because when teh dog is trying to walk the other way or turns away distracted by something else a light pull and the dog is staring right at you which gives you the quick glance to show the dog your the boss and it must focus its attention on you. 'Come can be difficult as I stated earlier My lab doesnt come when she barking at someone through the back fence but open the door and call her in and she comes running when shes not distracted and if shes in the other room I can call her and she comes fine. You want to take your dog in your back yard or other area she can run free safelty in...grab her favorite toy be it a tug toys/squeaky toy or ball grab it  once she is distracted with something else in the area which shouldnt take long! whisle/click your tounge/clap your hands Or snap your fingers calling your dogs name and saying Come show the toy once shes looking at you squeak it wiggle it whatever to get you running to you use an excited voice for her whenshe starting running towards you when she gets tehre say good(Dogs name) good Come...play with her with teh toy for a few minuts or just make a big fuss about her coming to you by rubbing her head and ears and using that higher pitched voice again. If you repete this two or three times a sesion 2 or 3 times a day your puppy will be coming in no time since wehn the puppy comes she gets a reward...play with you...i cant reccomend giving treats everytime she coems as she will want that all the time and may not come if she doesnt smell that treat!  You can also put the puppy on a long 10 foot or so leash...it msut be long none the less...let her go the full way out and then call her telling her to coem whiel pulling the leash in if she doesnt come to you at first this works well too or so I've heard I've enver tryed this one personaly. Best of luckw tih your new little girl shes sure to be a great buddy to have around.