Question:  What is the best way to get my golden retriever  to greet people calmly ?

Answer:

He needs a very strong “sit-stay” for this. Basically you put him on a sit-stay and do NOT allow anyone to pet him unless he is in the sitting position. The petting becomes the reward. You will need to work with some friends that have the patience to wait until he “gets it” the first few times. Just keep saying “sit” very firmly, then after he is sitting say “stay”. Then allow your friend to take a few steps toward him. As soon as he breaks the sit, the friend must step backwards 2-3 steps. So every time he breaks the sit, the person he is so eager to meet moves farther away. As long as he stays sitting, the friend may advance, s-l-o-w-l-y, 2-3 steps at a time, until they are right in front of him. Then say “stay” again, and allow the friend to pet him and everyone tell him what a wonderful boy he is. <Grin>

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Training Tuesdays is a new section on goldens.com. Every Tuesday, I will post a new training tip.

In the beginning, they are mostly tips that I have accumulated. As time passes, it is my intentions that we will take questions from readers.