This is Bou Bou, the 14 week old Golden Retreiver puppy. These are our first few moments upon arrival at my house. Notice the things we start right away are not verbal cues. I am simply waiting to see if she offers me any good/desirable behaviors, and marking (offering a treat) whenever she does something desirable.
The first thing we work on is threshold manners upon exiting the crate. Her reward is getting out of the crate, because that's what she wants in the moment. So, I give her what she wants when she offers me what I want, and so begins our rewards-based system of training. Now, the consequence to rushing the door is that the door will get shut, and she's not allowed out if she's coming out in anything other than a calm state of mind. Particularly look for me allowing her out of the crate when she gets distracted/bored with the game. This tells me that she's okay with being in the crate, because she's exploring it, even when the option to get out is apparent.
Next, notice how she throws herself at the end of the leash on her harness, and watch that dynamic change when I put her on a regular collar.
Finally, I'm trying to keep everything positive, light, and upbeat. I do not correct her too much or too harshly for puppy shenanigans, as she is used to getting attention from exhibiting these behaviors. I have to be able show her what I want before I can tell her what I don't want.
Bou Bou went inside after this and fussed in her crate because of her separation anxiety, but ultimately passed out for about 2 hours after this. Way to go nugget!
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