Lexi is a four-month-old golden retriever. Her owners are being proactive with her so she will become a well adjusted companion, and she has started learning that following commands and looking to humans for direction is fun and rewarding.
It is important to frequently reward puppies like Lexi with food, praise, or toys for looking at their owners. This teaches them to "ask" instead of impulsively reacting to their environments. Her owners have also learned to reward her for remaining calm and friendly while excited or under stress. We have been gradually and repeatedly exposing Lexi to traffic, loud noises, and children so that she can learn to behave appropriately in these environments.
Puppies are very impressionable. Owners that hire a trainer to teach them and train their puppy avoid so that many of the common problems people experience with their dogs.