loyalty

Question
My 4 month old male golden retriever is very friendly towards new people,may be a little too friendly.He would sway his body and wag his tail and do the works to show that he is happy to see them.But we the owners,people that are with him all the time do not get such warm greetings when he sees us after a period of time.My 9 yr old daughter is especially very upset to see her friends getting a warmer welcome than herself.Any suggestions?Thanks so much.

Answer
Familiarity breed contempt?  Perhaps you should have gotten a shepherd instead of a Golden?  I am not sure what to suggest.  Maybe try some of these exercises:

''Elevation for small puppies:  Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up.  He is facing you.  Hold him for 15 seconds.  Repeat until he no longer struggles.  If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.  

Cradling for small puppies:  Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby.  If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds.  With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.

Quiet lying down:  Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you.  Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position.  When he is quiet, praise him.  Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position.  When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''

The quotes mean this isn't my original work.  It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual.  I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective.  You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too.  Helps bonding.  There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly.  The latter cements your place as pack leader.

They are partly about leadership, but also bonding.  Dogs want to please a strong leader.