Harvey | Golden Retriever | Playa Del Rey, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
Meet Harvey!
Harvey is a one-year-old Golden Retriever from Playa del Rey, and he has just joined us for our Two-Week Community Board & Train Program. This handsome young man brings with him a wonderful temperament, a loving heart, and an impressive level of enthusiasm for… well, everyone.
Harvey has been described as getting a bit overexcited when greeting both people and dogs. While his intentions are entirely sweet—he truly believes every stranger is simply a friend he hasn’t met yet—his exuberance can sometimes be misinterpreted. In moments of excitement, he tends to forget to tune in to his family, which has made his recall less reliable than we’d like. When there are new friends nearby, “come” can occasionally sound optional in Harvey’s world.
Over the next two weeks, we will focus on strengthening Harvey’s off-leash obedience, improving his recall, and refining his house manners. Our goal is to help him channel that joyful energy into calm, controlled behaviors and polite greetings. With structure, consistency, and clear communication, we are confident Harvey will learn that good manners don’t diminish his personality—they simply help it shine in the right way.
We are especially excited to support him on his journey toward becoming a therapy dog. With the right foundation, this affectionate and social boy has all the potential to make a meaningful impact. Stay tuned as we guide Harvey toward becoming the well-mannered gentleman we know he can be.
2/15/2026
Today Harvey and I kicked off his training journey with a nice walk at the park—our official first introduction and the perfect opportunity for me to see what he already knows (and what we’ll be polishing up over the next two weeks).
Right away, Mr. Enthusiasm made it clear that he is a strong, confident boy who fully believed he would be the one taking me for a walk. Saying hello to every person within eyesight was high on his priority list. So, we started at a comfortable distance from distractions and introduced the Heel command. Once he realized that pulling ahead and dragging me toward new friends wasn’t the assignment, we began to see some really nice changes.
After he settled a bit and started walking more politely, we bravely moved closer to people. With a few well-timed “off” corrections, Harvey began to understand that launching himself at new friends wasn’t an option. And to his credit, he adjusted. By the end of our walk, he was heeling nicely and choosing to stay with me instead of scouting the crowd for his next best buddy. Huge win for day one!
Loading up afterward came with a brief negotiation about the crate—he wasn’t entirely convinced it was part of the plan—but with some encouragement, he hopped in like a champ.
Once we got back to my house, Harvey wasted no time conducting a full property inspection. He seems very pleased with his home away from home for the next two weeks. The only thing he’s still forming an opinion about? The cats.
At first, he was certain they were new playmates and rushed in with his usual golden retriever optimism. The cats, however, did not share his enthusiasm. After some protesting from them (and one very clear paw-to-nose reminder), Harvey looked at me in genuine confusion. I gave him a “leave it,” and he listened—another great moment of responsiveness. I’m confident he’ll learn their boundaries just like he’s starting to learn everyone else’s.
Harvey is truly just a big, goofy, sweet boy who wants to love the world. We’re already channeling that enthusiasm into better choices, and he’s picking things up quickly. I’m excited to see how much he grows over the next two weeks!
2/16/2026
Today Harvey and I took shelter inside Home Depot to stay dry and turn a rainy day into a productive training session. If you’ve ever stepped foot in there, you know it’s full of exciting distractions — loud forklifts, rolling carts, and plenty of friendly strangers. And according to Harvey, every single one of those strangers arrived solely to meet him and become his new best friend.
When we first walked in, Harvey was ready to hand out hugs and kisses to the entire store. So we got right to work on reminding him that heel was the name of the game. Each time he assumed someone needed a golden retriever greeting committee, I simply told him “off” and redirected him back into position. With consistency and guidance, he began to settle and focus.
Today we also introduced the e-collar to his training while continuing to work on heel and his come to sit command. For Harvey, “come to sit” means coming around my right side and finishing in a sit on my left. While we didn’t perfect the maneuver just yet, I can confidently say he’s starting to understand the mechanics of it. What I love most about Harvey (aside from his happy-go-lucky personality) is how well he responds to corrections and guidance. He doesn’t argue — he learns. That’s a wonderful quality to have in a young dog.
We even dipped our toes into the down command, and he handled it like a pro. No complaints there!
By the time we left the store, Harvey was doing significantly better about keeping all four paws to himself. He was even able to calm down enough to politely accept some pets from a gentleman without launching into full celebration mode. Big win!
All in all, Harvey put in some solid work today. I’m very proud of the progress he’s already making — he’s a smart boy with a big heart, and he’s learning how to channel that enthusiasm in the right direction. Keep it up, Harvey! 🦮💛
2/17/2026
Today Harvey and I took another field trip to The Home Depot to continue polishing up his commands around real-world distractions. And of course, upon arrival, Harvey was convinced the entire store had shown up specifically to see him. His initial plan? Greet every single person with full-contact bear hugs.
With a swift “off,” he was reminded that unsolicited affection was not on today’s agenda. Once that expectation was made clear, he settled into a very nice heel. When he chooses to focus, he really does look handsome and put-together strolling through the aisles.
His come to sit is heading in the right direction as well. He’s definitely picking up on the mechanics and understanding where he needs to be. That said, he still likes to sprinkle in a little protest now and then—because in Harvey’s world, why can’t he just do as he pleases? (His thoughts, not mine.) With consistency, though, he’s starting to realize that cooperation is much easier than debating the rules.
We also began adding distance and duration to his sit and down, turning them into extended sit and extended down. So far, he’s doing very well with staying put, and we absolutely love to see that steadiness developing.
At home, we’re working heavily on his foraging hobby—specifically his love of collecting rocks in the yard and initiating an enthusiastic game of keep-away. Using the e-collar and the command “leave it,” he begrudgingly releases his prized treasures. He may not love giving them up, but he understands the assignment. Smart boy.
All in all, this big goofball is making solid progress, and I’m very proud of him. After all the hard work, we wrapped up the day the best way possible: cozy cuddles in the living room and a movie. Training balanced with snuggles—that’s the Harvey way. 🛋️✨
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