# My trusted friend BIT me



## mdoats

It sounds like, despite the fact that he is three years old, you haven't really done any training with him. Yanking him by the collar is not the way to get your dog to do what you want. If you're willing to hire a trainer and work with your dog, it's definitely worth the effort. If you're not willing to spend the time properly training your dog, it's probably best for your family and for the dog if you rehome him with someone who will train him.


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## mdoats

And why on earth are you posting in other threads that people should hire a professional trainer, when you clearly haven't done it yourself? Is this a serious post or are you just trolling?


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## solinvictus

birdybaby81 wrote at about 12 noon today......."I think it's ridiculous that no one sees this as serious. OF COURSE IT'S SERIOUS THE DOG TRIED TO *BITE* HER! Our pets are someone we love, someone we trust, and when they turn and ATTACK that's not okay. They are the animal, we are the owner, they need to respect the owner. I don't understand why everyone is so quickly to blame the victim, "Oh it's because you pulled on her collar" You should be able to yank that collar and make the dog do whatever you want and the dog should obey you. What if a child touches the dog's collar??? And it goes nuts because in her mind "No one touches my collar". I believe that that dog was testing and it'll be an even harsher attack next time. "


For some reason I think you are attempting to cause trouble on the forum.


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## Jax's Mom

Leaving him in the barn isn't solving anything. Although I am not blaming you for pulling at his collar to get him out of the car (I prob would have done the same, but mine has never growled at me), I hate the thought of him sitting in the barn alone. I think it will just make whatever problem you have, worse. If you are THAT afraid of him, then re-homing him would probably be whats best for him and you. Try to find a rescue in your area that would help. Maybe a more knowledgeable owner, that has worked and trained dogs before would be a better fit for him. I am so sorry Chance and you are going through this, but please don't leave him in the barn.


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## Jersey's Mom

Something to consider is that it is going to be VERY difficult to rehome this dog now that he has a bite history. If you do choose to go this route, you have to be 100% honest with the person taking him and be sure they are committed to training him properly (which is going to take a lot of work and dedication). Otherwise you're as good as giving him a death sentence.

Grabbing a dog by the collar is not the "normal" thing to do, despite the fact that he is a dog and you are his owner. Your dog has been warning you for some time now that he is threatened by this, and by ignoring those escalating warnings you put him in a position where he saw no other solution but to defend himself. The biggest problem I see with your post is this mindset: 


> makes him do something he doesn't want to do


(in the quote, you're referring to your children... but this is exactly what you've been doing by dragging him around by his collar)

The point is not to make him do something he doesn't want to do.... it's to make him want to do what you want him to do. This is done through incremental training that should have been taking place throughout the first 3 years of his life. It will be harder to initiate now, especially as it's clear you dog has little trust in you... but not impossible. My first recommendation is to seek the guidance of a qualified animal behaviorist (not your run of the mill trainer). In your case, it is especially important that you find someone who focuses primarily on positive reinforcement and seeks to use techniques that are Least Aversive, Minimally Invasive (in essence, they refrain from using physical punishment), as it is going to be important to rebuild your relationship with this dog from the ground up. Go out and buy a crate. Immediately teach him to love the crate. Feed him his meals there. Start fun games where he can retriever treats and/or toys from the crate. There's lots of instructions on how to do this online. If you're opposed to using a crate, pick a room in your house where you can shut him away when you leave the house. The same rules will apply for teaching him to love this room (and not see it as a punishment). This will alleviate him darting out the door when you attempt to leave the house and will hopefully minimize issues while you are learning new ways to communicate with him. 

Start making calls now to find someone to help you. As soon as your dog is out of quarantine (or before, if you are allowed to go out to the barn to see him), begin teaching him simple commands such as sit, down, and come using positive reinforcement. Start working with the behaviorist as soon as possible. And tell your children in no uncertain terms that the way things were done in the past were wrong and that you (and they) will no longer be handling the dog in that manner. When you start the training process, get them involved as early as possible so that they can learn the new way. All interactions between your children and your dog should be supervised so that you may make sure old habits don't resurface. 

Best of luck to you. Please keep us updated, and feel free to ask any questions you may have. 

Julie and Jersey


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## lovealways_jami

Leaving him in the barn isnt solving anything. To correct the problems either 1.) Find info on how to properly train Chase .. or .. 2.) Find a trainer to help you. Or rehome if you arent willing to put forth that much effort. I firmly believe dogs are like kids.. they learn what you teach them. If you do not properly train them, then thats what you get.. a dogs who doesn't do what you ask of him/her. Im sorry you are going through this. When I joined this forum it was because I was having trouble with my Male. Since, I not only have had Diesel trained but I now own 2 more well trained dogs. Its well worth it if you have bonded with Chase and your kids have also. BUT if you arent willing to train, maybe cats/hamster would be a better fit for your family.


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## lovealways_jami

Also, if you are in doubt of what to do.. read the thread you posted previously in.. ? Its almost the exact same circumstances. Please don't waste peoples time just trying to stir up trouble. People genuinely are trying to help you but if you are sitting back laughing, shame on you.


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## Jersey's Mom

Jax's Mom said:


> Leaving him in the barn isn't solving anything. Although I am not blaming you for pulling at his collar to get him out of the car (I prob would have done the same, but mine has never growled at me), I hate the thought of him sitting in the barn alone. I think it will just make whatever problem you have, worse. If you are THAT afraid of him, then re-homing him would probably be whats best for him and you. Try to find a rescue in your area that would help. Maybe a more knowledgeable owner, that has worked and trained dogs before would be a better fit for him. I am so sorry Chance and you are going through this, but please don't leave him in the barn.


I had assumed it was a required quarantine because the dog is not up to date on his shots. If I was mistaken, and the dog is being kept out there solely by the OP's choice... then I agree with you 10000%.

Julie and Jersey

PS~ Just saw some of the other posts in this thread. No sure what other posts this person has made... but I honestly hope this person isn't just causing trouble for the fun of it.


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## CarolinaCasey

Get a trainer ASAP. You *and* your dog need the training to have a safe and happy relationship.


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## Jax's Mom

*yank, grab and pull* are 3 very different descriptions. If all you are doing is pulling on the collar to nudge your dog along, that is 1 thing. Yanking or grabbing can certainly be seen as an attack by a dog which may prompt him to get aggressive.


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## momtoMax

Okay, I don't know you from Adam so I'm going to give you some honest blunt advice, not the kind you'd get from your mother or your friend. It's your fault IMO that your dog bit you. I mean, yelling, dragging your dog by it's collar and then poking your fingers in front of his face - and you've been doing this since you've had him? All of those things are the wrong things to do. You seem to have no respect for the power of your dog. You really need to rethink that. Also, this may have happened because your dog hasn't been raised and trained to respect you, see you as head honcho, pack leader. My female dog doesn't respect me even half as much as she should and that's really my fault. I let her get away with murder. I've learned a lot and am using what I know to create a better master/dog relationship with my Max. At 1, he listens much better than she ever has but I see in hindsight that is my fault - we really had no clue what we were doing.

You should really hire a behavior therapist to get you and your dog communicating in healthy, positive ways. IMO you need to bare a lot of responsibility for what happened and not place blame squarely on the shoulders of your dog. You both need to learn a better way to communicate, more rigid boundaries of interaction for the both of you.

I am sorry you were bitten but you need to really take this as a learning experience and use the help you can find here and the advice you will get the correct this.


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## BeauShel

1, If your dog is in quarantine in the barn because he is not up to date on his shots then once he is released get him to the vet and get a complete medical workup. Get the shots done and a compete thyroid test. Alot of times when there is a personality change it can be because of a low thyroid. Do not let your vet talk you out of it. Goldens are one of the breeds that can have low thyroid. Also I would get him neutered. 

2. Bring in a behaviorist that uses positive reinforcement to work with him and your family on how handle a dog. Pulling and yanking a dog around by the collar all the time to get him to do what you want will not work. The only thing it will do is to make him aggressive. Tell your kids not to pull on his collar. And makes sure you and your family are all on the same page in doing the training because if each of you do different things to correct the dog it only confuses them and they dont know what or who to follow. An obedience class is good too. 

3. Use positive reinforcement with him. Look up on the web Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF). 

Good luck and hopefully things will improve. I hope there is no problems with him not having his rabies and your hands are ok.


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## Jackson'sMom

mdoats said:


> And why on earth are you posting in other threads that people should hire a professional trainer, when you clearly haven't done it yourself? Is this a serious post or are you just trolling?


Curious, isn't it???


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## Jersey's Mom

Jax's Mom said:


> *yank, grab and pull* are 3 very different descriptions. If all you are doing is pulling on the collar to nudge your dog along, that is 1 thing. Yanking or grabbing can certainly be seen as an attack by a dog which may prompt him to get aggressive.


Not to be argumentative, but that depends on your definition of pull. I might slip a finger under Jersey's collar to keep him with me from point A to point B (if, say there's a very enticing dog or object between those points and he's acting a bit distracted)... but he walks with me under his own steam and is only getting the very slightest of tactile cues, what I would consider a "nudge". If, however, I'm pulling him as he is planting his feet and acting like a boulder (similar to the description in the OP)... well then I'm actually dragging him. If I'm frustrated as I reach for his collar (as the OP seems to have been), I'm also likely to lean over him and grab it in a way that will likely be seen as aggressive by the dog. So if we're going to break down the semantics here, let's be very clear that the "pulling" in this scenario is not a "nudge."

Can I grab Jerseys collar if I needed to (say for an issue of safety or to keep him from taking off after a bitch in heat)? Sure bet I could, and I have. But it is the context of the situation, the emotion I project, and his strong positive associations with being handled that allow me to do so safely. That said, I fully understand that he is a dog... and that there may be some scenario where he could be so deep in drive (prey or mating, for example) that he could react completely out of character and snap at me. That's why I do everything to assure we have a strong training relationship, that I am the most positive thing in his world, and that physical handling is used only as an absolute last resort.

Julie and Jersey


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## Ranger

momto Max - I agree with your first post one hundred percent. That's exactly what I thought when I read the OP's post. Yelling at him, yanking his collar, etc...I'm just surprised it took three years before that dog bit the OP.

OP: sounds like your dog is ruling the roost. You need to step up and learn how to interact with your dog properly. What you've been doing is useless and dangerous (as you learned). You need to learn how to get your dog to WANT to do things for you (and not by using treats either - I can see that backfiring pretty quickly) and the best way would be to get a good animal behaviourist to show you what to do. If you can't learn how to interact with your dog - I suggest contact a rescue that would be willing to rehabilitate the dog.

Biting is unacceptable behaviour, but in this case, I can totally see WHY the dog did it. It doesn't make it okay but at least it wasn't unprovoked. Some dogs will accept and take that behaviour from an owner...and some won't. Doesn't mean your dog is a bad dog, just means you've been treating him badly.

Also, why isn't your dog 1) neutered 2) up to date with his shots? And at this point, having the dog in the barn by himself as punishment is worthless. You really need the help of an behaviourist so you start to understand how dog's think and how communicate with them. This may be harsh but you need a wake-up call.


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## Jax's Mom

Jersey's Mom... I agree with you're description wholeheartedly.


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## birdybaby81

First I would like to thank everyone for their advice which is what I really need right now. I'd also like to say that I am not trying to cause trouble at all. When I posted a message on the first girls message I was upset, confused, and extremely sad, angry etc..because of my own situation which is why I wrote down exactly where I was at and what I'm going through. As far as him being quarantined he has to be for 10 days per the department of health. I can't let him in the house I'm afraid of him at this point, and he can't be at anyone else's house, those are the rules.
Unfortunately for me and Chase I was not taught how to train a dog. (nor did I think that was important) The advice I was given was by some friends that use force with animals and their animals were obedient to them so I thought that's how it worked. Now that I'm actually saying that and I SEE the outcome it sounds pretty bad.* I feel like everything I've been told about how to handle dogs is wrong..*
I have been in contact with a behavioral specialist and we might meet this week while he is being quarantined. This way she could give me some idea of what it will look like to work with Chase the right way. 
If we do decide to keep him, I would get him neutered, up to date on his shots and have the specialist work with my whole family and Chase together. 
My question now is this.. Do you think that if a dog has proven he WILL bite, that he is more likely to do it again? That that's just his behavior when he's unhappy? I know this will just be opinions but I'm interested..
Also I'm new- what does OP and IMO stand for?


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## Jackson'sMom

You're definitely on the right track with getting Chase neutered, vaccinated, and working with a behaviorist. It's also great that you are going to have the entire family involved; consistency is really important. As you have learned the hard way, using force can make dogs fearful and aggressive. Your dog should do things because he wants to please you, not because you make him or because he is afraid of being punished. Make sure the behaviorist is one who uses only positive reinforcement. OP = original poster. IMO = in my opinion.

I'm sure some of our experienced forum members who have worked with dogs like Chase will chime in to offer some good suggestions. Good luck.


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## mylissyk

birdybaby81 said:


> First I would like to thank everyone for their advice which is what I really need right now. I'd also like to say that I am not trying to cause trouble at all. When I posted a message on the first girls message I was upset, confused, and extremely sad, angry etc..because of my own situation which is why I wrote down exactly where I was at and what I'm going through. As far as him being quarantined he has to be for 10 days per the department of health. I can't let him in the house I'm afraid of him at this point, and he can't be at anyone else's house, those are the rules.
> Unfortunately for me and Chase I was not taught how to train a dog. (nor did I think that was important) The advice I was given was by some friends that use force with animals and their animals were obedient to them so I thought that's how it worked. Now that I'm actually saying that and I SEE the outcome it sounds pretty bad.* I feel like everything I've been told about how to handle dogs is wrong..*
> I have been in contact with a behavioral specialist and we might meet this week while he is being quarantined. This way she could give me some idea of what it will look like to work with Chase the right way.
> If we do decide to keep him, I would get him neutered, up to date on his shots and have the specialist work with my whole family and Chase together.
> My question now is this.. Do you think that if a dog has proven he WILL bite, that he is more likely to do it again? That that's just his behavior when he's unhappy? I know this will just be opinions but I'm interested..
> Also I'm new- what does OP and IMO stand for?



If you have been told to use force with your dog then you are exactly correct, everything you were told is wrong.

Will he be more likely to bite again? If you continue to handle him the same way YES. 

If you change his association with you, change the way you handle him, and teach him to respond to you with positive methods, the whole picture changes in his mind. You become someone he trusts and is happy to cooperate with.

Move forward with talking with the behaviorist, but make sure they use positive methods to recondition dogs with a bite history - more force will result in more bites.


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## RedDogs

Discuss your concerns with the professional.

It sounds like you know exactly what will make him bite...and it's fairly easy to avoid those situations. We just have to be careful he is not getting worried about other things too.

I would recommend also consulting with a -Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist- your vet should be able to refer you to the nearest one.


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## momtoMax

I read your post that you are afraid your dog will bite again. More blunt advice - I wouldn't be afraid if I were you. I mean, think back. Your dog gave you lots and lots of warnings over a big span of time. Everyone has a breaking point. I would be worried if you said you went to touch his collar the first time and out of no where, he bit you. Instead, he told you to back off many times. So should you worry even a little bit that he will bite you? Not if you don't yell while dragging him by his collar and invading his personal space and ignore his warnings so that you are freaking him out. I don't see you doing that again - so I think you're safe. 

Here's another thing that I learned - in a pack, a member is corrected and the dog that did the correcting forgets about it. He isn't thinking about biting you. For him, it's over - he has moved on. If you can accept that you need to share in the responsibility of what happened - then you don't need to be afraid as you will not be recreating the situation where your doggy went over the edge. By being afraid you are punishing your dog for something that you had a big hand in making happen. How fair is that to your dog? Or to you, as you are missing him just as much? Also, don't think that your doggy doesn't love you anymore or any less- or that his feelings have changed for you. Please don't let this mistake affect your perception and bond or you are putting all of this on his shoulders, and none on your own.

I think that you'll be amazed at what you learn from the behavioralist - how to approach your dog, what strategies work, and what your body language, etc. is really saying to your dog. I am sure that after meeting with the behavioralist, you will feel much better about everything. So why not start now. Just because he has to be in the barn, does that mean you can't play with him? Pet him? Play fetch. Speak nicely. Be aware of your body language. If you feel better about it, sit and let him come to you. If I know goldens, he'll be all tail wags and be all over you as soon as you enter. You may think, gee, he's acting like nothing bad happened at all. For him, it's like nothing bad happened at all. If you grab his collar, yell, and poke your finger in his face - or do one of these, you'll put him on the defensive because that is a learned behavior - one he learned from you. Don't do those things and go enjoy your doggy - that's my advice.

I honestly don't think he is going to bite you again. That being said, don't be pulling or grabbing him by the collar right now and talk the to behavioralist about that. The fact that he gets defensive when you hold onto his collar is now 100% your doing so I would avoid doing that from now on and understand that is going to take time to get over - he may never be okay with it. I am sure the pro. will help you with a strategy to make him less defensive about that. I love my Willow girl but I can't drag her around by the collar. I am her favorite person but I really think that after a warning or two, she would bite me to get me to let go. That being said, we have a wonderful bond - I just respect that there are some boundaries I would not cross with her. Good luck with everything!! Sending positive thoughts your way!! 

Please don't be afraid of your dog - please don't linger on the biting incident. Your dog is not. Perhaps someone can suggest a good book to read that will help you understand your dog more. I am sure everything will work out as long as you let it and find a way to get over your fear/uneasiness.

EDITTING TO ADD: I'm not a professional - just saying. You don't have to follow my advice but I think it's pretty common sense. You will be seeing the behavioralist before the ten days - and have time to get over this. I really think that you shouldn't be avoiding your dog due to fear. I truly think that as long as you are aware of your interaction, biting you won't even cross his little doggy mind. Just saying that I'm not a professional so take my advice with a grain of salt -FlyingQuiz would be a great person to post on this thread - hopefully she will see it and offer you some advice.


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## solinvictus

Birdybaby81 I apologize for thinking that you were here to start trouble. I do hope you can resolve your problem. Reliationships aren't built in a day so with the help of a professional over a period of time if you are determined and follow a good plan given by a Vet Behaviorist you should be able to build a bond of loving trust between you.
It won't be easy because you and your family will have to change your habits of interacting with your dog and habits are hard to break. But this is truly a great forum and we will be here to offer you support.
As others have said one of the most important things is to have Chase be evaluated not only for his behavior but for any underlying health problems.
I hope the wounds are healing well. How much longer does Chase have in quarantine? When is your appointment with the behaviorist? Let us know what the behaviorist has to say. Again my sincere apologies.


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## Karen519

*Birdbaby*

Birdbaby

Glad that you will be seeing a behaviorist with Chase -this should definitely help-he/she will have proper suggestions.

I agree with you and everyone that whoever told you to handle a dog with force, was SO WRONG. 

I feel Chase not being neutered is a huge part of the problem-being unfixed there is much more of a chance of him wandering, running away, getting killed by a car.

Please keep us posted on how things are going and glad you found this forum.


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## Nicole74

It will take a lot of work with your dog and you must be commited to it. Nothing happens overnight. My golden has snapped at my daughter and it took months of me training my dog and my daughter how to act around her. It is a VERY long process. She is not perfect, but she is much better then before. It was my fault for letting my daughter grab onto Bailey's collar and the way she was acting towards her.

I would never rehome a dog that has bitten someone else. I would bring the dog to a rescuse, so they can work with it first hand. Rehoming a dog that has bitten someone is an awful thing to do. What if the dog went to a home with children and attacked the children? Just think about that if you have plans to rehome your boy.

By grabbing at the collar, your dog bit you most likely because he was scared. He felt threatened and gave you plenty of warning signs. He will take a tremendous amount of work and training to sort this out. Obedience training is a must! He would of never ran away from you if he is obedience trained.

Good luck. I just adopted a dog last week that has major fear issues, so here we go again. It's a lot of work, but you should be able to rebuild the confidence up in your dog. Never ever grab them by the collar, yell, and NEVER hit them!


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## Noey

I agree get a trainer if possible.

FYI a growl when not protecting is a dogs way of warning you - you need to listen to the dogs as well sometimes they are telling you back-off - even with body language. We just have to figure out why. If your use to pulling him but the collar hard, it's possible he could have something in the neck area hurting as well. 

You might get him checked at a vet just to be sure. It's highly possible, with exception to training, he could be trying to 1. let you know something hurts and to stop pulling me 2. he has been trained to not like it so he is defending himself from something of discomfort 3. he just needs training.

I think you have to look at it from several perspectives - if he is becoming aggressive he might need more run time, have a health issue, you have to figure out the underlying cause of his behavior if you want to keep him around. I don't think dogs bite without reason - and sometimes it's medical. 
Sometimes our hands get in the way of a mouthing that is not really a bite...but when they do bite - your correct in seeking out the answer why.

Start with a vet visit.
I hope your hand is ok.

If your afraid of him - training him alone will be hard - you do need a trainer and you need to decide if you want to "not be afraid" of him. IF you can't do that...you will need to re-home. He has to know your boss - and he has to know your not afraid - and that can be done in a kind way with proper training.


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## tippykayak

This doesn't sound like bratty biting to me or like confusion about "pack order."

The dog bit to do damage and did a lot of it, and that makes fear the likely motivator. The dog could simply be fearful, or the history of collar grabbing could have escalated in his mind as a threat. A bratty dog, in my experience, gives some warning bites and makes a lot of noise but doesn't bite down with full strength. If this dog is giving deep puncture wounds, that speaks to me of fear defense.

What kind of collar is being used? Is the dog ever shocked by a invisible fence collar or something similar?

Until you've retrained the dog's responses, he is indeed a threat to your kids. I would guess that he is very, very afraid of having his collar grabbed and possibly of other behavior. And this is going to sound harsh, but either the dog is experiencing a medical/temperament issue (like thyroid issues or something you can't see that's causing him pain) or somebody has been doing something that is threatening to him. It may be unintentional, or it may be one of the family members has been handling him roughly and should know better, but it's worth looking into.

It's very rare for a dog, especially a Golden, to engage in serious fear biting without any history of developing that behavior.


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## AmberSunrise

birdybaby81 said:


> First I would like to thank everyone for their advice which is what I really need right now. I'd also like to say that I am not trying to cause trouble at all. When I posted a message on the first girls message I was upset, confused, and extremely sad, angry etc..because of my own situation which is why I wrote down exactly where I was at and what I'm going through. As far as him being quarantined he has to be for 10 days per the department of health. I can't let him in the house I'm afraid of him at this point, and he can't be at anyone else's house, those are the rules.
> Unfortunately for me and Chase I was not taught how to train a dog. (nor did I think that was important) The advice I was given was by some friends that use force with animals and their animals were obedient to them so I thought that's how it worked. Now that I'm actually saying that and I SEE the outcome it sounds pretty bad.* I feel like everything I've been told about how to handle dogs is wrong..*
> I have been in contact with a behavioral specialist and we might meet this week while he is being quarantined. This way she could give me some idea of what it will look like to work with Chase the right way.
> If we do decide to keep him, I would get him neutered, up to date on his shots and have the specialist work with my whole family and Chase together.
> My question now is this.. Do you think that if a dog has proven he WILL bite, that he is more likely to do it again? That that's just his behavior when he's unhappy? I know this will just be opinions but I'm interested..
> Also I'm new- what does OP and IMO stand for?


I am VERY glad you are calling in a trainer - please make sure it is a POSITIVE trainer as others have said - once a dog has gotten to the point where he feels he has no other option than to bite, you need to be very careful.  As other have also said, those who recommended force rather than training were wrong ... but my family and I have taken in rescues who bit and became trustworthy and loving dogs. Dogs need to know (be shown) what is expected, they need direction and they need to know they will not be abused - and it sounds like you may have been inadvertently abusing Chase.

I would ask you to consider how you would have Chase come willingly to you without a collar or leash? Does he trust you to cut his nails and comb his fur? Does he enjoy spending time with you?

The proper training will allow you to have a trusting companion and for your family to see that proper training can work wonders.

Good luck with Chase .. it will take commitment and hard work but it can be done.


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## GoldenMum

I'd definitely work with a behaviorist, unfortunately if you try to rehome instead of work with him....his chances for a good outcome aren't very good. A lot of people will not want a dog with a aggression history. Generally you get back 10 fold, what you put into a dog. It will take time and patience...please don't give up! Find someone to work with you and give you the tools and confidence you need.


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## Ranger

It sounds like the dog is more worried about what's going to happen when the OP is near or grabbing his collar than him just being "aggressive". I'm sure if everytime I grabbed Ranger's collar I was dragging him or towering over him in a threatening stance, he'd probably EVENTUALLY bite me too. It took this dog three years before he bit his owner - that's hardly a snap reaction. Sounds like the dog doesn't trust his owner at all and now unfortunately, through the owner's actions, she no longers trusts the dog. 

OP - good job calling a behaviourist. I worked with one when I got Ranger last year and it turned our whole relationship around. Ranger went from an aloof, "make me do it" attitude (never aggressive - he had just had no will or want to please) to a dog who will do anything for me now. It took a lot of hard work and dedication but it made all the difference in the world.


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## sharlin

I would suggest you find a copy of "Animals In Translation" by Temple Grandin and read it. I am not quite done yet and will be posting a synopsis of it later for all the members, but, I will say it has opened my eyes to a lot of areas I had never considered before. It provides a much needed look at animal behavior (not just dogs but all animals) from the authors very unique viewpoint and and explains how they think, act, and feel.


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## fostermom

I am confused about the dog being held in quarantine for 10 days. The reason for this is because the dog was not up to date on his rabies shot. Normally, the quarantine in that circumstance is done in a county shelter or a vet's office, not a barn. There are too many risks of the dog getting out, the dog possibly biting again (not that I think he will) and anyone who comes into contact with the dog being exposed to possible rabies. I just don't get why he is being quarantined in a barn.


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## birdybaby81

fostermom-
The law says that if he bites on the owners property you can keep him at home. Our other option was we could've had him stay at the animal rescue league for $150.00. but we have a barn where he is in a stall with food and water and his favorite toy. He can't get out unless my husband goes to take him for a walk on our property with a leash which he's been doing. Also I don't think our barn where he is used to the surroundings is that bad of place.


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## birdybaby81

We are meeting with a behavioral specialist tomorrow evening! I'm really excited to hear what she has to say! From what most of you have said it sounds like if I learn how to be a good mommy to Chase, we'll have an awesome relationship that I never knew was possible!


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## mylissyk

I'm glad you are excited about working with Chase. I'm sure in time you will very glad you made the effort. Please keep us informed how things go.

I hope the person you are meeting with is a positive method trainer.


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## BayBeams

birdybaby81 said:


> We are meeting with a behavioral specialist tomorrow evening! I'm really excited to hear what she has to say! From what most of you have said it sounds like if I learn how to be a good mommy to Chase, we'll have an awesome relationship that I never knew was possible!


I am so glad you are giving it a try! It can be done! I have a now wonderful 8.5 year old Golden girl that did not start out so wonderful. Her issues had to do with some temperament problems with insecurity that I did not know how to deal with. She escalated to lunging from under tables, constantly bared her teeth and bit me in the face! After working with various trainers, and a behaviorist, I sought out books and whatever help I could find. My pup is now a Great dog and our relationship is very special.
You will find it very rewarding to learn the best way to work as a team with your pup. Don't give up if the first help doesn't seem to be a good match. Keep pursuing it until you find the right answers.
Yes, there was a time I had been afraid of my pup but now all I feel toward her is a special type of joy for all we have been through together.

I wish you all the best in resolving this solveable problem...


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## BeauShel

I am glad that you are excited to work with the behaviorist. Having a positive attitude is a good way to start the training. And remember if you dont feel comfortable with the trainer or the methods she is using with Chase, look for another trainer. Make sure she uses positive methods. I know with time and consistentancy with everyone in the family I think Chase be ok. Remember also if you start to get upset, take a deep breath and step back. Good luck tomorrow.


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## AmberSunrise

Good luck with the new trainer.

And as others have said, if this trainer (behaviorist) does not use positive methods or you feel uncomfortable with anything s/he shows you find a new one.

Chase and you can build a beautiful relationship .. please keep us updated


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## momtoMax

Looking forward to hearing your updates!! Let us know how it went!!


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## GoldenFan

good answer birdybaby...sounds like you are on the right track now...i'm excited for you to learn that your sweet goldie really just wants to love/please you...you just haven't realized and harnessed that yet! believe me, its there. good luck to you.


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## kaysy

I agree with getting help asap and if you're afraid of the dog...Why is he un-neutered and not up to date on shots? Not a good idea. My previous dog bit me (I was trying to take a roadside "treasure" out of his mouth. He was "quarantined", but with us in the house and had to be checked by the vet for 2 or 3 weeks.


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## WLR

mdoats said:


> And why on earth are you posting in other threads that people should hire a professional trainer, when you clearly haven't done it yourself? Is this a serious post or are you just trolling?


Uhhh Ye-ah.....that's neither here nor there....the dogs behavior *is* a serious issue. Your inability to control the dog via not reading his body language means *both *of you need a professional trainer....and I'm not writing that to be condescending.


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## BeauShel

I hope the training went well today with you and Chase.


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## Karen519

*Chase*

Hope your training went well!!


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## Jersey's Mom

Would love to hear an update about how things went with the behaviorist! Hope you two are doing well!

Julie and Jersey


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## WLR

And we want pictures.....


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## birdybaby81

We met with the behaviorist on Friday. (without Chase) She is really nice and uses postive methods. She doesn't use any force which I am happy about because that does not seem to work well anyway and the way she described using force to train made me feel really sad.. Some owners think they are "in charge" because their dog does whatever they want them to, but in reality the dog is just _doing what the owner wants to not get punished_. That poor dog, that's no way to live; in fear. So I am happy about our training which is starting tomorrow morning. (with Chase)
I'm really thankful I came on this website because I have learned a lot about what kind of relationship I am missing and could possibly have one day! In a world full of negativity it's very nice to hear something positive. (Even though in the beginning I got a lot of negative, but I understand why) I'll let you know how tomorrow goes!


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## BeauShel

I am so glad that you have found a trainer that you feel comfortable and that you feel will be able to help to restore the relationship between Chase and the family. It may take some time but I think with love and patience it will work out. Have you made an appt with the vet to get him neutered? And I am glad that you were able to stick around, we want to see and hear about the success with Chase. We know you can do it. Just make sure you and the family are all on the same page. Good luck and know we are all behind you cheering you on.


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## Jersey's Mom

Glad to hear the meeting with the behaviorist went well... sounds like you're well on your way! I can't wait to hear about how everything goes, and really hope you'll keep us updated throughout the process! 

Carol raised a good point about getting him neutered, but even more importantly you NEED to get him into the vet for a good once over and to get him caught up on his shots. I'm assuming you already have an appointment, but just wanted to throw that out there anyway... just in case.

Best of luck to you and Chase! Oh, and now that you've decided to stick around, you definitely owe us some pictures! LOL!

Julie and Jersey


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## Ljilly28

I am pulling for you and Chase! I so hope you see some nice progress.


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## momtoMax

Glad your appointment went well and you have such a positive attitude re: this. I really think that everything is going to work out for you in time. I'm really impressed with your can do attitude and that you listened to what the posters had to say even though it wasn't what you wanted to hear. I am really impressed with you as a person - I just wanted to say that. Good luck with everything!!


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## AmberSunrise

I am so very happy you found a behaviorist/trainer who is not only positive but someone you feel you can work with. You and Chase can rebuild your relationship and when you do .. well you just won't believe it and will want to at least yell at those who influenced you to use 'me the boss based rules' during Chase's earlier life 

Good luck and happy training. Please keep us updated.


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## birdybaby81

I made 2 appointments for Chase, one for his manhood and one for an exam with shots. I feel better now that those are on calendar. 
I had the trainer over this morning. Chase and I were introduced to clicker training and target training. She gave me some homework to do with him over the next week til I see her again. He seems to be responding well. Tonight as he was laying on the floor I started scratching his back/belly, he seemed to appreciate that! Its definitely easier for me at night because my husband is home and nothing ever happened when he was here so I feel a sense of security, but I really believe that in time I won't feel uneasy about being alone with Chase anymore. I'm going to try and post a picture of him, hopefully it works.. Here is my buddy, he doesn't look to vicious!


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom

He's beautiful. And thank you for taking a new mind set and having the determination and patience to help Chase be the best golden he can be. It will be a wonderful learning and bonding experience for your whole family.


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## Jersey's Mom

Aww.. what a sweet face! He's adorable!! Clicker training has done wonderful things for mine and Jersey's relationship... I have no doubt it will do the same for you and Chase! Keep up the good work and in no time you'll wonder if that incident was just a dream.

Julie and Jersey


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## Jackson'sMom

So glad that you are going to work with Chase and that you have a good, positive trainer. Please keep us posted. Goldens really want to please their family, so I bet you will be pleasantly surprised at how well Chase responds.


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## kaysy

He's so handsome. Hope things continue to go well.


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## momtoMax

Chase is such a handsome fellow!! I do clicker training with my Max. It's a lot of fun for ust both and I've taught him some neat tricks like high five, spin, and his not so great play dead among the other standards. It's harder to teach tricks that you have to teach in steps but it's fun too so this summer I'm going to research some really neat things we can learn to do together. I hope you both have fun with it like we do!! I'm glad you feel confident that you will get over your uneasiness with Chase. Like I said before, avoid getting in his face while yelling and don't grab his collar. As I said, I am sure my Willow would bite me after a while if I pulled her around by the collar however, I have no fear of my Will Will because I will not drag her around by the collar. Problem solv-ed. Have fun with the trainer, homework, and training!! Max and I are rooting for you both!!


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## Karen519

*Chase*

BirdBaby81:

I agree with everyone else and admire you that *you have really listened and followed through on everyone's suggestions.*

*I really believe NEUTERING will help Chase, too, *and the trainer is a GREAT TOOL, so is *clicker training*, but practicing with him during the week will be of *UTMOST importance.* 

Please keep updating us!!
This will work-I just know it!


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## solinvictus

Birdybaby81 wrote:I came on this website because I have learned a lot about what kind of relationship I am missing and could possibly have one day! 

I am so glad for you that you have found someone that can mentor you to build that relationship. So many with problems aren't willing to put the time in to rebuild their relationship and dump the dog. Dealing with the fear and mistrust takes a great deal of courage. Do the homework set up by your trainer everyday but make sure to do it when you both are as relaxed as can be. I commend you for your courage, determination, and willingness to change your outlook. Keep us posted. We are here for you.


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## momtoMax

How are you and your doggy doing? Keeping you in my thoughts.


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## birdybaby81

Chase and I have been very busy! We're both learning a lot, and having fun doing it. He learns very quick, but sometimes forgets which is okay.. but the cool thing is there is NO punishing involved-there's just no reward. I enjoy some of the things we're doing because I'm already seeing a difference. I took him to the vet tonight which was an interesting experience because I had to put his leash on and put him in the car and get him out. But everything went smooth! He was quite happy being with me and I wasn't as fearful as I thought I'd be. Our trainer said when I'm working with him he looks so HAPPY, which makes me so happy!!


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## Jersey's Mom

Glad to hear things are going so well for you two!! Keep up the good work, and be sure to keep us updated!!

Julie and Jersey


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## BeauShel

That is wonderful news. Keep up the good work to the both of you.


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## tippykayak

Hooray! Sounds like you're making progress. Keep up the good work!


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## Karen519

*Birdbaby*

*Birdbaby*

*YOU ROCK!!!!:*

I *commend you *for the work you are doing with CHASE, it will help bond you two and it will be well worth it. Good for you!

You are *dedicated *to your dog and he will be to you-that's as it should be.

Keep us posted!!


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## AmberSunrise

That is so very good to hear  It truly sounds like you and Chase are becoming a team - please keep us updated. 

Wow, it sounds like you two are practically a poster team for positive training


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