# Puppy life not getting better for me



## StayGoldPiper (Jun 25, 2019)

I have a beautiful 5.5 month old puppy. She is sweet and cute for sure but I am still not loving dog-life. This is my first ever dog and before her, only had cats. I live with my 13 year old and she helps but it hasn't eased the feelings that this is not ever going to get better. She is a 50/50 good walker, I have a no-pull harness. She never really pulled just wouldn't walk, and still hates it. I don't have a big yard, nor is it fenced and I work 5 days a week, so walking is necessary. I take her to dog parks and out on trails on the weekends. This is super hard for me, it is hard for me to keep her occupied at home since she is (of course) full of energy and I am exhausted from work.

Potty training? What is that? Seriously, I am consistent and have not stopped taking her out every hour. She goes on a walk and 15 minutes after we are home she pees on the carpet. So much that it is daily in the past few weeks. My house, which has I always keep clean has become a toilet. 

She is VERY rough on the cat and we spend the vast amount of our weekends breaking them up. 

I read so many comments about how good their puppies are. Yes, I work with her and do training. She passed her obedience class with flying colors....perfect every class. I'm not oblivious to the fact that we teach them to be good...I am not an idle dog mom. 

I feel like a terrible person, a terrible dog mom and I wonder if I'll ever have this fantastic dog experience everyone on earth seems to have with their dogs.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm sorry you're not enjoying your puppy - sorry for you, and sorry for her too.


Some suggestions:


You really have to WANT a dog. As you're discovering, they're a lot more effort-intensive than cats, and the level of effort doesn't necessarily decrease with the years. They always have to be walked and exercised and trained. They get sick and need (sometimes expensive) care. Your house will never be as clean as it was pre-dog. So the first thing to decide is whether or not this type of lifestyle is actually what you want. If it isn't, there's no shame in admitting it. Sometimes you try stuff in life and it doesn't work out.


For the walks: If your dog doesn't enjoy walks, there's something wrong. Are you sure the harness is fitted properly? Some harnesses restrict the dog's shoulder movement and can be painful. Have you tried walking her with a flat collar and leash only? Are you doing anything to make the walks interesting for her, or is it always a chore for you? Dogs are good at picking up on human emotions. If you're frustrated or exasperated at having to walk her, she may have picked up on this.


Potty training: She's just at the age where you should start to see some improvement. Most dogs, regardless of what you do or don't do, will become house-trained at around six months of age. Before that, accidents are inevitable. However, it's a bit unusual for a 5 month old dog to have daily accidents in the house. If that's what's happening, it doesn't sound like these are accidents, it sounds like she thinks this is what she should be doing. Are you sure you're cleaning the carpet properly, with a cleaning solution that removes all traces of the urine? If even the slightest odour (detectable by a dog) remains, the dog will continue to pee in the same place. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting that can't be removed temporarily, I would suggest getting it professionally cleaned. If it's a throw rug that can be removed, I'd suggest taking it away for the time being. I always remove all our rugs when we have a puppy in the house, and only put them back when I'm sure the accidents have finished. And for house-training, have you made sure she really understands that you want her to go outside? For example, have you consistently rewarded her when she pees/poops outside? Have you ever punished her for peeing indoors? If the answer to this last question is "yes", you may inadvertently have taught the dog not to pee when you are around. She may have understood that you don't like her to pee, period. So she might actually be holding it while you are with her outside, and releasing it indoors, when you're not with her. 



If you're confident in the house-training that you've done, you might consider taking her to the vet and having her tested for a UTI. From your description, it doesn't sound as if this is the case, but it may be worth checking. I'd lean more towards her having learned not to pee when you're present.


For the cat: Is there a room that you can block with a baby gate, so the cat can go there but not the dog? This would give your cat a safe place to retreat to. Otherwise, have your pup wear a short leash in the house (only when you are present - never leave the leash on when you go out), and use it it break them up if you think it's getting out of hand. For information, we used to have a cat who loved to wrestle with our dogs. She would seek them out and torment them until they played with her.


For training: The fact of having passed one obedience course at 5 months of age means nothing at all. Just because she is trained to do certain things in class, or in your kitchen, doesn't mean she will do them in other contexts. Dogs don't generalize well. You have to practise often, in different places, for long periods, before you can claim that your dog is trained in a particular behaviour. And Golden retrievers are basically working dogs. They not only thrive on training, they actually need it to function well in a human household. I would say that a year of ongoing obedience classes and regular practice at home and elsewhere is a minimum to get a well-trained, pleasant companion. My suggestion would be to enroll her in another class and keep going until you're happy with what you have.


And most importantly: remember that your dog is still a puppy. Expecting her to behave like a fully trained adult is unfair to her and unrealistic on your part. A Golden will normally "settle down" into adult behaviour at two or three years of age if you're lucky. Until then, what you're going to have is a bundle of energy that needs training and attention. And even after that, she will need several daily walks, plus other activities. Owning a dog is indeed a lifestyle.


I wish you the best of luck with her, and hope things work out for both of you.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I'm also sorry you are not enjoying your puppy. They can be hard work. ceegee's advice is always great. If it is very hot where you are and your girl is like Rukie she may drink a lot of water after her walk and need to go again in 15 minutes. Is there anyway you could fence the yard? That does make lots of quick potty breaks easier and it's easier to run energy out. The other thing is, most Goldens, even puppies, know when you are not pleased with them. They often try to make up for it by being clingy or bratty. I have raised 3 Golden puppies and I am not sure I would choose to do it if I was working full-time and did not have another adult to help. It's possible but it would be difficult and take total dedication to nothing else but the puppy for a couple of years.
How does your daughter feel about the puppy? If she really loves her maybe she could take over a little more of the responsibility. If she's ambivalent, maybe finding a new home would be best for everyone.


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## eeerrrmmm1 (Apr 15, 2018)

Ceegee and cwag are exactly right. As a former cat person (at least as an adult) I agree that the difference between a pet cat and a pet working breed dog is like changing your dining room tablecloth vs ripping out your entire kitchen and bathrooms and rebuilding them yourself. Cats are interesting little accent pieces in your life. Golden Retrievers are a lifestyle as ceegee said. A really active lifestyle that is great for some people but not for everyone. 

The thing that got me through the difficult parts of puppyhood was Luna's sweet happy wiggle dance every morning when I got her out of her crate and all of the little moments of cuteness throughout the day. And the fact that I had another adult in the house to help me. If you're the primary caretaker and the only adult in the house that's an enormous amount of work on top of your daily life. If the puppy isn't bringing you an equal amount of joy then it may be better for you and the puppy to contact her breeder. She's still really young and the breeder wouldn't have any trouble finding a new home for her. They do become less work as they get older. But as ceegee said, it takes a lot of training and about 2-3 years to get there. And, of course, they'll always need walks and playtime. As cwag suggested, if your daughter is able to take on more responsibility that may work. Not being potty trained at 5 months must be incredibly difficult and I hope someone w/ experience with that can offer some more advice.


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## StayGoldPiper (Jun 25, 2019)

I'm not opposed to walks and playtime....I am active and wanted a dog to be active with. No, I cannot fence my yard, unfortunately. I tried a flat collar and leash for the first 2+ months but the was all over the place even with consistent praise and treating. At one point, she just started to sit and completely refuse to walk, no matter how I broke up the day and tried going to new places. I moved to the gentle leader because I was worried about a neck injury. We have safe zones for the cat with gates and a new window cat bed that the dog cannot reach. Yet, the cat wants to be with his family and here we are.

Thank you for the advice, everyone. I will not return the dog or give her away, once you get a pet they are yours for life and I will always believe that. Choosing to get a dog was no easy decision, I thought about it and researched for a few years before committing and also waited until my daughter was old enough to be responsible too. I will continue training her and remain consistent with bathroom breaks, she always goes when I ask her to outside.


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## coffenut (Jan 3, 2012)

Just about everyone who has had an adult dog and then gets a puppy states "I had forgotten how much work a puppy is". They are a HUGE amount of work (oh God and I'm getting one at the end of the month).

However, there is nothing like the love of a dog who lives for your attention and you are their world. I also have cats so I get the difference. But your puppy is still a puppy and will technically not be an adult until they are 2 years old. I have tried to explain this concept to my 7½ yo Golden, Káva, as she refuses to calm down out of the puppy stage. You also have a working breed which means they have a lot of energy to expend and are incredibly intelligent.

Have you tried various different training classes? Start working towards basic commands, then go for your CGC. Your pup is still young so that is a long way off but if you get the basic commands down and really work on your communication, you might find your bond getting stronger and having a much better time together. Agility might be something you could do ..... I've never done it with my dog as I am disabled, but Káva really enjoyed Canine Frisbee .... she'll never be a contender but she had loads of fun. Better yet, get your daughter to start working with her towards these types of competitions .....or even as a visiting therapy dog. 

These are just some thoughts. I am sure you will be seeing very similar frustrated posts from me in the near future and I have been a dog owner all my life. <G>

Battle on and good luck!
Lida


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## jeffscott947 (Jun 9, 2019)

It will get better! I have had two puppies in two years and I am no youngster. The 1st was a great puppy, but is now a horrible teenager. She is a 1.5 yr. old Border Collie/Choc. Lab mix. In June, I was gifted a beautiful Golden Puppy who is now 5 months old..She is a HORRIBLE puppy and hopefully will be a decent teen. Like the others, I was about to forget just how much work they are; having been thru this many times in the past. The Golden seems to be capable of creating trouble on multiple fronts and enjoying every moment. She is also the fastest of any of my pups at in getting into trouble. I believe she plans it..LOL. HOWEVER, with that said, she is soooooo much worth the effort and so very lovable, gentle (with me..not the other dogs) . She was at home in my pack within a few days. Best of luck and do a bit of research..Try Googling Zack George videos. Imo, he does a good job explaining by example, albeit the need for supporting commercials (FF works). These are not home style videos but professionally done. Beanie is now 5 months old.


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## StayGoldPiper (Jun 25, 2019)

Thanks for the advice, jeffscott947 and she is a sweetie!


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## StayGoldPiper (Jun 25, 2019)

Thank you....I know that things will improve and we have come a long way but I sure do get frustrated and feel helpless. She is napping on the couch next to me as I write this and you know how sweet they are, I forget all the troubles for a little while.


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## Tony G (Oct 2, 2018)

Ollie had no real issues with potty training, but he came from a breeder with a farm that was using a dog door on their barn for the puppies to go in and out of so at 9 weeks when I got him he was already pretty used to going out I think he had maybe 5 accidents til he was 6 months and was free range in the tile hardwood part of my house and by 7 months was uncrated at night (never really liked it) His biggest problem was mouthing which he still does at 14 month.

Now Stan my 9 month old and his brother Bear that I fostered had a horrendous time with potty training but they came from a breeder who was the opposite of Ollies, they kept the puppies mainly inside and these 2 hadn't really been outside much and they were 15 weeks when they were adopted to a service dog program. Both would go out and 15-30 minutes later would be peeing in the house or attempting to. I Still don't completely trust Stan the way I do Ollie as he drinks like his purpose is to empty the bowl every time and he does not have the iron bladder that Ollie seems to have but I can leave for a few hour and be confident he will hold it but I wouldn't trust him for a 8-9 work day.

As for walking, my trainers and I both hate harnesses and flat collars, I use Herm sprenger pinch collars for walks and have gradually weaned Ollie to a regular Martingale I have also used dominate dog collars and slip leads. I know some don't like pinch/prong collars but it made a huge difference in control of the dog that was night and day and its self correcting so if they pull too much correction is instantaneous, also what motivated the pup, as Ollie was not all that food driven after 7-8 months but put his squishy ball in front of him and he would do near anything for it. Stan is food motivated so every walk has treats and we work on sit when we stop and more advanced things like down and sit while in motion and being calm when people and dogs approach as every walk is a training session so we use it to reinforce learning.


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## pamf (Feb 8, 2019)

Ah you are bringing up all kinds of memories right now! My golden is 8 1/2 years old and I think I almost forgot how hard the "puppy period" was! I am remembering that my dog was horrible at letting us know she had to go out even at 5 months and was still having accidents...not daily but enough to be troublesome. In order to save our carpets we gated her into the kitchen which was hardwood for large portions of the day and only let her on the carpet when she was closely supervised by us until she was probably 6-8 months old. I thought that would never end, but it did and your pup will catch on as well. Another suggestion is to use your daughter to help with recall and to tire out the puppy. Stand approximately 50 feet away from your daughter and take turns getting your pup to run to you/your daughter when you call her and reward her with a treat each time. It is much more effective at tiring a pup than a walk. Which brings up walks, mine didn't like walks as a pup either and a trainer suggested putting peanut butter on a long handled spoon and put it at your side so that your pup walks beside and slightly behind you getting periodic peanut butter licks and to start with short walks and slowly increase. My pup was great at walking home, she just seemed to avoid walking away from our house. Not sure if that helps but hang in there...it does get easier. She was born in April and it was Christmas before I really felt like she was trustworthy to be unsupervised for any length of time. The others are right, by age 2-3, you too will forget the worst of the puppy period...by 8 it will take another poster to dredge up those memories.


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## ecaba (Aug 19, 2019)

I've seen this referred to as "puppy blues" on other forums. The thoughts of "I've made a mistake.", "What was I even thinking?!", "This dog hates me.", etc. are thoughts I'm sure all of us have experienced at one point or another with our puppies. My husband and I got our girl at 5.5 months, the same age as your girl now. She's 10 months now.

*Walks* : Zelda made a big fuss about being walked on a leash. She'd sit down every few feet to scratch at her harness or collar, as if that would make it go away. She also would become completely unmovable no matter how much we tried to tempt her to keep going with high pitched voices, trying to run away to get her to chase us, and just generally making fools of ourselves to any onlookers (though if they had dogs, they probably understood perfectly). I picked her up on more than one occasion because she was in the middle of the alley where cars come and go when she decided to do her best mountain impression. Once she started moving again, we gave her a treat a little after she got up so that hopefully she got the idea of "good things happen when I'm walking" but not immediately so she didn't get the idea that if she just sits here, she gets cheese to get up. I even thought she was trying to bolt away from me as fast as she could on a few occasions, though I've since come to realize that she was just trying to do some zoomies. We live in an apartment, so like you, walks are a must for daily exercise with the occasional dog park visit to get all of the running and socialization done simply because we don't have a dedicated yard that I can just let her run around in.

I don't have a lot of advice on the pulling based on personal experience. My girl doesn't really pull much unless she's on the trail of something with her nose firmly planted on the ground (I gotta get this girl into scentwork), but we currently walk her on a martingale collar for the self correction. We tried several no-pull harnesses, but didn't really find much success with them. However, I have read that changing direction when the dog is pulling teaches the dog that they can't go where they want when they pull because you start going in the opposite direction. The dog is rewarded if you keep walking in the direction of the pull because that's where they want to go, no matter how much you're tugging to get them to slow down. Zelda was STRONG at 5.5 months at 45 lb so I know that this is a task in and of itself. Look into a loose leash walking class if you can.

*Cat* : We have a roommate who has a 10.5 month old ragdoll kitten (though he's much larger than an adult cat at this point), and Zelda LOVES him (they're only 2 weeks apart in age). However, we're still working on her manners around the kitty so they still for the most part remain separated unless she can be monitored. We spoke to our trainer on what to do, and she suggested keeping Zelda on a leash when whenever she was out in the shared areas of the apartment so that we could curb any potential issues while still letting her interact and hopefully be desensitized to the cat. We were also advised to avoid letting Zelda corner Tofu (the cat) as much as possible so that the cat could feel like he was still safe. Zelda would be so excited for the kitty that she'd lay on top of him just so that she could sniff him all over, her tail wagging a million miles a minute. It doesn't help that Tofu likes to instigate with Zelda to try to get her to chase him (he jumps at her from wherever he happens to be) which makes him that much more exciting to her. Otherwise, we've been told to just "let nature take its course" by letting the cat check the dog (with claws) once the cat has had enough. Enough bops with claws would give the puppy the idea that the kitty is not an animated squeaky toy. But I do recommend keeping the puppy on the leash when anywhere near the cat.

*Potty Training* : Zelda was mostly potty trained when we got her at 5.5 months, so I don't have much advice on the basics past what I can Google. I've seen it recommended a lot that if your dog is eliminating shortly after a walk or going when you aren't looking, keep her on a leash when at home so you can keep an eye on her until you feel like you can trust her not to pee on the floor when you turn your back. You can get a carabiner pretty easily either on Amazon or somewhere that sells outdoor recreation supplies so you can just attach the leash to your belt loop. Any accidents that Zelda has are cleaned up as soon as I'm aware of them by soaking up as much of the elimination as possible before generously applying an enzymatic pet cleaner like Nature's Miracle to the area to remove any lingering scent so that the dog doesn't feel like this is an appropriate place to eliminate in the future.

Hang in there. It will get better. Be consistent with your training, get your daughter more involved if possible, maybe look into daycare a day or more out of the week so she can get some socialization and stimulation, look into puzzle toys to wear out her brain, get a snuffle mat for meal times so that she can use her nose and brain to find her dinner, or scatter her food in the grass and just stand out there with her on a long line as she looks for her food, and just keep up with the obedience training. You're also heading into the teenager phase where she's going to be pushing your buttons even more as she tries to stretch her boundaries. It'll seem like she's forgotten all of her training and find a blowing leaf far more interesting than doing a "sit" for you. Do your best not to show your frustration to her, and if necessary, crate her or put her in a controlled puppy-proofed environment where she can (mostly) stay out of trouble until you've cooled off. And just realize that this forum has people who have also been there and/or are there now. Best of luck. As others have said, these dogs are a lot of work, but the reward is totally worth it. My 10 month old is already miles ahead of my childhood beagle.

Zelda with Tofu.


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## Katt (Jun 20, 2019)

Bonnie and our cat hated each other so much at first that my husband has a scar on his arm from the cat trying to get away from the dog. We got a lot of brain stimulating puzzles for her. While she uses those the cat comes and lays at our feet and gets pets. It stayed like that for awhile, and now they wrestle and lick each other. The cat learned pretty soon on to make sure the dog knew who was in charge. They still have their moments, but if Bonnie continues to play rough after our cat gives her the warning shot, or if she ever bites him, she goes in her crate for a time out.


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## davmar77 (May 5, 2017)

amber is my first dog. I only had cats before. my wife had dogs when she was younger. I must admit I had no idea what we would be up against. at times we didn't like amber much but over time and with lots of training she has gotten much better. she's now 2 1/2. stick with it. things will get better.


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## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

StayGoldPiper said:


> I'm not opposed to walks and playtime....I am active and wanted a dog to be active with. No, I cannot fence my yard, unfortunately. I tried a flat collar and leash for the first 2+ months but the was all over the place even with consistent praise and treating. At one point, she just started to sit and completely refuse to walk, no matter how I broke up the day and tried going to new places. I moved to the gentle leader because I was worried about a neck injury. We have safe zones for the cat with gates and a new window cat bed that the dog cannot reach. Yet, the cat wants to be with his family and here we are.
> 
> Thank you for the advice, everyone. I will not return the dog or give her away, once you get a pet they are yours for life and I will always believe that. Choosing to get a dog was no easy decision, I thought about it and researched for a few years before committing and also waited until my daughter was old enough to be responsible too. I will continue training her and remain consistent with bathroom breaks, she always goes when I ask her to outside.


How much time is she getting to exercise or play off leash? Time to chase a ball, play fetch, explore? I normally try to exercise my puppies for a little while before I begin training, depending on the type of training I'm working on. I don't find that leash walking does much to improve living with a 5 month old Golden puppy. I think training time, or mind games, things that make them think.... or the complete opposite and things that tire them out running, retrieving, playing ball, swimming, seem to make living with them much easier.

My 17 month old spent several months on crate rest and doing a rehab program from 7-10 months of age. For him I used mental games, scent work things that where safe, and training things that he had to really thing about to get through the crate rest. He would walk 40 minutes 4 times a day as part of his rehab at 8 months old and it did nothing to make him easier to live with. I found that 20 minutes of some kind of training that he had to think about was more effective in tiring him out or making him behave. 

It gets better as the get older, but really training helps the most. It takes a Golden a while to outgrow that puppy personality. I feel so bad that you aren't able to enjoy this stage of her life, for you both. It's like kids, they are only little once. If you could find a way to enjoy training and exercise you would be excited about her accomplishments, like when your baby says it's first word, or first steps.


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## allison07 (Oct 26, 2018)

Have you considered working one-on-one with a trainer? Working with a trainer who knows Albus and can help us work towards our goals makes a huge difference for his training. If we're ever having a specific issue we can switch that week's lesson to focus on how to correct it. It might be worth looking into if only to address the behaviors that cause the major headaches for you.


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## Aidan0311 (Jun 12, 2019)

Ecaba, I’m not looking forward to the teenage period, but we will get through it, ha! Jeff, I also really like Zak George! He has a training video for everything you can think of. I also read his book. Staygold, you should look up his leash walking videos, he has several ones of those. it’s definitely work raising a puppy, and it’s to be expected to have times it feels overwhelming. Whenever he has had accidents in the house we make sure to use the enzyme cleaner so he can’t smell the pee. Every time I take Aidan outside, I tell him to “go pee”. When he’s peeing, I say “good boy, you peed!” He now pees on command. If we give Aidan a good exercise session, he’s an angle! He usually does great. The problem we have is we live in Tennessee and it’s been in the mid 90’s with no rain in over a month, and pollen count is at its highest level. It’s been hard to exercise him because of this and the fact that he can’t swim in the ponds right now due to all the toxic algae. He doesn’t want to stay outside and will head straight to the door after going to the bathroom. A walk around the neighborhood in the evening is like nothing to him. He’s definitely more work with less activity. I have found that getting him out taking him to stores, playing tug a war, and training sessions help calm him down. I try to be calm around him and not show my frustration whenever I’m correcting him/showing him what I want him to do instead. Be aware that the 2nd fear period is coming around that 6mo age...at least it happened with my pup. He’s getting better though. There’s so many positive things that you can try to focus on. It will get better as they are such loving, smart dogs.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Basically a few thoughts... and I was hesitant to say anything because my first thought rattling around my head is if you work a job that keeps you away from home too many hours, your child is uninvolved and unwilling to help, and the dog is just not working out....

It's easier to rehome dogs when they are young than waiting until they are adults and more glitchy because of lack of companionship, training, and love. 

Then of course, there was the sense that you were just venting. 

1. If my dog doesn't want to go for walks. I don't FORCE them to walk. I honestly would be talking to your vet about why your dog doesn't want to walk or what's going on. If you force-walked your pup too early and particularly during fear stages, that might have causes problems. But there could be physical problems as well. What if she has bad hips or elbows? They don't always limp. Reluctance to exercise generally is a first clue.

2. If there is a kidney problem - that would cause both the excess urinating and reluctance to exercise. 

3. Chasing the darn cat. We are going through that right now with a stupid cat who has all the perches and spots to hang out beyond the reach of the dogs. He keeps going down to their level. In my case, my dogs go into a frenzy of licking. There is no prey drive at work.

Some dogs however - there is a little prey drive wrapped in there. Cat runs or something like that and it is exciting. 

The way we are solving problems with the cat is he goes outside when the dogs are running around or he's physically put up high after the dogs have swarmed him enough. He tends to stay up high then. 

But just main thing is cats are the stupidest animals. LOL. 

4. Not a harness fan. 

5. Going to obedience classes with your dog will build a bond with your dog that makes all the hardships worth it. 

I'm frequently training my dogs - even the youngest one. And they all respond to that. If you train positively (and I don't positive only junk) enough, the dogs just love it and go crazy about you. I have a scheduled private today. Costs me very little. And the lady I train with is awesome. She's one of those who works her butt off to make training rewarding and fun for both the dogs and their people. Look around and see if you can find somebody like that. You won't find them at petstores, vets, grooming places, etc. These typically people who compete in obedience or have and they have a genuine love or addiction for all the benefits of training a dog and owning a trained dog. 

Your daughter is 12? I started training dogs when I was 2 years younger than her. I was a couple years older than her when I began entering the obedience ring. The thing that caught me way back then was sitting on the side at obedience classes and seeing a show golden brought out to do obedience. This was my first glimpse of heads up heeling with prancing and the dog genuinely excited and happy about working. 

If you are frazzled and tired after working, you could be letting your daughter work with the dog and get involved with dog sports. It would be very good for her. And it would help you with the dog. 

And don't assume a 12 year old is too young to handle dog training.  My TWO YEAR OLD NIECE when my sister's family visited had the dogs sitting and lying down on command - just her doing when she saw me doing. Kids are resilient sponges when young. 


Other thing to throw out there and this is just what it is. 

My dogs came from good breeders. My puppy especially was almost 90% potty trained by the time I brought him home. Any accidents that he has had were related to me not moving when he came up and LITERALLY TOLD ME he had to go outside. 

A friend of mine purchased a puppy from a good breeder and it was something that my dog's breeder and I were hitting our heads on the wall about... and that's my friend's vet telling her not to go to the breeder about possible kidney problems. Why would you NOT! 

In her case, she had a puppy who was not eating, very mouthy and high energy, peeing everywhere... and the vet was throwing out ideas that she either had a serious kidney infection, or a kidney defect. They had to do an ultrasound to tell the difference. I've not talked to my friend since all this, so I'm not sure what the status is... 

But I felt appalled that the woman was told not to go to the breeder for advice. 

In the case of my dog's breeder, she relayed advice on who to take the dog to and what she would see as first things to rule out - stuff the vet did not do.


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## David Pearson (Aug 30, 2018)

Stuart was a terror at that age. He did not get pass that stage until about the 7 month. He is 11 months now.

Bathroom issues: Did you crate train her? I crate train Stuart, and at a younger age we went out on the hour then expanded that hour until he knew to use the bathroom outside. He was train by 4 months. 

If you did use a crate I would ask a Vet about the bathroom issues. 

Blondie my previous Golden would pee in the house. I got her when she was two. I had to catch her in the act to correct her. I set her up for failure then watch for her to pee. I made a big deal of her about to pee, with a big yell Noooooooo, grab her and went outside. She pee then I told her good girl. 

Never correct a dog for something they did after the fact. You have to tell them no at the point of nonacceptable behavior. 

Hang in there, We are at the stage where I hear my wife yell, and he is running off with something from the laundry basket. I just have to laugh when I see that. I tell Linda he will be the dog that runs off with the thanksgiving turkey.


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## nancie (Aug 4, 2018)

StayGoldPiper said:


> I have a beautiful 5.5 month old puppy. She is sweet and cute for sure but I am still not loving dog-life. This is my first ever dog and before her, only had cats. I live with my 13 year old and she helps but it hasn't eased the feelings that this is not ever going to get better. She is a 50/50 good walker, I have a no-pull harness. She never really pulled just wouldn't walk, and still hates it. I don't have a big yard, nor is it fenced and I work 5 days a week, so walking is necessary. I take her to dog parks and out on trails on the weekends. This is super hard for me, it is hard for me to keep her occupied at home since she is (of course) full of energy and I am exhausted from work.
> 
> Potty training? What is that? Seriously, I am consistent and have not stopped taking her out every hour. She goes on a walk and 15 minutes after we are home she pees on the carpet. So much that it is daily in the past few weeks. My house, which has I always keep clean has become a toilet.
> 
> ...


I'm not sure who are these people on the forum that are expressing they love puppy life - many posters write about the opposite. A difficult puppy experience is quite common, and I experienced it too. It doesn't make it any easier but at least this information can help you not feel like the odd one out!

When my puppy was 5 months, these behaviours were VERY typical. (Except for perhaps the potty thing - perhaps get one of those sprays for dogs which cover the scent). As a puppy, Maximus had incredibly sharp teeth and would just lunge at all sorts of things to play, was quite rough, and had many bursts of energy, was very excited. At 5 months, you should not be expecting much else because these things are normal. It doesn't mean don't continue training, it just means at this stage your good and hard work won't really show just yet. But keep at it! When they calm down (and they will), you will see all your hard work has paid off.

It wasn't until 8 months or so that Maximus seemed a lot calmer, sharp teeth were gone, and just generally very suited to our routine. He became mature and learned so much. Now at just over a year, I cannot believe that Maximus is my dog. I can really see why golden retrievers are such amazing breeds and why they are so often chosen as service dogs - their intelligence is unreal, and their intuition. 

Puppy life with a golden retriever is very difficult, and it goes beyond 5 months. But when they do reach adulthood, their intelligence only increases more and more and more. The end result will be 20x better than many other dog breeds, in terms of ease and trainability. They are just so great. 

Please don't let this sharp contrast put you off. At 5 months, of course you will be exhausted because you'll have put up with this for months already. But you are well on your way to a wonderful life with a dog. 

In the meantime, do not stop looking for advice, youtube videos and books. Certain advice will work better for each dog, even though all advice is good. So it really helps during this time to continue getting to know your dog and which methods work better than others. One thing I'll say is, remain firm. For example if something like 'attention crying' starts popping up, you have to be disciplined in not encouraging this sort of behaviour, and next time really sticking to ignoring it. Training isn't only about encouraging the positives, but where possible ignoring negative behaviours so that they are not encouraged. Some dog owners mistakenly forget to do this last bit, so they end up with a dog which has amazingly positive characteristics, but other sides which make them seem unmanageable (jumping up, barking loads, biting too much etc). 

Remember during this time to also keep a good schedule. The schedule isn't only for your dog - it's for you. If you have set times for doing things, that means you can make sure that you slot in time for yourself every day. This is so important for dealing with a challenging puppy (which are most golden retriever puppies). It's tough, but it is doable.

I'm only a young woman so I'm not even speaking from great wisdom - so if I could make it, I know you can too! You will be so happy when your dogs true personality starts shining through. Please, for now, look past all the hormones. And be kind on yourself too - even when you're doing your best, puppies are still puppies. They can't be perfect at this stage. At some point, try to accept that they will be a bit destructive. For now, try separating your cat and puppy in a more clear way. Maximus was basically only allowed to stay in the living room until he was about 8 months, we didn't like letting him roam the entire house... he'd only come to other rooms if he was supervised by us, but even then we wanted to get him used to being alone as well (some small moments). 

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask for help from family. My family members were a great support during this time, and doggy day care too! 

P.S. In ref. to picture below. On the left he was a monster shark puppy who bit everything and loved to dig. On the right, he's calm, loving, cuddly, gentle, understanding, patient, and incredibly intelligent. He's only allowed on the couch on rare occasions that we let him, so this is not usual. But either way, he's always calm and super sweet. We're honestly blessed to have him, and that's after also going through a similar experience like yours.


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## StayGoldPiper (Jun 25, 2019)

allison07 said:


> Have you considered working one-on-one with a trainer? Working with a trainer who knows Albus and can help us work towards our goals makes a huge difference for his training. If we're ever having a specific issue we can switch that week's lesson to focus on how to correct it. It might be worth looking into if only to address the behaviors that cause the major headaches for you.



Good idea!!


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## robertsonse11 (Sep 6, 2018)

StayGoldPiper said:


> I feel like a terrible person, a terrible dog mom and I wonder if I'll ever have this fantastic dog experience everyone on earth seems to have with their dogs.


First of all, you are NOT a terrible person! The fact that you are seeking solutions means that you care. 

If you can afford it, I would recommend paying a qualified trainer to come to your house and spend an hour working with you, your daughter, and your puppy to develop some practical strategies to deal with the these unwanted behaviors. Managing the environment is half the battle with a puppy and sometimes there may a simple solution you just haven't considered. 



StayGoldPiper said:


> Yes, I work with her and do training. She passed her obedience class with flying colors....perfect every class. I'm not oblivious to the fact that we teach them to be good...I am not an idle dog mom.


Ned was the same way with obedience class, he knew how to perform in a class setting but could be a real rascal at home. He has grown out of most of his puppy behaviors, so I hope that is reassuring to you. 

Ned is a little over a year old now and I am still having _some_ issues with him. He hates hot weather, so I have had a hard time giving him enough exercise during the summer. In response, he was expending his excess energy by digging on our floors and chewing our rugs. Whenever I would try and interrupt him, he would start trying to play with me (jumping, mouthing, running away). I needed some help, so I called a local trainer and he was sooooo helpful. We now keep a short leash on him when he is inside, just like when he was a small puppy. If he starts doing anything destructive, we go put him in a brief time out by looping the leash around a doorknob and leaving the room for a few moments.

We also focus on doing "micro" training sessions throughout the day. I definitely recommend these for you and your puppy! These sessions can be as short as 10 seconds and they are all about quickly engaging your dog and giving her some mental stimulation. Some examples include placement cues (lure her to a particular spot in the house and reward her when she lays down there, then start adding a verbal cue for that particular spot) or hiding something special like treats or her favorite toy and then telling her to "Go find". For "Go find", start by having her sit/stay or have your daughter hold her in one place. Then place a treat just out of view (like around the corner or behind your foot). Then release her and say "Go find". Once she is doing this reliably, you can start hiding the special item further and further away. You can even do this with her bowl at meal times. 

The point is, these puppies need lots of small challenges throughout the day and it's helpful to learn ways to provide this without exhausting yourself in the process. Small games, like Go Find and Go to Your Spot or any other fun trick are easy ways for us to keep puppies entertained. 

Most of her unwanted behaviors will resolve themselves as long as you keep trying. If you really don't feel up for all of this, there is no shame is rehoming her. If you hang in there for another 6 months, you will most likely have a _mostly_ well behaved big puppy who you adore.


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## ecaba (Aug 19, 2019)

God. Zelda was such a BABYSHARK not too long ago. Mouthing EVERYTHING to the point that I vowed that she'd be a shark for Halloween. Now, she's practically a different dog even though it's only been mere MONTHS which boggles my mind to type since it feels like she's been part of the family forever.


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## CoopersMom16 (Dec 29, 2016)

The first year with our boy Cooper was horrible in so many ways. He was the worst land shark and bit constantly. We couldn’t enjoy playing with him. My then 10 year old would run upstairs in tears because he couldn’t play and cuddle with his puppy without being bitten all over. Cooper had boundless energy and wouldn’t let me sit. He had to be followed constantly and still destroyed my furniture and wall corners. I have had many dogs before but none of them prepared me for Cooper. I was exhausted walking and playing with him trying to tire him. 

Then around when he turned a year, things started getting so much better. And now at 3 he’s mostly a wonderful dog. He still doesn’t settle down in the house as much as I would like, but overall he’s a loving, sweet dog with a wonderful disposition. 

So if you can hang in there a few more months, things will get better and you will be able to enjoy your puppy.


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

First, you're not a bad person, you're just a first-time puppy owner. It's like getting behind the wheel of a car with no training. You're going to have some harrowing times until you figure it out, and the mistakes you make along the way can make things even harder.

I'm wondering WHY the puppy doesn't like to go on walks. Megora had some interesting thoughts that you might want to consider. I've seen this from puppy buyers on this forum occasionally, but have never paid much attention to it because in my whole long life I've never known a Golden who does't like to go out and explore their world (unless it's -20 outside, or something). So I wonder, is it the collar, or the gentle leader, or some bad experience the puppy had, or lack of leash training, or being yanked around unpleasantly, or yelled at, or being made to heel the whole time, or what? Because it's not normal for a 5-month old Golden puppy to not want to go exploring. Something is off. Something is going on. Such walks are puppy time, so they shouldn't be structured or obedience enforced. This is puppy's time to explore at her own pace, going where she wants to go. Training (heeling) should be done in very short duration, and in discrete training time, not on the puppy's walk.

If the puppy pees in the house EVERY DAY at 5.5 months old, despite being taken outside EVERY HOUR, that's a training issue and a smell issue. Somehow, the puppy has gotten the message that inside is where it goes. And when they get that message, they will hold it forever until they can get back inside where they think they are supposed to go. After a while, the smell of it is self-reinforcing as they can smell the "right place" to go, so you have to get rid of that. Try Nature's Miracle. It is pretty miraculous. And I don't bring such puppies back inside until they go. Especially if they don't like being out on a walk, the ticket to going home to where you want to be is to go to the bathroom. You may have to go back to the very beginning, where whenever the puppy is out of its crate it is on a leash while indoors, with you actively watching the puppy, and the first indication of a possible pee results in swiftly being picked up and carried outside, and staying there until the pee happens.

I don't think any of the things you complain about are impossible to fix. But somehow your puppy has its messages crossed. You have to do what it takes to get the messages right, and once a bad habit develops that can take a tremendous amount of CONSISTENCY and work. You have a trainer. If this person really knows dogs and isn't just a puppy class obedience person, then your trainer should be able to help you with these problems.

And I'm still baffled by a 5-month old Golden who won't go on walks when the weather is nice. It feels like a fear issue or an equipment issue. I wish I had one of those, actually. If they even think I might have a leash, all 8 of my Goldens go absolutely insane.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

People are trying to be supportive and politically correct, sorry but that's not my style so going to ask the question no one has.

What were your expectations? Did you do any research on what it was going to be like to raise a golden puppy? Bring home a dog that is going to be like a cat and just mind it's own business and instinctively use the potty outside like a cat uses a litter box? Cats do their own thing and require very little of their people... was this what you were hoping for? Be honest....

Puppies are much like kids, it takes a huge commitment for the life of the dog. And while it will get easier in some arenas it will open problems in others, you will always face lifestyle changes for the life of the dog, but it will never suddenly become easy and maintenance free like a cat. If you travel you will have the expense of boarding/sitters/dog walkers not just a 1 visit a week to clean the litter box & fill up the food bowl. 

Getting an adult rescue may have been easier as you would have missed the growing up phase but still requires lots of training classes & vet bills. Goldens seldom "mature" before the age of 2, sometimes 3.

So answer this honestly for yourself. Keeping this puppy when you don't enjoy it now and possibly ever will is not fair to the puppy. Returning or rehoming does not make you a failure or a bad person, it's reality. It actually takes a great deal of strength to make this unselfish decision. But please consider that rehoming / returning to breeder at this age is so much easier on the dog than finding a home for a grown dog that has been exiled to the yard without any training. No one wants to adopt an out of control adult dog without manners or even house broken. Put the welfare of the puppy first.


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Oh changed my mind.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

I didn't read the entire thread... but question is still the same. What did she really expect? What vision does she see for this puppy... expectations? Now that she has had a few months of reality is the OP committed to finding a good training school, willing to attend the continued classes necessary to achieve whatever her expectations might be? 
To me it sounded like she was committed because she doesn't want to give up on a commitment and that's wonderful but is it what's best for the puppy? She needs to realize it's important (because it's the 1st dog experience) to attend classes, practice daily and not just for one class but for months? Pretty much ongoing for a newbie. I commend her for wanting to try but owning a dog is a life changing event for years, is she sure this is what she really wants to do? If she has truly thought this through and willing to make the time and be involved... hey, I will be her biggest supporter but life with a dog when you have never done it before and not getting any support from the family needs to be considered.

I would not know what to do with my life without a dog in it, in fact I can't remember ever a time when I didn't have multiple dogs... ever. But I watch people without them and they live a different type of life. They go out more, they travel or attend classes. There house isn't full of hair  They don't have to think about getting sitters or board their pups or schedule groomers. There is a freedom type of life without a dog. It's just different and hope she will consider this when making her decision. If she still wants to do this I hope she finds a good training club vs a personal trainer and gets involved so she can enjoy her new companion. I wish her well whatever she decides to do.


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## StayGoldPiper (Jun 25, 2019)

Please do not speak of me like I am not reading your post. I am a caring, loving and incredibly patient person who was seeking support not a scathing review of my expectations. 

Berating someone once then replying "what was she thinking" in another post knowing full well "she" would read it, is not kind and I am positive, not the intent of this forum.


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## CoopersMom16 (Dec 29, 2016)

Please just ignore that person. You’re having the same experience most of us first time Golden puppy owners have. They are challenging puppies. It will get better as your pup gets older. You don’t need to spend months on daily training or build your life around your dog. Nobody would have dogs if that were true. Hang in there. In a few months you will start seeing things settle down. Good luck.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Discussions between people that post happens and not meant to offend. I'm sure you are a good person and truly hope your decision works out for you and your family. Enjoying the process to realizing the vision you expected makes the process easier. If you can't embrace the process the pup will become a burden and that's not fair to the puppy.
So get involved in a training group where instructors compete with their dogs. You will find all sorts of support from other owners in the same position. You will also find other pups for your pup to have play dates with and burn off some energy. There are all sorts of "raising puppy" books or articles in magazines at the pet stores or online. Start learning and catch up. Just be positive in your heart this is truly what you and your family want to dedicate your time and energy to and can enjoy together.


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## stumped (Sep 9, 2019)

I can totally relate to what you are going thru.I am so frustrated this morning,i told my husband to find another home for my puppy.I have many bandaids on my hands and arms.Some are pretty deep.His tooth gets on my hand or arm as I am trying to push him off or pull away,we have taken him to one on one classes.Some things have worked and some not so much.She gives him so many treats that he is so good with her for the hour that he is in her company.He is 15 weeks,any help would be appreciated


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## jeffscott947 (Jun 9, 2019)

StayGoldPiper said:


> Please do not speak of me like I am not reading your post. I am a caring, loving and incredibly patient person who was seeking support not a scathing review of my expectations.
> 
> Berating someone once then replying "what was she thinking" in another post knowing full well "she" would read it, is not kind and I am positive, not the intent of this forum.


 @StayGoldPiper 
Unfortunately there are a few people here that seem to think that berating others make themselves look good. Look around; most of the "noise" comes from the same few members. They have selective reading too, and if you are not in their club, the "noise" will get louder. 



I find that as you get to know the personality of your dog, and what makes them tick..training gets much easier. My current Golden puppy is just 5 months old and she is a handful, but is slowly getting better. Repetition and being on the same daily schedule are great for getting a puppy to come around. Training treats (high value for difficult jobs) will usually win.


Trainers are for training the owners, and owners should train their own dogs imo. My own sister was lazy and sent her newest pup to a trainer..FAIL... and she had to return the pup (it hated men..all men, including her husband!). Granted, some dogs are just not "wired" right, and can't be fixed. 



I have owned dogs for over 25 years..some harder to train than others, (like Beagles) but I have never had to call for outside assistance. Another problem is a multiple dog family, where some dogs can become corrupted by a new arrival. Like others, I have gotten to a point where I asked myself.."is this even worth it?"..the answer is always a big YES! :grin2:

Good luck and don't give up..


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## davmar77 (May 5, 2017)

stumped said:


> I can totally relate to what you are going thru.I am so frustrated this morning,i told my husband to find another home for my puppy.I have many bandaids on my hands and arms.Some are pretty deep.His tooth gets on my hand or arm as I am trying to push him off or pull away,we have taken him to one on one classes.Some things have worked and some not so much.She gives him so many treats that he is so good with her for the hour that he is in her company.He is 15 weeks,any help would be appreciated


15 weeks is basically an infant so you have to think of your puppy that way. I do think you and your husband should try to be consistent in your approach. the puppy needle teeth are fun, eh? keep the classes going. maybe some with other young pups too. you need to start socializing as soon as you can. we did right from the start.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

stumped said:


> I can totally relate to what you are going thru.I am so frustrated this morning,i told my husband to find another home for my puppy.I have many bandaids on my hands and arms.Some are pretty deep.His tooth gets on my hand or arm as I am trying to push him off or pull away,we have taken him to one on one classes.Some things have worked and some not so much.She gives him so many treats that he is so good with her for the hour that he is in her company.He is 15 weeks,any help would be appreciated



I've put a response on your own thread!


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

When it's all said and done...puppies are hard!!
Even the best dog owners with a ton of experience will tell you that!

I have had 3 golden puppies and each of them were very different to train, but you have to be committed and don't hesitate to ask for help! As one person commented, it will get easier and you will soon wonder how you could ever live without her!

I don't doubt that you are committed to this puppy and that both you are your daughter are doing your very best with her. How long is your puppy on her own throughout the day? Maybe she could go to a doggy daycare or maybe someone could come over during the day?

My Tessa is 6 months old and I continue to come home at lunch when I can or if I am unable, I have my neighbor come over. Is she holding herself throughout the day?

Just keep a good routine as it's so important for puppies to know what to expect! 

Also...my motto after owning 3 dogs is...'a tired dog is a good dog'!

Just try to enjoy the little things like the snuggles and kisses so it makes the frustrating ones a little more tolerable!

I am sure your being bombarded with advice, but you are definitely not alone!!


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## allison07 (Oct 26, 2018)

ecaba said:


> God. Zelda was such a BABYSHARK not too long ago. Mouthing EVERYTHING to the point that I vowed that she'd be a shark for Halloween. Now, she's practically a different dog even though it's only been mere MONTHS which boggles my mind to type since it feels like she's been part of the family forever.



Omg love the costume! Where did you find it?


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

I don't think you are a bad person. And it's super common for people (puppy owners especially) to come onto the forum and complain/vent about their experiences. I remember when my bridge boy was a puppy, I had a complete crying meltdown in front of a petco cause he wouldn't stop lunging and pulling and all my training tricks were gone and I didn't know how to deal with the situation. Like full on, sit on the ground and cry... as an adult.... IN PUBLIC! I remember when Lana was a puppy I was literally counting the days until she turned 4 months old cause that was when Bear started losing his shark teeth and I couldn't WAIT for that day with Lana. I've cried many times over Lana's excessive greeting disorder. She's 15 months old and it's still a problem. We're working on it with doggie crack (puperoni sticks and cheese whiz). 

I think there is less complaining this go around with Lana because I think I went in knowing I would be overwhelmed some days and I knew I was going to mess her up and I knew we were going to have destruction. I try to find the bright side in her shenanigans. Last night she dug up the 'dog sofa' and kept pulling napkins out and I'd say "what do you have?" and she'd come to me, so I could trade her the napkin for a treat. I love making Lana 'work for it' at home. Puppy pushups, practicing recalls, practicing fronts and finishes, practicing heeling. She works for her meals. She works for her treats. I know I have a long way to go with her but I'm enjoying the ride there. 

I think as your puppy ages, it'll get better. And you hang in there in the meantime.  It's ok to take a break from the puppy too. So many nights Lana went to bed early so I could have an hour of peace before my own bedtime.


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## 204408 (Jul 24, 2019)

I did what you're doing now 18 years ago with my first golden. I was exhausted, constantly cleaning up messes and wondering if I had made a mistake. But very, very quickly your puppy turns into a dog and is no longer a little shark. Remember that she is not only learning you, your house, your cat, but also growing and probably also teething! Puppies act out, but can also act out more when their teeth are making them crazy. Keep plenty of frozen treats around. Is having a sitter come in while you're at work an option?

Try not to compare yourself to people who seem to have angel puppies - especially if someone is at home all day. With my second puppy, I worked at home full time and it made a enormous difference in how easy it was to housetrain and care for him. You've signed up for a lot, but they grow so quickly and it will be no time before you have the dog you were looking for.


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## StayGoldPiper (Jun 25, 2019)

Thank you everyone for the words of encouragement. I am NOT giving away my Piper, we adore her even though sometimes she is a bear! Things have improved a bit and I have learned to walk her based on her mood. If she isn't into it from the beginning, we play instead. I tried the local dog park but it weirded me out so we continue to play at our local school when it is kid-free at night and play with our neighbor's dog for socialization. Her walks have improved greatly by changing up my approach and YES, I realize that my frustrations effected her so I am working on that too.

Accidents are better, only 1 in the last 8 days. I think I am taking her out a ton but she is amazing at night, goes about 7 hours and during the day as well (in her crate). I have a dog walker on days I work late and she will come with a little notice which helps.

I read every reply and appreciate the time and effort each of you made to answer my questions. I took a break from the forum for a week because of the negative but I didn't want to forget the positive!

Sara


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## ecaba (Aug 19, 2019)

allison07 said:


> Omg love the costume! Where did you find it?


PetsMart in either a large or extra large. I had her with me when I bought it so I just tried them on in store.

I was torn between the shark costume or the unicorn costume, but went with the shark simply because they didn't have a unicorn that fit Zelda.


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## debbie624 (Aug 10, 2018)

OP, I can empathize with your situation. My golden puppy is now 7 months. Wow, I can' believe I just said that! It feels like yesterday that I brought Coco home. She was 7 weeks when we got her. She is our second golden and has been a handful to say the least. Very sweet and lovable but as many can attest, I have posted in our forum on numerous occasions with my struggle with Coco regarding behavior and other issues. She was a huge land shark. I had a very hard time. She attacked me mostly and I was beside myself and didn't know what to do. I tried everything. Private training, suggestions from here, now obedience classes. Well, I am happy to say she has "grown" out of this stage and no longer attacking. The occasional bite occurs when my daughter is not respecting her signals but that is a training issue. And we are addressing it. Coco has not "grown" out of her wanting to put everything in her mouth stage. We've been to the ER to induce vomiting, a couple days ago we had to induce vomiting at home, she continues to want to grab stuff and we are on constant watch all the time which gives me great anxiety. Potty training was difficult and my carpet unfortunately took a beating with it. I too have been extremely frustrated. My beloved Callie was not like this at all. She never had accidents. She attacked my legs when a puppy and that drove me crazy but never bit anyone really. And never swallowed stuff she shouldn't. So I guess my point is is that it does get better. But it takes a lot of patience and training. And a change of expectations perhaps. Our mindset is everything. Goldens are so food motivated that it makes training a lot easier. Maybe switch up what you are using to treat her. Our trainer told me I wasn't using a high enough value treat. When I use chicken for instance, Coco responds so much better. When Callie was a baby, I frequently said I wanted to return her to the breeder. Wow, and I thought she was difficult. She turned out to be perfect in every way. Every single way even though she was a difficult puppy. I remind myself of this when I get frustrated with Coco. Puppyhood is a challenge. But the results of patience and working through it are priceless. Good luck in whatever you decide to do. You are not a bad puppy parent. Don't beat yourself up, regardless of which decision you choose.


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## Dee_Lady_Liberty (Sep 27, 2019)

My golden is same age and has been driving me bananas. I previously had a black lab but he was 4 when I brought him home. I some research before bring my golden puppy home at 2.5 months. However.... Somehow I kept thinking I was going to pick up when I left off with my boy. (He was 8 when he passed away.) I want to mention that I am the full-time caregiver for the puppy. I work well over 50 hours a week. Getting back into the flow of having a dog was tough... Is tough. She is learning to get in tune with my nap schedule, but I noticed that she is a real baby shark at night or whenever I am really tired. I had to make a conscious effort to tire her out at those times, so I could relax. I must do her entire routine on my own. We live in the city so I didn't walk her until she had all of her shots, which put a damper on her potty training (pun intended). We do have a yard but the fence is not secure enough for a puppy and the lighting is terrible, so I'm not comfortable with her out there in the dark as she STILL wants to put EVERYTHING in her mouth including stray cat poo ?. I love the EZ Walk harness. My boy was a major puller before. I generally hold the leash with both hands: my left giving her a little over a foot and the right loose for support and security. We stop if she begins to "walk me." She does enjoy walks but went 2 weeks with relieving herself outside, which was super frustrating. However, she has gone at least once on the last 4 walks. I was exhausted and needed a break so had her stay overnight at a pethotel where she had group and individual time. She came back exhausted and it was so refreshing! No one knew she turned into a baby shark at night because she was kept busy and received good reviews. She has lots of toys to keep her busy. She has learned to fetch a ball and bring it back to me as I sit in the couch. Some preferential toys are removed from her selection and given when I am more tired. I also have a laser pointer which keeps her running and "hunting" in our living room. She is being crate trained which works great when I am away. I know because I can see her on camera when I'm out. (She has some occasional whiniest when I am home and she can't see me, which can be painful for me but some alone time is healthy for us all.) We still use puppy pads right now because she usually does 2-3 peeps and a poo. However, she goes in the same exact spot. Unfortunately, when my schedule changed with my black lab marked every rug in the house, so the puppy is not allowed on the one currently here. A carpet shampooer helped a lot with him though. Because of my work schedule and her delay of walking outside, I am not hopeful that she will be potty trained at 6 months.... But I am thoroughly excited to go to 2 meals a day soon. I know my emotions affect her positivily or negatively, so I am trying to be more mindful of that.... She won't even eat if I'm rushing around... My boy did the same thing ?. Hope this helps! Raising a puppy can be insane at times but it's super rewarding when they get their energy out in a healthy way.


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## ken71 (Jun 15, 2018)

Sorry, post deleted


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