# Retriever growing aggresive



## elly (Nov 21, 2010)

I'm sorry you are worried but this poor dog needs exercise, hes a growing adolescent male, a gundog breed, who needs to have a good run and let off energy both physically and mentally. Just being walked outside to urinate isnt enough, probably even for any dog and definateky not for a growing Golden Retriever. Do you have any mental stimulation toys for him as mental exercise is tiring too and can help a lot. 
I am glad to hear you are working with a trainer but I wonder why you think your dog has a personality disorder, dont you think hes naturally frustrated and bored, I know Chester can get agitated and moody when hes been cooped up all day with me and just being let out in the garden if no-ones been able to come home and take him out for a good run (I cant walk him due to illness) if I dont keep him very busy.
I hope some others will post with some ideas, but I do believe from what you have told us your dog is bored more than anything. Isnt there anyone else who can come in to see him when you are all working? 
We have people on the board with experience in training and behaviours,..I hope they wil know what to say. You must however stay safe of course and not risk being hurt by him but he doesnt sound happy


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## ashleylp (Jul 23, 2011)

I'm sorry this is happening. I'm no trainer and I don't know exactly what to do, but if it were my dog I'd increase the exercise and take away his "den". I know it's "his" spot, but if Remy were doing this I simply wouldn't allow it... he'd lose privileges. I most definitely wouldn't be treating him to get things from him if he's growling at you... in my mind that would only be reinforcing the growl. At 11 months he is still very much a puppy, but also a teenager... and they go through weird stages. Have you seen the parents of teenage pups thread? It might be worth taking a look at.

I'd also like to add that we make our boy work for everything he gets... it works out their brain and does make them tired. Before eating any meals Remy has to lay down with his head on the ground and "pray". He is released when I say "amen". No treats are given unless he does a trick. He gets ignored if he jumps and praised/approached only when he is calm (because he had an issue with jumping). Before going in and our of our main door he has to sit and let us go first. These little things have made a very big difference in Remy's behavior. I'm a firm believe that dogs (and people for that matter) will raise to your level of expectations... so we set a high bar here. Don't get me wrong, we have a ton of fun, he is very happy... but so are we!


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## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

exercise might help the problem. it sounds like he has some pent up energy and is releasing it in a negative and unwanted way because he has no over way to release it. a good hour long walk everyday might do the trick and investing in a kong wobbler might help with mental stimulation along with training. you can also try playing some fetch with him (trust me this tires them out lol)
and I'm wondering is he neutered?


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

He needs exercise and alot of it. I know my dog gets amped up if I dont do stuff with everyday. It is a shame you are all working but there must be time in your day to play a game of fetch with a ball or a frisbee. take a long walk or teach him to run beside your bike. Since he is still young I would find a dirt path for running with the bike and maybe only go a 1/2 mile mile round trip and work up to longer runs. 
I would also take the den away if he is going to growl at me...I dont think so. I do have one dog here that at night he is tired and doesnt like alot of activity so if he isnt laying with my son watching TV he is in a kennel.


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## toliva (Nov 24, 2011)

I know you don't want to get rid of him, but if he only gets out for potty breaks and nothing more, and you don't have time for any other exercise now or in the forseeable future, I think maybe you chose the wrong breed of dog . 

How much was he socialized as a young puppy? If he didn't get out then either, that might be the root of some of these problems. 

What advice has the trainer given, besides "be patient"? There must be something more s/he is telling you.... otherwise I'd look for a new trainer (or behavioralist) because patience will not solve this problem.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I agree, I think you need to make a serious investment into giving him a lot more exercise and mental stimulation. Perhaps also attending an obedience class with him? Also, I would not recommend leaving him chained up at night! That is not good for him mentally either.


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## abhyank (Apr 19, 2012)

*Thanks for the apt replies guys*

Well so i guess my suspicions were correct he isnt getting enough exercise.....ill remedy that today itself will take him out fr jogs from now on......thank you for the myriad of ideas guys....also i had some queries id like to ask you guys..

1.The last 2 instances of biting happened when (one) i was holding his collar waiting for the house help to clean the room and my bro casually stroked his muzzle....(2)when my brother was taking the tick collar off him...so is the collar a very sensitive no no spot for him??

2.Ive started using the swap trick that i read in the forum....that is whenever he takes sumthng in his mouth and runs to his den(beneath the dining table) i offer him a biscuit in return fr it and command 'swap" ive just started it dunno how effective it will be...but im apprehensive that being intelligent as retreivers are wont he strt getting stuff in his mouth just to get treats???

3.One person suggested removing his den...but thts difficult coz its beneath the dining table..smack in the middle of the house....so how do we counter the den problem??

4.Usually hes free to roam around the house but at night we tie him up beneath the dining table(again his den) tying 2 leashes back to back so he has ample of space to move around even when tied....so is this good or should we let him free at night(which my parents are apprehensive about coz he gets a bit territorial at night) 

5.At night when he growls and sometimes when he bites he gets this red lining
in his eyes, and its as if hes staring and challenging anyone to come near him...it becomes a bit scary at that time...so is that normal behaviour

My Dog is super fun and sociable normally....so it really bugs us why at some instances he behaves like this....also he is not neutered and as someone asked his trainer well apart frm being patient hes making him learn commands and takes him fr a brisk walk n all.....and well as for him socializing with puppies well we dont actually have a dog park out here...but hes sociable enough with other pet dogs in the society......


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## MarsNPluto (Jan 10, 2012)

I'm glad you are willing to begin exercising him, as I also believe this could be the root of his bad behavior. Exercise, obedience classes, and puzzle toys. He needs a lot of stimulation at this age. If this has been going on a while, exercise will help but may not be a quick fix. I suggest you get help from another trainer if you did not get sufficient advice from your current one. Also, you mentioned your trainer is making him learn commands, but are you reinforcing them?

The area where his tick collar is situated is probably very sensitive to him, and I wouldn't recommend using one (I hear they can pretty bad on a dog's skin/health). Have you tried pills you can get from the vet, or even the topical flea/tick treatments?

I've read somewhere that sometimes tying a dog up can make them even more aggressive. But I'm not a professional in this matter, so maybe someone else will be able to help you a little more with that, as I also wouldn't know what to do in that situation. Regarding the aggression at night, it probably is pent up energy that he doesn't know how to channel properly. If it happens at about the same time every night, before you think he begins to get crazy, play fetch with him, even if it's in the house, or go on a 15-30 minute walk/jog. Do a training session or give him a frozen Kong. Or do all of the above. I remember when Pluto was a baby puppy, around 8pm every night he would be bewitched and either get the zoomies or bark/nip at me. We channeled that energy into fetch, or if he got completely out of control, I put him in his crate for a short timeout until he settled down. Since then he has learned to settle down himself, and if he has extra energy that we did not expend during the day, he brings me a toy to play fetch or tug. It will get better if you teach him how to channel that energy, and if you actually give him a good outlet for it. Good luck.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

This sounds as though the dog has some serious issues and likely exceeds the ability of the forum to assist you. If he's actually biting it may be time to find a professional handler to come help you with his issues. I would instruct you to separate him from family members and crate him until you can get assistance. My dogs are high energy as well and on days I can't get to walking them in no circumstances have they ever bitten me.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Exercise that dog. Start doing obedience. Crate train that dog and let that become his den. I also get the feeling that he didn't learn bite inhibition. You should address that. I think that you also need to let the dog know that you control his resources---toys, food, etc.


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## lyssa (Mar 1, 2011)

I'd agree that this mostly goes beyond what forums should advise on - depending upon what level of biting we are talking about. Is the dog just applying tooth to skin lightly as a warning, or barely even felt? Or is skin broken with blood? If it's the latter you should be working with a qualified behaviourist with a carefully planned program, and exercise is something that surely would have been addressed already.

If the person who is working with you hasn't gone into changes like exercise I would question their ability to tackle even minor aggression problems.... but I guess I have not been there so can't really judge.

However, everyone should be aware there are very different levels of biting, some of which do not belong as part of a forum discussion. If it is a serious problem, and if you are working with a good professional, you should just stick to the program they have worked out for you unless you come to the conclusion it isn't working. Taking advice from people who haven't seen your dog, and certainly don't know the severity of his issues, could lead to people getting hurt.

Oh, and exchanging treats for purloined items is a completely recognised management strategy for resource guarding. Taking items forcefully from a dog like that is a good way to get bitten. It is much better that the dog bring interesting things it has found to you for a treat, and get used to giving things up happily, than continue to think everything belongs to him and be prepared to defend them with his teeth. (By the way the book _Mine!_ by Jean Donaldson is fantastic for learning to treat resource guarding).

I do think exercise is good general advice for all dogs, but it sounds like there may be more to this than lack of exercise. If your trainer isn't taking all your dogs needs into account, I think you should be looking for another one that can give you better advice than "be patient".


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## Sosoprano (Apr 27, 2011)

I’m no expert, but I’d suggest maybe a visit to the vet might be in order to rule out any physical causes. I’d check his thyroid in particular and just confirm that he’s not in any pain.

I also think that using a crate would be much healthier for him. If he knows he has a safe place to go when he’s feeling overwhelmed or worried, he might just remove himself from difficult situations. You can even put a blanket over the crate so it feels more like a den.

Perhaps also consider practicing NILF (nothing in life is free)? If he comes to see you as the sole provider of all good things (food, playtime, etc.) and learns that he has to work for whatever he gets, you may be able to build up a more trusting bond. Good luck!


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