# Worrysome Aggression in 8 week old puppy.



## Phoenixvega (Mar 13, 2013)

Hi Everyone! 

I have had my English Cream Golden for about a week now and he is 8 weeks old...and I have started to notice some disturbing behavior from him. When is time to take him outside I go to pull his collar around to get the metal loop that the leash attaches to and he tenses up and sometimes bares his teeth and has snapped at my hands and growled. He also gets that wide eyed whites of the eyes showing side look that dogs seem to give when they are upset or nervous. If you touch his paws, he bares his teeth. He has snapped at my face twice because I was petting him around his jaw and/or chest area. Not rough or anything, just touching. This evening I snuggled him close and he growled and lunged at my face. This is not playing behavior...this is actual aggression. He does the classic "mouthing EVERYTHING" behavior goldens are known for as well but I am positive this is different. He seems nervous, leery of things, and pretty up tight when in someones arms. All of this is something I would be willing to work with if I didnt have small children. I have 2 little boys ages 4 and 6..as you can imagine...they are both rough and wild little guys  I am concerned this puppy may hurt them. The breeder I got him from is a good friend and I know she would take him back and give me another puppy that was more laid back if I needed to...my question is this. Is this behavior indicative of the way this dog will behave as an adult? If you were me and had the option to return the dog to get another maybe more handled puppy, would you? What can I do to stop this behavior if anything? I appreciate any advice and wisdom you can share! Thank you!


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## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

I...hmm... on one hand, I agree that this doesn't sound like playful behavior and that it needs to be seriously addressed and worked on, which you seem to be indicating may be a little more than you bargained for. On the other hand, I would hate to more or less give up on such a young pup who is still totally at a prime age for learning positive behavior and could be turned around (probably even quickly!). This behavior CAN be indicative of behavior as an adult in the wrong hands, but at such an incredibly young age, that's a little unfair to say at this point... I certainly wouldn't say it's a _good_ indicator at this point. There is soooooo much you can do to alter this behavior moving forward, but could you be a little more clear about what you are and are not willing to pursue in order to keep this puppy? That will help guide responses a little bit more. Objectively speaking, there is a big difference in how we can advise you if you are in a "keep the puppy, as long as it's safe for my boys" frame of mind vs. "I really don't think I have the energy for this, no matter what".

Edited for grammar, it's late guys!


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## Phoenixvega (Mar 13, 2013)

Thanks for the reply!  I am willing to work with him as long as it is safe for my kids. If this is something that can be remedied I would absolutely be willing to stick it out with him. I am just scared to death that this is behavior that is indicative of adult behavior, and it won't be cool if he is 70 lbs acting like this. What can I do to make him stop tensing up, snapping, baring his teeth, and overall just be calm and happy? Thanks!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

sorry to hear what you're going through with your sweet looking little guy. 

He is a very young puppy and is at a very influential stage of his life. With some positive reinforcement and proper training I'm sure you can eliminate this type of behavior. 

If I were in your shoes I would not go this alone. I would seek professional help and ASAP. The faster you address this issue the less chance of it ever rising up again in the future. You're certainly right it won't be cool when he's +70lbs if he does this and it's not okay right now. 

I am not too knowledgeable on these aggression issues, but when it comes to petting him, keep a couple of treats on hand. I would say, initial contact give him a treat, a few seconds of petting then treat, and so on. He should get the treat as long as he's not baring his teeth or showing any signs of aggression or stress. I believe this would show positive reinforcement in that getting pet is a good thing.

Any members feel this information is incorrect or just downright bad please let me know so I do not hand out such information again in the future.


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## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

In my completely unprofessional opinion, I think you guys can get through this. Eight weeks is so, so young and he has only been with you for a week! It sounds like you have a very scared puppy who has somehow learned that the best way to combat fear is by... well... being combative. Do you know if he had any experiences prior to being in your home that would have made him feel particularly defensive or tense? Fear is best responded to with positive training techniques-- reward based training that will help your puppy want to _choose_ more appropriate behavior, rather than just forcing him to. If you have the resources, please consider investing in a few sessions with a trainer. A professional, positive trainer or behaviorist will most definitely be able to give you insight and clear direction that no one on a forum will be able to. In the mean time, for the sake of keeping everyone safe and not making puppy more anxious....

First, if you are not already, I would try very hard to not allow any unsupervised play or petting sessions between your human kids and the puppy. Puppy needs to learn that being touched and handled will always be a safe, calm, positive experience and even the most animal-friendly kids can have a hard time understanding when to leave puppy alone. This will help your puppy learn, and keep your kids safe. 

Second, take a few steps backwards and start with the basics. Try to refrain from cuddling for awhile. Instead, work on having short, positive, calm interactions. Pet puppy on his side or back (not his head, belly, or paws) for a stroke or two, say "yes!", and give him a treat. If he starts giving you whale eyes, lip licks, or holds very very still, back off and try something easier such as letting him eat a treat off your lap without touching him. Any time you see relaxation with being touched, say "Yes!" and reward. Gradually, the goal is to increase the amount of touching and interaction he is comfortable with. Paws/head/neck will probably be the slowest to progress. Is it possible to get him a small step in harness with a back clip to avoid all this collar/neck touching while you are working on his comfort level?

Third, a couple trust exercises? Hand feeding can be an excellent way to build security for a dog. You see it work for resource guarding and you see it work for dogs who are just really freaking confused about who to look to for guidance. Sit down with your puppy's meal and give him little amounts at a time... once he realizes you are the source of food, you can step it up a bit by waiting until he looks to you or tries to engage you in some way before you give him more. In addition, you can work on a "touch" game... with this game, your puppy learns to tap his nose to your hand for a reward. It will help him see that investigating and connecting with people can be really fun and gets him tasty things  Dog Obedience Training through Targeting - Whole Dog Journal Article is a great article on how to teach it!

I hope someone who is more experienced and educated than me comes along to chime in. I also had a puppy that bordered on the hostile end of the spectrum (mainly with resource guarding), and this forum really helped me learn the best way to approach things.


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## ashleylp (Jul 23, 2011)

I will write more tomorrow but I wanted to share real quick... I have been reading some training books lately and one stressed the importance of letting your puppy come to you vs. you grabbing your puppy. It talks about how letting the puppy make the decision to interact with you really strengthens the bond. I know everyone always wants to hold and cuddle an 8 week old adorable ball of fluff, but one thing I would recommend is sitting on the floor and playing with toys and treats but not constantly cuddling. He is so small right now and while I don't think the behavior is acceptable, think of how overwhelming everything is! Imagine being so tiny and having hands constantly reaching for you. 

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## BabySnow (Feb 15, 2013)

Hi,
We have an english golden who is 6 1/2 months old.
When he was about 3 months he began to act like your puppy.
He would not accept any stranger to pet him, he was barking at people in the park and he was acting very strange with other dogs.
He was also developed a resouce guarding over the couch,our bed and over different things founded or stoled.
At 3 months and 1/2 we began to train him with the help of a specialist behavoiur.
The problem with touching him was solved in 2 training sessions.Now when someone comes to pet him he just lay dowm and look at me.
Of course it will be better to look for a professional help,but meantime i will give you some pieces of advice in order to set some limits to your puppy:
- start immediatly basic training (sit, down,wait);
-when you feed him put in a sit position and do not allow him to go to the bowl until you say so;
- when he is eating put your hand in the bowl and pet him (this is to prevent resource guarding over his food bowl);
- do not let him to sleep in your bed/to stay on the couch;
- when in house to can try to have him on leash to better control;
- when you want to pus his collar let him *come to you*, give him a treat and praise a lot
Our puppy is much better now even if we still have problems with resource guarding.
Be patient and I am sure you can go over this and soon you will be the best friends.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I have a lot of questions. He is 8 weeks old? You say he's been home "about a week"... Did you bring him home before he was 7 weeks? How many puppies were in the litter and how much time did your friend spend one on one and observing those puppies? Were they raised in her home?

*Has your friend come to your house to observe the behavior you are talking about? What is her suggestion - I'm assuming she is a very experienced dog person. *

You are very observant to notice his tension. If what you are describing here is accurate you have two options:

1) Consult a Certified Behavioral Veterinarian and have a professional observe this behavior. I STRONGLY recommend this route. There are 3 total in Indiana and Illinois. Here is a link: Find a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist « ACVB If you want to keep this puppy, it will be worth every penny.

2) Trade for another puppy. I have been down this road and seen this type of behavior before unfortunately. Temperament has an inherited component that is very strong. Yes, you can do a lot to work him through this and it will help if you are patient and consistent. But you have a long term project on your hands most likely and there are no guarantees.

I"m sorry you're seeing this behavior. I know it's very upsetting.



Phoenixvega said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> I have had my English Cream Golden for about a week now and he is 8 weeks old...and I have started to notice some disturbing behavior from him. When is time to take him outside I go to pull his collar around to get the metal loop that the leash attaches to and he tenses up and sometimes bares his teeth and has snapped at my hands and growled. He also gets that wide eyed whites of the eyes showing side look that dogs seem to give when they are upset or nervous. If you touch his paws, he bares his teeth. He has snapped at my face twice because I was petting him around his jaw and/or chest area. Not rough or anything, just touching. This evening I snuggled him close and he growled and lunged at my face. This is not playing behavior...this is actual aggression. He does the classic "mouthing EVERYTHING" behavior goldens are known for as well but I am positive this is different. He seems nervous, leery of things, and pretty up tight when in someones arms. All of this is something I would be willing to work with if I didnt have small children. I have 2 little boys ages 4 and 6..as you can imagine...they are both rough and wild little guys  I am concerned this puppy may hurt them. The breeder I got him from is a good friend and I know she would take him back and give me another puppy that was more laid back if I needed to...my question is this. Is this behavior indicative of the way this dog will behave as an adult? If you were me and had the option to return the dog to get another maybe more handled puppy, would you? What can I do to stop this behavior if anything? I appreciate any advice and wisdom you can share! Thank you!


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Based on a few indications in your initial post, I think the wisest thing for your family might be to return the puppy and _not_ get another from your friend. There are some signals here that perhaps she is not doing everything possible to produce puppies with the best possible shot at a long, healthy life and a stable temperament. Based on that alone, it might be wise not to get a dog from her at all.

I don't wish to denigrate your friend based on such speculation, because I'm not _sure_ she's breeding carelessly, but I think you should consider carefully whether you really want to take on a puppy that doesn't have the deck stacked in his favor. If the pup has not been bred carefully, you have a much higher risk of all kinds of continuing problems down the road. Giving the pup back doesn't help this pup, but taking a high risk pup into a family with young children isn't good for the kids or the dog.

These problems are probably quite solvable, so if they were the only issue here, I'd say you could work through them. But given the rest of the situation, I would advise against it. If I'm wrong about your friend's breeding decisions, perhaps a puppy with no fear issues would be OK, but I don't get the sense that I am.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

I only scanned some of the other responses so forgive me if this has already been suggested.
The only pup that I came across that young, with that issue, was in pain. A quick trip to the vet will rule out anything medical, however, that may not fix your problem. 
When a pup is hurt, and you try to touch it, some will growl and snap. When they growl and snap, you retreat. They just learned that growling will get what they want, keeping you away from them, so even after the medical condition is cleared up, they have already learned how to use the growl to keep you at bay. 
I would schedule an appointment with your vet, rule out anything medical, then start working on the behavior part of it with a certified behaviorist. The good thing is that your pup is still very young and should respond well to training.
Good luck, whatever you decide to do.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I am with Tippy on this.. An 8 week old golden puppy that doesn't beg to be petted is an anomaly. If the pup actually is showing that much fear, I wonder about how well socialized the litter was or is there a genetic component as well? So I probably would not want a litter mate either. Your job is to keep your kids safe. Having said this, the rule of thumb is that no child under the age of five is ever left alone with a dog. When my kids were younger like less than ten years old, they were also never allowed to hug tightly or carry the pups at all.
I have raised nine litters of Goldens and have not seen this as an issue. Plus I see lots of pups in practice. If a client's pup was to behave like yours, I would send you to a behaviorist ASAP. The question is is do you have the time, the finances, and the commitment to do that? I have been there with young children and a golden who was more than I bargained for...


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## Dancer (Apr 5, 2010)

One of our boys transformed from reserved, slightly shy but very loving 'doll' at his breeder's home to a scary little nightmare when he came home, at 7 wks. We picked him out of his extremely rough and active litter (9 boys, 1 girl- poor momma!!) because of his confirmation and his having what seemed like the quietest demeaner of the lot....turns out he was just repressed! He was confused about who was boss, and would snarl, bare his baby teeth, snap, and try to stare down anyone who tried to take things from him, or touch his scruff or collar, or wake him from sleep.....I think he was dominated by his litter mates, and when he got to our home, he just figured that in the absence of his dominant litter mates, he was in charge. With advice from his breeder, puppy kindergarten instructor, and this forum, the problem was corrected in a few weeks. Now, he's incredible and the only dog I know who I would trust 150% with any child. There is definitely hope, but you need to be consistent, and ask his breeder and behaviour professionals for help. 


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## Dancer (Apr 5, 2010)

Just to add a caveat: I saw no sign of fear of any kind in my boy, and I agree as a general rule the safety of your children is of the utmost importance. I can't say/encourage you to keep him or give up, only relate my own difficulty and success with my boy. Good luck!


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Here are my thoughts. We got Tayla at 4 months from a co-worker of my husband. He in turn got her as a 5 week old puppy. Tayla came to us with issues, no doubt about it. She would bite more than just mouthing and would crinkle up her nose and snap at you. She would do it in your face or other body parts. We were terrified that she was aggressive. We immediately sought out the help of a behaviorist who came to the house and after observing her said she was not aggressive, just need some boundaries. It continued on for about another month and although we tried working with her she was getting bigger and we were getting bit a lot. We found another behaviorist who had her own training center. I made an appointment to see her and took Tayla. Tayla got out of the car in the parking lot and I walked her around to go potty for a few minutes since we were a little early. I didn't know the trainer was inside watching our every move. As soon as we walked in the door she said wow, you have a very insecure puppy who has some fear issues. I was amazed. After an hour of talking to her, her watching Tayla she said she knew Tayla was not aggressive, but had a complete lack of self confidence and severe impulse control issues. We started working on various things, put her into a Nose Work class to build her self confidence and it was a long road with many bruises and bites, but just shy of her 1st birthday she stopped most of this behavior. She still has issues if she gets overly excited and we work on these things every day. If you would have seen me in her first 8 months with us you would probably have had my husband arrested for abuse I was so badly bruised. One of Tayla's favorite things to do was jump and pinch bite with her front teeth. Just catching enough skin to bruise. I had bruises everyplace you can imagine. She is now 16 months old and growing into a great dog. So having said all this I would certainly seek out a behaviorist. Make sure they train only in positive reinforcement. I say this because in the early days we had a lot of people tell us what we were doing wrong and how we could correct it if we would just......add some form of punishment based correction. It only made things worse. Positive all the way. Good luck.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Sally's Mom said:


> I am with Tippy on this.. An 8 week old golden puppy that doesn't beg to be petted is an anomaly. If the pup actually is showing that much fear, I wonder about how well socialized the litter was or is there a genetic component as well? So I probably would not want a litter mate either. Your job is to keep your kids safe. Having said this, the rule of thumb is that no child under the age of five is ever left alone with a dog. When my kids were younger like less than ten years old, they were also never allowed to hug tightly or carry the pups at all.
> I have raised nine litters of Goldens and have not seen this as an issue. Plus I see lots of pups in practice. If a client's pup was to behave like yours, I would send you to a behaviorist ASAP. The question is is do you have the time, the finances, and the commitment to do that? I have been there with young children and a golden who was more than I bargained for...


I disagree with the petting thing. Tayla was also not a very loving or cuddly dog probably because she didn't get it in her first few months, but we worked on it and now she is starting to be much more loving. Some puppies are not cuddly. Some are, but I've learned on here that they can turn into sweet snugglers.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Very odd behaviour for such a young puppy. Even outside of the "English Cream" business, I would also question what the breeder has done in terms of socializing, and temperament testing the litter. I do not send puppies home at 7 weeks--I still want them with mom and littermates because I find that 7-8 week period is when much of the bite inhibition learning occurs. I temperament test at around 8 weeks. 

Did you meet the mother? See her interact with the puppies? This maternal influence is very important. It seems that some vital elements are missing here, and I would be quite reticent about taking a sibling who had the same rearing.

Talk to your vet about finding a qualified trainer experienced in behavioural issues--not just a pet class trainer. It may be that you are approaching the pup in a way it finds threatening, or it could be something more fundamental to the pups rearing that will take some concerted behaviour modification to correct.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

I understand your concern about all of this. You certainly don't want the pup to hurt your children. 

How has the pup been getting along with your children? Has he snapped and growled at them too? Also, how are your children around the pup? You stated your little boys are rough and wild little guys . Do you mean just in general or when playing with the pup? I'm wondering if the puppy could possibly be overwhelmed by active little children?

You've received a lot of good advice from everyone and I wish you the best with your decision.


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

I cannot say whether you should keep the puppy and work on it or return the puppy. All I can offer is my experience. 

I brought home my golden mix puppy at 9 weeks. He was one of 8 puppies and most of them were adopted between 8 weeks and 9 weeks. When I visited him, he was the most aloof and independent but still playful with siblings. When we brought him home, he was very nervous and insecure. He didn't want anything to do with us and when we initiated play, he would snap and bite hard enough to rip skin (no blood) and bruise. His favorite target was our faces and limbs. He's actually snagged my braces during play and broken my wire twice. This wasn't aggressive. It looked aggressive but he was just a tiny 13-15 lb baby trying to deal with his whole world flipping upside down and new family where everyone is 10x bigger or more than he is. He hated being touched. A simple pet would land me with teeth and bruises. If I tried to hug him, he would get the wild white eye look and squirm until he was free. We also had issues with resource guarding. We tried punishment theories where if he snapped at us, he was punished. Those backfired and made things worse. We ended up in a battle of wills and truth be told, the puppy would have won. So we scratched the battle plan and reevaluated. We decided that we are ok with the puppy having his own space, the same as we want our own space as well. So we taught boundaries. And we built trust between the three of us. Now after having him for almost 5 months, we can kiss and cuddle him (he even comes on his own accord for cuddles), he has better impulse control which helps with the nipping, and can be handled with ease. 

In summary - this could very well be something that can be corrected with time, patience and training but that is up to you, whether you want to put forth the effort and commitment. 

Please let us know what you decide to do. 


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

But Brave do you have children? Because in my opinion it changes the picture.

And Tayla's Mom, I said that a golden pup that didn't seek out petting was an anomaly. If you know the breed and the breed standard, how can you disagree? I personally have bred 68 golden pups who do not act like that. I have seen so many more pups, golden and not,in practice who do not behave like that, I am talking about 27 years experience.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Sally's Mom said:


> But Brave do you have children? Because in my opinion it changes the picture.
> 
> And Tayla's Mom, I said that a golden pup that didn't seek out petting was an anomaly. If you know the breed and the breed standard, how can you disagree? I personally have bred 68 golden pups who do not act like that. I have seen so many more pups, golden and not,in practice who do not behave like that, I am talking about 27 years experience.


I know the breed and breed standard. That doesn't mean that all puppies are raised in perfect situations. We have never purchased from a breeder but have always adopted. Tayla is our first puppy, but not our first Golden. In my almost year on this forum and with Tayla there have been many people with Golden who had reached out to me to say that their puppy was also not a cuddler and not to worry it would come in time. Tayla's entire puppy hood was a horrible experience made tolerable because I knew I was not alone. Maybe many Golden are cute cuddly balls of fur, but some are wild dogs with nashing teeth and no interest in being held. But that doesn't mean it won't change. Tayla loves to nap on my lap and will gladly let me hug and kiss her all I want.


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Sally's Mom said:


> But Brave do you have children? Because in my opinion it changes the picture.
> 
> And Tayla's Mom, I said that a golden pup that didn't seek out petting was an anomaly. If you know the breed and the breed standard, how can you disagree? I personally have bred 68 golden pups who do not act like that. I have seen so many more pups, golden and not,in practice who do not behave like that, I am talking about 27 years experience.


No. I do not have children, and I understand how that would change the picture, however, I want the OP to have as much information for as balanced a picture as possible. Will keeping the puppy be easy? Probably not, but if the OP decides to keep this particular puppy, I think it's important for them to know that others have dealt with severe behavior problems. Bear's behavior (aside from the resource guarding) wouldn't be considered severe to me, but would if I had children. And when we were talking in another thread about boundaries between children and dogs, a few members chimed in that children had boundaries about when they can and cannot approach the dog and all of their interactions are supervised. How is this different? IMHO, it is possible to manage a puppy while the adults are working on the problems. Is it a lot to juggle? Absolutely!! And maybe that is the part that wouldn't work well or be appropriate for this particular family. Behaviorists can be expensive, so that could be a contributing factor as well. 

But the bottom line for me, is that with the proper upbringing and help from professionals, a puppy who acts like the OP mention does not necessarily spell a grown dog who will act aggressive. 

This is all just one person's opinion and Sally's mom, I do have great respect for your opinions and advice. I am sure you have a million times more experience with this breed than I do. 


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## K-Flash (Sep 10, 2012)

Do not give up on this puppy, and do not back down to it!!!! It is 8 weeks old!!! You have children already , so the same premise exists...they think they know everything, they will push every button you possess, and they think they can dictate to you, but keep this in mind...they know nothing! YOU are their master! 

With that said, what I will also state, you may have an intelligent, un-stimulated pup on your hands. This isn't a bad thing. There are tons of "work-arounds", for dogs like this. Contact, a professional trainer (or at least call your breeder, and ask them if they have contacts in the dog world). If they don't have an answer for you, they aren't a breeder worth salt. If they come through, w/ a contact, make sure this trainer has many aces up their sleeve. Good trainers should have a lot of *Plan B's*. If you aren't satisfied at all, go out on a lim, and find someone that can assist you with this pup.

I have seen some very challenging cases, become very exceptional dogs! My Golden pup only made one attempt to challenge me (when he was about 9-10 weeks old). He growled at me, thrashed at me, and attempted to bite me. I grabbed him by the cheeks, looked him square on, and contained him. We had a "come-to-Jesus" moment, and I swore to myself, I was not going to fail his dog. He is now, the most loved K9, on our search & recovery team. A cream-puff of all dogs (ok...except for misbehaving puppies/dogs). 

Keep me posted!


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Phoenixvega said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> I have had my English Cream Golden for about a week now and he is 8 weeks old...and I have started to notice some disturbing behavior from him. When is time to take him outside I go to pull his collar around to get the metal loop that the leash attaches to and he tenses up and sometimes bares his teeth and has snapped at my hands and growled. He also gets that wide eyed whites of the eyes showing side look that dogs seem to give when they are upset or nervous. If you touch his paws, he bares his teeth. He has snapped at my face twice because I was petting him around his jaw and/or chest area. Not rough or anything, just touching. This evening I snuggled him close and he growled and lunged at my face. This is not playing behavior...this is actual aggression. He does the classic "mouthing EVERYTHING" behavior goldens are known for as well but I am positive this is different. He seems nervous, leery of things, and pretty up tight when in someones arms. All of this is something I would be willing to work with if I didnt have small children. I have 2 little boys ages 4 and 6..as you can imagine...they are both rough and wild little guys  I am concerned this puppy may hurt them. The breeder I got him from is a good friend and I know she would take him back and give me another puppy that was more laid back if I needed to...my question is this. Is this behavior indicative of the way this dog will behave as an adult? If you were me and had the option to return the dog to get another maybe more handled puppy, would you? What can I do to stop this behavior if anything? I appreciate any advice and wisdom you can share! Thank you!


You need to put emotion aside and think rationally here. How much free time do you really have in your day to dedicate to raising and socializing the puppy giving it 100% of your undivided attention? Financially, do you have the money laying around to hire a behaviorist to help you in this process? 
Most homes with small children do not have the time nor financial resources to undertake such a project. What are your families needs? What are the puppies needs?


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Sally's Mom said:


> But Brave do you have children? Because in my opinion it changes the picture.
> 
> And Tayla's Mom, I said that a golden pup that didn't seek out petting was an anomaly. If you know the breed and the breed standard, how can you disagree? I personally have bred 68 golden pups who do not act like that. I have seen so many more pups, golden and not,in practice who do not behave like that, I am talking about 27 years experience.


I want to thank you Janice, children make all the difference in the world in a situation like this, we've had this discussion here so many times. And I would like to thank you for teaching me that the breed standard is an excellent guideline when dealing with dog/family issues. A Golden puppy or adult that has had a good upbringing should be generally open and friendly and drawn to people, not afraid of them or defensive about contact. We see too many dog stories on this forum about Goldens that are way too hard to live with, this is not what the average family can deal with reasonably.

Swampcollie makes extremely good points, very wise. I hope this has helped the OP.


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

Swampcollie said:


> You need to put emotion aside and think rationally here. How much free time do you really have in your day to dedicate to raising and socializing the puppy giving it 100% of your undivided attention? Financially, do you have the money laying around to hire a behaviorist to help you in this process?
> Most homes with small children do not have the time nor financial resources to undertake such a project. What are your families needs? What are the puppies needs?


I think this was said perfectly. As a mother of twins I know full well how much time is taken by your kids and their needs come first over any pet. I love my animals but would never sacrifice the safety and kids at 4 and 6 are at a risk in this situation even with an 8 wk old puppy that is growing daily by leaps and bounds. Don't feel guilty if you're not willing to take on the challenge of this puppy. Yes he likely can be worked through with his issues however keep in mind the work and money required to bring in professional help. A puppy with typical puppy behaviors is challenging enough and then throwing in this aggressive, fearful behavior is magnifying the load you will carry. You didn't go into this with the knowledge of his issues so giving him back to the breeder is fully in your rights. You were looking to bring a happy healthy puppy into your home to bond with your children and add the joy a dog can bring to your family. Honestly I think trying to keep a 6 and 4 yr old away from an adorable puppy will be challenge enough. Having to add their safety to that is too great. I agree with everyone here but think that you have to look at this realistically and not feel like you've failed anyone by not taking on this challenge. If you do take it on you need to be fully commited to it because if not the puppy too will suffer as well as your family. 
I'm so sorry you're going through this. We got our puppy at 8 wks. He's 13 wks now and it's been wonderful. He's sweet and loving with that puppy playfulness that will sometimes drive you crazy but it's been great. I wish you to have the same with your puppy. Whatever you decide.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

K-Flash said:


> Do not give up on this puppy, and do not back down to it!!!! It is 8 weeks old!!! You have children already , so the same premise exists...they think they know everything, they will push every button you possess, and they think they can dictate to you, but keep this in mind...they know nothing! YOU are their master!
> 
> With that said, what I will also state, you may have an intelligent, un-stimulated pup on your hands. This isn't a bad thing. There are tons of "work-arounds", for dogs like this. Contact, a professional trainer (or at least call your breeder, and ask them if they have contacts in the dog world). If they don't have an answer for you, they aren't a breeder worth salt. If they come through, w/ a contact, make sure this trainer has many aces up their sleeve. Good trainers should have a lot of *Plan B's*. If you aren't satisfied at all, go out on a lim, and find someone that can assist you with this pup.
> 
> ...


Lets just say that your happy ending may not be the outcome that this family finds. A fearful puppy that is growling when being picked up or handled is NOT normal. I would be hardpressed to keep this little guy judging from this side of the computer screen... and I don't have children.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

alas the OP has not posted or logged in since this thread started.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Claudia M said:


> alas the OP has not posted or logged in since this thread started.


That's too bad, hopefully she will check back sometime. If she chooses not to, at least someone else searching for info may find this thread helpful one day.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

nolefan said:


> That's too bad, hopefully she will check back sometime. If she chooses not to, at least someone else searching for info may find this thread helpful one day.


Sometimes people check in without logging back in, so there's some chance that she's seen the responses.


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