# Help! REAL aggression from 11 week GR puppy



## IrateDad (Apr 27, 2017)

Hi 

Ryder is 11.5 weeks old cute and well behaved. Loves to please us with sits and downs etc loves new people (though gets scared of traffic). We got him at 8 weeks from recommended breeder (mum field line dad show line).

We have been very careful from the word go to make all interactions positive - lots of treats, only positive clicker training, not taking toys off him without big rewards (though does have a tendency to run off with stuff) etc. 

Today he started digging in the garden (which he often does), he was digging and chewing a good five minutes, ignoring me completely (normally great recall), when I approached him and touched him gently he growled menacingly. I was surprised he has never shown any sign of aggression before, I touched him gently again without thinking and he immediately snapped hard at my hand. He missed but got the bag i was holding. 

I was shocked. 

To be clear; he's always been mouthy, nippy and likes to play rough etc (and that's to be expected and dealt with as a puppy parent), but there's a BIG RED LINE between rough play and nipping and what was clearly a: "DO NOT DISTURB, BACK OFF OR I WILL HURT YOU" growl followed by the clear aggressive attempt to bite.

I came again towards him with some treats to get his attention but nothing really worked, he was obsessively digging chewing the soil. Any light touch (showing treats in hand) resulted in warning growl. After a while he left the digging and 'returned to normal'.

We have young children and cannot afford to take chances with an aggressive dog who will attack anyone disturbing them while 'in the zone'.

We are terribly disappointed as we love him and have invested a tremendous amount of money and energy, particularly in a GR renowned for their placid and good nature, but I am about to call the breeder and discuss our options.

I would be grateful for any constructive comments from anyone with any experience in this regard.

Thank you!!!


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## FosterGolden (Mar 10, 2014)

My suggestion would be to call the breeder ASAP and discuss what happened. You don't need to call to talk options yet, but if this breeder is good, they can discuss what happened and determine if it was aggression, annoyance or play. Did you startle the puppy at all? Was the puppy being kinda crazy (sometimes they get in psycho mode!)? Hav the kids been grabby with the puppy at all? You can also call your vet and get a referral to a behaviorist.


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## 155569 (Jan 27, 2017)

I'm sorry that happened. I could call a private trainer right away. Good luck and keep us posted!


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## goldensandcheesecakes (May 18, 2017)

*Goldens acteth as thy rewardeth*

Inequivocally, the solution to your "Crazed Puppy" Dilemma, is sucheth:

One musn't reward puppy (or humans) for behavior that is not suitable on this mother earth. 

You simpleth confuseth your puppy by doing the age-old not wise act of giving a treat when puppy does something he shouldnt(eth). :nerd:


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## LittleRedDawg (Oct 5, 2011)

1. Call your breeder *now* - not four months from now when there's a real problem and the pup is conditioned to react inappropriately. This is fixable now. It won't be near as simple in four or six months.

2. Do not - do not! - repeat what you did. Reread your post. Pup growled, you did not correct. You walked away, thought about it, walked back, checked to see if you had the same reaction (yes), and then tried to get pup's attention with a treat. If you don't understand why the above is *bad* you need to find a good trainer and follow every piece of advice they give you.

3. Put a leash/rope/checkcord on this pup so you can get your hands on him anytime you want.

4. You're going to need to change your perspective on the pup's place and your place in this world. You are allowed to tell your dog no. You are allowed to tell your dog to move. You are allowed to make rules, set expectations, and demand your dog meet them. This is okay. Normal. Perfectly acceptable. It is your house, your family, your stuff. He needs to behave and be a polite member of the family if he's going to be allowed to stay.

On the topic of the perspective, allow me to explain. This-- "I came again towards him with some treats to get his attention but nothing really worked, he was obsessively digging chewing the soil. Any light touch (showing treats in hand) resulted in warning growl. After a while he left the digging and 'returned to normal'." --would never happen at my house. A) If a verbal command didn't get his attention he'd get physically moved and he'd pay attention the next time I said something. Ignoring me is not acceptable. B) The pup would probably never growl at me because the "pack structure" had already been established through the course of normal day-to-day activities. If he did growl he'd find out very very quickly that behavior is not acceptable. C) I would never ever sit around watching the misbehaving puppy until he finally left digging... wow... I would strongly recommend obedience lessons with a good obedience trainer who has a proven track record. Pup needs obedience training. You need a crash course in reading and responding to canine behavior. (You have kids - would you sit around casually watching while they mock you and refuse to clean their room or other requests?)

Not trying to be mean - just blunt - you've got some phone calls to make and major life changes to make or this pup will hurt someone (you or your family), or he'll be euthanized before he's 2. He's likely not a dangerous animal (most aren't), but poor training/lack of training can turn normal puppy behavior into something incredibly dangerous.


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## Lambeau0609 (Aug 3, 2015)

Little Red Dawgs, I couldn't have said it better. Great advise. I was thinking exactly what you said!


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## Wicky (Aug 27, 2015)

Welcome from the UK. Hi I had a similar issue when my pup would try to dig a hole. I kept her on a long line when in the garden so she could be quickly removed without touching if needed. She learnt quickly at that age was was appropriate or not because fun ended quickly and calmly if it wasn't. Are you booked into training classes or have you found a good training club?


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## Anne Y. (Jan 6, 2017)

I'm sorry this happened. Your pup needs to understand who's in charge at your house and what behavior is acceptable and what is not. 

LittleRedDawg absolutely hit the nail on the head in every way. Act now by calling your breeder and find the best trainer in your area right now before this type of behavior happens again.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Don't loose perspective... this is a baby puppy that has only been in your house for 3 weeks! As a baby they have to figure out the world, they don't get a book telling them how a golden retriever is supposed to act. Part of having a puppy is helping them learn, much like your kids. When they were babies you didn't expect them to understand the rules, you had to teach them as they grew. It's not about behavior of the puppy, it's about the behavior of the owner at this age.
Take the puppy out on a leash (harness?) or a long line. If the pup gets into something clap your hands, coax and give a pull on the leash to bring them to you then reward. 
Getting into a power struggle with at puppy at this age is setting up a life long debate between you two. 
A really great trainer once told me to never negotiate with toddlers! Set them up for success by being smarter than the puppy. They don't know what the rules are yet you have to show them. Always try to be one step ahead of the puppy.
Read the sticky about the journey... or the one about it's a puppy not a problem. This is not aggression at 11 weeks, it's a puppy. Find a good Star puppy class and start the process of raising your puppy.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Golden Retriever puppies are a lot more work than the average puppy. And it sounds like you have a puppy who has the potential to be a serious handful if you aren't careful. As Puddles mentioned, this is a baby puppy who has never been taught a thing. It's up to you to be firm and give him structure and rules. 

The advice given here is great, I just wanted to emphasize that your management style needs to be very hands on and proactive immediately. This isn't something you can take your time researching and considering your options with. Whether you understood what you were getting into or not, this puppy is going to be a full time, serious project for you for the next couple of years - not just a cute family dog for the kids to play with. 

I absolutely agree that you need to contact the breeder and be honest about your observations and your best course of action. For sure, this puppy needs to be dragging a leash at all times while he's out of his crate, (you can buy a cheap one from walmart and cut it off) this gives you a way to handle him and control him without putting your hands on his body. Start working on daily grooming where you gently handle his paws, touch his toe nails, give him a little brushing, and treats to make it happy. Choose a time where he's not in whirlwind mode and really make a big deal out of him accepting touching from you. 

Have a serious discussion with your children about not EVER taking anything away from the puppy, they need to call an adult to help - and this puppy should not be out playing with the children unless there is an adult giving hands on supervision. This is super important. The last thing you need as this puppy grows is to have an incident with the kids and you aren't sure exactly what happened because you're relying on the child to tell you the story. The kids need to understand that this dog is an animal, not a stuffed toy (I know this sounds silly but they forget that it's a living creature with moods and a mind of it's own.) Dogs are individuals just like people and are all different. Your puppy is not irredeemably aggressive. He just sounds like he may be a bit strong willed and have the potential to be a handful. If you make a commitment now to working with him, plenty of training and lots of exercise, (swimming, puppy playdates, off leash hiking) it will go a lot better for you and for him long term. 

If you aren't willing to invest in the training and exercise requirements on a daily basis (this is a major project) then be very open with the breeder about your feelings on this and what your options are.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I went back and read through your post one more time to make sure I hadn't missed anything. What caught my attention is your reference to yourself as "puppy parent" and your emphasis on "positive clicker training." I know you love Ryder, but don't ever lose sight of the fact that he is a dog - not a person. 

For a fact, positive reinforcement of good behavior, rewards for good behavior are 100% the right way to go. However, as with children, there are times when bad behavior from the child (or the puppy) requires a negative consequence/reaction from you. Please do not think I mean spanking the puppy. However a short, firm pop on the leash and sharp, stern "eh-eh" in a low, growly voice is how he will learn that he has greatly displeased you. I now you were taken by surprise but honestly, you are allowed to give your puppy feedback that let's him know his actions were not acceptable. Gentle, firm and consistent rules - just like with kids. He needs clear boundaries.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Can certainly understand your upset, ensure you are seeking the help and advice of a professional experienced reward based trainer on how to appropriately handle the behavior. Correcting a puppy for growling (regardless of the method you use) - for giving warning- is never a good idea - turning off their warning system is akin to taking the battery out of a smoke detector and can have serious consequences in the future, a dog who doesn't 'warn' is not a safe dog to live with. 

Respect that fact that your puppy was communicating to you in the only way he is able or knows how, and understand that you did not listen to him. Mistakes were made, learn from them, be consistent, he doesn't understand that he is allowed to dig sometimes and not others, if you don't want him to dig, stay out with him, ensure that he has something else to do/to play with and if he should starts to dig, interrupt and redirect to something you want him to do instead, help him use that puppy energy in a more appropriate ways. Our dogs don't growl at us and warn for no reason, it is something we have done -inadvertently startled them, hurt them, caused them to be afraid, that has caused them to respond to us in that way.

Again, seek out the help of a professional trainer who uses training methods that you are 100% in agreement with, who can guide you on how to teach and guide your puppy through life.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

First: The advice from LittleRedDawg and Nolefan is spot on.

Second: To reiterate, this is not a "puppy" problem, it's a human problem. The pup is not aggressive: he's being a brat because you're allowing him to do that. You shouldn't be disappointed in your pup: you should be disappointed in yourself, for not managing him properly. The sad thing is that if you don't manage him properly, he _will _become aggressive, and he's the one who will pay the price for that.

Third: Your pup didn't try to bite you and miss. If he bit the bag, it's because he was aiming for the bag, not for your hand. Believe me, if he'd wanted to bite you, he would have done so. Dog bites always hit the dog's intended target. 

Let me tell you a story. Nearly 7 years ago, when my daughter was 9 years old, we decided to get her a pup to train, so she would have her own agility dog. We got her a toy poodle. He is, and always has been, a 10 lb. dog with a 75 lb. attitude, which is sort of what you need for agility. When he was still quite young - probably around the same age as your pup now - he was sitting in my husband's lap one day, and my daughter came to get him for training. When she reached to pick him up, he bit her. He didn't snap - he bit her hand. Hard. The result? Within 2 seconds, that poodle was in his crate for a time-out, and he knew from our attitude, with absolute certainty, that biting was not acceptable. When he came out of the crate, we re-created the scenario. He tried to bite again - and back into the crate he went. On our third try, he thought about biting, but didn't. We continued to reinforce the training, keeping a careful eye on him in the type of situation that would set him off, and he's never bitten since. Not once. He learned that biting isn't acceptable in our system. And now, all those years later? He's an amazing family dog that loves humans in general and my daughter in particular. He and my daughter are the reigning Canadian junior agility champions, and are about to become the only junior team ever, in the history of agility in Canada, to receive their Lifetime Achievement Award. They're an incredible team. If we'd blamed the dog instead of training it, we'd have missed out on all that.

The point here is that you have to react appropriately to your pup's behaviour. Your pup is growling at you because you're letting him do so. It's your fault, not his. He doesn't know the rules because nobody has taught him. First, he's clearly getting far too much freedom. He shouldn't be allowed to dig and chew in the garden at all. As others have said, when you take him outside, either keep him on leash or attach a 10' cord to his collar, so you can reel him in if necessary. Second, your expectations are unrealistic. There is no 11-week-old pup on this planet that has a "great recall". He might come to you when asked, if he has nothing better to do and if there's something in it for him. But as you've just learned, if he's doing something _he _wants to do, he just ignores you. That is _not _a good recall. The 10' cord will allow you to reinforce the recall: give the command, and if he doesn't come, reel him in gently. If he comes of his own accord, reward him. It will take months of practice to get a good recall. And third, it's clear from your post that you're being very ineffectual with him. Allowing him to ignore you for as long as five minutes, backing off when he growls, trying to bribe him out of bad behaviour instead of putting him in time-out, and so on. He's started growling because he's running the show, not you. Top dog syndrome.

You have kids. Raising a pup is just like raising a small child. If a human toddler went digging in the garden and refused to come inside when you asked him, would you take candy to him as a reward, then stand aside and wait until he was good and ready to obey?

I'd suggest finding a good training school. By "good", I mean a school that uses positive methods properly and trains humans how to train dogs - because that's what a good school will do. Once you know what to do and how to deal with your pup, many of the problems you're experiencing will go away. Also, in your post, you mention rough play and mouthiness. I would stop all rough play for now - wrestling and so on - until you have a handle on how to manage him. Train him instead: teach him to sit, lie down, stand, roll over, shake a paw, retrieve ... whatever. Training will put him in a position where he's doing what you want, instead of the other way round. It's a great basis on which to build your relationship with the dog.

And last, concerning your comment about the "placid and good nature" of golden retrievers, it's important to remember that the breed is primarily a working breed. Goldens were originally bred for a specific job. Some field-type pups, like yours, are fairly high-energy. If you choose a pup like this, you need to put in the time and effort when it's still young, in order to get the type of adult dog you want. If you carry on as you are, in a few months' time, your cute pup is going to be a 65 lb. bundle of adolescent muscle and attitude. It's much, much easier to train them properly when they're young. I've had three golden retrievers in my life: one from conformation lines, one from mixed lines (like yours) and one from performance/field lines. I wouldn't describe any of them as "placid" - on the contrary. If you expected "placid", your breeder needed to know this, so he or she could choose the right pup for you.

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but the situation you're in really is down to you. A good trainer - for you, not the pup - will help enormously. 

I wish you good luck and hope things work out.


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## LittleRedDawg (Oct 5, 2011)

Not sure if our original poster is coming back... but just a quick comment.

I like positive reinforcement. I like it alot - it IS a very important part of dog training. Your dog needs to know when he's right. But! he also needs to know when he's WRONG. And, from time to time, your dog will be wrong. Sometimes we didn't train them right or handle them correctly and it's our fault when they mess up. And sometimes, they take the knowledge they have and make the wrong decision. It happens.

I *would* correct a puppy for growling. I feel strongly that this R+ only methodology wherein dogs are never corrected for anything (especially growling!) because it might "turn off their warning system" is incorrect, faulty B.S. touted as the latest and greatest in dog training by people with no real world experience. But... I think it's important to mention... I am after a change of **_attitude_.** If all you're doing is trying to stop the growl, who knows, you might end up with a dog that doesn't growl before it bites. You might also end up with a bratty dog who doesn't growl before he bites _because _he's "told" you a thousand times already - _not _because you stopped the warning behavior. My Aussie doesn't always growl at puppies before he snaps at them if he's already warned them repeatedly.

So - I do and will correct strongly enough that I get a *change of attitude.* And I do and will correct strongly enough that I get a change of behavior. This applies to basic social skills, house manners, simple obedience, and advanced competition exercises.


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## alphadude (Jan 15, 2010)

Agree with LRD. I would not tolerate that type of behavior from any puppy and I CERTAINLY wouldn't reward it with treats. 

I speak from experience because I had an absolute alpha male golden who thought he could bite whoever he wanted. He thought wrong. Get him under control now while he's 15 or 20 lbs whether you do it yourself or seek professional help.

By the way, my demon puppy turned out to be an absolute once in a lifetime dog.


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## OdinKai (Apr 23, 2017)

Thank you for your post. My 13-week-old puppy bit me today, hard, while I was trying to get a hand wipe out of his mouth. I have four bloody punctures on the front of my hand and a small slice on my palm. He was not messing around. I yelled "ouch" and "bad dog" and stuck him in the back of the car because we were on the way out the door. If I'd had a treat in my pocket (a really good one, mind you) I probably could have gotten him to drop the wipe, but I was rushed and in the garage with not a treat in sight. The responses to your post are giving me much to think about.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

OdinKai said:


> .... If I'd had a treat in my pocket (a really good one, mind you) I probably could have gotten him to drop the wipe, but I was rushed and in the garage with not a treat in sight. The responses to your post are giving me much to think about.


Lesson #362 - never go anywhere without a baggie full of treats in your pocket. Setting both of you up for success is the most important thing you can do. Now you know that your puppy is dead serious about this (that's a pretty decent bite) you know you need to be working very hard on teaching him to trade and Nothing In Life is Free etc. Don't miss the hint from him.


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## alphadude (Jan 15, 2010)

OdinKai said:


> Thank you for your post. My 13-week-old puppy bit me today, hard, while I was trying to get a hand wipe out of his mouth. I have four bloody punctures on the front of my hand and a small slice on my palm. He was not messing around. I yelled "ouch" and "bad dog" and stuck him in the back of the car because we were on the way out the door. If I'd had a treat in my pocket (a really good one, mind you) I probably could have gotten him to drop the wipe, but I was rushed and in the garage with not a treat in sight. The responses to your post are giving me much to think about.


It's training 101 to TRADE a high value object like a treat for something you want him to drop, but never after a bite which would be rewarding bad behavior.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

My child was bitten by a dog who did not growl. Her previous owner had used Cesar Milan-type methods.

I would never punish a growl because the growl isn't the problem. And the people who say you can't humanize/anthropomorphize a dog often also advise you to think of the puppy as a toddler. If we are going to play that contradictory game, the reality is that your human children are far less likely to injure or kill you intentionally than any dog. So, yes, safety matters when it comes to dogs-- above all else. And while a dog may learn to not growl or bite specific people, since they don't generalize, punishing the growl or bite does not in any way teach the dog to not growl or bite all people.

We don't want dogs who have to suppress their urge to communicate with us. We want dogs who communicate with us in clear, safe ways and who feel secure. Both of these work together to create a safe dog.

What you want to do now is go back to the basics. Number 1 priority: prevent all situations where there will be a conflict. That is your primary goal. This doesn't mean the dog gets to do what he wants, but that you set up his environment so that the likelihood of making the right choices is maximized. This is KEY because the less your dog practices the wrong behavior, the more he will practice the RIGHT ones. Your dog, as a sentient being, is always making choices and will for the rest of his life. Set him up so that he enjoys making the right ones and they become habit.

Second, where there is a potential conflict-- pick your battles. Don't set it up so that you "lose" but also sort out what is important. For example, don't call your dog unless you are sure he will come--
as in, he's on a leash. Don't bother trying to trade for a paper napkin, but do trade if it's a sock. 

Practice skills when you are not in the "emergency" situation. Every day, practice conditioning your dog to be handled, to learn the commands of drop it/give/leave it. These are going to be part of your daily training if they aren't already. Work on these types of games: It's Yer Choice Games are the core of training!

Find a trainer who (a) loves your dog and (b) shares your philosophy and (c) believes in science and is up-to-date on the latest studies so can back up what he/she practices. 

Please keep us updated. Sharing your experiences is very valuable!


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Late to the thread, but LilRedDawg is right on the money. And Kristy is correct in saying this puppy is not a human but is a dog- he needs to learn the rules and learn them fast, before he's big enough to hurt someone. The rules -all 443 of them -need to be firm and never waveringly adhered to. I don't know if you will come back but I hope you will. There's nothing wrong w PP training and clickers, etc, but there ARE some boundaries that must be set in a non-purely positive way so that you can continue to enjoy your puppy. When he's 3 YO you will have that dog you had in your mind when you bought the puppy- reliable, well mannered, and handsome.... if you keep up his training.


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## FosterGolden (Mar 10, 2014)

1. Get the help of a professional, not people on the internet who, while experienced, are not there to see what is really going on and assess the situation, whether it was a misunderstanding (tons of people think their puppies are being aggressive when they are actually playing, for example) or whether your puppy has a screw loose. Normal puppies do not bite out of aggression, fear, annoyance, etc. when they are 11.5 weeks old. 

2. As a relatively inexperienced pet owner do not take the advice of people on the internet to collar pop, leash pop, scruff shake, yell at, alpha roll, etc. your puppy. Also, don't use a clicker. Get the hands-on help of a professional to show you the right way, whether it's a collar pop or a clicker. TIMING IS EVERYTHING. Now, if this were simply teaching a puppy to sit, that would be a different story. An inexperienced pet owner with children should not be working with a potentially dangerous dog or puppy without the help of a hands-on, in person, professional behaviorist. If the puppy did, in fact, bite you, treating it with punishment can make it worse and not treating it at all or even rewarding it (on accident) makes it worse, too. 

3. In regards to item #1, am I the only person on the board who thinks that if the puppy actually did aggressively bite you, that there is something very wrong going on here? Aggressive biting is not the norm for a Golden Retriever puppy and would indicate something terribly wrong with this puppy's temperament (hence, the 'screw loose' comment). Even if you were "spoiling" the puppy, a bite like this as you described it is NOT NORMAL.


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## usually lurking (Apr 21, 2017)

FosterGolden said:


> 1. Get the help of a professional, not people on the internet who, while experienced, are not there to see what is really going on and assess the situation, whether it was a misunderstanding (tons of people think their puppies are being aggressive when they are actually playing, for example) or whether your puppy has a screw loose.


That's exactly why I try to refrain from commenting in these types of threads. Does correction have its place? Absolutely. However, if you aren't there to see the entire altercation and assess the puppy's body language, you have no idea why he growled. If you can't ascertain the reason he growled, or if it was out of aggression, fear, or play, there's no way you can change his behavior, or even begin to understand what needs to be done to change his behavior. Was he protecting a resource? Was he fearful that it would be taken away? Was he startled? Or was it true aggression? Were his hackles raised? If so, was it all the way down his back? Was it only over his withers? Where was his focus? Was he looking at the person that approached? What was his tail position? 

Should he have growled or snapped? I think everyone is in agreement that he shouldn't have, but puppies make mistakes. Without understanding why the puppy responded as he did, there's no way to tell the OP exactly how to handle the situation or how to effectively alter the puppy's behavior permanently.

I'd argue that the majority of dog owners can't read a dog's body language accurately. I can't tell you how many people I run into that try to insist that they have friendly dogs, when the dogs' body language indicates otherwise. Frankly, if you can't read body language, you have no business trying to correct/modify these types of behaviors without professional help. Correction represses a behavior, it does not change a dog's mentality. I'm not saying that it has no place in changing behavior, but it cannot stand alone.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

The way I see it.

1. Dogs bites are almost always fatal (for the dog.)
2. The best way to avoid a dog bite is to listen when the dog 'speaks', stop doing whatever it is that you are doing that is making the dog feel threatened, feel the NEED to bite.
3. The best way to set a dog up to fail, is to teach it no to warn, not to growl, to bite without warning (often viciously out of desperation).
4. The worst piece of advice anyone can give to a dog owner is to take away a dog's right and ability to 'speak', inhibit (or stamp out) it's willingness to give warning in an effort to avoid physical confrontation and to ignore and/or punish the growl. 


The book: On Talking Terms with Dogs' by Turid Rugaas is well worth taking the time to read.


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## usually lurking (Apr 21, 2017)

I think there is also an element of processing speed in these situations. Not only do you have to understand dog body language and behavior, but, frequently, you have a split second to identify what the dog is doing, why he's doing it, and act in an appropriate manner. That kind of understanding and response time requires not only reading and studying, but experience with, preferably, many dogs with different pesonalities and different motivations.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

We saw an adult golden growl at his owner today. The owner slapped him on the face.

Made me think of this thread-- not that anyone suggested hitting.

I don't know anything about the history of the golden, obviously. But I would hazard a guess that it isn't the first time the dog has growled, and not the first time the dog was hit. Punishment didn't solve the problem.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Anele said:


> We saw an adult golden growl at its owner today. The owner slapped him on the face.
> 
> Made me think of this thread-- not that anyone suggested hitting.
> 
> I don't know anything about the history of the golden, obviously. But I would hazard a guess that it isn't the first time the dog has growled, and not the first time the dog was hit. Punishment didn't solve the problem.


Hard to read, hard to see. 
No, punishment is never answer to any problem.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Buddy's mom forever said:


> Hard to read, hard to see.
> No, punishment is never answer to any problem.


It was heartbreaking. 

Brings to mind a wise saying: "connection, not correction."


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## mzilke (May 4, 2019)

great answer I to will use your advise with my puppy when he gets to aggressive Thanks


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## Cwblondi (Aug 22, 2019)

Hi there,

I came across this message a week ago as I was looking for advice myself for the same reason. My puppy 'Dutch' is 14 weeks and has definitely shown true aggression. It's frustrating because I mentioned this to the vet the other day when he received his last round of shots and he was quick to say that he highly doubts it 'true' aggression and anyone I've mentioned it to says 'But he's a Golden Retriever, they aren't aggressive dogs'... Well, I beg to differ. He's not aggressive while playing other than the normal mouthing and biting routine, this aggression is when we are redirecting him from something he shouldn't be doing, moving him away from something or getting him to stop biting his leash/clothes or other things he has his sights on... As with you, we have been very positive with him and training and he responds well to that. He does not resource guard even with his food (as we've worked with him on that and we can play with his ears, put our hand in his dish while he's eating etc. with no problem from him). His is clearly a defiant aggression, very similar with you disturbing your dog digging in the garden. I am extremely concerned, as Dutch has turned and snarled, lips curled back clearly showing defiance and has snapped at us when he doesn't get what he wants. I am not a fan of the 'pinning' technique and I don't want to use aggression to deal with aggression (it usually just gets him more riled up), but seriously... how do you nip this in the bud?! We have given him a time out in his crate and when we allow him out (a few minutes later), he has come out with the same attitude as when he went in! My 23 year old daughter who lives with us and has always been a dog 'whisperer' since she was a little tiny girl is actually afraid of him during those times and I have a one year old Granddaughter who I'm afraid to have come over and visit... 

I see that your post was a couple of years ago... what did you do to overcome this? Was there anything in particular that you learned to pass along? Anyone else have any suggestions?? He starts a puppy class next week but don't think that it'll directly address obedience or how to deal with aggression... I hope it does!

Help!


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