# 6 months, maybe there is light at the end of a tunnel.



## NGolden (Sep 29, 2015)

I've spent lots of time here reading and writing too. 

I wanted to share our progress with other people because I know how hard it can be sometimes.

So first of all I have to say today we had the best walk ever. She did jump and bite me once, but today I have seen her progress. We passed by a police car which had light on she growled and pulled a little bit but we continued. We passed by a woman, a man, a guy with a dog. She did a flip in the air but after that she didn't attacked me (and I was so sure she will). We were almost home and we passed by a girl on a path and then she jumped and bite me once. I stepped on the leash and she laid down after that I've let her go and we continued walking. I had already in my head that we will make it without jumping and biting but I guess she was too close. Still I came home happy because I know maybe just a week ago she would jump on me for each and every situation. 

Things are generally getting better since her baby teeth fell off. We are still having problems with her biting but it's getting better and she didn't make me cry in a while. 

We truly enjoy having fun with her when we go to park where she can go off leash because she is soooo happy then. She never jumps or bites us then and she can even focus sometimes and not jump on other people.  Her recall is good and that means a lot when we go somewhere like that because for now she never went the other way, but she always following us or if she runs infront of us she turns back and checks if we are coming (that's the sweetest thing for me). Even if she finds a dead frog or apples if we start running from it she will drop it and follow us. Sometimes we do have to run on our walks. 

I have started loving her more now and I don't hate mornings and getting up to let out the little devil. 

So maybe there is light at the end of a tunnel and maybe few more months we will have best dog ever. I am hoping and in a meantime still lots of training and repeating.

Oh yes, special thanks to Charliethree, for extra advices and patience.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

So good to hear, I know it has been a bit 'rough'. 

Proud of you, and you should be proud of you and Nera, too.


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## goldy1 (Aug 5, 2012)

The progress you guys have made is great and very encouraging too! Puppyhood is really such a short time overall and the work you have done with her will pay dividends for years to come.

Love hearing the good news- congratulations to you both!


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## Goldylover2 (May 1, 2014)

There is light at the end of the tunnel. My pup was the worst. He did the same thing. He would flop down and not want to move. He would jump like crazy on walks and try to bite me. He wouldn't jump out of the car. When I would lift him up into the car, he would turn his head trying to bite my hand. He was the puppy from hell. He was not a fun puppy to say the least. Plus he had possessive aggressive issues. Well he's 22 months old now and the best dog ever. He's completely turned around. We had to find a trainer when he was 7 months old because we were beside ourselves. But keep at it. You will have a well behaved golden in time.


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## prezofxms (Jun 22, 2014)

Glad you're making progress. It does get better!

There were days when Jasmine was a puppy that I couldn't stand her. Thankfully, she had (has) 2 redeeming qualities. She loves cuddling, and she's adorable.

Around 11 months old, she started to calm down quite a bit.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Progress is a beautiful thing. You will see more good things happening, but when you still have issues-- just remember they are minor setbacks and you are not starting over again. 

I have found that ongoing group training classes have really help me bond with our pup. He loves attending and it is fantastic to see everything start to click.


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## NGolden (Sep 29, 2015)

Yeeeay. We made it. 30 minute walk, one jump and no biting. The only time she jumped was when she saw a dog and owner pull dog away from us and he was barking and pulling towards us, so it seemed he is not nice to dogs. And she jumped I told her no and sit. She sat I said good girl and petted her and we continued.

She still pulls on her leash but sometimes I wouldn't believe this day will come. 

And she did all that without a single treat ( giving her treats during the walk actually make things worse because she is focused on my hand and next treat and that caused her to bite too). Now she gets only verbal cue YES.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Wonderful to see, progress, and possibilities! 
Nera is lucky to have you, she has found herself a wonderful home. 

Keep it up! You are doing a fantastic job!


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Our dog is worse with treats on walks, too.

Glad you had more success!


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## NGolden (Sep 29, 2015)

*Today she is 8 months old! *

So today my little trouble maker is 8 months old. I can't believe how she is growing fast.

Where did my little puppy go. Although I miss my little furry ball I don't miss my bitter. I would really like to tell people with same issues that things do get better. We are enjoying our walks. Exploring being out. Now little bit less because she is in heat so we are careful but soon we will be out in full mode again. I think I am starting to see those benefits of having a dog. Going outside more, seeing beautiful mornings, evenings, enjoying snow or rain. 

She has stopped biting on our walks for some time now. And in house she bites some times, mostly when she is trying to chew on carpets and we don't let her. We can play tug and she will not and one point start jumping and biting as she did before. If she does bites it's so much easier for her to stop and the bites are not as strong as before.

It is such a big difference on our walks. The moment we get ready when she waits for her harness to be put on. No more running through the doors while I struggle to lock the door. Now she waits and we say let's go she moves. When walking telling her leave it and she does and comes to get her treat. 
Every day I remind myself how hard it was to get to where we are. Everyday we were working with her and learning how we can also get better at owning a dog.  And when we come home, how she waits patiently so we can wipe her paws. I love how finally I can cook in kitchen and she lays down and waits. No more jumping, sometimes she jumps on counters but that came to few occasions. I guess she has learned when I am in the kitchen she will get something good later not just kibbles.  Even with her heat, she is so good with wearing a dipper and every time when she just waits until we put the dipper on I am amazed. 

If I knew then what I know now, I believe last 6 months would be way easier, but I am glad that we are now here, and in the worst moments I was thinking to give her away and I am so glad I didn't. I believe in few more months we will be in even better place that we are now. 

The only thing for now we still have to address is resource guarding. We see improvement in that too, but I want to trust her 100%.

There has been lots of patience, training and repeating going into our relationship, but it is worth it. Wouldn't give her now for anything.


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## Elsa Cholla's Mom (Feb 8, 2016)

Hello, thank you for the upbeat, updates. It gives me hope and it makes me feel better to know I am not the only puppy mom to be so disheartened. My pup is 4 months and the warm fuzzy moments have been so few, but tears were pretty common for a while.


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## NGolden (Sep 29, 2015)

Elsa Cholla's Mom said:


> Hello, thank you for the upbeat, updates. It gives me hope and it makes me feel better to know I am not the only puppy mom to be so disheartened. My pup is 4 months and the warm fuzzy moments have been so few, but tears were pretty common for a while.


I know how you feel. But it does get better. We still have some good some bad days, but I don't cry any more. When she was around 4 months I cried every day few times. 

She is still sometimes on leash in house when she has her moments and that helps me to handle and remove myself when she starts biting. That seems to help now when she gets crazy. But I am happy she doesn't have those crazy moments all the time.

And taking her to woods, parks places where she can walk on long leash and sniff. She gets tired and behaves better because we don't focus so much on walk but more on fun.


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