# Possibly getting a mouthy Golden



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

1) Note the meeting was a stressful situation of sorts. You may see an increase OR a decrease in the behavior without additional work.
2) If/when he's in your home, make note of all the things that prompt the behavior. And hten you can work on it in a training context at times when he isn't as aroused.
3) Create an strong alternative behavior that can be performed at the times when he is likely to grab. Sit or Down are good choices. 
4) Teach him an alternate way to get attention (sit/down) in all contexts. 

For now, until you have tuaght him a leave it/drop it, I would recommend using a treat to unglue him at any times he attaches to you. This is not a training thing or a forever thing, it's just in case the behavior starts.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Goldens are an oral breed. Redirect the behavior to something else, like carrying a toy. Remind him to get a toy before he grabs a wrist. Wrist-grabbing makes him invisible. He's used to it getting him belly rubs, so be prepared for him to try it for a while before he realizes (so long as everyone is consistent) that it's no longer an effective way to solicit attention from humans.


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## Minnesota (Nov 24, 2010)

Hi Launi
I just rescued a golden /mix from the humane society 2 weeks ago,and he is a Mouther too, when overstimulated/excited. I tried to ignore/stand like a tree/give a toy to replace my hand etc. these for my guy worked temporarily. What has been working just in the last 2 days is a empty water bottle with pennies in it. when he mouths I say "no bite", if he does not listen right away I shake the bottle, this startles him and he releases his mouth,once he releases I say good boy and pet him(because, thta's all he wants is for me to pet him),Day 2 and when he tries to mouth me I say no bite and show the bottle and he stops mid mouth. This may or may not work for your dog, but it has given me quick results when everything else did not and BTW less painful and stressful for him and me.FYI..this works for pawing at me too.
Good luck with your golden,try not letting the mouthing deter you from getting him. it will take work and ALOT,ALOT ALOT of practise and preservance but from my experience I have seen great improvements with Minnesota in just the 2 weeks we have had him


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Reddogs and Quiz are really experienced trainers, so you lucked out in getting responses from them.

The biggest key here is redirection. He's going to have the urge, so it'll be more productive to teach him something else to do that appropriately fulfills the urge than it will be to try to just eliminate the problem behavior.

I'm always hesitant about using aversives with mouthy Goldens, since you don't want to energize or confuse the dog. At the same time, you may need to pair something mildly unpleasant (an angry voice) to break through the behavior. I'd probably try ignoring and redirecting first. Biting makes me boring; behaving appropriately makes me play with a toy and engage in a really fun way.

Only if I couldn't find a way to make that work would I move to an aversive.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Goldens are an oral breed. Redirect the behavior to something else, like carrying a toy. Remind him to get a toy before he grabs a wrist. Wrist-grabbing makes him invisible. He's used to it getting him belly rubs, so be prepared for him to try it for a while before he realizes (so long as everyone is consistent) that it's no longer an effective way to solicit attention from humans.



Excellent advice! Sounds like you are getting a great golden!


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## TuckersMom (Sep 26, 2010)

Tucker is a wrist grabber too, but he is learning. When he goes for our wrists, we say "OUCH!!!" and he backs off. We will do the toy thing, and praise him when he grabs a toy instead. Now every time he greets someone he has to have a toy in his mouth. Its quite cute. Positive reinforcement goes a long way


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

TuckersMom said:


> Tucker is a wrist grabber too, but he is learning. When he goes for our wrists, we say "OUCH!!!" and he backs off. We will do the toy thing, and praise him when he grabs a toy instead. Now every time he greets someone he has to have a toy in his mouth. Its quite cute. Positive reinforcement goes a long way


We do the same since my guy is a wrist-grabber too. 

As *FlyingQuizini *said, they are an oral breed and something to consider when choosing the breed.


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## Launi (Nov 27, 2010)

Thanks for all the tips! He does know the down command, so I think I'll use it whenever I see him trying to grab. I will have a compressed air corrector just in case it is needed as well. I also want to teach an alternative command, and try to get him to associate the command with belly rubs. I don’t mind occasional wrist grabbing, but I think he does it too often, compared to friends' Goldens. He also jumped up and grabbed a woman walking by when I was chatting with the owners. I don't think house guests would really appreciate it.


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## TuckersMom (Sep 26, 2010)

Launi said:


> Thanks for all the tips! He does know the down command, so I think I'll use it whenever I see him trying to grab. I will have a compressed air corrector just in case it is needed as well. I also want to teach an alternative command, and try to get him to associate the command with belly rubs. I don’t mind occasional wrist grabbing, but I think he does it too often, compared to friends' Goldens. He also jumped up and grabbed a woman walking by when I was chatting with the owners. I don't think house guests would really appreciate it.


It is definitely something that should be controlled when around others, some people might misconstrue it as being aggressive behavior. Try the "OUCH!" command whenever he goes for your wrist, or any part of your body.. He will think, "Wow, this human is a big weenie. I dont want to bite her she is way too boring!!" Socialize him with close friends in your house before bringing him around the neighborhood. You dont want him mouthing a child and the parents going after you, when really all your pup wants to do is play. Some people just arent familiar with the breed and their silly quirks. I do think that he needs to be fully trained not to mouth wrists, however, before he is allowed to be around random strangers. Take him on walks of course, but dont allow him to talk to neighbors if he is still jumping and grabbing.


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## valleyliz (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks to all for the good advice. I will try the pennies in a bottle I have the same problem along with barking from a 1+ Golden. She is truly passive/aggressive with strong jealousy of her older half sister and the household cats. Outside walking she is very nervy; inside and in the yard is very rough with her sister who is a big, calm gentle Ben type. So any other suggestions would be welcome. I ignore the barking and just tell her to lie down which she does eventually when she realizes I am ignoring her. Doggy day care where they go occasionally has helped in that she has learned about being the bottom of the totem pole but it is a temporary knowledge. The vet said just to ignore but like another reader I am nervous she will hurt a visitor unknowingly.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

I'll be honest when it came to mouthing / biting I was the WORST pet parent on the planet. I encouraged it. I would initiate play with them and have them chewing on my arms / clothing / legs. But, I would initiate it. What was my end result? 

They bite the crap out of me but they don't bite anybody else. I highly don't recommend this.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Even our highly trained 2 year old guide dog would resort to putting your wrist in her mouth when she got really excited, especially when strangers were playing with her, but ever so gently. It was just her thing and it was hard to train her out of it because she wouldn't do it with us or any of her trainers/handlers. It was the one bad thing she did that we never really bothered to work on (; We did stuff a toy in her mouth if we had one.


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## TuckersMom (Sep 26, 2010)

jackie_hubert said:


> Even our highly trained 2 year old guide dog would resort to putting your wrist in her mouth when she got really excited, especially when strangers were playing with her, but ever so gently. It was just her thing and it was hard to train her out of it because she wouldn't do it with us or any of her trainers/handlers. It was the one bad thing she did that we never really bothered to work on (; We did stuff a toy in her mouth if we had one.



Just a "Golden" thing! I think it is what makes them so darn cute. But unfortunately not everyone knows that they are a mouthy breed and can take it the wrong way! My dads Pit mix plays with her mouth and you can even grab her canines and shake her around, she wouldnt hurt a fly. But you could never be too cautious with strangers


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