# How do you DISCIPLINE a Golden



## Sadie Webb (Mar 2, 2011)

We just got a 7yr old female Rescue Golden last night. She is very sweet, loving and house broken. She will sit but she wont stay when told to. She will run off and not return when called back so how do we punish her without being mean or setting her back in her training?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I don't really like the word "discipline". I think it's because of the human connotations. 

What you are looking for are corrections - and here I would be very gentle and firm. If she breaks a stay, simply quietly put her back into the stay. Considering she's an older rescue in a new home, you really want to be careful. 

Handle her like you would a two year old. Gently and patiently. You do not raise your voice or handle a child too roughly...


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

You have a new dog with some baggage. She was removed from a home situation good or bad, so keep that in mind. I am sure she will have a fabulous home with you. She is adjusting, first of all, so take it slow. She needs confidence, and comfort. 

For me when I am training "stay" I use a leash. I give the stay command, move to the end of the leash, return moderately quickly and say good dog and treat. Work on extending the time you are at the end of the leash. The big thing is to NOT command something you can not back up. So if you are trying off leash stays, at this point, stop. I also have a long leash so I can move away, one is 25' one is 50'. When my dog understands staying on the end of the leash, then I might apply pull pressure on the collar lightly. If my dog truly understands "stay", they will remain seated. Once my dogs understand that I will drop leashes and move around. The big thing when working 'stay' is RETURN TO THE DOG for reward. Defeats if you call them to you for reward. Once your dog understands the command and is staying you can mix up returning or calling but stay has to be taught by itself. 

The correction for me when they break is an 'uh oh' or just the word (no heavy inflection) of "no". Then I put them back and walk away again. Try not to repeat the stay otherwise they could think the only have to on the third time you say it or something. 

Congrats on your new addition. Also keep in mind she may have been taught completely different so pretend when training she is a puppy who knows NOTHING. Have a lot of patience.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

Not saying I wouldn't start doing some basic "fun" obedience but all of my corrections (every single one) would be positive reinforcement until she at least starts bonding with the family.


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## Summer's Mom (Oct 20, 2010)

What he said. I think it would be a good approach if you consider that every time she cannot perform what you want, its because you set it too hard.. If you could step back and make it a little easier so that she can achieve it confidently and then slowly increase the difficulty - just like building from nothing - you would see much quicker progress.. 

I never understood how important it was to make my dog feel like she's a genius! We're doing much better now that I do =)

Good luck!!



Braccarius said:


> Not saying I wouldn't start doing some basic "fun" obedience but all of my corrections (every single one) would be positive reinforcement until she at least starts bonding with the family.


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## Sadie Webb (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks for the fast responses. The above answers are why I asked. I know she is in a new environment so i dont want to ask to much of her to fast. All the above are very good points. The only thing that is a must for my family is that she sits when asked, comes when called and that she does not run off. We like to give our dogs freedom when it is appropriate which is why these three are so important.
She is very good on the leash but when you take her off she does not listen as well. She is new so maybe that will change. She starts a training class this weekend with my son and it is 6 weekends long which im sure will help.

THANK A BUNCH


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I am another one who doesn't like the word discipline, I prefer correction. But she doesn't need a correction yet, either. First she has to understand what you are asking of her, which means she needs to be trained. A correction is used when a dog totally understands the command and isn't doing what she knows. I use "uh uh" as my correction and I use lots of praise and high value treats to reward the behavior I want.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

You just got her last night, of course she doesn't know what you expect. It will just take patience and time for her to learn. But keep in mind some dogs are never trustworthy off leash and may always wander off if not leashed. Use a long line, 30 or 50 feet, for now if you want her to have some freedom. That will also give you the ability to work on her recall when she can't fail.

No punishment please, she has no idea what you want yet and needs you to gently show her.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

As others have said, she's not disobeying because she's willful or wrong-headed. She's disobeying because she doesn't know what you want.

What she needs is positive reinforcement for doing what you want and a withholding of reinforcement for the things you don't want. If you want her to sit, don't say "sit" to her and punish her when she doesn't. She clearly has no idea what a sit is.

Try instead showing her a yummy treat and holding it in your closed fist. As she noses your fist, raise it upwards and towards her. If she sits, say "sit! good girl!" in a cheery tone and give her the treat at the same time. Don't discipline her for not sitting. Lead her into the desired behavior, then give her the name of the command and praise for doing it.

I would not use any negative stimuli with her for quite a while (if ever). That includes stern voices, physical corrections, striking or scaring her in any way, shocking collars, etc. It'll just confuse her and could potentially cause undesired side effects.

A negative stimulus is totally meaningless to a dog who doesn't know what's expected of her. 

I'd also get into a training class based on positive methods ASAP. It can be an amazing bonding experience, and it can really set your new dog out on the right paw.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Sadie Webb said:


> Thanks for the fast responses. The above answers are why I asked. I know she is in a new environment so i dont want to ask to much of her to fast. All the above are very good points. The only thing that is a must for my family is that she sits when asked, comes when called and that she does not run off. We like to give our dogs freedom when it is appropriate which is why these three are so important.
> She is very good on the leash but when you take her off she does not listen as well. She is new so maybe that will change. She starts a training class this weekend with my son and it is 6 weekends long which im sure will help.
> 
> THANK A BUNCH


She will get there, however it does not happen over night. Pups take time to learn. She may know but is really unsettled. Give her time. She will be there... you probably won't need to call her.  She will LOVE you for giving her a great home. 

Until she knows who is who, and what is what, please use a leash, just to be safe. 

Good luck


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I hope you are not letting her off leash, outside and having her run off. Sure and fast route to a disaster. Also, I would like it if the word 'punish' was taken out of the equation.

If you want to give her freedom and off leash play be sure she's in a securely fenced area. As you go through training with her, you'll learn the techniques for teaching recall. It is a skill that HAS TO BE TAUGHT, none of them come with reliable recall.

God bless you for rescuing her. You sound very sensible and loving.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

She has had 7 years to practice not coming when called...it will take time to teach her that coming to you is the BEST! 

Surely you can see that if you are 'punishing' (yelling, verbally berating, scowling, hitting, man-handling) her for not coming to you...it would be really easy for her to conclude you are not trustworthy and should be approached with great caution instead of with great joy.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Sadie Webb said:


> We just got a 7yr old female Rescue Golden last night. She is very sweet, loving and house broken. She will sit but she wont stay when told to. She will run off and not return when called back so how do we punish her without being mean or setting her back in her training?


Why would discipline a dog you've had for less than 24 hours, who may not have even be taught HOW to do what you're asking of her?

Find a great class and enroll ASAP. In the meantime, manage her environment so she can't get herself into trouble and practice bad habits like running off (and not coming back when you call her). Leashes work wonders for that one!


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## Duke's Momma (Mar 1, 2007)

It's good that you've enrolled her into a class. Remember - she doesn't even know you yet (nor you her). She doesn't know yet that by your side is the safest place for her and where she wants to be. 

Lots of love and kisses, party when she comes, consistency, patience, consistency, patience, party when she comes, lots of love and kisses. Repeat. Thank you for rescueing her.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I would recommend giving her some time to adjust to her new surroundings and people before trying to correct her. The first few days our Barkley was with us (adopted from a rescue at almost age 7), we just let him get used to us while inside. Was your dog previously abused or mistreated in her former home? If so it may take some time for her to trust you. She may be confused at the change in settings. 

Our Barkley learned quickly to come when we called. The best thing we did was hire an individual trainer to come to our house and help us with training. It was a great bonding experience for us. In fact, he developed a major case of non-destructive separation anxiety in just a few short weeks with us.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

I think we lost sight of the question a little bit. Here's how I would discipline her... with a smile, a hug and a kiss on the nose


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## puddinhd58 (Jan 15, 2009)

Braccarius said:


> I think we lost sight of the question a little bit. Here's how I would discipline her... with a smile, a hug and a kiss on the nose


Ditto to the above... THAT is how you "discipline" a golden.....:heartbeat:heartbeat


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Megora said:


> I don't really like the word "discipline". I think it's because of the human connotations.


I work with "humans" and teach positive discipline. 
Discipline means to guide and to teach with the goal being to help the child learn self control. Punishment means to use fear or pain to control the child.


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## GinnyinPA (Oct 31, 2010)

Because you are new to her, I would treat her as if she were a puppy that knows nothing. Start from scratch. Work on the basics. Give lots of treats, have short training sessions, make them fun, and have no expectations that she knows anything already. She may have been taught all the basic commands, but if training isn't kept up, dogs forget them. Most especially, don't expect her to come to you right away. She may have reason to fear that when she is called, she will be punished. She needs to learn to trust you and to trust that coming to you is the best possible place to be. That only good things happen around you. It will take time.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

One more thing--do you know if the rescue changed her name at intake? Some dogs learn to associate their names with punishment and abuse and if that's the case you may have a problem with her recall. We decided to change our Barkley's name when we adopted him to give him a fresh start. We wanted his name only associated with good things and love. It only took a couple of days for him to learn it too. During his last year, over 6 years later, I tried something and called him by his original name--he didn't even look up! I think he forgot it and totally associated with the name we called him.


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

First, congratulations on adding her to your family. GinnyinPA beat me to what I was going to say. Assume she is like a puppy and just start training from scratch. Even if she knows some of the commands, everyone has a different way of doing them. Who knows how she was treated in her previous home if she did not come? Or if she was even expected to. Let her settle in. Right now you are total strangers to her. I would definitely do more than one training class. The first one helps both of you understand, and then additional ones help to reinforce everything. Small productive learning steps will greatly pay off in the end. Good luck.


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

Considering that you know nothing about the background of this dog's training, start from square 1 just like you would with a new puppy. Assume this girl knows nothing & you won't be disappointed. She may surprise you. Just remember the stress that she must be experiencing.


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## Rhapsody in Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I would say, live the training and you will know each other well. A turning point is when she makes eye contact with you - and looks to you for direction. The relationship becomes very easy then. Give her every opportunity to do good. I rarely use treats with my pups - they would be getting treats all day if I kept rewarding them with goodies. What I do when I catch them being good, is I praise - they live for it - and I hug - and I give ear rubs. If I disapprove of a behavior - I turn away from them - give it a moment - and then we try again. I always say live the training because its all about creating a relationship and the little moments in the day are important. The more time you spend together, the more you will know about her. I wish you well.


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## Waggily Tail (Jan 11, 2009)

1st thing that comes to mind are words from one of my favorite songs!

"Every minute, every hour
I'm gonna shower you
With love and affection
Look out, it's comin' in your direction"

Experiment with different words to see if they are familiar to her.
Maybe she earned to "wait" rather than "stay"...and "here" or "with me" rather than "come".

Good luck to you and your girl as you both learn about each other.


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## Sadie Webb (Mar 2, 2011)

Holy Batman at the replies! 
She is doing great! She knows a lot of things. We love dogs and my word "discipline" might not have been the right word to use. I was more so seeing if Goldens need to be taught a certain way and from all the posts I can say that when I die I want to come back as yalls dogs

All we have done is love on her, hug her, kiss her and give her treats. She is sitting, fetching, catching, speaking, laying, rolling over and follows us everywhere

Thanks for all the info. I am sure I will be asking more ??????????? in the future


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## daisysmam (Sep 5, 2010)

Awww...she's cute. It looks like she's settled in quite nicely.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I think you already have a very bonded and happy dog! Thanks for sharing your photos and I'm so happy things are going well for you all!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

She's beautiful and obviously is very happy with kids...almost every Golden is.

I think what is different for Goldens is that they want SO MUCH to please us. Other breeds do too, but Goldens seem almost to NEED to please. That's why it's so important to always be kind and loving. A harsh word or tone of voice can really scare them, even if it's directed at someone else.

You can practice recall in the house, when she's in another room. Call her by saying simply "Sadie, come". When she does, give her a bit of a treat. I buy soft ones so I can pinch of a piece the size of a pea. You can do this several times during the day, it doesn't have to be a formal training session. She'll get the idea that you are a great person to come to. For the next few weeks/months, you'll want to have a few treats in your pockets all the time.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

I see YOUR training is paying off... she already has you hypnotized into letting her hog the bed.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

She looks wonderful. Is she a bit overweight? It's hard to tell from the photos. I only mention it because it's obviously not your fault, and I was absolutely shocked when I learned at how much a healthy weight influences geriatric conditions and lifespan.

It's very hard to tell from photos, so I could be totally off base. But if she is a little heavy, slowly bringing her down to an ideal weight is the single biggest thing you can do for her health and longevity.

The best way to assess weight is with your hands (hence my comment that I could be totally wrong here). You should be able to feel ribs with gentle pressure but not see them if the dog is just standing normally. Hip bones should be easy to feel with gentle pressure but should not be visible or protruding. There should be a small pad of fat between the hip bones on the top of the dog. Even a lean dog should have at least a little fat here. An overweight dog will have a large fat pad that makes the hip bones harder to discern.

Most healthy-weight GRs have at least a slight waist when viewed from above, though coat can obscure it, so it's better to find it with your hands than just to look.

Sorry if I'm overstepping my bounds here. I want you to have every possible minute you can with a healthy, active dog.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Penny's Mom said:


> She's beautiful and obviously is very happy with kids...almost every Golden is.
> 
> I think what is different for Goldens is that they want SO MUCH to please us. Other breeds do too, but Goldens seem almost to NEED to please. That's why it's so important to always be kind and loving. A harsh word or tone of voice can really scare them, even if it's directed at someone else.
> 
> You can practice recall in the house, when she's in another room. Call her by saying simply "Sadie, come". When she does, give her a bit of a treat. I buy soft ones so I can pinch of a piece the size of a pea. You can do this several times during the day, it doesn't have to be a formal training session. She'll get the idea that you are a great person to come to. For the next few weeks/months, you'll want to have a few treats in your pockets all the time.


I love this idea. Out of sight recall is a great reinforcer for overall recall behavior. It teaches the dog to listen for your voice. Plus, GRs often respond really well to games that involve finding people. They find it rewarding and bonding (as do I!).


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## Sadie Webb (Mar 2, 2011)

tippykayak said:


> She looks wonderful. Is she a bit overweight? It's hard to tell from the photos. I only mention it because it's obviously not your fault, and I was absolutely shocked when I learned at how much a healthy weight influences geriatric conditions and lifespan.
> 
> It's very hard to tell from photos, so I could be totally off base. But if she is a little heavy, slowly bringing her down to an ideal weight is the single biggest thing you can do for her health and longevity.
> 
> ...


 
You are right! She is over weight. She weighs 78lbs and we figure she needs to lose around 15 to 20lbs. We have her on a WD Diet per the rescue and our vet. That plus my son playing with her for hours after school each day she should be good in no time at all. They had to shave her due to the matting from the last owner but we have been brushing her lightly each day and her coat is very soft and pretty. She is now playing tug of war with our 10lb chiuaua mix and they are giving each other kisses.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Sadie Webb said:


> You are right! She is over weight. She weighs 78lbs and we figure she needs to lose around 15 to 20lbs. We have her on a WD Diet per the rescue and our vet. That plus my son playing with her for hours after school each day she should be good in no time at all. They had to shave her due to the matting from the last owner but we have been brushing her lightly each day and her coat is very soft and pretty. She is now playing tug of war with our 10lb chiuaua mix and they are giving each other kisses.


Wow, such a wonderful and rewarding situation. I could see in the picture that her coat was clipped. I hope (and think) that it will grow out into a lovely brassy GR coat.

I'm so glad you already know to practice brushing every day so she learns to trust that process. That practice will be really helpful when she has a full coat and really needs the brushing. 

I'm glad you're taking the weight so seriously. Getting her to a proper weight will extend the time you have with her. And, if your pictures and comments are any indicator, your son is going to bond pretty strongly with her. He'll be grateful for whatever you can do to extend her life. I had a dog from age 7 to age 14, and I still remember him, all these years later, as one of the great companions of my life. 

We really never know how much time we'll have, even when we do everything right for the dog, but weight is so controllable and has such a huge impact that it's really the first place we should all focus when we think about our dogs' longevity.


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## Sadie Webb (Mar 2, 2011)

tippykayak said:


> Wow, such a wonderful and rewarding situation. I could see in the picture that her coat was clipped. I hope (and think) that it will grow out into a lovely brassy GR coat.
> 
> I'm so glad you already know to practice brushing every day so she learns to trust that process. That practice will be really helpful when she has a full coat and really needs the brushing.
> 
> ...


 
I asked my son this morning if he liked Sadie and he said "I love her". I said what if "I want to give her away", he said " where ever she goes, I go".
I think he has bonded already


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## Svan (Mar 2, 2011)

What they said  

Since Goldens love to please just be patient & you will be rewarded.


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