# aggressive female golden



## REDPIN04 (Nov 11, 2008)

ok she's no pup and i'm not sure if there's a way to break her of this at her age. At my introduction, I've found a new love for my dog after a new child addition and what I call 5 years of neglect. She's dieting and walking daily with me from a 1 mile walk around the block to 7 mile hikes on occasional weekends. 

Anyhow she was a 'replacment' dog for an older golden that had cancer and was supposed to die by christmas(she actually lived 4 more years until we had to put her down at 13). We also have a chihuahua(my wifes) in the house. She pretty much got along with those dogs fine, other than an occasional argument over food or whatever but never really violent. 

My problem is the current golden became more on an alpha female that would follow me throughout the house. She would block off the other dogs from getting near me as time went on. Never aggressively, but would do things like block the door with her body. However anytime I get near another dog she get's almost vicious. For example last night I was walking her and a guy with two new pups(both labs) probably 6 months old she growled and barked at them. There's a yellow lab repeatedly walking the neighborhood, she growls and snaps. There's 2 younger goldens that if my 6 year old son or I get near she gets antsy and excited and barks. If I get her near those dogs she gets vicious. There is one older female golden(i'd guess 10+) that's newer to the neighborhood that she seems to tolerate just fine though. I tell her NO and try to calm her but to no avail. Obviously I can't do a dogpark area since I don't know what she'll do. When I go walking with a co-worker and his labs, she won't leave my left heel and seems ok as long as the other dogs don't approach me or her. Is there anyway to get her to socialize better, maybe even play with the other dogs. 

She's been great with people other than one small issue. Whenever I come home from work she 'attacks' my mother in law. Not in bad way, just get's real excited when I come home and jumps all over her. That's not my problem but I'd rather her get excited towards me rather than someone else and supposedly she only does it when I get home. This is not the real issue, but if anyone can maybe explain this one.


sorry for the long message, just trying to get as much info out there as possible.


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

There will be lots of answers better than mine on here. But, it seems to me the extra attention you are giving her now will help in time. I'm sure the extra walking and being exposed to other dogs will be only a good thing!


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

You didn't say how long you've had her - she might just be overwhelmed - and very insecure. Now that she's on the gravy train she wants to stay that way 

A couple of really easy things: In the house when your MIL comes into the house have her on leash, step on the leash and let her learn to manage her excitement. Don't allow her to jump on guests coming in the door and don't allow the guests to greet her until she is settled - yes, she can be excited that someone has come into the house - but she doesn't need to maul people coming in. A few reps of this and she'll get the hang of it.

Have her thyroid checked - hypothyroid dogs have a lot of weird behavior stuff that goes away when things are balanced again - sounds strange but I've seen it over and over and over again - make sure she's feeling OK.

As for other dogs - have you enrolled in an obedience class? Getting her out and more exposure might do the trick - also the instructors at the class should be able to help you work with the greeting stuff: they hold her you walk towards another dog -don't go above her threshold (too close to other dogs), go back to her and reward her for not reacting to you being around other dogs. Work up to patting another dog, giving treats, etc - always reward her for not reacting. Try to ignore her if she does react - that's why the helpers are important so that you don't have to manage HER and work through this. She needs to understand that she's stuck with you (as in she's not going anywhere) but that you're allowed to talk to other dogs. A CGC class might be a good idea too - but I'd take a basic manners/obedience class first to get her out working in a group of other dogs...

Good luck!
Erica


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## REDPIN04 (Nov 11, 2008)

we've had her since she was a pup(about 3 months old if memory serves). My mother in law has been doing my daycare since my son was around 6 weeks old \(now 6 years old)and she doesn't come visit like that, she actually lives with us 4 days a week so she's there all day with her. It almost appears that when I get home she taunts my MIL to say that the 'boss' is home now and I don't need to listen to you anymore??? She's actually really well mannered and I can walk her without a leash and she'll come to heel when called. Even when I wrestle with her which sometimes get's out of hand and she bites my forearm to rough as soon as I say ouch even quietly she immediately stops.


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## dannyra (Aug 5, 2008)

REDPIN04 said:


> She's been great with people other than one small issue. Whenever I come home from work she 'attacks' my mother in law. Not in bad way, just get's real excited when I come home and jumps all over her. That's not my problem but I'd rather her get excited towards me rather than someone else and supposedly she only does it when I get home. This is not the real issue, but if anyone can maybe explain this one.


Any tips on training this behavior? I'm completely kidding I get along great with my MIL. Just couldn't resist a MIL joke.

What is your golden like if your wife or MIL walks her around other dogs? Just wondering if possibly it's a resource hording issue and your the resource.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

What are you doing now when you come home? Are you greeting her first thing? How are you handling her behaviour to your mil?

You are probably right that she is not respecting your MIL and sees you as her leader. MIL needs to be the one to put the leash on her BEFORE you get home, and step on it to keep her down. Also have MIL give her the sit or down command when you are coming in and she has to stay there until MIL releases her. You need to not greet her, pet her or interact with her until she is calm and behaving.

The interaction with other dogs is something that you do need an experienced trainer to work with you on. A class environment will help her learn that it's ok for you to be around other dogs.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

bumping up for more opinions


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## REDPIN04 (Nov 11, 2008)

i'm not as concerned about the MIL thing, sure it's a little annoying but other than a minute or so of it, it goes away. These days she's more excited about me getting home from work since that's walk time and that's her 45 minutes that makes her day. 

My wife has never walked her that I'm aware of, but my daughter has and had issues with the dog being aggressive to other dogs.


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