# HELP! Problems with 10 month old pup



## NewtsHooman

My Golden pup is going to be 10 months old in almost a week, and his behaviour issues have gotten worse. I'm at my wits end and frustrated , and seriously need some advice and motivation. 
Since there is a lot, I'll try to put it in bulletin points

- My golden retriever will be 10 months old soon, we live in the city.

-He has had skin issues since he was 4 months old and the vet suspects that he has canine atopic dermatitis. So the only food he has is Hypoallergenic Prescription Diet/kibbles.

-I take him walks daily in the morning and play with flirt poles/run around on the terrace in the evening/late afternoon. But that tires him out for maybe an hour after the activity, after which he's back to square one. 

-I've been training him since he was a puppy. He knows basic obedience like sit, down, stay and a few tricks. We have been working on rear end awareness as well. 

-Even after months of practice, he pulls on leash and has zero recall. I've gone through almost all YouTube videos which address leash pulling issues and recall ( Kikopup,Donna Hill, Zak George, Training Positive etc), but I'm still failing to teach him heel walking and recall. He'll walk nicely for a minute and then suddenly stop in the middle of the road to dart towards a scent, or see a human pass by. He won't listen or pay attention if I call his name on walks, but continue to stay focused on whatever it is that has caught his attention. I've tried different harnesses and collars as well. 

-Recently he has lost all interest during training time. We train in an empty room in our house, away from distraction. I used to train him twice a day for no longer than 10 minutes. But now, whenever we start practicing he just loses interest after a minute, and walks away when I ask him to perform a command/trick, and starts sniffing around the room, even tough or chewing something. I train with his kibbles/toys.

-Even after numerous attempts to stop him from eating at the kitty litter box, he'll go there every chance he gets, the moment I turn my back. Sometimes even attempting to do so, right in front of me. He knows the Leave it/No commands, and will listen if caught just before the puts his mouth in. But he'll make another attempt maybe an hour later. I've tried positive training, scolding, being firm, but nothing seems to work. Putting the litter box somewhere else is not an option as well, and I'm considering getting a pen/big crate to keep the litter box in.

-Chewing on furniture still has not stopped, even though he has plenty of toys(rope, interactive, plush, balls, rubber) , and correcting him with No/Leave it, drawing his attention to a toy is not producing any results. He'll listen initially but go back to doing it after a while again. 

-He jumps on everyone , all the time! 

-Terrible separation anxiety. 

-When he doesn't get what he wants (door opened/running up to a stranger to interact) , he'll whine and whine and whine, and then when that doesn't work, he'll just bark at me. I have been religiously ignoring his whining and barking and not give him what he wants until he settles, but it doesn't stop him from attempting it again when he wants something. (Yes, I've made sure he doesn't want to pee/poop before ignoring him) 

-He's house trained and his good control over his food impulse (sit/stay before mealtime, balancing kibbles on the nose/head), so that's one plus point. 

I know it's said that humans unintentionally reinforce bad behaviours on dogs without realizing it, but I have honestly thought about every possible reaction/result of my behaviour/actions towards my dog in an attempt to curb bad manners, without much success to the point where I sometimes regret adding a dog to the family (and proceed to feel guilty about thinking that). 
I don't know if it's us at fault, or is it just the age, and all these issues will go away once he gets older?
I will not give him up , but I really need advice on handling him as I am beyond stressed out right now.

EDIT: I forgot to mention for a while his litter box snacking issues had gotten better, but suddenly for the last 2-3 weeks, he has just gone back to his old ways


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## mylissyk

I think you need to start by taking him to some training classes and getting some input from a trainer. It sounds like you've been training by yourself, and a trainers involvement can be invaluable.

Cat box, put a barrier around it that the cat can still get through, it's just too tempting.


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## Ffcmm

I'd recommend the easy walk harness for leash pulling. Lily pulls like a crazy dawg, and the easy walk harness has helped curbed the leash pulling issue. 

Are you enrolled in a group obedience class? 

Why is relocating the kitty litter box out of the question? What about a baby gate?


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## ThorDogofThunder

How much sleep is the pup getting and does he sleep in a crate?


Maybe try something a but nicer than kibble for training treats to keep his interest?


We have a pulling issue too mainly when Thor see's another human or dog. We have a Halti harness which has a front clip which has helped a lot.


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## nolefan

What is your puppy's schedule like? How many hours is he crated at night for sleep and how many hours is he crated or alone while you are away from home for work or errands?

Understand that a Golden Retriever is an active sporting breed, they were made to go all day, on and off swimming and running all out with brief rest periods in between. The way we force our dogs to live in most settings today is not conducive to an ideal lifestyle for them. 

The *minimum* to get by for your dog is 30 minutes of aerobic activity that leaves him panting and tired - retrieving or swimming or kicking a soccerball with you, puppy play date with another young dog of a similar size and energy level etc. Leash walks around the block and playing with a flirt pole on the balcony are not sufficient. They are fillers at best. He also needs proper chew bones like a raw beef shank from the butcher or a bully stick or a frozen kong. Chewing is a good outlet for them.

Until you make sure he is getting some hard exercise on a daily basis, you will probably not see an improvement in his behavior patterns. Part of having a Golden puppy is that if you work a typical 8 hour work day and come home to fix dinner, you will spend all your free time until bedtime playing with and entertaining a dog that has been asleep all day long by himself. They do not play with toys by themselves, they do not go lay under the table patiently until you have finished folding laundry. They are like toddlers and they will find their own entertainment if you don't manage them very carefully. Chewing and destructive behavior is very typical of a dog who isn't getting adequate exercise.

It sounds like you have frustration to some extent that you've put in time on training and he loses focus and is easily distracted by his environment. What you are describing is very normal behavior for a puppy. He is a hunting dog with prey drive, this is very normal and will be a struggle for a while. People work on attention (this is something you can back up and work on very hard if you haven't, it's key) for years with these dogs, you can't expect to do it for a few months with a puppy and have a finished product. You are really at the beginning of the journey with this puppy, it's a process and is it's own reward.

I hope you will take the suggestion and get into a training club where you could start working on agility or find a retrieving club to harness his natural instincts. If you live in the city you're going to need to get in the car and drive to get him to a place where you can get him better exercise. Fenced in soccer and baseball fields are great, school play grounds and church grounds are also good. State parks or even office parks during off hours. Get creative. Your dog may truly have some neurotic tendencies but as with humans, the best way to begin addressing them is to provide DAILY aerobic exercise. It's a big job for the first couple years of your dog's life but it's worth the pay off.


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## nolefan

Have you ever watched a Golden or a Lab in a hunt test situation? This gives you a bit of an idea of the kind of work these dogs were bred for:

[ame]https://youtu.be/t-lvQSh4UUQ?t=42s[/ame]


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## NewtsHooman

nolefan said:


> Have you ever watched a Golden or a Lab in a hunt test situation? This gives you a bit of an idea of the kind of work these dogs were bred for:
> 
> https://youtu.be/t-lvQSh4UUQ?t=42s


I completely understand that Goldens are hunting dogs, and I got one because I was willing to put time into giving him exercise and activity . 

We walk for an hour to 1.5 hours in the morning, with short bursts of running in between the walk, and in the evening we run and play on the terrace for another 30 minutes atleast (and the terrace is quite big, and not a balcony). I also try to arrange puppy play dates whenever I can. And so far, puppy play date is the only thing which has actually completely tired him out. The only problem is, the puppy with whom the play dates are usually arranged (a Lab) lives 3 hours away, so its not possible to take him there always. The rest of the dog owners I know, dont have dogs in the same age group. He has plenty of chew toys (rope,plush,interactive,balls,whatever I can get my hands on) including treat balls but recently he's completely lost interest in them. Chewing furniture seems to be more satisfying for him. Maybe its time to get new toys?

Also, hes never left alone. I work from home,and there is always someone to stay with him when I'm not there, because he has terrible separation anxiety and cannot stay alone at all. 

I do live in the city, but where I live, there are no parks/soccer fields/public urban areas where dogs are allowed ( which is quite unfair). They used to be allowed, however people complained about how dog owners dont clean up after their dogs, which resulted in dogs being banned from such places. As for training clubs for agility/retrieving, well they are non-existent. Various dog sport/activities is not a popular thing in my country yet(maybe in a few more years it will be, or I hope so). Its mostly show rings which are popular. 
Honestly I would love nothing more than getting him into agility, and I have considered getting equipment, but because I would have to get it imported, its going to cost a fortune! So far, I've tried to do weaving with soccer poles, but since hes lost interest in training, its quite difficult. 

I dont force him to train, when I see he's lost interest. I dont think there is any point forcing it on him so when he walks off, I dont pursue it. This loss of interest in training is also a new behaviour which developed in the last couple of weeks. Before, he used to be quite interested with food/toys, which is why I'm at a loss to understand how to gain his interest again? 

Since he's never alone, he's not crated. Another reason for not crating is because I could not get him to like the crate(which is totally my fault, because I gave up when he would scream at 2 am at night). He sleeps from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning, and takes an afternoon nap from 1pm to 4pm/5pm

EDIT;
I forgot to add his schedule
This his what his schedule kind of looks like 

6am: Wake up
6:30-7:30/8 am : Morning walk/exercise time and then rest for 20-30 minutes before having breakfast around 8:30
After breakfast, its resting time, which sometimes becomes playtime with the cat
Around 11am : Training for 10 minutes max and play with tug toys. Training has not been happening for the last few weeks because he's lost interest, so its only tug for 20 minutes or so
Then its resting time again before lunch( resting time = sitting and observing the outside from the balcony/or his recent obsession with chewing furniture)
Around 12:30-1pm : Lunch time after which is afternoon nap till 4pm/5pm
6pm : Playtime on terrace for 20-30 minutes, and resting time after that
7:30-8pm: Dinner time 
Around 9pm : Training and play(Again, the training has not really been happening)
10pm: Bedtime

EDIT2;;
Sorry about the double post! I got a but confused/facepalm


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## NewtsHooman

ThorDogofThunder said:


> How much sleep is the pup getting and does he sleep in a crate?
> 
> 
> Maybe try something a but nicer than kibble for training treats to keep his interest?
> 
> 
> We have a pulling issue too mainly when Thor see's another human or dog. We have a Halti harness which has a front clip which has helped a lot.


He sleeps from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning, and takes an afternoon nap from 1pm to 4pm/5pm. He does not sleep in a crate, couldn't crate train him (completely my fault, because I could not get him to like it, and would give up, when he would scream at 2 am)

Unfortunately because of his allergy issues, his vet has advised that he be put on hypoallergenic diet and hence the kibbles. I've asked her plenty of times if there is anything else I can give, but she insists on keeping him on this.He used to have chicken and lamb, but he's developed allergies to them. 
I have not tried beef because I know its supposed to be another common allergen for dogs? Unfortunately the only forms of meat I can get here is poultry/lamb/beef or otherwise fish. Dog biscuits are also out , because of his atopic dermatitis. Is there anything else , fruits/veggies which I can give?


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## NewtsHooman

Ffcmm said:


> I'd recommend the easy walk harness for leash pulling. Lily pulls like a crazy dawg, and the easy walk harness has helped curbed the leash pulling issue.
> 
> Are you enrolled in a group obedience class?
> 
> Why is relocating the kitty litter box out of the question? What about a baby gate?


I had thought about easy walk harness, but those kind of harnesses are not easily available where I live, I would have to get one imported. Maybe its time to do that. 

Group obedience classes are also not a concept which exists where I live. 

I cant relocate the litter box because there is no place where I can put it , which will be out of his reach :frown2:
I'm considering getting a pen to keep him away from it. But is there any way to curb the temptation? I would like him to understand that its off-limits. Also I'm wondering how long baby gates/pens will hold him off. He can be very innovative when he wants something:laugh:


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## NewtsHooman

mylissyk said:


> I think you need to start by taking him to some training classes and getting some input from a trainer. It sounds like you've been training by yourself, and a trainers involvement can be invaluable.
> 
> Cat box, put a barrier around it that the cat can still get through, it's just too tempting.


Most trainers here still use harsh correctional measures, which is why I wasn't very enthusiastic about getting a trainer actually.


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## ceegee

Nilanjana said:


> I dont force him to train, when I see he's lost interest. I dont think there is any point forcing it on him so when he walks off, I dont pursue it. This loss of interest in training is also a new behaviour which developed in the last couple of weeks. Before, he used to be quite interested with food/toys, which is why I'm at a loss to understand how to gain his interest again?


This is actually quite an easy problem to solve. Here's a story for you:

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine started competing in agility with his young dog. One of the trials he attended was held in an indoor arena normally used by horses. During one of their runs, the dog completed a few obstacles, then ran off into a corner and started sniffing the ground. My friend was philosophical when he came out of the ring: Well, he said, I guess I know what I have to do now. I have to make myself more interesting than horse poop.

That, for me, kind of sums up the philosophy of dog training. You have to be more interesting - and more fun - than anything else the dog might be able to do at that time. It's very telling for me that your dog has no interest in training even when you're in an empty room.

If you want your dog to enjoy training sessions, you have to enjoy them yourself. Make it fun! Stop using kibble and his usual toys, and start using very high-value treats like cheese, chicken or some other tasty human food that your dog doesn't usually get. If he's a typical golden, I can guarantee that this will get his interest. Also, get a new toy that he loves, and use it only for training. Then, think up some interesting and fun exercises. You want him to follow you on walks? Find an enclosed area, indoors or out, take off the leash, get your high value treat, then play "catch" with him: have your high value treat in your hand, run for a few steps, and when he follows you, praise him and reward him. Be very, very upbeat about it. This is a game! You can gradually increase the distances, then vary your pace, then put a leash on him. But he has to _want _to follow you.

In other words, stop training him as though it's a chore (for both of you), and turn your training exercises into games instead. You're right, there's no point forcing a dog to train, but you can change things up so that he _wants _to train. The failure here is yours for not being fun. You have to make yourself more interesting.

Good luck, hope it works out!


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## Gleepers

Dogs can have a lot of different fruits and vejji. Penny loves cucumbers. With allergies it's usually good to try and add just one item at a time and see how it goes for a week or two. I'm sure there is something tasty you can find that he will like. 

Also I'm attaching a video on using a tug toy as a reward. My trainer sent it to me yesterday so I haven't watched the whole thing yet. Penny is getting bored during training and has never been s treat eater while working. We are hoping that this will help her training motivation a little. Also looking into getting a flirt pole to deal with her afternoon energy burst that usually comes when I've run out of steam. 
https://leerburg.com/flix/player.php/1398/Tug_Playing_Tips_with_Mark_Keating


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## ThorDogofThunder

Nilanjana said:


> He sleeps from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning, and takes an afternoon nap from 1pm to 4pm/5pm. He does not sleep in a crate, couldn't crate train him (completely my fault, because I could not get him to like it, and would give up, when he would scream at 2 am)
> 
> Unfortunately because of his allergy issues, his vet has advised that he be put on hypoallergenic diet and hence the kibbles. I've asked her plenty of times if there is anything else I can give, but she insists on keeping him on this.He used to have chicken and lamb, but he's developed allergies to them.
> I have not tried beef because I know its supposed to be another common allergen for dogs? Unfortunately the only forms of meat I can get here is poultry/lamb/beef or otherwise fish. Dog biscuits are also out , because of his atopic dermatitis. Is there anything else , fruits/veggies which I can give?


With Thor just a week shy of 6 months, he's usually only awake and out his crate for around 6 hours during a week day and he happily sleeps and rests the other 18 hours (he is quite a laid back pup!), we notice behaviour changes if he doesn't sleep enough or if we take him somewhere he can't settle down to rest. The time he is up is filled with two 20/25 minute walks (off the lead for half the time so he can get some aerobic activity going on), mental games with treats and him chewing his nylabone/frozen towel.


In terms of treats, I couldn't say in your situation, but as long as he doesn't have allergies to fruits or veggies then I'm sure he'd love some small cut up bits of fruit to train with


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## NewtsHooman

nolefan said:


> Have you ever watched a Golden or a Lab in a hunt test situation? This gives you a bit of an idea of the kind of work these dogs were bred for:
> 
> https://youtu.be/t-lvQSh4UUQ?t=42s


*EDIT;; Sorry about the double post, please ignore this one*

I completely understand that Goldens are hunting dogs, and I got one because I was willing to put time into giving him exercise and activity . 

We walk for an hour to 1.5 hours in the morning, with short bursts of running in between the walk, and in the evening we run and play on the terrace for another 30 minutes atleast (and the terrace is quite big, and not a balcony). I also try to arrange puppy play dates whenever I can. And so far, puppy play date is the only thing which has actually completely tired him out. The only problem is, the puppy with whom the play dates are usually arranged (a Lab) lives 3 hours away, so its not possible to take him there always. The rest of the dog owners I know, dont have dogs in the same age group. He has plenty of chew toys (rope,plush,interactive,balls,whatever I can get my hands on) including treat balls but recently he's completely lost interest in them. Chewing furniture seems to be more satisfying for him. Maybe its time to get new toys?

Also, hes never left alone. I work from home,and there is always someone to stay with him when I'm not there, because he has terrible separation anxiety and cannot stay alone at all. 

I do live in the city, but where I live, there are no parks/soccer fields/public urban areas where dogs are allowed ( which is quite unfair). They used to be allowed, however people complained about how dog owners dont clean up after their dogs, which resulted in dogs being banned from such places. As for training clubs for agility/retrieving, well they are non-existent. Various dog sport/activities is not a popular thing in my country yet(maybe in a few more years it will be, or I hope so). Its mostly show rings which are popular. 
Honestly I would love nothing more than getting him into agility, and I have considered getting equipment, but because I would have to get it imported, its going to cost a fortune! So far, I've tried to do weaving with soccer poles, but since hes lost interest in training, its quite difficult. 

I dont force him to train, when I see he's lost interest. I dont think there is any point forcing it on him so when he walks off, I dont pursue it. This loss of interest in training is also a new behaviour which developed in the last couple of weeks. Before, he used to be quite interested with food/toys, which is why I'm at a loss to understand how to gain his interest again? 

Since he's never alone, he's not crated. Another reason for not crating is because I could not get him to like the crate(which is totally my fault, because I gave up when he would scream at 2 am at night). He sleeps from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning, and takes an afternoon nap from 1pm to 4pm/5pm


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## NewtsHooman

ceegee said:


> This is actually quite an easy problem to solve. Here's a story for you:
> 
> A couple of years ago, a friend of mine started competing in agility with his young dog. One of the trials he attended was held in an indoor arena normally used by horses. During one of their runs, the dog completed a few obstacles, then ran off into a corner and started sniffing the ground. My friend was philosophical when he came out of the ring: Well, he said, I guess I know what I have to do now. I have to make myself more interesting than horse poop.
> 
> That, for me, kind of sums up the philosophy of dog training. You have to be more interesting - and more fun - than anything else the dog might be able to do at that time. It's very telling for me that your dog has no interest in training even when you're in an empty room.
> 
> If you want your dog to enjoy training sessions, you have to enjoy them yourself. Make it fun! Stop using kibble and his usual toys, and start using very high-value treats like cheese, chicken or some other tasty human food that your dog doesn't usually get. If he's a typical golden, I can guarantee that this will get his interest. Also, get a new toy that he loves, and use it only for training. Then, think up some interesting and fun exercises. You want him to follow you on walks? Find an enclosed area, indoors or out, take off the leash, get your high value treat, then play "catch" with him: have your high value treat in your hand, run for a few steps, and when he follows you, praise him and reward him. Be very, very upbeat about it. This is a game! You can gradually increase the distances, then vary your pace, then put a leash on him. But he has to _want _to follow you.
> 
> In other words, stop training him as though it's a chore (for both of you), and turn your training exercises into games instead. You're right, there's no point forcing a dog to train, but you can change things up so that he _wants _to train. The failure here is yours for not being fun. You have to make yourself more interesting.
> 
> Good luck, hope it works out!


I totally get the idea of making yourself more interesting. I think I've read almost all articles on training on the internet and seen hundreds of YouTube videos, which talk about this method. 
The problem is I cant use food except kibbles because he has been prescribed a hypoallergenic diet for his dermatitis. 
I have always made an effort to make training a game by using his toys, and not make it like a chore. I understood from the first day, that this pupper likes to have fun so our training sessions have never been just command-treat-repeat. I always play and treat and make a big deal out of him performing any commands. After every trick/command there's always a treat followed by running/tugging 

The thing you mentioned about helping with walking issues, I had seen in a kikopup video and I've been trying that. Indoors hes fine, but outdoors (on our rooftop terrace, have not attempted on the street yet) everything apart from me is interesting to him. Even toys and treats dont hold his interest outdoors. Maybe I should try getting a toy just for training, going to try that and see how it works.


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## NewtsHooman

Gleepers said:


> Dogs can have a lot of different fruits and vejji. Penny loves cucumbers. With allergies it's usually good to try and add just one item at a time and see how it goes for a week or two. I'm sure there is something tasty you can find that he will like.
> 
> Also I'm attaching a video on using a tug toy as a reward. My trainer sent it to me yesterday so I haven't watched the whole thing yet. Penny is getting bored during training and has never been s treat eater while working. We are hoping that this will help her training motivation a little. Also looking into getting a flirt pole to deal with her afternoon energy burst that usually comes when I've run out of steam.
> https://leerburg.com/flix/player.php/1398/Tug_Playing_Tips_with_Mark_Keating


Thanks for the video, going to check it out!
I do use a flirt pole , during out evening play sessions on the rooftop terrace, but that burns him only for a while


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## puddles everywhere

I'm not sure what diet restrictions you have but you can boil chicken breasts, cut beef or chicken hot dogs in quarters (only need small pieces), boil calf liver or small pieces of cheese. Just try one at a time to make sure it doesn't upset the tummy. The more distractions you have the higher the value will be needed. 
Be sure and take it in small stages.. 1st in the house, then move to the back yard or drive way, then move to some place more public. If you can't keep their attention then take a step back to a place with less distractions until they are completely focused at that level.


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## NewtsHooman

ThorDogofThunder said:


> With Thor just a week shy of 6 months, he's usually only awake and out his crate for around 6 hours during a week day and he happily sleeps and rests the other 18 hours (he is quite a laid back pup!), we notice behaviour changes if he doesn't sleep enough or if we take him somewhere he can't settle down to rest. The time he is up is filled with two 20/25 minute walks (off the lead for half the time so he can get some aerobic activity going on), mental games with treats and him chewing his nylabone/frozen towel.
> 
> 
> In terms of treats, I couldn't say in your situation, but as long as he doesn't have allergies to fruits or veggies then I'm sure he'd love some small cut up bits of fruit to train with


I'm not sure about the sleep thing. In general he doesn't show much interest in chilling and resting. :| 
I tried mental games with him. Started with finding which container has the treat, but he wasn't getting the idea. He was more interested in chewing and slapping at the containers, so we kind of quit that.:laugh: Now I hide treats and play Find it with him.


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## NewtsHooman

puddles everywhere said:


> I'm not sure what diet restrictions you have but you can boil chicken breasts, cut beef or chicken hot dogs in quarters (only need small pieces), boil calf liver or small pieces of cheese. Just try one at a time to make sure it doesn't upset the tummy. The more distractions you have the higher the value will be needed.
> Be sure and take it in small stages.. 1st in the house, then move to the back yard or drive way, then move to some place more public. If you can't keep their attention then take a step back to a place with less distractions until they are completely focused at that level.


Chicken and lamb and dairy products have all given him allergies :frown2: Have not tried beef, because I heard its a common allergen in dogs and I'm a but scared to try it immediately, after seeing how bad his reactions went. Poor fellow had to get injections, put on antibiotics, even got his wounds dressed because of pyoderma once , and he hated that because it obviously stung when his wound was being cleaned. With the hypoallergenic kibbles, his skin problems have been clearing up, so I'm scared about giving him anything which can make it worse


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## ThorDogofThunder

Nilanjana said:


> I'm not sure about the sleep thing. In general he doesn't show much interest in chilling and resting. :|
> I tried mental games with him. Started with finding which container has the treat, but he wasn't getting the idea. He was more interested in chewing and slapping at the containers, so we kind of quit that.:laugh: Now I hide treats and play Find it with him.



Funny as Thor is a bit restless if he isn't in his crate, so we try to keep him in his routine even at weekends where possible. If he's out his crate he constantly moves about to rest and always likes to wake up and stare at us to check that we're still there.......as soon as he's in the crate he's in his own little world.


Even going over the standard, sit stay, hide treats, paw, down etc....for 10/15 mins works wonders. Do it for 5 minutes, then have a break and a play then go back to it for another 5 mins etc... so it keeps it interesting.


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## Peri29

Just a suggestion. Have you ever considered adopting a second dog? For a trial, you can foster a dog who needs home. Better a spayed female upto 3 years old so that he can play with him. He seems to be a bored dog. He needs great mental stimulation since he sounds very smart. Attention defecit in dogs actually most of the time also mean that they are very very smart ( like in children). Would you consider fostering a dog? And if you can afford the care of two dogs , maybe it will be the best for both of them. We have one just like him ( fostering). With a female 2,5 years older than him ( still active), he much calmed down . His chewing decreased. They play together. They sleep together and most probably gossip about us together)9


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## mylissyk

Nilanjana said:


> Most trainers here still use harsh correctional measures, which is why I wasn't very enthusiastic about getting a trainer actually.


Where do you live? Post your location and there is a good chance board members will have suggestions for good trainers.


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## NewtsHooman

Peri29 said:


> Just a suggestion. Have you ever considered adopting a second dog? For a trial, you can foster a dog who needs home. Better a spayed female upto 3 years old so that he can play with him. He seems to be a bored dog. He needs great mental stimulation since he sounds very smart. Attention defecit in dogs actually most of the time also mean that they are very very smart ( like in children). Would you consider fostering a dog? And if you can afford the care of two dogs , maybe it will be the best for both of them. We have one just like him ( fostering). With a female 2,5 years older than him ( still active), he much calmed down . His chewing decreased. They play together. They sleep together and most probably gossip about us together)9


I have considered it, but I dont know if I will be able to handle two dogs together. Sometimes I wonder, if I should have gotten his sister as well, they were the last two remaining. :frown2:


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## NewtsHooman

mylissyk said:


> Where do you live? Post your location and there is a good chance board members will have suggestions for good trainers.


I live in a place called Serampore in India


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## GoldenGod

It's people like nolefan that are the reason I can't take this site seriously anymore. Too many people that have no idea what they're talking about spreading misinformation/pseudoscience.


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## Anele

10 months can be a horrible age! MUCH harder than the puppy period for many dogs.

The biggest thing I would really, really, really encourage you to work on is crate training. It will be beneficial in many ways. IF you can get him to accept it, you will minimize the damage done to your things. It will also reduce his separation anxiety. Those two things will make both of your lives much more pleasant. The SA might continue to get worse instead of better, unfortunately.

But I understand that because of his allergies, however, it's easier said than done. Food can be a great way to motivate and condition a dog to accept things, but when you are so limited, it becomes much harder. I wonder if there is a way to make his kibble more enticing while still keeping it OK for his allergies? Adding salmon oil, maybe? 

What is something that does motivate him? And again... he's a teen, so his attention is going to be much harder to get!


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## NewtsHooman

Anele said:


> 10 months can be a horrible age! MUCH harder than the puppy period for many dogs.
> 
> The biggest thing I would really, really, really encourage you to work on is crate training. It will be beneficial in many ways. IF you can get him to accept it, you will minimize the damage done to your things. It will also reduce his separation anxiety. Those two things will make both of your lives much more pleasant. The SA might continue to get worse instead of better, unfortunately.
> 
> But I understand that because of his allergies, however, it's easier said than done. Food can be a great way to motivate and condition a dog to accept things, but when you are so limited, it becomes much harder. I wonder if there is a way to make his kibble more enticing while still keeping it OK for his allergies? Adding salmon oil, maybe?
> 
> What is something that does motivate him? And again... he's a teen, so his attention is going to be much harder to get!


Crate training when he was a puppy was a complete joke. He would bark and whine and shriek at 3 o clock at night, and then I would end up letting him out. So obviously he never got it :laugh:
But now that hes older and sleeps like a log throughout the night, I'll give it a shot. Maybe he'll accept it this time. 

Honestly things were so much easier when I had an array of options to use as treats! He is quite food motivated, and its becoming harder to teach him new behaviors without food. 

Apart from food, he gets excited with toys which aren't given to him regularly. Getting to carry it around in his mouth and then have someone chase him, makes him feel quite important, so I guess that is one motivation:laugh:

He doesn't feel so strongly about getting praise, never has actually. Getting praised/petted/being told hes a good boy doesn't get him the high which the other things do. 

But once on the road, his attention and focus goes all over the place. Food, toys, praise - nothing breaks his focus on whatever it is that caught his attention, and using toys (which aren't given to him on a regular basis) when we're outside,gets him excited and jumpy and mouthy to the extent he almost knocks me off. (But at home, he does the paying attention exercises pretty well) 

Thanks for the salmon oil tip! I will definitely try that.:smile2: I give him Salmon oil with his kibbles during meal time anyway, since our vet prescribed it for his coat.


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## solinvictus

What is the protein source in the kibble? If he can eat that protein source in kibble he should be able to eat that food. If the protein source in the kibble is beef you can cook beefr and use it as the food reward. If it is chicken you can use that. If it is a particular fish then you can cook and use that.

For now do all your training on leash. Make all training a game, make it fun. Start with only training for a few minutes and stop. The key for now is to stop before he wants to stop. Make it fun!

!0 months is still very much a puppy. Some pups lose their brains for a time, you just have to keep on going until they get through this rough time.


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## Halami

NewtsHooman said:


> My Golden pup is going to be 10 months old in almost a week, and his behaviour issues have gotten worse. I'm at my wits end and frustrated , and seriously need some advice and motivation.
> Since there is a lot, I'll try to put it in bulletin points
> 
> - My golden retriever will be 10 months old soon, we live in the city.
> 
> -He has had skin issues since he was 4 months old and the vet suspects that he has canine atopic dermatitis. So the only food he has is Hypoallergenic Prescription Diet/kibbles.
> 
> -I take him walks daily in the morning and play with flirt poles/run around on the terrace in the evening/late afternoon. But that tires him out for maybe an hour after the activity, after which he's back to square one.
> 
> -I've been training him since he was a puppy. He knows basic obedience like sit, down, stay and a few tricks. We have been working on rear end awareness as well.
> 
> -Even after months of practice, he pulls on leash and has zero recall. I've gone through almost all YouTube videos which address leash pulling issues and recall ( Kikopup,Donna Hill, Zak George, Training Positive etc), but I'm still failing to teach him heel walking and recall. He'll walk nicely for a minute and then suddenly stop in the middle of the road to dart towards a scent, or see a human pass by. He won't listen or pay attention if I call his name on walks, but continue to stay focused on whatever it is that has caught his attention. I've tried different harnesses and collars as well.
> 
> -Recently he has lost all interest during training time. We train in an empty room in our house, away from distraction. I used to train him twice a day for no longer than 10 minutes. But now, whenever we start practicing he just loses interest after a minute, and walks away when I ask him to perform a command/trick, and starts sniffing around the room, even tough or chewing something. I train with his kibbles/toys.
> 
> -Even after numerous attempts to stop him from eating at the kitty litter box, he'll go there every chance he gets, the moment I turn my back. Sometimes even attempting to do so, right in front of me. He knows the Leave it/No commands, and will listen if caught just before the puts his mouth in. But he'll make another attempt maybe an hour later. I've tried positive training, scolding, being firm, but nothing seems to work. Putting the litter box somewhere else is not an option as well, and I'm considering getting a pen/big crate to keep the litter box in.
> 
> -Chewing on furniture still has not stopped, even though he has plenty of toys(rope, interactive, plush, balls, rubber) , and correcting him with No/Leave it, drawing his attention to a toy is not producing any results. He'll listen initially but go back to doing it after a while again.
> 
> -He jumps on everyone , all the time!
> 
> -Terrible separation anxiety.
> 
> -When he doesn't get what he wants (door opened/running up to a stranger to interact) , he'll whine and whine and whine, and then when that doesn't work, he'll just bark at me. I have been religiously ignoring his whining and barking and not give him what he wants until he settles, but it doesn't stop him from attempting it again when he wants something. (Yes, I've made sure he doesn't want to pee/poop before ignoring him)
> 
> -He's house trained and his good control over his food impulse (sit/stay before mealtime, balancing kibbles on the nose/head), so that's one plus point.
> 
> I know it's said that humans unintentionally reinforce bad behaviours on dogs without realizing it, but I have honestly thought about every possible reaction/result of my behaviour/actions towards my dog in an attempt to curb bad manners, without much success to the point where I sometimes regret adding a dog to the family (and proceed to feel guilty about thinking that).
> I don't know if it's us at fault, or is it just the age, and all these issues will go away once he gets older?
> I will not give him up , but I really need advice on handling him as I am beyond stressed out right now.
> 
> EDIT: I forgot to mention for a while his litter box snacking issues had gotten better, but suddenly for the last 2-3 weeks, he has just gone back to his old ways


Hi I am new to this forum, but like you I have a 10 month old golden Retriever girl.
She is not our first retriever. We've had 3 Labrador retrievers...all went through the crazy teen years. Each required a different approach.
With our Golden, Winnie, we put her in a doggie daycare for 3 hours a day to burn off energy and learn good dog to dog manners. She comes home exhausted.
We also use a "shock" collar on walks. Set to a low vibration mode to quickly get her attention. Plus we use a 2 point halter with a double leash. 
These are things you might try. 
Jumping on people is one of Winnie's bad habits. She is excited to meet new and old friends. A knee to the chest usually stops her mid jump.
Last, getting one on one training can help.


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## Jasmyne

Check out Joel Beckman and Michael Ellis
on YouTube for training advice.

Use higher value rewards/treats for training.

I would which to raw food and use supplements like ACV, pumpkin, goats milk, omegas and minerals/vitamins. I follow Dr Dobias recommendations when it comes to natural/holistic approach to care. His website is peterdobias.com you can search any topic and see article he has written and protocols to follow.


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