# 2.5 year old golden. please help!



## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

Here he is....


----------



## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

How much exercise is he getting - be honest! (LOL)


----------



## Tripp43 (Oct 30, 2012)

Aww that sweet face couldn't possible do anything wrong.:
Sounds like your dog has a lot of energy that needs to be "drained". Is he getting lots of exercise, like walks or dog park fun each day? Some dogs just have more energy than others. Goldens are highly trainable so don't give up on him...maybe spend more training as well as extra exercise and he will come around to being a wonderful Golden.
Curious as to his age when you got him. Good luck.


----------



## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

honestly he doesn't get enough. we get him to the dog park about 3x week now, more in better weather. Fyi. He tries to steal mittens/scarf at park... no kidding. People love that! I take him on about a 2 mile walk on most days we don't go to the park. He's also outside with us alot, we have about 4 ft of snow and he romps through it chasing toys and diving on kids stealing hats and sleds. So, yes, I could try to add more activity, but it's tough. I have 2 kids very active in sports and hubby works alot.I don't feel like he's getting no exercise though? He's so badly behaved. I can't even find family to watch him when we go away! Do you recommend a trainer that comes to the house? Or having him trained when we go away next month? I know he's smart...he has his Canine good citizen, barely passed, lol, but he but he can turn it on when he wants too.  oh, got him when he was 2 months old. He had roundworm and constant diarrhea for the first 6 months of life. Bacteria, riundworm, wrong food etc. I do admit he was gated off in certain areas to avoid messing all over the carpet. I do wonder if that's contributed to his destructiveness.


----------



## Test-ok (Jan 15, 2015)

You need to wear him out, and yea it's a tough challenge..does he fetch?
even running in the snow will take it's toll on em..wear that boy out. 
I think his stealing is trying to get someone to chase him..he wants to play!!


----------



## Doug (Jul 17, 2010)

Never underestimate the value of mental stimulation. 
Yes bring him inside, desensitize him to family situations. Let him watch your daily activities.
Take him for rides in the car to pick up the kids. Use an easy walker harness with padding.
Just like kids the more time you spend with them and connect with them the more balanced they are.
As golden owners most of us can never leave food on the kitchen counters and never have toys out until our pups are a lot older.
Your boy looks like a real sweet heart. It ain't easy but he's well worth it. He is still very young.The best years are yet to come!


----------



## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

It is really hard once the kids are involved in a lot of activities and with a husband working long hours. We raised four kids and had our own business. We were never at home and I knew we couldn't cope with a dog! Are your children old enough to help by throwing balls for him. Does he like a Frisbee. Can you take him swimming when the weather improves? Swimming certainly wears them out! Good luck with him, he is gorgeous!


----------



## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

He does play fetch, but isn't always into it. Kids do help with throwing the ball. He does live to swim...great way to wear him out. It is hard with sports and the kids....hockey is tough, but come spring, we can bring him to the field with Us. We had two dogs prior to this one....a lab and a mastiff. they were best friends. Sometimes we wonder if another dog would be good for him and helpful in his behavior/exercise etc, or if it would make our situation 2x worse!


----------



## Kodiac-Bear (Jan 20, 2014)

Exersize to the point where he doesn't want to work anymore.

I know your hearing that a lot from everyone, but a good puppy is a tired puppy. you could also try some mental stimulation such as puzzles, kongs with peanut butter or have the kids hide treats around the house and yard and have him find them. Stimulation and exersize.

Also work WITH your kids and hubby to make sure everyone is using the same command words, not knowing what you want from him can confuse a pup and they loose interest.

He is a handsome looking boy!!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

He's a good looking boy, sounds to me he needs more exercise. 
You've gotten some great advice already so I won't repeat what's already been said. 

I adopted my boy when he was 2, he had so much energy that needed to be burnt off. I walked him 2 times a day for at least 30 minutes. I also took him out to play ball in my backyard where he was running non stop about 20-30 minutes twice a day. I got a chuck it, it works great. 

You may want to think about enrolling him in some additional training classes too if you can work it into your schedule. You sound like you have a busy household. 

Good luck with him.


----------



## Hrlaliberte (Feb 11, 2015)

Ha, I know what you are going through...Jake was the same way when we adopted him!! He would chew EVERYONES shoes that came over...steal food at BBQ's..it was insane. I knew it was our fault and he was not to blame. We started taking him to daycare where he played ALL day, it was pricey but SO worth it. We also do lots of kongs frozen for mental stimulation, try that if you haven't. We would play fetch/pass outside for 20-30 mins 2x daily. Jake is 5 now and much calmer, no longer needs daycare 5 days a week and hasn't chewed anything up in almost 2 years. I think he was around 3 or so when he stopped that behavior completely. Golden's are brilliant and grow out of that puppy phase, I promise. It will require a little more work on your part maybe but I'm certain he's worth it. Good luck!!


----------



## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

puppy77 said:


> He does play fetch, but isn't always into it. Kids do help with throwing the ball. He does live to swim...great way to wear him out. It is hard with sports and the kids....hockey is tough, but come spring, we can bring him to the field with Us. We had two dogs prior to this one....a lab and a mastiff. they were best friends. Sometimes we wonder if another dog would be good for him and helpful in his behavior/exercise etc, or if it would make our situation 2x worse!


Two help each other in alot of ways & I've always had two. We also have a daughter into sports, band and teen taxi is time consuming. I've found that two will play while your away & are a little easier to handle but it doesn't change their core personality. Counter surfing has been hard with Sweetie and first recall outside can still be hard with Jack. Sweetie still picks things up & brings them to us to get attention.( The cats food bowl this morning ) 
I did buy a kong for her the ones you put small treats in & she slaps in around the room to get the treats out. I believe it provides mental stimulation and wares her out a bit. Remember he's still young. Live laugh & play with him that's best.


----------



## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

He's at his physical peak and needs lots of exercise...imagine your kids with cabin fever and that's how he's feeling all the time. He acts up just to make something happen...to start a game.

This time of year is tough, especially this year, but doubling his walks would be a good start. Can you take him along when you're ferrying kids to hockey practice? A good car ride at least gives him some mental stimulation and some company...Goldens crave being with their people.

As for him stealing mittens and chasing people...maybe have him drag a 15-20 foot lead so you can direct him back to you when you see trouble coming? I would also really work on his recalls. Having someone train him for you would be a good start.

You might also want to consider a dog walker to help with exercise? If your kids are old enough, I would point out to them that jogging with the dog will improve their hockey stamina!


----------



## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Hang in there! Our Zeke was very high energy and didn't start to turn the corner till he was about 3 yrs. old. I found that taking him in the car while doing the sports and activity driving seemed to help. He got to interact with a variety of kids and wasn't left home alone. Exercise is key. Gracie, our current one is high energy and will make something happen if there's nothing going on. Our trainers have suggested impulse control exercises. If you can't find a trainer you like there are books and videos you can find on the Internet. Clean Run has quite a selection.


----------



## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

He's adorable! It sounds like you are really busy but any chance you can devote some time to a doggy sport like agility or flyball? This would give him lots of mental stimulation and physical exercise. The kids could possibly work with him too.

What about a doggy daycare once or twice a week to help with his excess energy? A tired pup is a good pup.

Good luck.


----------



## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

Thanks for all the great input! I do bring him for car rides to take the kids to school, etc. He comes to sports in the spring. 
we have doggie day care nearby, he goes occasionally if we have a super busy day, but maybe making it weekly would help. He loves it. We have alot of work to do. I hope he starts to calm down sooner than later!


----------



## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

It also sounds like he gets a lot of attention for being naughty and not as much for being calm?


----------



## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

Gus update! 
We've been taking all your advice and trying to give gus much more exercise this week. He's been getting an extra walk a day and they are longer. 3x a day now, 2 are 45 min. Other is 30 min. 
We've been playing on the snow as well....
last night he ate 2 taco shells off the counter as I was cleaning up dinner, yes I was in kitchen with my back turned. Today we were gone all day so we put him in daycare....as I'm feeding kids dinner he ate the zipper off my daughters cowgirl boots.

We are going away in March for a week. I have no family I can leave him with (since he's so high energy). We plan to board him. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with training while boarding? Not sure if it would work for what he needs. Other option is having someone come to our house for a few sessions. At the end of my rope!


----------



## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

Keep up the good work with the exercise...it's going to take a little while to see the effects, as your boy has a lot in reserve!

Can you gate off an area for him to be his chill zone where he can still be near the family? Then when you need to focus on getting things done, he can be in there with his toys and something to chew.

The reality is that until he's matured a bit, your kids are going to have to keep their stuff where he can't reach and/or he needs to be managed so that he can't get into trouble.

You might want to see if whatever trainer works with him while he's being boarded could then come to your house for some sessions with the family when you get back?

ETA: I kind of get the feeling that you're alone in trying to make this work? If so, everyone needs to step up, not just you.


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Gus*



puppy77 said:


> Gus update!
> We've been taking all your advice and trying to give gus much more exercise this week. He's been getting an extra walk a day and they are longer. 3x a day now, 2 are 45 min. Other is 30 min.
> We've been playing on the snow as well....
> last night he ate 2 taco shells off the counter as I was cleaning up dinner, yes I was in kitchen with my back turned. Today we were gone all day so we put him in daycare....as I'm feeding kids dinner he ate the zipper off my daughters cowgirl boots.
> ...


Your Gus is just adorable. You have not only 2 children, you have three, as I always say dogs are perpetual two year olds. I would suggest you use a crate for him, when you can't watch him every moment and you won't have him eating food off the counter or a zipper. I also agree with everyone else, that he needs more exercise and maybe a game inside, to stimulate his mind. We have had two counter surfers, so there is NOTHING on our kitchen counter that they can reach.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I would get some bones from the butcher. Big beef bones they will chew on for hours. It really is amazing how much energy they burn up when they chew bones. So while you are working on getting him more exercise, try the bones in the backyard on the days when you can't get in a walk. Don't let him chew the bones indoors, they messy in the house.

As for training while boarding, some places do that. Ask your breeder for a recommendation. They might have some ideas for you for training help.


----------



## Carmel (Feb 9, 2015)

Get him another Golden.


----------



## thomas&betts (May 13, 2014)

Hi puppy77, everytime I read one of these posts, I hesitate to chime in, as most of the advice is pretty common sense, like more exercise or covering your feet and hands in the case of a biting puppy. But, at the risk of offending some of the trainers and other golden owners, my experience with both my 14 year old golden and my new 9 month old puppy, the common sense things suggested have not been what worked for me. As I was reading your post, my gracie 9 month old, was sitting next to me with an open take out order of chicken burrito.I also attached a picture of aluminum foil with her chicken treat from that burrito.I noticed her nose is only 6 inches away and no effort to grab at my plate of food. Gracie has spent 24 hours a day with me for 7 months of her life. She gets very little exercise most days. She is taken out to go potty on a regular basis, and gets maybe 15 minutes of exercise each time. For most of the first seven months, she showed signs of lack of activity and confusion about what good behavior was. Slowly she has learned what's expected of her, and she knows what the reward for good behavior is. She has become one of the best behaved dogs you can imagine. She went from biting and scratching and leg humping every time I turned around or turned away from her, to soft mouthing, no scratching, and totally trustworthy around food. So if I could attribute this to anything, it is the constant training of low expectations (just guidance), and the reassurance she would be treated very well. So as not to be misunderstood by those that suggest wearing a puppy out, I don't have experience with well exercised Goldens. I can tell you that my puppies have both been satisfied without being wore out by exercise. While I'm sure a tired puppy has less time to be destructive, I have learned that the relaxed puppy, stress free puppy is patient and actually eagerly awaiting your return.Just my two cents worth.


----------



## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

I did bring his crate back upstairs last week, he's in it now as I'm up putting the kids to bed. He doesnt mind it, maybe I should use it more when I can't be watching hIm. My kids usually know which shoes are 'chewers' (fuzzy boots,slippers,bogs) and put them in closet. He got lucky today. He will take my son's sneakers and use them as a head rest, but won't chew them







. 
I'll have to try the bones!
We have debates getting another dog. We put down our last two dogs a few years ago. 9 year old lab and 13 year old mastiff. they were best friends....but gus is like no other dog I've ever had. I'm afraid I'll end up with 2 Gus's. I cant handle 1!! That debate is ongoing.








Thanks again for all the input. Tha k goodness he's cute!!!!


----------



## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

Thomas, thanks for your input!! Amazing that Gracie is so good! Love the pics! I'll definately take any and all advice I can get. I appreciate It.


----------



## thomas&betts (May 13, 2014)

I guess the urge to post was your puppy is just adorable I would take him in a heartbeat, of course I know that's not possible: Be patient while giving him a lot more attention, you'll be surprised. I yelled and screamed, and always come back real quick to realizing they're just puppies, always trying to figure out how to please you. Sounds like he's got the flirting at the park down. Best of luck...and stay patient.T


----------



## Loukia (Sep 20, 2014)

Karen519 said:


> ...maybe a game inside, to stimulate his mind.


I agree! Games are great for dogs with too much energy. While they don't replace the physical exercise, the mental stimulation can help as well.

Comet is terrible about counter surfing, but I find I can buy myself a good 25 minutes feeding him his dinner from the Bob-a-lot game. If I feed him from a Kong it also buys me time, but he some how eats from the Kong a lot faster even when I freeze the contents. He just loves how there is playing and movement associated with his Bob-a-lot. 






So far I haven't made any headway in keeping Comet off the counter when he isn't playing with his Bob-a-lot or Kong, so I've been crating him during dinner.

I read how you mentioned you were afraid to take him to an event because you feared he might run off with things. You don't want to set him up to fail, even if it will expel energy. You'll leave feeling frustrated and he'll leave feeling like he's been naughty. If you don't think he can behave, you're probably better to leave him at home or drop him at doggy daycare, so you can both enjoy the day.

If it makes you feel any better, I had a lady tell me that my dog was "crazy and insane" today. He was excited to see her (because he's excited to see everyone) and he was wiggling his body all over the place. At that moment, I kind of wish I had a "hump that lady" command. :


----------

