# High energy, minimal retriever



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

No one has any ideas? Off to the park for a hike I go with Buddy.


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## olik (Apr 13, 2008)

hide the treat-let him find it. Turn lights on and off,open cabinets. I am sure you will get tons of advises from pros. 
I Started mine on retrieving by rolling ball at home and make him bring to me for treat. Now i have two crazy ball dogs.lol


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I'd look into three things: a kibble dispensing toy so he gets all his meals in there, a regular kong, and a dog backpack. 

The kibble dispensing toy is great for mental work. Sounds like you're giving him a TON of physical exercise which is awesome! So you're right, now it's time to work the mind. The kibble dispensing toy makes him have to work for his breakfast instead of gobbling it down. There's lots on the market: squirrel dude, a-maze-ball, kong wobbler, tug-a-jug. I LOVE the kong wobbler for this. It's easy to fill and involves some motion on the dog's part. Give him all his meals in there from now on.

Is he in a crate when you're at work? Make sure his long walk is before he goes in the crate. Start giving him a frozen kong for when he's crated OR when you need some peace and quiet. There's a recipe in my blog (click on the blog link at the top right corner of this post and look for Frozen Kong Recipe). It's a great recipe since it keeps busy dogs quiet, but still encourages them to keep trying. Sometimes dogs lose interest and other dogs can empty kongs in 20 minutes. This recipe works for both types.

Definitely pick up a doggie backpack!! I have one for my guy from Canine Equipment. It's pricier than the outward hound ones but it's a 'real' backpack, not for urban use. Start out with it light or empty until he's used to it, then start loading it up. Just make sure it's balanced. I started with 1 500 ml water bottle in each side...soon, my dog was carrying almost all our hiking equipment on hikes. Water bottles, snacks, first aid kit, everything. You can even put it on for walks, not hikes. It not only uses up more physical energy, but mental energy, too. Dogs feel like they're 'working'. 

The other thing is to make everything a 'job' for him. Honestly, sounds like he's like my guy in the idea that he needs a job. When we walk, my dog's job is to carry all the equipment (even if it's a soup can in each pocket when we go around the block at night). At home, he's responsible for putting his collar on and getting his leash AND my shoes when it's time for a walk. I taught him to deliver file folders to my co-workers when I took him to work with me. Now, he delivers mail when it comes. He picks up his toys at the end of the day or gives me whatever toys I ask for. Start 'naming' toys and teach them to him, then ask him for specific toys. Sounds like he's smart and that you know how to teach, so it shouldn't be too hard.

For basic obedience, there's so much you can teach! House commands like:
- bed (go to bed)
- crate or get in (go into the crate and wait)
- go lie down (go somewhere and stop being underfoot)
- tie a sturdy rope to doors and get him to start opening doors for you
Essentially, anything YOU do...figure out if there's a way HE could do it for you.

Basic obedience cues:
- heel
- finish right
- swing (finish left)
- sit (and then put him into a stay...build up the time, so you can stand right in front of him and he'll sit - not move or down - until you reach 4 minutes. Then start working on being farther away and building up the time to 4 minutes).
- down (same thing as sit, build up the duration of the stays, then on the distance)
- recall (do formal recall and informal recall - both will help his recall. My dog is a runner and I work on his recall close to 20 times a day).
- stand

You can google dog training tips or search/browse the forums here for ideas on how to teach it. Or head down to the library and see what books they have on dog training and if one is suitable for you. I wouldn't worry too much about retrieving. I think your dog is definitely getting enough physical exercise, now you need to match it with mental. Mental exercise knocks more out of a dog than physical...if you're doing it right!


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

That's for the suggestions I will try some of them. Unfortunately, he will not use a Kong toy- I have put kibble, chicken, liver, peanut butter, vegetables, etc. anything healthy he like to eat. He will lick it for a few minutes and then walk away. The yorkies love it though and figured how to stand them up and knock out the food. 

He will not chew doggie bones, piggy ears, deer antlers, raw hide. He will lick for a few minutes and then walk away. He will eat their greenies and dental bones in under 5 minutes but not the kind for his size which is fine with the yorkies because then they eat his.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Our first golden only had 5 weeks of "in class" training. We did train retrieves, comes, heeling, sits, downs, stays, jumps, weaves, etc with him though at home. At the time we only viewed those things as 'show and tell', as they served no purpose otherwise. I totally second training all of these things with your dogs - especially since they give your dog a "job" or stuff they are constantly learning. <- Which is why we did them with our first golden, even though we never had any plans to do any comp with him. 

He also had a daily walk... until he refused to walk anymore because of his condition (he stopped walking when he was 3, died when he was 6). 

The best I can say is that with all of our dogs - they will need to go outside to play and run around 10+ times a day. Free running, zooming, eating grass, laying in the snow... that is how they burn off excess energy. 

Our property doesn't have a fence either, but we did border training with all our dogs and they earned the right to be off leash (after months or years of dragging a long line).

I take our guys for walks, but that is just a "special" thing we do. It's not always for the purpose of calming the dogs down. I only had one golden who needed his daily walk or he'd be a tyrant. Ironically, that was our golden who had the "bed rest" orders from the vet because he had ED and pano. And even there, just a short walk was enough to calm him down. 

The rest of the time, it helps teaching your dogs that they can be ignored and on their own in the house, without being physically exhausted... and still behave themselves. That you pick the times when you pay attention to them. This can be done. And it can be done without using crates or stuff like that.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Bumping up in hopes of more advice.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Ranger

He is never crated due to previous trauma prior to me rescuing him. Someone is home almost 24 hrs a day except when I run to get groceries and it is too cold for him to stay in the car. When I go to work my mom comes and stays with him. He has severe separation anxiety. May need meds if it does not start to improve. He cries for at least the first 2 hrs in the laundry-room after I leave for work per Mom (down from 6-8 hrs) I leave and come in through that room. I make sure he is not in there when I leave. He is not gated or confined on there. He can sit with her but doesn't. The vet said the best thing for her to do is not reward the behavior so if wants to cry it out let him cry it out and for her to not take him out of the room.

Hopefully by exhausting him physically and mentally be will be able to settle down and not need meds for his anxiety.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Ah gotcha re: crating. Well, that's no big deal. Sounds like this poor soul needs some confidence. I'd look into the backpack and get him used to it. He might just learn to love it!

Have you tried raw marrow bones? They are high value for most dogs. You can sometimes get them at the frozen meat section of the supermarket. Sometimes they're labelled 'soup bones'. I'd try those raw, not frozen, and see how he likes them.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Ranger said:


> Ah gotcha re: crating. Well, that's no big deal. Sounds like this poor soul needs some confidence. I'd look into the backpack and get him used to it. He might just learn to love it!
> 
> Have you tried raw marrow bones? They are high value for most dogs. You can sometimes get them at the frozen meat section of the supermarket. Sometimes they're labelled 'soup bones'. I'd try those raw, not frozen, and see how he likes them.


I just may do that in the future. Thanks :wave:


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

You are doing an amazing job with him already, and I think everything Ranger suggested will be great for him too.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Have you thought of lure coursing to wear him out? There is equipment to buy on the web but expensive. Google lure course equipment. If you are handy you can make one yourself form a old starter motor and deep cell battery. That is on the web somewhere, thought about doing it myself for my 9yr old gal. Just be careful about overexertion.

This the first vid I pulled up, tons more on the web.






Do you have a fishing rod, preferably a surf casting one? Tie a stuffie on the end and go fishing for your Buddy in the backyard. Sounds ******* but it is fun I tell ya.

Then there is the R/C car thing, Rallysoob does it. Those cars are not cheap though. The good ones run 3 or 4 hundred bucks I think but take a beating. This a link to the thread and here is one of the vids he posted.

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retriever-pictures/107881-kassidy-likes-r-c-cars.html


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