# Help! My 9 month old GR is acting crazy



## My Big Kahuna (Dec 14, 2011)

It's her age.... Every golden goes through this stage... I'm sorry I know it's frustrating  But it WILL pass! Promise! Just keep correcting unwanted behavior and try to do it assertively, but not with frustration... Does she have chew toys? Kahuna has been FANTASTIC as far as the chewing situation goes but I have LOTS of toys and items to keep his interest... (I'm sure he will go through the same phase as Chloe eventually) Hope it gets better fast!


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## baumgartml16 (Jun 19, 2011)

I responded to you in the teenage thread...but big kahuna is right...its the age! She will outgrow it, we just have to stay on them!


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## portugal75 (Dec 29, 2011)

My boy is just shy of turning 5 months and he also has some crazy moments, usually just before sleep time where he jumps on us on the sofa or bed , grabs our socks or tries to bite our feet, tries to bite holes on the walls, bites chair legs, goes through the land shark bit , zoomies and then falls asleep for the night. Usually i try and redirect him with the chew toys and the "fits" are becoming shorter. I guess we just have to have patience and hold on. Every one I know that has goldens tells me its a fase and it will pass


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Sounds like a typical pre-adolescent dog that is in need of some structure and limit setting. When you are gone do you limit her access to those things that you don't want damaged? Have you worked with her on her house managers by setting specific rules and limits and rewarding her for her good behavior? Is she getting enough exercise each day? Just some questions to consider. 
I realized I was missing some steps in teaching my adolescent boy some guidelines when he was consistently getting into certain things. It was me who needed to change my approach to my dog so that my dog was understanding what was expected. If Chloe is getting into things you probably need to limit her to an area where that can't happen. It can be a challenge but actually I found this time in the dog's development to be a fun part of learning about how dog's think and react when left to their own whims.
Perhaps take some classes geared to the needs of the adolescent dog or seek the advice of a trainer if some specific ideas are needed. I am sure some others will chime in with some more specific suggestions.
Best of luck to you...


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## tahill (Jul 19, 2011)

Thank you. It just seems like it will never end, and I know it will. She is still just a puppy and I have to remind myself of that, even though she looks like an adult. It's just hard, b/c I am divorced, live by myself with Chloe and trying to have her respect me is quite difficult. Ahhh


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## tahill (Jul 19, 2011)

BayBeams said:


> Sounds like a typical pre-adolescent dog that is in need of some structure and limit setting. When you are gone do you limit her access to those things that you don't want damaged? Have you worked with her on her house managers by setting specific rules and limits and rewarding her for her good behavior? Is she getting enough exercise each day? Just some questions to consider.
> I realized I was missing some steps in teaching my adolescent boy some guidelines when he was consistently getting into certain things. It was me who needed to change my approach to my dog so that my dog was understanding what was expected. If Chloe is getting into things you probably need to limit her to an area where that can't happen. It can be a challenge but actually I found this time in the dog's development to be a fun part of learning about how dog's think and react when left to their own whims.
> Perhaps take some classes geared to the needs of the adolescent dog or seek the advice of a trainer if some specific ideas are needed. I am sure some others will chime in with some more specific suggestions.
> Best of luck to you...


Thank you for your advice. We took the Terrible Teens class in December and was excellent. It's just now she is getting into things. It was my fault in regards to her getting into things she shouldn't. I should have picked up my book, remote, newspaper, etc. I walk her everyday, then try to play with her in the backyard, but it gets dark out so fast. I work til 4 so by the time I get home to get our walk in and play in the backyard, it is dark. I may just have to suck it up and try some other approach. Thanks for your help:wave:


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

Everybody here gives the best advice! As for the remote when Jack was picking certain things(my shoes were his thing)I sprayed them with bitter spray(kind of a mixture of redpepper & water)& it stopped him on those perticular things while a waited out the phase to pass and it did & will for you


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## bowdense (Feb 22, 2011)

tahill said:


> Thank you for your advice. We took the Terrible Teens class in December and was excellent. It's just now she is getting into things. It was my fault in regards to her getting into things she shouldn't. I should have picked up my book, remote, newspaper, etc. I walk her everyday, then try to play with her in the backyard, but it gets dark out so fast. I work til 4 so by the time I get home to get our walk in and play in the backyard, it is dark. I may just have to suck it up and try some other approach. Thanks for your help:wave:


My pup is 8 months old and is going through the same thing. So much energy! I get up early and give him a 30-40 minute walk, he gets a potty break and little bit of playtime at lunch, then another walk in the afternoon. I am always fighting the darkness, too, so this walk is sometimes shortened. Luckily, I have a fenced in yard so I play fetch with him in the darkness many evenings. If I don't, he's restless (and naughty) all night. Poor boy, he can't help it.


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## lyssa (Mar 1, 2011)

Aside from exercise, make sure your girl is getting enough mental stimulation. My boy LOVES the dog bubble mixture I have, loves chasing them when I blow heaps of bubbles. They are peach flavoured, and he likes the taste it seems. It stimulates his nose, eyes, mouth and is quite good exercise as he rushes around trying to eat all the bubbles. We can do it inside on a laminate floor, just give it a quick mop afterwards for any bubble residue. You can find edible dog bubbles on quite a few pet sites and they are very cheap.

I also play scent games. We first started out with completely plain freshly popped popcorn, because it's easy to smell. I would throw 5-6 pieces to the floor, and say "find it!" and he would run around scoffing them up. Then I would start to hold his collar as I threw them, then say "find it!" so he couldn't lunge to them straight away. Then I started holding him so he couldn't see where they fell, so he was slower picking them up and had to search a bit. Then I started throwing them around corners, just a bit out of the sight so that he started using his nose more - not just his eyes. Then I would tuck a piece or two in a really tricky place, and he really started using his nose at this stage. Then I started putting pieces under things like bags and objects that he had to move with his nose, and also swapped to normal kibble and other treats. 

We are now up to the stage where I have a few cotton shopping bags on the floor and put a few pieces of kibble in one or two bags while he is searching for other kibble on the floor, then he searches the bags when I tell him "find it!"... and paws the bags that have kibble in them, then waits until I open them and pour the kibble out for him. He LOVES all of this, and you hear his nose going and going and going. Apparently 20 minutes of scenting games tires a dog out like a 1 hour fast walk, but it's a mental tiredness.

I'd also make sure you are doing basic obedience daily, and try to add to your dogs repertoire, as that will increase your stature as teacher, and tire your dog out more!

For persistent disobedience and cheekiness, I would recommend something called Leading The Dance, a program for becoming your dog's leader and gaining its respect, formulated by the well known clicker trainer Sue Ailsby. It is partially formulated on the idea of Nothing In Life Is Free, where anything your dog wants comes from you, and your dog must do something for it. Eg if my dog wants his water bowl filling, he will sit politely in a stay until I have finished filling it. 

Leading the Dance also focuses on having the dog on an umbilical leash (leashed to your waist, basically) at any time you are home with it, so that the dog goes where you want it to go. This is a very important part of the program, and if you weren't to do the rest of it, I would do this, and maybe the handling part (touching your dog calmly but firmly all over every day, taking it slow if she resists, and making it a positive experience). I would really recommend doing as much of the program as possible. Many many people have used it with success for issues exactly like what you are describing!

Other than reasserting your leadership, change the environment. I think you know this part. In order to help make your dog successful, make it so that your dog *can't* be destructive by simply removing the objects, or crating the dog, or closing it in a room. The more a dog does something, the more it is likely to do it again, so try to stop these bad choices from happening in the first place!

I probably wrote too much, but hope something in it is useful. Good luck!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

tahill said:


> Help!! My Chloe is starting to act so bad. She never did anything like I am going to list before. First I am on my 4th Comcast remote. The first time was my fault I left it on the sofa. Second, Third time, remote was on the kitchen counter.
> 
> When I came home from work, she ate one of my books. Totally schreaded it into pieces.
> 
> ...


I agree with everyone that it largely her age. But you probably should consider strictly limiting what she can get to until she settles down. If she's not ready to be loose in the house, consider crating her or putting her in doggy daycare. I'm home all day but when I go out, Tucker goes into the crate (for up to 4 hours).


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