# My 3 month old GR Bit My Mom



## Carraig (Jan 4, 2008)

Hitting will not solve your problem.

It doesn't sound as if you've crate trained him. That would be my starting point. You might also consult a trainer/behavior specialist because he's setting himself up as the alpha, and you are letting him by giving in to his food demands. The crate can be where he goes while you prepare dinner and eat, a timeout during rough activity and other things. The idea is to make it a postive experience and not a punishment.

The rough play by himself may be because he does not get enough exercise at other times. That can go a long way to calming down an excitable dog.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Have you tried putting him in a crate while your eating?????? All puppies go through nipping and biting stage, its something you work through. Have you tried spraying bitter apple on your hands? All dogs no matter what breed are capable to bite. How much exercise is he getting.... have your done any training with him????? Hitting the dog isnt going to solve anything and could make him mean!


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

Welcome to the forum, Jaireen. I'm sorry you are having troubles, I just have a couple suggestions. Is Barney getting any exercise? Sometimes a good long walk can really help him redirect his energy. Also sometimes if retrievers are treated with what they seem is aggressive behavior (smacked with a newspaper) they return in kind. Where does Barney spend most of his time? Is he cuddly when he gets lap time? good luck, hope we can help.


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## jaireen (Feb 25, 2008)

i did tried putting him in the crate but he always cry or whine...and mom feels sorry for him whenever we put him in the crate thats why we stopped doing it....i take him for a short walk every morning and at nite..soemtiems we take him for a walk in the afternoon too...but those are just short walks....


yes i tried putting him in the crate whenever were eating but he always flash a sad look and whine....one time i told him hes not allowed to eat our foods and he barked at me as if he was trying to answer back...


everyday our neighbor would offer to doggysit him coz they are so fond of barney...but my concern is, am having trouble trying to discipline him with regards to the "no biting" issue coz our neighbour would allow barney to nip/bite at them during playtime and when barney comes home, i always try to correct his bad behaviour....soemtimes i feel like he loves our neighbors more than us....


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## Carraig (Jan 4, 2008)

You have to practice "tough love". When you put him in the crate, give him one of the treat balls that food drops out of. Or a kong with some peanut butter inside. He will soon learn that the crate is a good place to go.

And be firm with him and your mother. Let him whine. Ask her if she picked you up every time you cried when you were little? He has to learn that you are alpha, and you determine how the household is run.

Beside the walks I would add a good, romping play session when you get home. Lots of fetch, tug of war with appropriate toys, etc.

Explain to your neighbor that it is important for Barney that his training be consistent. If they cannot do this, you'll have to find someone else who is willing to practice the same discipline that you are.

This is where a trainer would be of great help.


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## jaireen (Feb 25, 2008)

thanks everyone...i think tough love it is...i already asked a trainor if he could come train barney but he said not until hes 5 month old or 6 months...coz right now barney is too young to be trained...thanks for the advices... =)


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

jaireen said:


> thanks everyone...i think tough love it is...i already asked a trainor if he could come train barney but he said not until hes 5 month old or 6 months...coz right now barney is too young to be trained...thanks for the advices... =)


I think the tough love and another trainer would be good....He is not to young to start training.....


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Barney is old enough for training. Look around for another trainer, a puppy class to take him to would be great socialization for him and good experience for you. A lot of raising a puppy is the owner learning how to teach them what you expect. Please don't hit him anymore, he doesn't understand why you are hitting him and it could make him fight back.

As others have said, make the crate a fun place, chew toys, bones, kongs, and feeding him his meals in the crate will make him like it better. And don't take him out when he whines, ignore the whining and only let him out when he is quiet and calm.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

Goldens are, indeed, wonderful family dogs. It is generally in their nature to be very gentle and affectionate. Of course, no one who is raising a 3 month old pup will ever believe it! One thing that I'm sure you know, but that I want you to remind yourself of frequently: they don't come that way. Your golden does need to learn that you're in charge, and that is going to take training, but please keep in mind that he's still just a baby. Even if you begin doing everything right today, at this moment, he's still going to lapse and have times where you're certain he's part pirrhana (sp?). 
Raising a puppy takes patience... and of course when you have a puppy running you ragged, that's something quite hard to come by. Rest assured, it will get better. 

You've gotten some great advice from other members regarding starting crate training and referring from physically agressive training tactics, as they can often magnify the problem you are trying to solve. You may not find a trainer who is willing to work with a 3 month old pup (although definately by 4 months, when he has all his shots, this should no longer be an issue). Until that time, I would suggest "Nothing in Life is Free" (NILIF) in addition to the crate training. The general principal behind this training is that the dog has to perform a desired behavior (e.g. sit/stay) before he receives something he wants (e.g. food, treat, snuggles). If you perform a quick Google search you'll find tons of info, and I'm sure other members could give you more of the specifics... although I do many things included in NILIF, I haven't formally used it so I don't feel qualified to direct you in how to use it. 

And remember, as others have said, a tired pup is a good pup... so get him outside for romping/running time playing fetch, tugs, chase, whatever. Two short walks doesn't seem to be enough for him. Good luck!! Say it with me.... It will get better!!!!

Julie and Jersey

Edited to add: Mylissyk and the others are right... your dog is within the age range for a puppy class. So strike what I said about you possibly not being able to find a trainer. I never did puppy classes with Jersey... I had honestly never heard of them, and waited until he was old enough for a general Basic Obedience class, so I tend not to think of them. Oops!! But I still suggest looking into NILIF!


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## moose (Dec 7, 2007)

Sounds like you have a dominant puppy on your hands. Don't worry this happens more than you think. In fact there are probably a lot of members of this fourm who had dominant goldens. 
First thing first get Barney enrolled in Puppy school, Ask you Vet if he knows anyone, or go to Petsmart. They will teach you how to show the puppy you are in charge and teach you dominant positions to put the pup in so he knows who is boss. 

Than you need to kennel train. This will be hard for the first couple nights, but removing him when he whines only teaches him to whine when he wants something. Remove his water around 7pm so he will sleep the whole night with out a potty break. You can put a radio or a ticking alarm clock to let him know someone is there. You might sut have to let him whine all night, but he will learn. This is hard, but you got to do it!!!!! Also it will help with potty training. Kennel training is very important!!!!!

The bitting and nipping is a puppy trait. My trainer told me to roll his gum over the tooth and pinch down. This will cause him to whine and tell him NO BITTING! Others on the forum might disagree with me but it has worked for us. Also I got this advice from more than one source. My dog is 5 months old and still stuggles from time to time with this. espeacilly when we play rough. But when he does it he is corrected and knows this is not appropriate. 

He needs lots of exercise!!!! Short walks are not enough if he is allowed to sleep all day. Barking is a direct result of lack of attention, or lack of exercise. I walk Moose 2 miles a day. On Wed. he goes to the farm and plays with other dogs all day and is wiped out. This is good for them. My trainer told me at least 1 mile a day I do 2 because he is more managable and calmer. 

Welcome to puppyhood. It is a slow process and takes time. We all have been discouraged and frustrated, thinking we made a mistake but hang in there you will be fine. Follow the advice you have been given and be consitant with training. He will come around and expect him to make mistakes. You are both learning together. But this stage will go by fast and you will miss it. And you will grow to love your puppy each day as the both of you grow and learn together. 

Oh yeah the sad eyes are jsut the puppy trait that is why they are so cute!


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## Bogart'sMom (Sep 16, 2005)

Don't hit your dog he may learn to be fearful of you and you want to build trust and have a happy companion for 10+ years. Puppies are mouthy and have the sharp puppy teeth. Sure you can take him now to puppy classes I think you and him will profit from the experience. Also you'll find out that you are not the only one with that problem. I used alot of Bitterapple spray with Bogart when he was a puppy. I sprayed it on his leash, on ZsaZsa's leash and I sprayed it on my hands when he got into a mouthy frenzy sometimes that was the only thing that stoped him. While Zsazsa had her own ways of handling him I used the bitterapple and it worked really well on him. It does get better with time, do you have bones for your pup or something to chew on because he is teething and his gums hurt so they like to chew on anything and everything. Please, Please, Please don't hit your dog ever he doesn't understand why just to be fearful of you and he wants to trust you since you are his leader. Bogart always got rumbunctous around 7pm till about 8pm and then zonked out again it was funny it was like clockwork. 
Good luck with your puppy and remember he is a baby he still has to learn the rules be firm but fair don't set him up for failure stop training when he does something good and leave on a good note then he'll come back for more because these dogs want to please but they have to understand what you want from them. Right now for him it's like someone talking to you in Chiniese he has no clue what you want from him.
Good luck,
Elke, Zsazsa and Bogart


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## jaireen (Feb 25, 2008)

thank you all for the advices...id like to know until when should i crate him?...coz i see others that their dogs sleep with them on their beds..and barney likes to sleep in our room too...everynight or during his nap time, he would go inside my room and sleep there....but whenever my room is locked, he would sleep outside the toilet...


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## jaireen (Feb 25, 2008)

by the way, this morning as i was preparing barney's food, he was restless and he couldnt wait for me to finish....he barked and growled at me as if telling me to give him his food right away....i still asked him to sit and stand before i gave him his food...he did so but he kept on barking at me and growling...


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## Bogart'sMom (Sep 16, 2005)

Another thing I forgot to mention is that I handfed Bogart for the first 6 months. Our trainer sugested it in puppyclass. The dog learns to take food nicely out of your hand and while he was eating I would touch him all over like his feed, ears, tail, that way he got used to being handled which is importent for grooming and at the vets. I also brushed him everyday a little always after our walk so he was a little tired. I put him on his crate so he couldn't move around too much and I brushed him for about 5 to 10 min even when he didn't needed it just so he got used to handleing. He got a pigsear or other nice chew only while being brushed he is very relaxed now and goes to sleep during grooming.
After Bogart was housetrained at 11 weeks old I let him sleep outside the crate in our Bedroom. I closed the door so he couldn't run around the whole house and he did sleep on his bed next to mine. He was only crated during the day when I had to leave the house. That way he learned to stay on his own and couldn't get into trouble. He never messed in his crate it was great for housetraining.
Good luck,
Elke, ZsaZsa and Bogart


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Hello and Welcome,
Great advice from everyone. Make sure you stay consistant in your training and dont give in to him or he will be training you. Maybe when he was barking at you was to tell you, I am hungry give it here. But make him sit before feeding and use the food as a motivator. If he sits give him a piece of food. 
Take him to puppy classes and that will help to bond with him and show him you are the boss. 
Good luck, we have all been thru it, and I guarantee it will get better. Now show us some pictures of this little guy. LOL


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## moose (Dec 7, 2007)

jaireen said:


> thank you all for the advices...id like to know until when should i crate him?...coz i see others that their dogs sleep with them on their beds..and barney likes to sleep in our room too...everynight or during his nap time, he would go inside my room and sleep there....but whenever my room is locked, he would sleep outside the toilet...


I would crate your pup whenever you can not supervise what he is doing. Not everyone allows there dogs to sleep with them at night. Remeber that he will grow tobe about 60-70 lbs and that is a big boy sleeping next to you. But do what you want on times to crate him. I crate moose when I am gone during the day and at night. I also make sure to give him plenty of exercise and attention when I am home. I rememebr when moose found his bark. He would bark when he needed to poop and when he wanted something. He would bark at my wife when she was eating her breakfast and that got him put in his kennel very fast! Good job on making him sit and wait for his food before you give it to him. If he gets picky with food do what my parents did when I was a kid if i didn't finish it I had it later when I was hungry. He will get the idea he needs to eat the food you provide for him.


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