# Puppy Behaviours Need to Go...I need help!



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

We have had our Golden since she was 8 weeks old. She just turned 1 year old in June. We originally purchased her from an AKC registered breeder as my wife is finishing her Masters in Psychology now. She planned to use the dog in therapy when she opens her own practice. We would like her to get good citizen certified here shortly. 

We have a few behavior issues we are trying to work out. 


1) She pees in her crate. She has been crate trained since she was younger. She was fixed around 6 months old. She is now just over a year old. She only holds it for 3-4 (if we are lucky) hours before she will pee and poop in her crate. We have tried putting her on a schedule for eating/drinking only in the morning and in the afternoon. We originally thought she was doing it for attention, but we followed the rule of clean it up ASAP and keep her in her crate and she still does it knowing she wont be able to get out. 

We have also tried buying her a new crate. The original crate we had was our old dogs crate. We thought maybe she was doing it to get rid of his scent. That seemed to work for about a month and then she went back to going to the bathroom in her crate. 

We have gone through thousands of training treats after she does her business out side in the yard and she just doesnt seem to catch on. I know she isnt dumb because she can pick up on hand signals and commands. By time she was 3 months old she had sit and lay with hand signals down. 

She goes to the vet on a regular basis. Is up to date on all shots, She is fixed, and has regular puppy health check ups and is completely healthy. 


2) She is extremely hyper and can really only ever be out of her crate for 30 minutes to an hour. Otherwise she gets rough with our 5 and 8 year olds. We cant really let her out of the living room to go see the rest of the house as she puts everything in her mouth. Snow globes, stuffed animals, legos, etc. She will literally eat what ever she can get her mouth on. We have tried buying her a huge assortment of toys, raw hides, stuffed bones, etc. She will use them for 5-10 minutes and distracto brain kicks in and she cant focus on anything. 


3) She is terrible on a leash. We have tried a gentle leader and she seems to do ok with it on, but as soon as its off she pulls like no tomorrow. My wife isnt strong enough to control her.

4) Her crate is in the kitchen since it is linoleum floors. with her accidents in her crate I dont want her on carpet so it can get ruined. She has direct view through the side glass window by the front door. She barks at any human that rides a bike down the sidewalk, gets in a car next door, etc. How do we get her to stop? We live in a condo and cant have her freaking out any time she sees someone out side. Would still be nice if she barked when someone she didnt know came into the house. 


We are at a cross road. We have invested a full year into her and have made almost 0 progress with her since we brought her home. We 
to decide to either dump cash into a private trainer or cut our loses and sell her for some of our thousands of dollars we have already spent on her. I would like to keep her and I know my wife and kids would as well. This forum is my last resort. 

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

How many hours a day is she spending in the crate?


----------



## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

What obedience classes have you completed with your girl & how much time is she getting out of the crate to run off the zooms & work her mind? Have you asked your vet about spay incontinence since she was spayed so early?


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

I don't think she is getting enough exercise or mental stimulation. I assume since you want her to be a therapy you have done training classes.


----------



## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

She sounds like an incredibly bored as well as spring loaded pup with so much pent up energy that she's not allowed to get out. What kind of exercise does she get and for how long? It sounds from your description that she spends most of her life in her crate, if she's only out for 30 minutes at a time.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Could she have a UTI? (for the random pee accidents)

Have you taught her impulse control? If she is wound up, she'll have too much energy to focus on training. Sometimes the hiccup in training is the timing. If the reinforcement isn't timed just right, the dog might be missing what exactly you liked about her behavior. 

Oftentimes dogs will view children as playmates and end up playing rougher with them, than the adults. Perhaps if the children help train, your puppy will start viewing them in a different light? Regardless, she needs a LOT more exercise. I am talking strenuous exercise; something to get the heart pumping. Does she like fetch? Playing long-distance fetch (100 feet or more each way) should get her heart rate up and tire her out. 

Beware of strenuous exercise during the hot hours, cause dogs DO overheat. 

Does she have a good recall? If yes, you can try to take her on a hike off leash so she can run around you while you hike and burn off more energy. Or if you have any off-leash parks or beaches, you can take her out for some sniffing and/or fetch. 

Do you reward her good behaviors? Correct the bad behaviors? If you only tell her what she CANNOT eat, but not what she CAN eat/chew on then she might be at a loss of what to do to ease her boredom OR she is just exploring because the living room is a new and exciting place she is rarely in. 

In Puppy Kindergarten, we were taught how to teach "mat" and "settle" and it has been invaluable in our experience. 

Check out these videos:


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Reading your OP... it seems like she's alone in her crate a lot. Toys and chews are not enough for a busy dog. They crave companionship. 

My thing is growing up in a big family where there were 6 of us kids and 3 of us under 10 when we got out first golden... dogs are supposed to be rough. That's why you get a big dog. They are fun and should be REAL dogs. 

People with concerns about a big dog pushing little kids around... probably should not get a big dog. It's too unrealistic and borderline cruel to keep a sporting breed dog caged almost 24/7... which if you are only letting the dog out for a 1/2 hour or so before crating again, that's what it sounds like. To me, it's bordering on animal abuse... and was a very huge reason why I was so anti-crates for years. Because I'd see dogs just vegetating all their lives in these crates where they are forced to lay down all the time. 

Stress can result in more potty accidents. And other thing to keep in mind is that she might not be able to hold her pee longer than 4 hours at a time... Some dogs have weaker bladders than others. 

As far as reselling her for thousands to recoup what you've spent on her - is callous to me. Because these dogs are family. And if you are already thinking in terms of how much money you can get by getting rid of her, it's probably time to rehome. 

I'm probably going to regret being direct and open like this, but I love these dogs and really want people to reconsider the lifestyles that they have and what they can afford these dogs. If you want your house to be pristine and want to keep the dogs outside or limit them to only 1 room that's away from the family... you probably should have gotten a more independent breed that does not need companionship as much. Probably best case scenario would be reviewing what kind of life a dog is having and see what can gradually change for the better for the dog.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Megora said:


> Reading your OP... it seems like she's alone in her crate a lot. Toys and chews are not enough for a busy dog. They crave companionship.
> 
> My thing is growing up in a big family where there were 6 of us kids and 3 of us under 10 when we got out first golden... dogs are supposed to be rough. That's why you get a big dog. They are fun and should be REAL dogs.
> 
> ...


This is very well said.


----------



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

It sounds to me like most of her issues are coming from spending too much time in the crate and not getting enough exercise. If you can work out more exercise, you will find that she's calmer in the house. When she's calmer in the house, she won't need to be crated as much and won't get into so much trouble.

The potty thing may be tied into a small bladder, urinary incontinence or a uti. I do have one of my dogs who can only go 4 hours between potty runs. His bladder is just too small to hold it any longer than that during the daytime hours. We just make sure to get him out within that time period and he's fine (he's 10 years old now).

It sounds like you like her, but are frustrated. Once you get the exercise thing worked out, I think you'll find you and she will be much happier.


----------



## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

It's a really tough cycle when the dog needs to spend more time out yet gets into trouble when out.

Set up a camera to see what happens when she is crated - is she eliminating within 5 minutes? After an hour? Does she stand up to do that? Is it in response to seeing things outside?

Get window film ASAP. Today! : Don't Look Now! The Benefits of Window Film for the Household with Reactive Dogs - eileenanddogseileenanddogs 

It's possible she will be the dog to assist your wife with her work - but it's also possible you need a very different personality (especially after practicing a year of reactivity). 

Increasing exercise and appropriate training will help a lot. If you are unable to exercise her you may want to invest in hiring a skilled dog walker who can help with age appropriate exercise.


----------



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

You said exactly what I was thinking, and a lot more nicely.




Megora said:


> Reading your OP... it seems like she's alone in her crate a lot. Toys and chews are not enough for a busy dog. They crave companionship.
> 
> My thing is growing up in a big family where there were 6 of us kids and 3 of us under 10 when we got out first golden... dogs are supposed to be rough. That's why you get a big dog. They are fun and should be REAL dogs.
> 
> ...


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

Harleysmum said:


> How many hours a day is she spending in the crate?


She sleeps in her crate. During the day we bring her out in sessions. Counting night time and work hours when I am away she is probably in her crate 16 hours or so. 



SheetsSM said:


> What obedience classes have you completed with your girl & how much time is she getting out of the crate to run off the zooms & work her mind? Have you asked your vet about spay incontinence since she was spayed so early?


None yet. She cant focus long enough for me to even consider spending money on obedience classes. Its to the point where she jumps on the couch 60 times in an hour and gets told down every time and she just doesnt get it. 



Cpc1972 said:


> I don't think she is getting enough exercise or mental stimulation. I assume since you want her to be a therapy you have done training classes.


See above. 



Brave said:


> Could she have a UTI? (for the random pee accidents)
> 
> Have you taught her impulse control? If she is wound up, she'll have too much energy to focus on training. Sometimes the hiccup in training is the timing. If the reinforcement isn't timed just right, the dog might be missing what exactly you liked about her behavior.
> 
> ...


We live in a condo association. She cant be off a leash. We have a 25' run, but she isnt smart enough to remember the end of the line and often tries to run further than she can. Luckily I buy collars with break away clasps so she doesnt get hurt. 

She has absolutely 0 recall or she just chooses to ignore it. 



SwimDog said:


> It's a really tough cycle when the dog needs to spend more time out yet gets into trouble when out.
> 
> Set up a camera to see what happens when she is crated - is she eliminating within 5 minutes? After an hour? Does she stand up to do that? Is it in response to seeing things outside?
> 
> ...


So our routine is I get up at 6:30 to get ready for work. I take her out around 7:00-7:15 so she can eat, drink, and go outside after waking up. Around 11AM she goes outside again. She goes out at 3 and at 5:30PM when I get home. Typically when she goes in the crate it happens anywhere between 2PM and 4PM. It seems to happen when we are home. I have found if nobody is home we can typically leave from 10AM and come back at 3-4PM and she is completely fine. So I know she can hold it longer.

At this point I am extremely frustrated. I had dogs growing up my entire life and none of them have ever had this hard of a time learning.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She needs obedience classes. It doesnt matter where she is at now. Start at a begginner level.

So she only gets to come out of the crate for short times. No wonder she has so much energy.

How do you expect her to be a therapy dog when she hasnt even had as obedience class.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Dogs are family members not something you keep caged and bring out at your convenience.


----------



## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

When you take her out at 5:30pm are you taking her out into the world for walks/exercise?

I wouldn't wait for a dog to learn to concentrate before starting obedience. Obedience is where they start to learn.


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

whitedragon551 said:


> ...... She cant focus long enough for me to even consider spending money on obedience classes. Its to the point where she jumps on the couch 60 times in an hour and gets told down every time and she just doesnt get it.....I had dogs growing up my entire life and none of them have ever had this hard of a time learning.




I am trying to find the right words to tell you in a civilized manner that you are basically keeping this dog in a cruel and borderline abusive situation. You don't understand why she's jumping on the couch 60 times at a pop? I will explain it. Golden Retrievers are hunting dogs who were made to work. By taking a sporting dog, a breed that was originally bred for the purpose of working closely with humans and caging it 2/3 of every day with insufficient exercise and insufficient human contact you give your young dog no outlet for her overflowing energy and no outlet for her need to think and interact with people. These dogs need DAILY aerobic exercise to get their heart rates up and they need daily training and attention to learn how to behave appropriately.

I am blown away that your wife thought she would have a therapy dog without doing any research at all into what it would take to achieve the goal. You all have not bothered to waste money on obedience classes but you think she is going to be a canine good citizen with no one taking time to teach her how to act and no one giving her APPROPRIATE outlets for her NATURAL need for exercise, play and human interaction. Do you expect your children to know how to behave in a restaurant or at church with no training from you on manners or decorum? How could you expect it of this puppy? To make her a therapy dog she should have been in training from her first days in your home. It appears by neglecting her education, her need for mental stimulation and her physical needs she has developed some neurotic tendencies. 

I imagine you are frustrated because clearly, someone sold you a dog without making sure you understood what your responsibilities were to the animal and what it takes to properly care for a large breed sporting dog. At this point it doesn't sound like you have the patience or the will to do what it takes to turn this dog's life around. And it can be done but it will take a major effort. Have you contacted her breeder to see about returning her? It seems that may be the kindest route to take for the dog.

As for the dogs from your childhood, I doubt that your parents had the kind of expectations of your family dogs that you do and I doubt they were kept caged for the majority of their first year either. Did your parents keep your dog separated from you? I doubt it.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Take a deep breath. She just turned 1. She is exhibiting normal puppy behavior. Don't give up! Hang in there! Just keep working with her. I doubt seriously that you made 0% progress on her. Your wife wanting to use her at her practice is remarkable, but she needs a lot more training before she's nearly ready. Giving her up should not even be an option, especially since you've worked with her for the last 8 months. You're not the only person with a puppy on this forum who is up to their eyeballs. Puppies are a lot of work. Getting her outside more with exercise will help a lot. Things will get better, but only if you keep working with her. I have to agree that she is not getting enough exercise however. We had to hire a couple of trainers when Mercy was a puppy including when she was 11 months old, and she was considered the least active in her litter. Now she is a mellow girl at age 3, but a dog like yours could take longer to calm down. Your dog sounds a lot like my previous dog , a lab mix who was more active than Mercy. I worked with him tirelessly for most of his life and learned some hard lessons along the way. He didn't calm down until he was 6, but he eventually became a Delta Pet Partners Therapy dog at age 7. I don't want to burst your bubble about the therapy work, but it does require a lot of dedicated training and the dog has to be reliable and under control in all situations. Your dog is still an adolescent puppy. Keep working with her. You can do it! I have faith in you. Take her places where she can run and be a dog. I encourage an in home trainer over giving her up.


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Puppies are hard, and a lot of work. It sounds like perhaps you and your wife are at a stage in your life where a puppy maybe wasn't the best idea. I know how that goes - I was there at some earlier point in my life.

Several people have offered good suggestions. You say training isn't worthwhile right now because your dog is too hyper. Okay... do you think that magically one day she's going to stop being hyper? You need to aggressively begin working on addressing her energy. 16 hours in a crate is too much. She needs off leash play time, whether it's at a dog park (I hate dog parks, but in her case it's better than being in a crate), or in a fenced in yard. Hell, even a partially fenced in baseball field is great for off leash time. You made a choice to get a dog. Now it's your responsibility to adequately exercise her. Not just a walk around the block. Something that gets her heart pumping. If you live somewhere near water, swimming is also an amazing way to tire your dog out! 

Physical exercise isn't everything she needs, though. Training classes would provide mental stimulation, which I fear she gets very little right now. I strongly urge you to enroll her in a class. It will help you and your wife better understand your dog, and hopefully help forge a relationship between you and your dog. You should look into agility classes as well. That would be a great way to put her energy to good use.

Treat puzzles are also a decent way to get her some mental stimulation. Amazon has tons of dog puzzles available. I just got my girl one yesterday and it's great watching her work it. But classes are so important. My almost 7-year old is taking another obedience class in September and I can't wait.

On the flip side, you may need to re-evaluate your lifestyle and your dog. Sounds like you guys might be better suited for an older dog. My dog... I can be gone 9 hours at work (I rarely do it but it happens), and when I get home she just happily greets me, goes out and pees (or sometimes doesn't pee; that girl must have an enormous bladder), and just hangs around indoors until I'm changed and ready to get her on a hike. It's not failure to admit that maybe you aren't the right home for your current dog. If her breeder isn't willing to take her back, there are many wonderful golden retriever rescues who I'm sure would take her in. It's not a poor reflection on you - quite the opposite, in my mind. You're doing what's best for your dog.

I do hope you try to make some changes in your dog's life. I feel sorry that she's stuck in a crate all day, that is terribly unfair. And I don't say that to make you feel bad. I've been in your shoes - I had a puppy once and was TOTALLY overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with her. It's a trial, for sure. Good luck!


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

nolefan said:


> I am trying to find the right words to tell you in a civilized manner that you are basically keeping this dog in a cruel and borderline abusive situation. You don't understand why she's jumping on the couch 60 times at a pop? I will explain it. Golden Retrievers are hunting dogs who were made to work. By taking a sporting dog, a breed that was originally bred for the purpose of working closely with humans and caging it 2/3 of every day with insufficient exercise and insufficient human contact you give your young dog no outlet for her overflowing energy and no outlet for her need to think and interact with people. These dogs need DAILY aerobic exercise to get their heart rates up and they need daily training and attention to learn how to behave appropriately.
> 
> I am blown away that your wife thought she would have a therapy dog without doing any research at all into what it would take to achieve the goal. You all have not bothered to waste money on obedience classes but you think she is going to be a canine good citizen with no one taking time to teach her how to act and no one giving her APPROPRIATE outlets for her NATURAL need for exercise, play and human interaction. Do you expect your children to know how to behave in a restaurant or at church with no training from you on manners or decorum? How could you expect it of this puppy? To make her a therapy dog she should have been in training from her first days in your home. It appears by neglecting her education, her need for mental stimulation and her physical needs she has developed some neurotic tendencies.
> 
> ...


I expect my dog to get it after being told 60 times. I know for a fact my own kids get it after 2 or 3. Your posts are less than helpful. Im here to learn and improve this so she doesnt end up in a shelter.


----------



## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

whitedragon551 said:


> I expect my dog to get it after being told 60 times. I know for a fact my own kids get it after 2 or 3. Your posts are less than helpful. Im here to learn and improve this so she doesnt end up in a shelter.



Your pup probably does get it but doesn't see you as her leader and does not take you seriously


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

whitedragon551 said:


> I expect my dog to get it after being told 60 times. I know for a fact my own kids get it after 2 or 3. Your posts are less than helpful. Im here to learn and improve this so she doesnt end up in a shelter.


Dogs are not humans. They don't understand english (or whatever language you speak). You have to train your dog to understand a command. If you're simply saying "NO!" every time she jumps on the couch, what she's getting is a loud, excitable reaction from you maybe coupled with you touching her (pulling her off the couch or whatever), and she could be interpreting that as a positive reaction. This is a perfect example of why training classes would be fantastic for you! It would help provide some background on some training methods you could use to address some of her undesirable behaviors.

I've heard it many times - training classes are really not so much for the dogs, but for the owners... so true. :

Oh, and I'm sure your last comment was flippant, but if it comes to it, there are many other routes than a shelter. As I mentioned before, there are rescues devoted solely to golden retrievers that I'm sure would help you out.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Dogs dont just get it. You have to work with them with proper training methods.

Do you even know what the canine good citizen test is. For a dog that wont listen to get off the couch how do you expect it to pass the CGC.


----------



## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

I feel, as many others do on this forum, that this dog is being over-crated. She's a young sporting breed that needs to be able to get out and burn off a years worth of pent up energy. A few walks during the day doesn't cut it. She's hyper due to the pent up energy she has. The saying goes "a tired dog is a happy owner". 30 minutes out of the crate is nowhere near long enough for her to do this. 

You live in a condo association that has 25' run. Try throwing a tennis ball for her to fetch over and over. The trouble right now is that with the warmer temperatures it would have to be done at cooler times of the day since you don't want her to get heatstroke. Have you ever thought about getting her into a doggie daycare? This doesn't need to be done everyday. Even once a week for her right now would be wonderful. You would then see how happy and content she is at the end of the day.

She's a young dog and they are very mouthy - especially retrievers. Even though she is now a year old, she is still a puppy. When she grabs something she shouldn't have, one of the humans will chase her to get it back. Therefore she's getting the attention that she isn't getting from the humans but needs and craves. You should puppy proof your home. It's like child-proofing your home for your young children. Children and dogs belong together. The chews and toys aren't giving her enough stimulation - humans do that. Running and squealing children will certainly win out over a toy.

She's barking at passersby because she's frustrated. Her entire world is her crate and that is very unfair. Crates are wonderful if used correctly and they are wonderful training "tools" not a way of life. She's pooping/peeing in the crate because she's in it all the time.

Using training treats when she potties is a great motivator. She may be so excited to be out on the leash that she "forgets" she's gotta go. She's on the leash out of the crate and life is great. Then BAM, she's back in the crate and then realizes she's gotta go. You can have her checked for a UTI by bringing in a urine sample to the vet. You'll have the results by the next day. If she needs medication it will be dispensed and hopefully resolve that problem.

You say you invested a lot in her over the last year. What should be invested into this dog is socialization, companionship and training. Obedience training where all members of the family are involved is a must. That way the entire household is on the same page, including the children. Not only will the dog learn but so will you and the children on how to work with her and correct if/when needed.

The goal of attaining her Canine Good Citizenship requires that the dog is "a good citizen" in various areas of her training and behavior. In fairness to your dog, it won't be her fault if she doesn't pass. Her failure will be due to the lack of training and socialization she's received. The AKC CGC Program is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. She's got to sit nicely for petting, she's got to walk nicely on a leash (without the gentle leader), have proper reactions to distractions, and the list goes on. She cannot pass just those few items I mentioned without the work and dedication of you - the owner(s). If you don't have the "time" for training classes, try putting in a minimum of 20 minutes each and every day for training. It doesn't need to be 20 minutes in a row, but a minimum of 20 minutes lumped together by the time you go to bed at night.

Dogs are a lifetime commitment not a novelty to be crated the majority of the day. They require food, water, shelter and responsible, caring owners. Try working through your frustration and watch your dog blossom under your leadership.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

Cpc1972 said:


> Dogs dont just get it. You have to work with them with proper training methods.
> 
> Do you even know what the canine good citizen test is. For a dog that wont listen to get off the couch how do you expect it to pass the CGC.



I dont need to know what the CGC is. That was my wife's idea. I wasnt involved in the research for that. Frankly I dont need to know what it is. It has nothing to do with my profession. I just need to train the dog and make her a productive member of society. 



4goldengirls said:


> I feel, as many others do on this forum, that this dog is being over-crated. She's a young sporting breed that needs to be able to get out and burn off a years worth of pent up energy. A few walks during the day doesn't cut it. She's hyper due to the pent up energy she has. The saying goes "a tired dog is a happy owner". 30 minutes out of the crate is nowhere near long enough for her to do this.
> 
> You live in a condo association that has 25' run. Try throwing a tennis ball for her to fetch over and over. The trouble right now is that with the warmer temperatures it would have to be done at cooler times of the day since you don't want her to get heatstroke. Have you ever thought about getting her into a doggie daycare? This doesn't need to be done everyday. Even once a week for her right now would be wonderful. You would then see how happy and content she is at the end of the day.
> 
> ...


 I did leave out that she does go to a local pet place that has dog runs. She gets to play with 10 dogs with a similar personality that she does. Right now she only goes when we go out of state and cant take her. We are looking into getting her into their day care program twice a week. My thoughts are Tuesday and Fridays from about 8AM-5:30PM. Fridays should get help get her through the weekend and when shes had enough time to recoup she goes back on Tuesday to do it all over again. Thoughts on this?

She does well with all other dogs. She is very submissions and always has been which I suppose is true to the breed to an extent. 

We take her to the park atleast once a weekend as well. They have a big track to walk around with fields and a couple ponds. Its about 5 minutes away so no big deal.





Florabora said:


> Dogs are not humans. They don't understand english (or whatever language you speak). You have to train your dog to understand a command. If you're simply saying "NO!" every time she jumps on the couch, what she's getting is a loud, excitable reaction from you maybe coupled with you touching her (pulling her off the couch or whatever), and she could be interpreting that as a positive reaction. This is a perfect example of why training classes would be fantastic for you! It would help provide some background on some training methods you could use to address some of her undesirable behaviors.
> 
> I've heard it many times - training classes are really not so much for the dogs, but for the owners... so true. :
> 
> Oh, and I'm sure your last comment was flippant, but if it comes to it, there are many other routes than a shelter. As I mentioned before, there are rescues devoted solely to golden retrievers that I'm sure would help you out.


You are correct in your assumption. I say down and then grab her collar to pull her off the couch or out of the window or off the counter when she jumps up. Should I be doing this a different way?

Also while we are here. Whats a good way to work on recall training? I would like to get her to recall much better so we dont need to worry about the 25' run I have. We have woods with a private trail, a creek, and a field all behind our condo that we can romp around in. The issue is there are tons of small children in the neighborhood and without that recall she cant be off a leash.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

whitedragon551 said:


> I expect my dog to get it after being told 60 times. I know for a fact my own kids get it after 2 or 3. Your posts are less than helpful. Im here to learn and improve this so she doesnt end up in a shelter.



What stuck out to me regarding this is you're telling her what NOT to do. Are you also rewarding, and praising her for what she is doing right?

So you tell her to get off the couch. As soon as she is off, you should be praising and rewarding her behavior as she sits on the floor. If she jumps up on the couch again, redirect her with a come and sit at your feet. She'll get off the couch and she'll learn that sitting at your feet = attention and love. 

It's like this for everything you train. You teach them what is RIGHT. Otherwise they shut down because EVERYTHING they do is wrong. 

I agree with another poster. If your paying attention to bad behaviors that is more attention that before and it self rewards her. So you need to counter balance that by rewarding more for good behaviors. 

The CGC is a commendable accomplishment. It takes a tremendous amount of work. I just put the CGC on my nearly 3 year old who is extremely high energy. Most of our training classes, we were told "you have to exercise him more." But it was never enough. So we kept trying. And training. And practicing. And honing. He repeated Basic Obedience three (3!!!) times before he advanced. 

If my hyper, high energy, reactive dog can do it... So can yours. Are you willing to make the commitment in both time and energy?


----------



## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

I just wanted to say that if you do decide to not keep her, I would get in touch with the AKC registered breeder. It is very likely that she would take her back and make sure that she joins a home that can work with her.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

Brave said:


> What stuck out to me regarding this is you're telling her what NOT to do. Are you also rewarding, and praising her for what she is doing right?
> 
> So you tell her to get off the couch. As soon as she is off, you should be praising and rewarding her behavior as she sits on the floor. If she jumps up on the couch again, redirect her with a come and sit at your feet. She'll get off the couch and she'll learn that sitting at your feet = attention and love.
> 
> ...


Typically we always have a handful of training treats on us for when she is doing something we like. We have a huge cookie jar type thing for dog training treats on the counter. I fill it with about 3,000 treats every 2 weeks. She gets them for going to the bathroom out side, she gets them when we tell her to sit, stay, down, kennel, etc. 

I plan to take the information I get here and sit down with my wife and come up with a schedule. A food/water, exercise, puppy day care, puppy socialization classes at the local Petco type of thing, house rules for the dog. I realize we cant structure everything, but some structure cant hurt.


----------



## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Does your pup have a name?


----------



## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

whitedragon551 said:


> Typically we always have a handful of training treats on us for when she is doing something we like. We have a huge cookie jar type thing for dog training treats on the counter. I fill it with about 3,000 treats every 2 weeks. She gets them for going to the bathroom out side, she gets them when we tell her to sit, stay, down, kennel, etc.
> 
> I plan to take the information I get here and sit down with my wife and come up with a schedule. A food/water, exercise, puppy day care, puppy socialization classes at the local Petco type of thing, house rules for the dog. I realize we cant structure everything, but some structure cant hurt.



I do think it would be great for you to start some obedience training with her. Either group or one on one. 

Do you have any photos of her you could share with us? And what is her name?


----------



## Bwilson (Mar 25, 2014)

Structure and a schedule really can help the dog get into the groove of the day to day. I have two large breeds and live by it and remind me all day if I forget something. Even if you don't use treats for everything praise is also very rewarding. My golden wasn't very interested in treats and still will rather have me have a happy voice praise and a rub. With the kids they can practice walking her through the house with the gentle leader fast pace and switching directions. It is a fun activity for my 3 yr old daughter and our not quite yet 2 yr old golden. Classes will be helpful with creating a communication between whomever is working with her on training. I did a petsmart class with my Rottweiler it wasn't that great and was more of a waste of money but he enjoyed seeing the other dogs. I would look around when choosing if you really want to find a solid class. You can try every once in awhile for short times to teether her on the coach leg or use the place command to help her learn to relax in everyone's company. We had to do this during teenager months because Our golden kept harassing our older male dog. I think the daycare thing will do her some wonder.


----------



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

whitedragon551 said:


> I expect my dog to get it after being told 60 times. I know for a fact my own kids get it after 2 or 3. Your posts are less than helpful. Im here to learn and improve this so she doesnt end up in a shelter.


Your kids are hopefully a heck of a lot smarter than your dog. I've been told that it takes at least 300 repetitions for a dog to actually "get" a behavior. 
And you really can't come here with the attitude you displayed in your first posts and expect that a group that loves Goldens is going to be any less than annoyed with you.
The responses you've gotten have been mild compared to what some have most likely been thinking.


----------



## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Goldens are not born the perfect family dog. This seams to be a popular misconception which quite frequently leads to very unfair expectations.

At a year old what you have is a puppy brain in the body of a full sized dog. That brain is only going to get to the "perfect" dog you likely imagined when you brought home that cute puppy by your family's hard work. If you are unable or unwilling to put that work in, it would be best to return her to her breeder or if the breeder is not reputable, a local Golden Rescue. Either way you are facing a tough decision. Both of which will be substantial changes for your family. 

If you do choose to keep her, the crate use needs to be limited to bed time and family times like meals. Other than that she needs to be out of it. You will need to find a mangement technique for when she is in the house with you. Something that sets her up for successes. I have heard of some families attaching the leash to themselves as a strategy, that way the puppy can not wonder off alone and get into mischief. I will echo as others have said she need much, much more excise. 

Training classes are a must. Reallly you shouldthink of them as communication classes. As you have hinted at in your posts she is not getting it and that problem unless there is a health issue lies with the fact you are not giving in a way she can get it. That is where a great trainer helps. I would recomend finding a training club over your Petco/PerSmart stores. Though they could have a good trainer, it is very hit and miss for good ones and their training program for trainers is not very impressive. Timing in training is HUGE and an experianced trainer can see things before they happen and they will help you develop that skill too. I have found the trainers best at this are those that compete, it just pushes the skills they have to a higher level.

Take some time and though I know it is hard to not be emotional. Think about what time, resources and effort you truly can give her. If you find that it is not enough, it would be kinder to her and better for your family's mental health to return or rehome her where she can reach her potential and be happy.


----------



## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

Also while we are here. Whats a good way to work on recall training? I would like to get her to recall much better so we dont need to worry about the 25' run I have. We have woods with a private trail said:


> You cannot just train a good recall and ignore everything else. It is one of the last things to come after all the other building blocks are in place.


----------



## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

Your dog sounds unhappy. And you are unhappy. And your comments about possibly trying 'to get some of the money back' that you have invested in her show that you resent her too. I feel very sad when I read all this. Your dog sounds quite stressed. I think you should consider rehoming her in a family where she will be loved unconditionally and thrive. Sorry to be so brutal.


----------



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

There are wonderful rescue groups for Goldens in Michigan...it's how we got our first Golden.

Please google one and turn her over to their expert hands. They will find a better fit for her. At this point, she requires more time and work than your family can provide. 

She will have a happier life and it will be better for all concerned.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

whitedragon551 said:


> Typically we always have a handful of training treats on us for when she is doing something we like. We have a huge cookie jar type thing for dog training treats on the counter. I fill it with about 3,000 treats every 2 weeks. She gets them for going to the bathroom out side, she gets them when we tell her to sit, stay, down, kennel, etc.
> 
> I plan to take the information I get here and sit down with my wife and come up with a schedule. A food/water, exercise, puppy day care, puppy socialization classes at the local Petco type of thing, house rules for the dog. I realize we cant structure everything, but some structure cant hurt.


Sometimes it's trial and error. I have found that I get better response from Bear when we make training fun. We do short spurts and his rewards are a variety of things, because eventually, you'll move away from treating for every little thing and you'll need additional ways to communicate your praise. 

If he is getting bored, we throw in a quick session of tug-of-war to re-energize him and get his focus up. We also have a verbal cue that marks the good behavior for the dog. Most people use clickers for this but I use an excited, "YES!" 

We use the philosophy "nothing in life is free" so Bear has to work for EVERYTHING. See this link for more info: Dog Training: Nothing in Life is Free : The Humane Society of the United States

Re: Recall, you have to make yourself the most exciting thing to intice your puppy to return to you. We start with the 6 foot leash, move so we're facing the dog, and then we jog backwards while giving the command and when the puppy follows we throw a proverbial party to reward them for their excellent come. NEVER give the come command to PUNISH the dog. For example, if the dog dug a hole in the yard, don't call the dog to come just to punish them for the hole. This teaches the dog that when it comes to you, bad things happen. You want them to associate all things good when they come to you. 

My husband and I play a come tag game. We sit across the room from each other (or in separate rooms), each with a bag of treats and a toy. Whomever doesn't have the dog, will call the dog to them and praise and treat them, and rinse and repeat. So it starts with Bear loose, then I call Bear, praise and treat; the my husband calls Bear, praise and treat; rinse and repeat. 

This is a great way to practice the command and stimulate her both physically and mentally. 

When you're outside, I would keep her on her 6 ft leash until she is solid with the come before graduating to a longer line. Also, be aware that if you're using a gentle leader on a 20 ft line and she has a tendency of running full out to the end, she risks injuring her neck from the dead stop when she reaches the end of the line, full throttle. 

Here is a great link re:training recall - http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retriever-training/63121-rock-solid-reliable-recall.html

Re: training classes, I haven't had any luck with Petsmart/Petco trainers. It is much more cost effective to join an obedience club, as well. For example, a 6 week training class at my local Petsmart is $195. While an 8 week training class at my local obedience club is $80 for non-members (or $60 for members who purchase the $30 annual membership). I get two extra weeks for less than 1/2 the cost of Petsmart. I've already re-couped the cost of the $30 membership by saving $20 each on the last two classes I took. At my club, our trainers are extremely involved and invested in helping you succeed. When Bear and I passed the CGC last week, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people showing their support. This sense of community is part of why I adore this club. Even this week, we started a new class with a new trainer and my previous trainer made sure to follow up with me beforehand AND after class to make sure Bear and I are taken care of. 


Hope this info helps.


----------



## Coopsmom (Jan 13, 2015)

Ditto so many of the suggestions about getting the dog (and you!) to a beginner obedience class (not at a pet store). Since your wife is studying psychology you both may want to discuss the concept of "positive behavioral support" and how the theory is applied to dogs. Your impatience with the dog is obvious and some of your comments sound as though you really dislike the dog. If this is the case, then you should consider finding it a new home. A dog that will be used in therapy needs to be obedience trained AND also needs to be loving, kind and gentle. Those things don't come from the situation you are describing in terms of how you treat the dog. Please sit down with your wife, consider the many suggestions and comments in this thread and evaluate your commitment to doing what is right for the dog. If you want to do the right thing for the dog then the first change that needs to happen is with your behavior, not the dogs.


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

It is hard to me to conceive of keeping a young golden in her crate 16 plus hours a day. Get her out on a daily hike. There are state parks and local land trusts everywhere- I lived in the city of New Haven CT for a decade with 3 goldens and was able to find gems where I could hike and jog them. A sporting dog deserves a minimum standard of living amount of aerobic exercise in order to feel fulfilled and be good.

She should have gone to a great puppy class like STAR Puppy, but now she needs to bond with an adult in your family and "learn how to learn" in a great dog training center. Look for one with lots going on like agility, Canine Good citizen, competition obedience where there are lots of good dog people. There is an expression for dogs kept confined and not engaged and trained - "kennel dumb". This is not the pup's fault. 

You can swap out the pup's crate for two xpens clipped together, so you can create a more enriched environment for her with more interactive and educational toys. I am sure if your wife is getting a MA in psychology, she has great research skills for enriching the pup's environment.

You seem to resent the puppy, and that she was not born all trained. I am sure you dont expect your kids to drive themselves to school, so being mindful of the developmental stages of puppihood is only compassionate. 

If you dont like the dog, rehome her not for money but for her best interests in her one, brief life being a pleasure to her and bringing out the best in her.


----------



## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

I just can't wrap my head around an 8 week old golden puppy being crated for 16 hrs. a day for it's first year. How sad and debilitating she must be watching her family from a crate and not being allowed to be included.
That first year is the most trying but it's also the best for both the pup and a family. Of course she's going to react to people she sees outside while being crated. It's the only stimulation she gets and she has to initialize it. 
Maybe have the wife, the psychologist, read the therapy dog section on this forum. So much training and patience is required starting the first week the pup is home. 
3000 dog treats every 2 weeks? Well she must be doing some things right. Yes? Treats don't take the place of family time and interaction. 
This is just all so sad on so many levels.


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Decided to delete my post, not worth it to get into it , won't change anything and my heart breaks for this poor dog.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

I can't imagine a dog being crated that long. Chloe is on limited rest because of spaying and she is going nuts.


----------



## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

whitedragon551 said:


> She sleeps in her crate. During the day we bring her out in sessions. Counting night time and work hours when I am away she is probably in her crate 16 hours or so.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've been sitting here for the past few hours thinking about your poor dog. And telling myself, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. 

But, you came here to ask for help, but you seem to reject the suggestions out of hand. What you don't seem to understand is that your dog seemingly is rebelling against you or can't settle down enough to pay attention because she's going out of her ever loving mind being crated for 2/3rds of her life. Do you not get that? And any attention, even negative attention is better to her than none at all. Of course she's going to keep jumping on the sofa, she gets your attention! 

On the contrary, she's quite a smart girl, she's figured out how to push your buttons to get your attention. It sounds like you want to put the least amount of effort into her with the maximum results - but it doesn't work that way. 

Please, please, please - for the sake of this poor girl, re-home her, and don't get another dog. Your way of raising a dog, as you describe it isn't fair to any dog.

Edited to add: 



> At this point I am extremely frustrated. I had dogs growing up my entire life and none of them have ever had this hard of a time learning.


How many of those dogs when you were growing up were crated 2/3rds of their life? If you think YOU'RE frustrated, imagine how frustrated your poor dog is.


----------



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

whitedragon551 said:


> I expect my dog to get it after being told 60 times. I know for a fact my own kids get it after 2 or 3. Your posts are less than helpful. Im here to learn and improve this so she doesnt end up in a shelter.


But you need to teach her. They don't come out of the box fully trained. They are babies. So when she jumps on the couch, calmly but firmly, say, "Off." And with a treat, lure her off, then praise and treat again. You may need to do it dozens of times. It's not fair to get angry at her for something you have failed to teach her. (and same goes for housetraining). Think of it this way. If you were in a foreign country and did something that seemed entirely reasonable to you and someone simply started yelling at you in a language you don't understand, would you learn anything? Would you even have a clue what you did wrong? Probably not. Someone would have to show you, maybe over and over, as they don't speak the same language, and use something universal - like smiles and in a dog's case, treats - to reinforce when you get it. 



whitedragon551 said:


> I did leave out that she does go to a local pet place that has dog runs. She gets to play with 10 dogs with a similar personality that she does. Right now she only goes when we go out of state and cant take her. We are looking into getting her into their day care program twice a week. My thoughts are Tuesday and Fridays from about 8AM-5:30PM. Fridays should get help get her through the weekend and when shes had enough time to recoup she goes back on Tuesday to do it all over again. Thoughts on this?
> 
> ....
> 
> We take her to the park atleast once a weekend as well. They have a big track to walk around with fields and a couple ponds. Its about 5 minutes away so no big deal.


Just as a point of comparison, my 2 year old gets a minimum of two hours of hard exercise every single day - rain, snow, or shine. Often more. So doing daycare on Friday to try to make it through 3 more days without having to exercise her isn't really a solution. If you can't or don't want to give her a chance to work off her energy every day, you can't necessarily expect her to be calm, focused, etc. They really do need exercise every single day. Think of how your kids would be if they didn't run around and play. They'd probably get pretty cranky and bratty, right? They need exercise and rules and structure and love, same as your dog does. 



whitedragon551 said:


> Also while we are here. Whats a good way to work on recall training? I would like to get her to recall much better so we dont need to worry about the 25' run I have. We have woods with a private trail, a creek, and a field all behind our condo that we can romp around in. The issue is there are tons of small children in the neighborhood and without that recall she cant be off a leash.


Again, recall takes a lot of training, patience, and time. We finally have a near solid recall - we have been working on it for her whole life. You need to start in a place that is fenced in, but where she can be off leash. Have her on a long lead (25-30 feet). Let her out a bit, call her, and bring her in (on the lead). Treat and praise. Repeat. Eventually, she'll get it, and you can start to practice (in fenced areas) with her off leash. An important thing is for them to learn that coming back to you is always a good thing. If she comes to you, she is going to get praise and treats and love. For example, never call your dog and leash her up and leave the fun park. (Go to her and leash her up when you're leaving). When we are hiking now, or just anywhere off leash, if I get ahead of my dog and she comes bounding to me on her own accord, she still to this day gets tons of praise and love for that - and a treat if I have one. *Constant reinforcement of good behavior is key.*


----------



## momo_ (Dec 15, 2014)

This is an insult to Anele's situation...


----------



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

We have a young golden who started staying with us when her owner would travel from the time she was 8 weeks old. She is a very high strung, high energy pup who is now 2 years old or so. She would shred her owner's clothing when he'd let her out of the crate when he got home from work. She would bark constantly and had absolutely no self control.

A few months ago, he decided to start sending her to stay with us during the day. In that time, her behavior has improved 100%! She was crated at home, all day long while he was at work. Now she's not crated at all at our home. She gets to run and play with our dogs in the yard and gets all sorts of mental stimulation throughout the day. When he comes to pick her up in the evenings, she is thrilled to see him, but she no longer jumps on him and shreds his clothing in her excitement.

Exercise is extremely, extremely important! A tired dog is a happy dog. Daycare for her might be the best thing you can do for her, though I would suggest at least 3 days a week. I think you'll see such an improvement in her behavior once she has an outlet for her boundless energy!


----------



## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

Although many of us may have come down hard on you, we're all here to help and advise regarding your situation and the well-being of your pup. At some point, all puppies push buttons, but you've got to learn how to work around that while also sharing positive times with her. To always say "no" is not the way to go about it.

My youngest girl who I got when she was six months old has more energy then any dog I've ever met. Does she get into mischief?? She certainly does. Does she put shoes, socks, or anything into her mouth? She certainly does. How do I handle it? I work with her in obedience and I've started working Agility with her. There are days when the weather stinks so I'll do some mental work with her and that will also help to tire her out, at least mentally which is a good thing. This very energetic pup who will be 2 years old next week, has become a certified Pet Therapy Dog thru Therapy Dogs International. Their testing requirements are rigid but all the work I put into her allowed her to pass the test the first time - when she was 13 months old. Quite an accomplishment.

So what I'm trying to get across is that you get out of your dog what you put into your dog and it is so well worth it.

Anyway, twice a week at a doggie day care is a good way to start burning off some excess energy. Keep in mind that because she's going on a Friday, it doesn't mean it will tire her out for the entire weekend. But again, it's a good starting point.

Please, please make it a priority to get her into a training class to work on obedience. It will be an adventure for you all. If you put the work into it, you will be amazed to see her blossom. If you can't make the commitment, and it IS a commitment, perhaps it would be better to rehome her.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

To put the hours crated in perspective....

My Gypsy is crated from 7 pm to 2 am (~7 hours) and then again from 6:30 am to 1 pm (~6.5 hours) for a total daily crate time of 13.5 hours. 

That's not that far from 16 hours as the OP estimated. 

On the other hand, Bear is left to his own devices for the same time frames but he has the run of the house since he is trustworthy. My two dogs sleep 90% of their unsupervised time. I don't think crating for 16 hours out of a 24 hour period is the root of the problem. It's what is happening in the remaining 8 hours that have the biggest effect on how a dog will behave and what they will mature into.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

Brave said:


> Sometimes it's trial and error. I have found that I get better response from Bear when we make training fun. We do short spurts and his rewards are a variety of things, because eventually, you'll move away from treating for every little thing and you'll need additional ways to communicate your praise.
> 
> If he is getting bored, we throw in a quick session of tug-of-war to re-energize him and get his focus up. We also have a verbal cue that marks the good behavior for the dog. Most people use clickers for this but I use an excited, "YES!"
> 
> ...


Great post. I will check out those links when I get home from work. 



Ljilly28 said:


> It is hard to me to conceive of keeping a young golden in her crate 16 plus hours a day. Get her out on a daily hike. There are state parks and local land trusts everywhere- I lived in the city of New Haven CT for a decade with 3 goldens and was able to find gems where I could hike and jog them. A sporting dog deserves a minimum standard of living amount of aerobic exercise in order to feel fulfilled and be good.
> 
> She should have gone to a great puppy class like STAR Puppy, but now she needs to bond with an adult in your family and "learn how to learn" in a great dog training center. Look for one with lots going on like agility, Canine Good citizen, competition obedience where there are lots of good dog people. There is an expression for dogs kept confined and not engaged and trained - "kennel dumb". This is not the pup's fault.
> 
> ...


What are xpens? We have gates for stairs and kitchen. It gives her a pretty large area to roam around and play in on the main floor. So far I have what I think is a pretty good schedule/structure to her day. Shes extremely hyper today, but she has been out of her crate since 7AM this morning. She is currently on her way to play in a family members back yard with their lab. 



cgriffin said:


> Decided to delete my post, not worth it to get into it , won't change anything and my heart breaks for this poor dog.


Thanks for the ever so helpful post. :doh:


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> But you need to teach her. They don't come out of the box fully trained. They are babies. So when she jumps on the couch, calmly but firmly, say, "Off." And with a treat, lure her off, then praise and treat again. You may need to do it dozens of times. It's not fair to get angry at her for something you have failed to teach her. (and same goes for housetraining). Think of it this way. If you were in a foreign country and did something that seemed entirely reasonable to you and someone simply started yelling at you in a language you don't understand, would you learn anything? Would you even have a clue what you did wrong? Probably not. Someone would have to show you, maybe over and over, as they don't speak the same language, and use something universal - like smiles and in a dog's case, treats - to reinforce when you get it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the analogy. I never thought of it that way. 

We still plan on walking her/playing with her in between Tuesdays and Fridays. She has gone to this place a dozen times during trips when we cant take her and she usually sleeps for 2 days or so after going. I figured Friday would be enough to start the weekend out on the right foot. Obviously my plan is to keep walking her every day and going to the parks when we can.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

For those of you asking. Her name is Nova. Its Indian for chases butterflies. It was the first thing she did when we brought her home.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

rabernet said:


> I've been sitting here for the past few hours thinking about your poor dog. And telling myself, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
> 
> But, you came here to ask for help, but you seem to reject the suggestions out of hand. What you don't seem to understand is that your dog seemingly is rebelling against you or can't settle down enough to pay attention because she's going out of her ever loving mind being crated for 2/3rds of her life. Do you not get that? And any attention, even negative attention is better to her than none at all. Of course she's going to keep jumping on the sofa, she gets your attention!
> 
> ...


Have you read anything in this thread? Im clearly open to suggestions. Hence the reason for my entire post. You can join the rest of the people who arent helpful and go to another thread.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

whitedragon551 said:


> For those of you asking. Her name is Nova. Its Indian for chases butterflies. It was the first thing she did when we brought her home.



That is a beautiful name. I'd love to see some photos.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

X pens are like play pins for dogs.


----------



## lewisfamily503 (Jul 10, 2015)

Hi, I just joined this forum today and read your post. We got our 2nd golden in May (our 1st golden passed away at the age of 10 in January). Chewie is now 14 weeks old and SUPER hyper. What we have noticed lately is when he is at his most active, and biting and leaping and being naughty, it's because he needs exercise. We immediately get the leash and go on LONG walks! It's a lot of work having a puppy because they just need constant attention and a TON of activity. We try to wear him out and it is definitely working. However, when we can't take him on a walk (like when we are making a meal for example,) we gate him into the family room and ignore his bad behavior. We have baby gates and fences ALL over the place and this has helped tremendously with keeping him out of trouble and chewing on things that he shouldn't be chewing on. We don't use a crate, but that hasn't been an issue for us. As I type this, we just got back from a very long fun-filled walk (he discovered the sprinklers over at the high school field!) and he is sleeping peacefully at my feet! I truly feel if you can devote the time to lots and lots of exercise, your pup will be a very different dog!


----------



## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

A couple of dog training books that I like are:

My Smart Puppy by Kilcommons - This book doesn't so much teach Sit/Down/Stay as much as it covers things your dog should learn to be a good house pet. (But it does cover Sit/Down/Stay.) It covers things like "don't lunge with your mouth at something I'm about to pick up" and "don't slam into me on the stairs." Not in those exact words, but something like that. The book is mostly force-free/punishment-free.

The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook by Sundance - Don't be fooled by the Tricks part. This book is about how a dog learns. What works and what doesn't. How to reward and when. What to expect in terms of learning and when you can ask for more. It's also got lots of checklists, quizzes, and fill-in-the-blank activities to get you thinking about your dog's learning style and your training style. The author has lots of trick books, even one for kids.

It will be hard at first, but you'll make more progress if you go ahead and give her more time out of the crate. Some things they pick up just from being around. For example, Casper was a terrible countersurfer at a year old. We didn't go anything specific except keep the counters clear and tell him Off (a lot). He gave it up some time in his second year. I feel bad sometimes, the stuff I leave up there and he leaves alone. It must drive him nuts.


----------



## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

It's never too late for training classes. Definitely find a local kennel club for training classes. Not that there aren't some Petco stores that might have some good trainers, they are few and far between, plus you don't really need "socialization" classes, but more so training classes. Our first 2 Goldens I went to Petco because I did not know any better. Heck, I was even of the opinion with our very first Golden I didn't need formal training classes and I could do it myself. Well, I proved myself wrong, and realized I did need someone to show me. Our next 2 Goldens I found a flyer for a local kennel club at my vet's office and never looked back. We have gone to the same club for training for the last 15 years. It does require a weekly commitment. Each of our sessions was 1 hour per week for 8 weeks. Then we had to do the "homework" during the week. We re-took the classes for the entire year, and continued to do refresher classes for their entire life. It wasn't just do one session and be done with it. It was training for both of us. I can't tell you how many times I heard the instructor say to me, or other owners in the class, when the dog did a command incorrectly "and who's fault is it?" We all then laughed and had to say "our's". HA! Because almost every time, we had done it incorrectly and set the dog up to fail. Even to this day, though I do not have a Golden at the present time (we have Corgi's), when I go back for a refresher I still goof up and get the usual "and who's fault is it". It is just to let you know it takes a lot of time and we will all make training mistakes. But with good training classes you will see a remarkable difference. Also, if you can find a tennis court or similar area that is fenced in, throwing the ball and practicing recalls at the same time (in a secure environment) will help give your girl some training and great exercise in the evenings. Best of luck!


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

whitedragon551 said:


> I dont need to know what the CGC is. That was my wife's idea. I wasnt involved in the research for that. Frankly I dont need to know what it is. It has nothing to do with my profession. I just need to train the dog and make her a productive member of society.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I can see you are making an effort and are therefore heading in the right direction. Doggy Day Care is a great idea. I agree that she needs more positive reinforcement. Using a clicker and treat should work wonders. Try also finding ways to confine her to bigger areas when you cannot supervise her instead of the crate. I see that you care and that you are willing to improve. You're learning, and that's great.


----------



## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

I have 18 week old male golden retriever puppy named Axel the only time his in his crate is at night time from 11pm to he wakes up in the morning which is 8-9am. Other then that he is out having free run of the house and yard. All my dogs started training as soon as they came home, First comand I start with is Sit. Axel knows sit,wait,drop,stay,sit/stay in short distance at the moment as I don't want to push too much at once. Axel has also started obedience class this monday coming will be his 3rd night. There never to young to start training you just can't expect a puppy to stay in sit or stay for as long as a dult dog will. Most of my dogs walks are offlead at the oval or seimming at the river and I try to go everyday for at least a hour. If I can't due to weather I will throw a toy till they have had enough. 

You can't expect them to come trained, you have to put in hard work and patience. Right now you will have to start training from the begining, Starting with Sit as soon as her bun touches the floor you reward. This dog sounds like it doesn't see you as her leader due to being locked up in a crate for 16 hours a day. You need to form a bond with the dog and show her your the leader, you eat before she does,you enter through doors before her. When I feed Axel my puppy I tell him to sit/wait and he can only eat after I tell him its ok. This dog needs to start obedience class right now thats what the classes are for to help you train your dog. But first you need to stop locking her up for 16 hours day it isn't fair on her she has too much energy built up she needs to release this energy which is only going to happen with alot of exercise and training. I hate it when people use the excuse but she won't listen or shes to hyper this is not the dogs fault most likely its the owner not doing what they should for there dog eg exercise,train,Play,more exercise and more training, then end with more playing. She needs to form a bond with you,she probably feels she isn't loved or part of the family.


----------



## Katduf (Mar 10, 2013)

If I had either of my dogs in a crate for 16 hours a day they would go crazy. The more interaction your dog has with you, the closer the bond will become, and training will be more effective. Dogs are smart, especially goldens. You can't fake emotions with them, they know exactly what you are feeling. If your heart is not with this dog, she will know it. Look at Nova for what she is...a little pup who just wants to give you love and please you. All she wants is to be the centre of your world, and she deserves it. Also, when doing any training, short little sessions multiple times a day are most effective, and also end each session on a positive note. One more suggestion, get up an hour earlier and take her for a nice walk and allow her to explore and sniff. This starts her day on a positive note.


----------



## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

I was wondering exactly what your wife's role is in all this? You say she is finishing her Masters degree and plans to have Nova as a therapy dog yet I have the impression she is expecting you to 'train him" for her first? It doesn't work like that. Nova needs to feel part of the family and your wife will need to play an active part in her training and development too.


----------



## Lise123 (Jan 1, 2014)

I also have young kids and a young dog, and I sympathize - meeting everyone's needs is exhausting. At one, your dog is in a challenging phase anyway. Please know that it gets better. At 18 months, my dog still doesn't have the run of the house bc of the kids toys (and his tendency to eat them), but he knows the rules and tries to follow them. At 1, he was a lot harder to have around. He had to be supervised at all times, especially around the kids, because he was so full of bounce.

One other idea for your dog would be crate games. You can take a class on this, but you could also just do a search on Youtube for examples. My dog was so mentally tired after trying to figure out what I wanted that he would sleep for hours after each class. Plus, it's very useful to now have a dog who doesn't come barreling out of his crate if my five-year-old happens to open the door without permission (my dog must sit and wait for the release word).

With the playdates with the lab and the days at daycare, sounds like your dog has a few outlets for her energy. Do you play tug? We play tug with a large jolly ball, and my dog is mad about it. We have an Orbee soccer ball to play with inside, and when Bailey gets under our feet, we tell him to get it so we can play. That ball and Nylabones keep most of our stuff safe when he gets bored. 

Good luck to you. It's not an easy age. People tell me over and over what good family dogs goldens are, and I tell them I agree - they are amazing family dogs when they are mature and fully trained! Young goldens are challenging.


----------



## thorbreafortuna (Jun 9, 2013)

[QUOTEshe is probably in her crate 16 hours or so...
None yet. She cant focus long enough for me to even consider spending money on obedience classes. [/QUOTE]


Two things: she's definitely spending too much time crated. Also, one thing that I am thinking about is that because she's out for such short periods of time it's always cause for intense excitement to be out. She never has the chance to wear this off because it's always kind of new. Usually an excitable dog (that's A LOT of young goldens) will calm herself after the initial burst of energy/excitement display when things are somewhat normalized. 
Second part of the quote: you have to change your thinking around training. The first thing a good training class will work on is impulse control and focus, which is absolutely what you need.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

BuddyinFrance said:


> I was wondering exactly what your wife's role is in all this? You say she is finishing her Masters degree and plans to have Nova as a therapy dog yet I have the impression she is expecting you to 'train him" for her first? It doesn't work like that. Nova needs to feel part of the family and your wife will need to play an active part in her training and development too.


She works for a Christian based home therapy program now while taking more than a full course load (12 credit hours) with her Masters. She gets to set her work hours as she does in home therapy for kids/teens. She typically stays home during the day unless there is a mandatory team meeting or a crucial event with one of her clients. 

I am basically getting the research done and laying the framework for the structure and activities that need to happen before the kids go back to school.

On a positive note she was out alot yesterday. She spent an hour in her crate during dinner and went to bed around 10PM. She was up by 8AM today and already went on a 30-45 minute walk. Had alot of accidents in the kitchen, but I chalk that up to her being crated so much she doesnt know what to do when she is out of it plus she had access to free feed and water.


----------



## Brads035 (Apr 1, 2014)

I highly recommend that you check out the Dog Star Daily website and Dr Ian Dunbar training videos on youtube. He is an Animal Behaviour Scientist and has a lot of practical suggestions for training and interacting with your puppy, including setting up a long-term confinement area (for daytime) as opposed to a crate, to teach potty training. Also, try to get your dog 2-3 hours of solid exercise a day. I have a golden retriever /cocker spaniel mix (40 lbs) and even he requires a lot of activity. On weekends we go for 5-7 hour hikes (with rest breaks). During the week (I live in a condo and work downtown) my puppy gets 1hr walk/off leash play fetch session in the morning, a dog walker takes him for off-leash play and/or walk for 2 hours and we play for 1hr in the park when I get home. Try to set up a similar schedule. Also, an experienced dog walker can help work on obedience training for you to reinforce on a daily basis.

Check out the following free ebooks "before you get your puppy" and After you get your puppy" from Dog Star Daily. Http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/you-get-your-puppy


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Since your wife once a therapy dog you really need to look into a cgc training class. This will help teach the things that will be required to pass the CGC test. You also need to start back at square one with the housebreaking. At one she should not be having accidents. Start taking her out every hour to go potty. Get your kids involved in training. My six yearold nephew loves to help train Chloe. If your having problems with being to rough with the kids use a leash inside and outside instead of crating. Also baby gates are your best friends to keep kids and puppy separated and safe. Because we did these things we are now at a point where my niece and nephew can walk around without her being on a leash quite a bit.


----------



## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

whitedragon551 said:


> I am basically getting the research done and laying the framework for the structure and activities that need to happen before the kids go back to school.


I hope as you do your research that you're able (and willing) to commit as an entire family into integrating your girl into the mix starting now.


----------



## Bwilson (Mar 25, 2014)

Since you are trying to work on potty training I wouldn't free feed and water. It will be easier to anticipate when she is eating or drinking to get her outside to use the bathroom.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

whitedragon551 said:


> On a positive note she was out alot yesterday. She spent an hour in her crate during dinner and went to bed around 10PM. She was up by 8AM today and already went on a 30-45 minute walk. Had alot of accidents in the kitchen, but I chalk that up to her being crated so much she doesnt know what to do when she is out of it plus she had access to free feed and water.


I am so happy to hear this.  

In my experience, puppies who are not yet housebroken, should be taken outside to potty as soon as they wake up, right after meals, immediately after playing, and about every 2-4 hours in between. That might help curb the accidents. 

We also have a rule that until proven housebroken, they do not leave our sight so if we catch their cues we can get them outside ASAP. Cues like sniffing around the floor, turning in circles, etc could indicate she needs to relieve herself.


----------



## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

I understand partly where you are coming from. Zelda was MY first puppy, though we had dogs growing up. It was a shock to me when I realized just how much work it required doing it all on my own.

Your wife REALLY should play a huge part in training Nova, especially if she wants her for her therapy dog. She needs to have that bond with her, and that bond begins with the very first "sit".

Good Owners, Great Dogs by Brian Kilcommons is a FANTASTIC book. It talks about the puppy years and the adult years.

Golden Retrievers are puppies until they are 2-3 years old. Most therapy dogs you see are 3+ years old, and have had a ton of work put into them.

Your kids will be ok if she knocks them over. I have 9 younger siblings, ranging in ages 21-3 years old, and some with special needs. My family has a total of 6 dogs and 4 cats (though not all of them live in the same house). The little kids get knocked over quite often. In fact, my three year old brother LOVES when Zelda comes running into the house, knocks him over, and starts licking him.  Kids can help with training too - when I was younger, I attended training class with my mom and her dogs, and often did some of the class myself.

Don't free feed. Set up a schedule - I feed Zelda a cup of Purina ProPlan in the morning and a cup of the same food at night. Goldens are at a high risk of overeating and gaining too much weight. She should be slim. As for water, I mostly only fill Zelda's bowl when she asks for it or after she's been exercising.

You can do this. It may take a LOT more work than you originally planned - but there are dogs who have had much worse starts than her. Patience is KEY.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

The barking at the neighbors will soon be fixed as well. 

I have a side light window next to the front door. We have been meaning to put a curtain over it, but they are fairly expensive for what they are. I will be using a frosted window film to allow light in and blur her vision. Should help cut down on that.


----------



## Coopsmom (Jan 13, 2015)

whitedragon551 said:


> She works for a Christian based home therapy program now while taking more than a full course load (12 credit hours) with her Masters. She gets to set her work hours as she does in home therapy for kids/teens. She typically stays home during the day unless there is a mandatory team meeting or a crucial event with one of her clients.
> 
> I am basically getting the research done and laying the framework for the structure and activities that need to happen before the kids go back to school.
> 
> On a positive note she was out alot yesterday. She spent an hour in her crate during dinner and went to bed around 10PM. She was up by 8AM today and already went on a 30-45 minute walk. Had alot of accidents in the kitchen, but I chalk that up to her being crated so much she doesnt know what to do when she is out of it plus she had access to free feed and water.


It sounds like you need to start at "square 1" re: crate training/house breaking. A 1 year old should not be having accidents in the house so I encourage you to read many of the threads related to crate training/housebreaking. The accidents are likely because she has not yet learned that the ONLY place to go to the bathroom is OUTSIDE. Because of her age she has developed some less than desirable habits (i.e. peeing in her crate as you discussed in the original post and now peeing in the kitchen). It will take time and very consistent intervention for this to change. It may be important to separate "go outside and play time" from "go outside and pee time" until she is housebroken. 
Access to water is important but I would feed twice a day only (with some treats) so she gets into a routine with meals.


----------



## dmg1983 (Jun 13, 2015)

There are also loads of training videos on youtube. Zak George has a channel which I found really useful when I was training Lucy, it's all about positive reinforcement. He seems to seek out dogs to use in his videos in order to demonstrate the techniques. Maybe you could contact him and see if he could use Nova as a "how to train a therapy dog" segment?!


----------



## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

whitedragon551 said:


> She works for a Christian based home therapy program now while taking more than a full course load (12 credit hours) with her Masters. She gets to set her work hours as she does in home therapy for kids/teens. She typically stays home during the day unless there is a mandatory team meeting or a crucial event with one of her clients.
> 
> I am basically getting the research done and laying the framework for the structure and activities that need to happen before the kids go back to school.
> 
> On a positive note she was out alot yesterday. She spent an hour in her crate during dinner and went to bed around 10PM. She was up by 8AM today and already went on a 30-45 minute walk. Had alot of accidents in the kitchen, but I chalk that up to her being crated so much she doesnt know what to do when she is out of it plus she had access to free feed and water.


The more I read, the sader I feel for Nova. You started out by saying she was crated for 16 hours a day but now you say your wife is home most of the day? Even if your wife is working can't she find time for toilet and play breaks with the dog.

Nova is over a year old and does not understand where she is to go potty, or she does understand but is too stressed to do so. Please please please.. read some of the threads on this site dedicated to how to toilet train, integrate your dog as a genuine member of your family, sign up at dog school and start to exercise her in imaginative ways. She deserves so much more than she is getting right now.

I know that you are here for advice. But you need to act quickly to put things in order. Dogs, and in particular Goldens, are naturally clean.. my heart breaks for her to think at aged 1 she is still confused.

Do you have any photos of her by the way?


----------



## Brads035 (Apr 1, 2014)

When you take Nova out for potty breaks, be sure to not only treat her after she goes outside (you could limit treats to just successful potty for a few weeks to drive that message home), but ALSO give her the Reward of a long walk/play session outside after successfully going potty. My dog needs to go a few times in an hour. Usually he will pee/poo first thing once we get outside for his morning walk, and then again after we play for an hour he will go another pee/poo right before we go inside. Giving her long potty breaks (not 5/15 mins) will cut down on accidents and ensure she is outside so you can reward her and reinforce good behavior.


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

whitedragon551 said:


> ...I am basically getting the research done and laying the framework for the structure and activities that need to happen before the kids go back to school.
> 
> On a positive note she was out alot yesterday. She spent an hour in her crate during dinner and went to bed around 10PM. She was up by 8AM today and already went on a 30-45 minute walk. _Had alot of accidents in the kitchen, but I chalk that up to her being crated so much she doesnt know what to do when she is out of it plus she had access to free feed and water._


I almost think it could be helpful for you to start a new thread on the 'training' forum. One that would start fresh and would remove the emotional responses to what Nova's first year was like. 

If it were me it would be something like: "In hindsight, I realize that my wife and I did not do the training job we should have and wish we had with our one year old Golden girl, Nova. We love her a lot and realize we need to make some major changes in the way we are training her. We are basically starting from the beginning with potty training and with training impulse control. She does have some basic obedience commands but other than that we are starting from the beginning. I am requesting input on a "start from the beginning" schedule for her daily living routine, including exercise and for our training routine. We are a busy family, my wife has clients coming into our home during the day and I work outside the home so the dog needs to be on her own from ___ am. - ___ p.m. with minimal daytime supervision. We also have two young children so are not able to give the dog full run of the house. I realize looking back that we did not give her the start we should have, but we are committed to changing things going forward and would like to have suggestions on how to implement the changes needed to make her a happy member of the family."

Here is what I would do if Nova was coming to live with me tomorrow.

1) *Concentrate on Potty Training*. Have all the carpets cleaned so she won't return to where she has had a previous accident. Take up any throw rugs for the next several months. Crate and gates in the kitchen. Plan to have the family spend all their time in the kitchen with the dog. That's what my family does with a puppy. We confine the puppy to the kitchen so accidents are easy to clean and it's easy to stay ahead of the puppy and keep an eye on her. That means sitting at the kitchen table or bar to read, work on the laptop, do puzzles, art, etc. It's not comfortable and it's a little limiting but that's what we do to keep the dog company while she's potty training. We have 3 children and I've raised multiple puppies this way, it works. Shortly after eating take Nova outdoors to potty. If she cooperates, great, you should be good till the next meal. If she doesn't poop after a 15 minute walk, put her in the crate with a kong (fill it with some plain yogurt and a little banana and freeze it) when she has had 15 or 20 minutes, take her out of the crate and walk her again. This way she won't poop in the kitchen. *She should never be free fed*, it should be on a schedule convenient for you and your wife to have time to walk her after breakfast and after dinner. Use an enzyme product like 'Nature's Miracle' to clean up any accidents.

2) *Formal Obedience Training*. Use a google search and find an obedience club in your area. Some people have good luck with Petsmart but in general you will find trainers with years and years of dog experience at an obedience club or at least they can give you a reference to a member they recommend. Attending classes and practicing a couple times a day at home every day will strengthen your bond and should bring results if you are consistent and dedicated. Private in home lessons from someone good are an excellent investment, 3 sessions could really get you ahead of the game. Her daily practice sessions only have to be 5 or 10 minutes in length. It doesn't have to be a long session, just incorporate it into playtime and make it daily. Keeping a notebook might also help you keep track of skills and what you want to work on next.

3) *Exercise and mental stimulation.* If you can afford doggy day care for the next year or two of her life, it should really make a difference if you could get her on a Monday Wednesday Friday schedule. It doesn't need to be all day, but it would help take the edge off when you are unable to exercise her yourself. Discuss potty training issues with the staff, it may not be the best set up for helping her break bad habits. Leash walking is good if she gets to new places, but it is not aerobic exercise. She needs to get her heart rate up and be panting and tired, 20-30 minutes every day is ideal, 5 days a week minimum. Teaching her to fetch is an excellent way to get her this exercise. There are videos available to do show you how to teach a formal fetch and it is something that can be worked on.

4) Purchase a 30 foot nylon cord from the hardware store and a clip and use this to take her places where she can practice fetching, playing running and being a dog. Be aware that the cord will burn your ankles if it gets wrapped around your foot, be sure to wear protective shoes, not flip flops etc. to avoid injury. Probably not ideal to take your kids along until you get the hang of it. A church yard or school yard, soccer fields can be good places to try.

5) *Make a plan and be consistent.*Consistency is key with dogs, just as much as it is with children. This is going to be a big job and for it to go as well as possible, it will require commitment and work from both of you and your wife to get through the next year. Talk through it and try to be partners with an equal interest in making this a success. If you have any resentment because this was her idea or she hasn't done her fair share, try to let go of it. 

6) * Keep Nova with someone as much as possible.* She can't have free range in the house, obviously. Is there any way the dog can be tethered to your wife when she isn't working with clients? Use a leash and clip it to your wife's belt so the dog goes around the house with her and is with her in her office. Or can your wife study in the kitchen etc? I think this would go a long way to getting Nova calmer and more secure. 

I almost forgot: When Nova is free with the family, have her drag a leash from her collar. Not a long one, just a 2 foot leash, (buy a cheap one and cut it off) and that way if she forgets herself and needs correcting, removed from the couch or is jumping on people you have a quick way to grab her without touching her collar, and you can step on the leash end if necessary to stop jumping up. It is a good management tool.

Here are some other useful things to put on your list to work on with Nova.

Puppy Training: Lesson of the Day - Tethering - Smart Dog University


Dog training: Settle down

Start House Training

House Training WITHOUT A Crate: Constant Supervision


Crate Soiling - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!


----------



## Coopsmom (Jan 13, 2015)

I REALLY hope the OP comes back and looks at all of the amazing information provided by Nolefan!! What a tremendously generous and helpful thing you have offered to Nova's family! Thank you!


----------



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Coopsmom said:


> I REALLY hope the OP comes back and looks at all of the amazing information provided by Nolefan!! What a tremendously generous and helpful thing you have offered to Nova's family! Thank you!


I agree. Hugely detailed and helpful. 

It might be daunting to think, back to square one for the housetraining, OP, but Nolefan is absolutely right. It won't take that long - but the alternative will be a lifetime of accidents. The few weeks or maybe months you spend now can help her really learn it this time.


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Coopsmom said:


> I REALLY hope the OP comes back and looks at all of the amazing information provided by Nolefan!! What a tremendously generous and helpful thing you have offered to Nova's family! Thank you!


That is sweet of you Coopsmom, although I don't particularly deserve it. I let my emotions get the better of me and I didn't make the most of the chance I had to communicate at the beginning of the thread. 

I am very hopeful, due to the methodical way he appears to be going about it now that OP and his wife will make a list of things to do and run with it, that they will really make a concentrated effort. I know that nothing I say will get Nova a 'do-over' for her first year, but maybe we can make a difference in improving her life going forward.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

Well we have been having her busy for 2 hours a day outside on walks and random outings. We have had her in the living room with us when we can. 

She has been out of her crate all but a couple hours not counting bed time. I suddenly remember why she was in the create to begin with.

She likes to chew on things she shouldnt. ie: The carpet on the stairs. She chewed a hold in the carpet around 6 months old and my thought was I need to protect her from herself because that cant be good for a dog. 

Since she has been out I have put apple bitter spray all over the stair and removed water so she cant relieve herself and she continues to chew the carpet. We redirect for almost 30 minutes back and forth and she keeps going back. At this point we cant even keep her confined to just the kitchen while having free roam and access to all of her toys. For some reason she likes bitter apple flavored carpet over peanut butter stuffed kongs and chew bones with treats in them. 

I have tried 2 different brands of spray and neither have worked.What else can we put on the carpet to stop her from chewing?


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

nolefan said:


> I almost think it could be helpful for you to start a new thread on the 'training' forum. One that would start fresh and would remove the emotional responses to what Nova's first year was like.


Im not going to quote this entire post just to keep the thread page short, but thank you.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Can you put a baby gate at the stairs.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

When my puppy is chewing or digging up something she shouldn't, I correct her "eh eh" and redirect her "here is something to chew" 

And I praise her when she chews the correct thing. 

Rinse and repeat.

After three weeks I've finally curbed her chewing rope toys up but now she likes to dig in the yard. So we have something new to work on.


----------



## whitedragon551 (Jul 9, 2015)

Cpc1972 said:


> Can you put a baby gate at the stairs.


The bottom stair doesnt have a wall on the kitchen side so its an opened end stair. The first stair where the wall is on top of the first stair so she has full access to the entire bottom step.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

The key is not to give her a chance to chew. Try to put something up so she can't do it. This way it won't become a habit. Can you put baby gates up at certain areas.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Is theRe a place to put a gate that is before the stairs. Ours is right outside the bathroom which blocks the playroom and the upstairs when needed.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Put an x-pen around the bottom of the stairs. No access. No chance to practice the behavior. 

Also consider tethering her to you. If she is always in eyesight you can prevent a multitude of inappropriate behaviors.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

I think my sister has opened ended stairs to the basement and they had a gate up when they kids were babies. I will see for sure and see what kind she has.


----------



## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Ok my sister I believe has a baby gate that mounted on the banister.


As far as the bitter spray the key we found to make kit work is to spray it on the item when you catch them chewing. It won't really work if you spray it then two hours later they go to it. You can also try spraying it directly in her mouth when you catch her.


----------



## Coopsmom (Jan 13, 2015)

you need to think of her as a brand new puppy (even thought she is 1). So, that means constant supervision and eventually backing off of that as she learns the "rules". It may take some time because she has "bad" habits. Tethering to you is a great idea! Lots of chew toys, lots of re-direction and lots of patience will be needed but it will be worth it. I have never used the bitter apple although know others have. At this point, I think the best intervention is constant supervision and teaching what is right/what is wrong.


----------



## Brads035 (Apr 1, 2014)

You need a long-term confinement area where the only things she can chew are acceptable (bathroom, xpen, kitchen with baby gates etc...) Also take her into the living room for play sessions when you can interact with her and supervise. Play with the wubba/ball, do training sessions, hide treats and have her look for them. Then give her breaks with a chew toy in the long-term confinement area for her to practice settling down. Always take her out for potty after a play session.


----------



## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

There is a pickling spice/herb called Alum. Tastes disgusting but won't hurt the dog. Take an 1/8th tsp and put it in her mouth to let her get the flavor then you can sprinkle it on the area. For dogs that chew furniture legs, you can mix it with water to the consistency of a wet Elmer's Glue and put it on the furniture leg. You don't want to use the wet mixture on cloth as it may stain.

Bitter apple loses it's "ugh" factor once it dries.


----------



## Stephanya (Jul 5, 2015)

Have you considered taking her to the dog park to burn off her energy. My experience with goldens has taught me that they need a LOT of exercise, and not just little walks here and there. The dog park or dog play dates can do wonders for behavior. Our puppy (5 months) is exponentially better if she just gets a little 20 minute playdate with another pup.


----------



## LindaB (Jul 5, 2015)

A couple of things come to mind, is she getting enough exercise? If you are crating her every 30 min. because she is so hyper, perhaps that is the issue. She isn't able to work off physical and mental energy! Sounds like you are overstimulating and already frantic mind with the multiple toys,treats, and probably your own frustration. Plus she has so much energy she is in chaos herself.
If it were me, I'd start over with her. Schedules,limited toys,specific training times , specific feed times, specific pee breaks, walking,etc. If you aren't home during the day, find someone to walk her. I'm not a professional in the least, but I'd start with a semi-clean slate and loads of exercise


----------



## golfgal (Dec 31, 2013)

As someone who has spent numerous years working with teens, I must say that golden puppies are way easier so if your wife is having challenges with Nova, she may want to re-visit her career choice. Teens vs puppies. No brainer. 

It's much easier for Nova to behave well when she is involved in your life. The fact that your wife works from home and controls her schedule, means it should be much easier for you than others. 

Goldens are smart and pick up things relatively easily. Lots of good suggestions here for you both to follow. It does take work though and only you can decide if you have the time/energy/patience for it.


----------

