# Advice For First-Time Owner



## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Ahh, so cute! No real advice here.


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## eve (Dec 3, 2014)

*Read*

Get some books from the library. Read, read and then read again! Get different ones as just as no two people raise children the same neither do two people raise dogs the same. I'm on my first Goldens but I have had dogs my whole life, really I don't think I would ever be without one. Goldens NEED, NEED, NEED training. Start with a puppy class when he is old enough to teach him to socialize and then move on to basic training (beginning). You will get the feel of what is best for him soon enough. Exercise/play is the best way to keep him out of trouble so plan on doing a lot of it for the rest of his life. In case no one told you Goldens do not like to be alone - they are social animals and YOU are their very best friend. Never leave them alone too long as this type of dog doesn't make a good loner. 

He is beautiful, good luck!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

eve said:


> Get some books from the library. Read, read and then read again! Get different ones as just as no two people raise children the same neither do two people raise dogs the same. I'm on my first Goldens but I have had dogs my whole life, really I don't think I would ever be without one. Goldens NEED, NEED, NEED training. Start with a puppy class when he is old enough to teach him to socialize and then move on to basic training (beginning). You will get the feel of what is best for him soon enough. Exercise/play is the best way to keep him out of trouble so plan on doing a lot of it for the rest of his life. In case no one told you Goldens do not like to be alone - they are social animals and YOU are their very best friend. Never leave them alone too long as this type of dog doesn't make a good loner.
> 
> He is beautiful, good luck!


Thanks, eve! I work from home so attention won't be a problem - Great to have a buddy around during the day. My No. 1 goal for the first week is to get him to learn his name. I've been playing a game where I sit with him and wait until he's distracted, then call 'Sosa' and give him a treat if he looks at me and holds his attention for a full second. Repeat that 6-8 times per session and he's been doing well so far. 

Thanks for the advice!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Welcome to the forum, glad you've joined us. 

Congrats on Sosa, he's so adorable!

I haven't had a pup in many years, so I will let the members who currently have pups or had one recently, answer your questions. 

The Puppy Section on the forum has a lot of good information. You can use the Search feature to look for a specific topic, threads will come up you can read through. 


I'm sure more members will give you some advice and tips also. 

Hope you enjoy it here. Looking forward to seeing lots of pictures of Sosa.


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## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

I got my puppy at 6 weeks. The biggest thing I noticed was she was extra-bitey for the first 5 months. She was also demon puppy - she never slept unless she was crated. That may have been some of the early separation, some of a predisposition to just being crazy puppy. But definitely the lack of bite inhibition!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Rkaymay said:


> I got my puppy at 6 weeks. The biggest thing I noticed was she was extra-bitey for the first 5 months. She was also demon puppy - she never slept unless she was crated. That may have been some of the early separation, some of a predisposition to just being crazy puppy. But definitely the lack of bite inhibition!


Same exact thing with the biting here, which I'm assuming is partially due to the fact that his mother wasn't there to let him know when he was too bitey weeks 6-8? 

Any tips on how to curb that habit? We've been yelping whenever he bites too hard and ignoring him for a few seconds after, plus always trying to replace our hands/feet with chew toys instead.

(Zelda is a beautiful pup, by the way!)


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Welcome to the forum, glad you've joined us.
> 
> Congrats on Sosa, he's so adorable!
> 
> ...


Thanks! We love him so much already and it's only day 5. Excited for his first Chicago Bears game tonight.


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## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

FirstTimeOwner said:


> Same exact thing with the biting here, which I'm assuming is partially due to the fact that his mother wasn't there to let him know when he was too bitey weeks 6-8?
> 
> Any tips on how to curb that habit? We've been yelping whenever he bites too hard and ignoring him for a few seconds after, plus always trying to replace our hands/feet with chew toys instead.
> 
> (Zelda is a beautiful pup, by the way!)


There are a number of techniques, from yelping (which never worked for us), to sticking a chew toy in their mouth everytime they get close (didn't really work either). In the end, time and patience worked best.  Z played with my roommates dog, who's about 4 months older, a few times a week too. That helped most of all.

Just know that it does end! At almost 10 months, Z is finally the cuddly, gentle dog I love. She still loves to put my hands in her mouth, but she never bites.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

FWIW, we brought Hank home at 5.5 weeks. He was the LEAST bitey of any of my puppies, (I've had 4 in my adult life). Personality plays a part too.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Willow52 said:


> FWIW, we brought Hank home at 5.5 weeks. He was the LEAST bitey of any of my puppies, (I've had 4 in my adult life). Personality plays a part too.


Interesting, thanks. We'll keep working at it.


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## Loukia (Sep 20, 2014)

If it makes you feel any better, I brought my puppy home at 9 weeks and he was a shark! So, the biting and lack of bite inhibition may just be his puppy personality. 

At 5 months (today), we are still working on Comet's biting but it's WAY better than it was. Comet's biting peaked at around 14 weeks and has gotten better every week since then. But, now he's so much bigger that when he does bite he often puts holes in our clothes. He certainly still has his moments and I have to agree with RKayMay above... patience will get you far! And assessing the situation for the best reaction - sometimes standing still and ignoring can curb the problem but sometimes the puppy just needs alone time or a good nap. Yelping always works for my daughter, but never worked for the rest of us. I think she has the ability to get her yelp so high pitched she probably sounds like a puppy. We use a combination of ignoring, standing still and if all else fails, giving him quiet time (not punishment) in his crate. I find that the more over-tired Comet gets, the more biting he'll do. You may find that Sosa has certain times of the day when the biting is the worst. You may want to try putting him in his crate for a nap just before his biting time. When Comet is in a crazy biting mode that we just can't seem to stop, he'll get quietly walked to his crate for quiet time and within seconds he's sound asleep. They are babies and babies get over tired.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Loukia said:


> If it makes you feel any better, I brought my puppy home at 9 weeks and he was a shark! So, the biting and lack of bite inhibition may just be his puppy personality.
> 
> At 5 months (today), we are still working on Comet's biting but it's WAY better than it was. Comet's biting peaked at around 14 weeks and has gotten better every week since then. But, now he's so much bigger that when he does bite he often puts holes in our clothes. He certainly still has his moments and I have to agree with RKayMay above... patience will get you far! And assessing the situation for the best reaction - sometimes standing still and ignoring can curb the problem but sometimes the puppy just needs alone time or a good nap. Yelping always works for my daughter, but never worked for the rest of us. I think she has the ability to get her yelp so high pitched she probably sounds like a puppy. We use a combination of ignoring, standing still and if all else fails, giving him quiet time (not punishment) in his crate. I find that the more over-tired Comet gets, the more biting he'll do. You may find that Sosa has certain times of the day when the biting is the worst. You may want to try putting him in his crate for a nap just before his biting time. When Comet is in a crazy biting mode that we just can't seem to stop, he'll get quietly walked to his crate for quiet time and within seconds he's sound asleep. They are babies and babies get over tired.


Thanks, Loukia. We've found that when he is being more aggressive there's almost always something he needs - Food, water, bathroom or nap. Started keeping a notebook two days ago and record each time he engages in any of those activities and that's really helped to get all of us started on a normal routine.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Does he have a hotspot on his rear foot?


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Megora said:


> Does he have a hotspot on his rear foot?


No, we were concerned about that but took him to the vet two days after we picked him up and he said it wasn't an infection.


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

Welcome! He's a beautiful pup! Sounds to me like your off to a good start & there is a lot of info here & everyone is willing to help. When I got Jack I found this board just as you have & then when I was ready to add a second these folks helped me find Sweetie! Remember never enough pics!


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## lhowemt (Jun 28, 2013)

Well I have a new plan for biting puppies this time around. I am going to get a plush hand puppet! it sounds like you are doing the right things. My favoritw puppy book is "control unleashed- puppy". Even though it is geared towards dog sports it is awesome.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Anyone else ever just have that moment of clarity around day 5 where you realize you've been worrying about every single little thing way too much? GF is at work, I've been alone with Sosa since 2 p.m., found myself getting frustrated with the fact that he won't stop munching on leaves, spends 10 min. sniffing and chewing outside, sprints back to the door without going and then squats to pee on the carpet while staring at me approximately 56 seconds later? 

For the most part he has exceeded all my expectations. Even rang the bell to go outside earlier today! (There's a chance it may have occurred due to incidental contact while he was playing with the curtains, but, nah. ... We'll stick with he rang it.) Needed to take a deep breath and realize for a while there I was turning into the type of micro-managing, overbearing parent I said I'd never be like. After 5 days. With a puppy. Worrying about everything. Unreal. 

No more of that.

That's not to say I won't continue to try to deter said frustrating behavior. Last time he went out I took his favorite squeaky toy and that seemed to help get him back on track while he was attempting to sniff/chew every single item in our large, wooded condo backyard area. It's so much fun to see him make progress. And that is more meaningful than any single minor worry. Not everything is going to be perfect. Have to accept that and continue positive reinforcement. I'm sure most of the petty concerns can be attributed to normal behavior for a 10-week-old pup.


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## lhowemt (Jun 28, 2013)

FirstTimeOwner said:


> I've been alone with Sosa since 2 p.m., found myself getting frustrated with the fact that he won't stop munching on leaves, spends 10 min. sniffing and chewing outside, sprints back to the door without going and then squats to pee on the carpet while staring at me approximately 56 seconds later?


Yes yes yes! Pearl was like this for a long time. I think about 5 months. I had even forgotten about a carpet cleaner I had bought a while before (doh doh doh). 

No, seriously , it was a solid month or more. she would pee outside, then we would come in and she'd pee. Aaargh! Then they figure it out, their bladder grows, the valve strengthens and by then they arw oitgrowing their puffball stage. Boohoohoo!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

lhowemt said:


> Yes yes yes! Pearl was like this for a long time. I think about 5 months. I had even forgotten about a carpet cleaner I had bought a while before (doh doh doh).
> 
> No, seriously , it was a solid month or more. she would pee outside, then we would come in and she'd pee. Aaargh! Then they figure it out, their bladder grows, the valve strengthens and by then they arw oitgrowing their puffball stage. Boohoohoo!


Ha, quite the double edged sword. If only we could have a well-trained puffball for at least a month or two ... 

Nice action shot of Hazel, by the way. 

Sosa got stuck between the couch and the ottoman this morning. Didn't even freak out, so that was pretty entertaining.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Welcome! Sosa is a real cutie. Our pup is almost 13 months old; your posts bring back so many memories.

The potty training, you'll find, is the least of it. Hopefully the shark stage will be manageable. 

Everything seemed to fall into place once he got all his big boy teeth at 5 1/2 months. Before that, his physical comfort or lack of comfort seemed to dictate our day. 

Sounds to me like you're doing an excellent job...and yes, cut yourself some slack. We drive ourselves crazier than the pups do! lol btw, we're in Brooklyn, MI. Not terribly far from Okemos. Would love a play date!


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## gemmagirl (Nov 27, 2014)

Not sure about advice, and I don't know if you have any kids, but I can tell you're going to be a great dad!


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## Scuba Steve (Dec 7, 2014)

I can certainly relate to you. We are proud owners of a 12-week old golden named Shelby, and it sounds like Sosa and her are doing some of the same things. My only advice is Kongs and Nylabones have been our best friends so far with her. She loves both, and I use them if she gets too rough biting when we play. Best of luck with the little guy!


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## sweisser (Oct 22, 2014)

I'm not an expert, but I believe it is pretty normal for the pups to be removed from the mother at 6-7 weeks old. It is pretty typical for pups to go home to their new families at 8 weeks, so they have to be weaned from mom prior to that (if they were together the pups would continue to drink mom's milk). If your pup was kept with his litter mates through 8-weeks, he should not have missed any important social experiences during that period. 

Someone more knowledgeable may correct me, if needed, please.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Thanks, everyone. You've all been incredibly kind and helpful. 

Now wondering people's opinions of pee pads around here? Sosa has been doing very, very well with potty training but we have pee pads around our place in case he wanders off unsupervised for a minute. 90 percent of the time he does go indoors, he uses a pee pad. 

They work great, but I'm wondering if we should cut off his access at some point so he learns to go outside every time? Or do some of you keep them around the house permanently? 

Little guy watched Rudolph for the first time last night!


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

I wish you well. I didn't think we would survive Maddie (Hellbitch) at 8 weeks. This did turn around by week 12 or so. I had her in puppy training so fast!!! She ripped my husband's nose from stem to stern the first day and then tried to chew up my house day after day. She is truly the loveliest dog now. It did take a while (a long while) to get her housebroken. We never used pee pads, only outdoors. 

Training, training, training. Most do outgrow the landshark phase fairly quickly. Crate training is a blessing. A place for them to regroup and a time out place (at least for us it was).


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## dwightr8 (Apr 21, 2014)

FirstTimeOwner said:


> Thanks, everyone. You've all been incredibly kind and helpful.
> 
> Now wondering people's opinions of pee pads around here? Sosa has been doing very, very well with potty training but we have pee pads around our place in case he wanders off unsupervised for a minute. 90 percent of the time he does go indoors, he uses a pee pad.
> 
> ...


Are you crate training him? If not I would advise you consider it. We are on our fourth golden now and this is the first time we have used a crate. I always thought it was kind of cruel when I saw a dog in a crate, but if you start early, they really don't mind it and it makes life so much easier. Our puppy Brandi (7 months now) has only had a couple of accidents in the house and none since about 4 months. When we first got her home I tried putting her in the crate and she went crazy the minute I closed the door. We had an ex-pen, so I put the crate in the pen and left the door open. We put a bunch of her toys in the crate and started feeding her in it. It wasn't long before she was sleeping in the crate and we were able to close the door without her going crazy. We would leave her in the crate for and hour or so at first and then carry her directly outside to go potty and praise her and give her treats when she did. She NEVER went potty in the crate and the only time she had an accident was when we didn't get her out right away and that was only a couple of times. As far as the pee pads go, we have never used them but I would think it could be a problem retraining them to not use the pads and go outside. Our first three dogs (not crate trained) all took much longer (up to a year) to completely house train so I am a real believer in crates now. Here are some pictures of Brandi. There's a couple in there of the ex-pen with the crate in it.

https://www.facebook.com/Brandithegoldenretriever/photos_stream

Hope this helps and good luck.

Dwight


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

dwightr8 said:


> Are you crate training him? If not I would advise you consider it. We are on our fourth golden now and this is the first time we have used a crate. I always thought it was kind of cruel when I saw a dog in a crate, but if you start early, they really don't mind it and it makes life so much easier. Our puppy Brandi (7 months now) has only had a couple of accidents in the house and none since about 4 months. When we first got her home I tried putting her in the crate and she went crazy the minute I closed the door. We had an ex-pen, so I put the crate in the pen and left the door open. We put a bunch of her toys in the crate and started feeding her in it. It wasn't long before she was sleeping in the crate and we were able to close the door without her going crazy. We would leave her in the crate for and hour or so at first and then carry her directly outside to go potty and praise her and give her treats when she did. She NEVER went potty in the crate and the only time she had an accident was when we didn't get her out right away and that was only a couple of times. As far as the pee pads go, we have never used them but I would think it could be a problem retraining them to not use the pads and go outside. Our first three dogs (not crate trained) all took much longer (up to a year) to completely house train so I am a real believer in crates now. Here are some pictures of Brandi. There's a couple in there of the ex-pen with the crate in it.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/Brandithegoldenretriever/photos_stream
> 
> ...


Thanks, Dwight! Brandi is a real cutie. We started crate training last week and that's been a big help. Sucks leaving him in there the first few times when he's barking/crying nonstop, but now he hardly makes a peep when we put him in the crate.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Is it cool to just totally go overboard on fetch? Sosa is 11 weeks now and we play fetch with mini tennis balls for about an hour total each day in six 10-minute intervals. 

My GF plays other games with him but I am totally obsessed with throwing the ball around and having him sprint back to me, tail wagging, ball in mouth. He started to get the concept last week but would only do 3-4 reps before he got bored with it/distracted. Now he's fetching like a champ for as long as I'll throw and is really starting to grasp the 'Drop it' concept. Even pushes the ball back toward me with his nose on occasion. 

I have no practical use for this and don't hunt. At times I feel like a crazed dad forcing his son into football or something (Full disclosure: Playing with him right now as I type this on my phone), but Sosa seems to love it and it's the most fun thing we do together thus far. Sometimes think I should be mixing other games into the rotation, but I figure fetch incorporates a lot of good lessons - Coming to me as I pat my hip, understanding 'Drop it', gaining a sense of accomplishment after a job well done, etc. 

Will probably branch out and add some new games once he turns 12 weeks old, but I already consider myself akin to Tiger Woods' swing coach. Sosa already has all the physical tools to become a Hall of Fame fetcher, now it's my job to help him become one of the best in fetch history, right up there with Casey the Catcher and Otto the Obtainer.

(Yes, much of this post was tongue-in-cheek. On a serious note, teaching a puppy to fetch is the best)


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

FirstTimeOwner said:


> Anyone else ever just have that moment of clarity around day 5 where you realize you've been worrying about every single little thing way too much? GF is at work, I've been alone with Sosa since 2 p.m., found myself getting frustrated with the fact that he won't stop munching on leaves, spends 10 min. sniffing and chewing outside, sprints back to the door without going and then squats to pee on the carpet while staring at me approximately 56 seconds later?
> 
> For the most part he has exceeded all my expectations. Even rang the bell to go outside earlier today! (There's a chance it may have occurred due to incidental contact while he was playing with the curtains, but, nah. ... We'll stick with he rang it.) Needed to take a deep breath and realize for a while there I was turning into the type of micro-managing, overbearing parent I said I'd never be like. After 5 days. With a puppy. Worrying about everything. Unreal.
> 
> ...


Thanks for being a great puppy parent! He is just adorable and I think you are doing really well for a first time owner!


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

I love this thread..."watching" someone fall in love with their dog is almost as much fun as having a puppy myself.

You're doing a great job and yes, chilling out a bit will do everyone a lot of good. We all want to do it RIGHT and the fact is that every little pup is a bit different and there are a lot of different kinds of "right."

Enjoy!


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## lhowemt (Jun 28, 2013)

Otto the obtainer, rotflol!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Big day for Sosa yesterday. Took him to the Banfield Pet Hospital at PetSmart because I didn't think the first one was thorough enough & the hours weren't great. So glad I took him to another one. 

Someone asked earlier in this thread about a potential hot spot on his paw and while we knew it wasn't that, he does have a patch of missing hair on his back right paw and on his tail. Skin scrape came back negative so they're doing a fungal test and gave us an ointment to apply while waiting for those results to come back. 

My GF had noticed what she thought to be worms in his stool two days ago and it turns out the poor guy has tape worms & round worms even though he was dewormed 10 days ago  Got medication for all that and hoping it clears up soon. 

I felt awful because we were there for two hours as they were running a variety of tests (which I definitely prefer to the 10-minute visit with the first vet we tried) and I knew Sosa had to have been exhausted after getting poked, prodded, scraped, carried around and injected for so long. Was going to buy him a new toy for being so well-behaved but he definitely just wanted to come home and crash. 

After all that, I totally expected him to act up a bit when we got home. Nope. As soon as I opened the door he walked straight into our bedroom and sat down in his crate. We've been crate training for a little over a week now and this was only the 4th or 5th time he voluntarily sought out his crate for a nap. Just made me so incredibly happy. 

Went to a holiday party a few hours later and our friend who watched him said he was incredibly well behaved, no accidents in the house, etc. I had a decent buzz on when we got home and I've found that playing with Sosa is even more fun after a few drinks. Started one of our normal fetch games and, feeling ambitious, decided I'd try a standard tennis ball as opposed to the mini balls we've been playing with. What do you know, our 11-week-old pup did even better playing with a grown man tennis ball. So awesome. 

Hope he gets better soon! I would also encourage any new puppy parents to try multiple vets if you feel at all uneasy about the first trip. The difference was really eye-opening and I feel so much better about the situation. 

Currently watching football while he naps in his crate listening to Blues music, which seems to really relax him. Hope you're all having a great weekend. 

Here he is getting a quick nap in at the vet yesterday while waiting for test results:


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## gemmagirl (Nov 27, 2014)

I don't think you can ever be too overbearing. Consistency is key. And you're doing great! Keep it up!


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## lloyddobler (Nov 30, 2014)

What a lucky dog to have such caring parents! Good for you for listening to your gut!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

gemmagirl said:


> I don't think you can ever be too overbearing. Consistency is key. And you're doing great! Keep it up!


Thanks! I certainly will. Have found that constancy can be tough when the pups go from angel to demon on a day-to-day basis but I've always enjoyed a challenge


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI47Uz8ubpU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsRrW8Wm1xg

both videos are very good on how to teach a soft mouth.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

lloyddobler said:


> What a lucky dog to have such caring parents! Good for you for listening to your gut!


Well, thanks! I'm very good about trusting my gut instinct and that seems to translate well in terms of raising a pup. 

I've even found that he makes me a better person. Always had trouble waking up to alarm clocks & since I mostly work nights I generally used to sleep in until 10-11. Tell you what, a puppy is the best alarm clock in the world. By the time I take him out in the cold & pick up his morning glory at 8:30 a.m. I am ready to attack the day and get stuff done. 

Also used to have a lot of idle time outside of work. Spent it playing video games, going to the bar with friends, tinkering with the fantasy football lineup - Usual stuff for a guy in his mid-20s after college with no kids and few responsibilities. 

After only two weeks with Sosa I've found myself getting more done around the house, staying on top of things better and just being more productive in general because taking care of a puppy is so demanding that even doing dishes seems semi-relaxing in comparison. 

Whereas I would occasionally get frustrated at times in the first week-and-a-half, Sosa and I have established a pretty good routine. Now when he goes full-blown sassy pants mode I can usually understand why. Why is he chewing on my arm like it's a juicy medium rare filet? He's probably hungry. Why is he barking at me like a mental patient? He probably has to go to the bathroom. Why is he jumping/running around like a chicken with its head cut off and refusing to play? He's probably tired. 

Crazy how I can already predict his next move after two weeks. Can't imagine what's in store for the next two years and beyond.


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## dwightr8 (Apr 21, 2014)

Don't worry, he'll get you trained yet!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Took the little guy to Chicago this weekend and he did great. Slept the whole way there and back, no major issues staying with us at my sister's place, etc. 

Over the past 24 hours he has been ... not so great. Even more bitey than normal (which is a whole lot), not eating nearly as much as normal, not voluntarily walking to his crate for naps like he used to, and just giving us a lot of sass in general. 

I'm guessing this could be his way of releasing stress from a big weekend in a new environment? The only thing that really concerns me is the lack of appetite, which has never been a problem before. Luckily we already have a vet appointment scheduled for today, so hopefully they can pinpoint the issue. 

Anyone else notice post-travel stress with their puppies? Sosa is almost 13 weeks now.

My sister certainly didn't want to let him come back with us after puppy sitting for a few hours on Sunday.


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## Aiden's Mom (Aug 27, 2014)

In my opinion, the age at which you got Sosa was 9 weeks... At that point in time, they are very "tame", for lack of better words  He is just now hitting the 3 month old mark I believe? That's when my little boy Aiden started sleeping less while getting tons more energy in the process. 3 months to 6 months was my "super bitey phase" (teething/etc).

Don't let his behavior get you down -- you sound like you're doing a great job with the consistancy. Honestly, being consistent with Aiden was the best thing for him. I was such a nerd because I literally wrote out his hourly schedule on a sheet of paper and was amazed at how structured his puppy life was at the beginning. You're exactly right in that he definitely could be acting up because there were a lot of changes that weekend. Don't be discouraged - Sosa will be back on schedule soon  But he definitely will start to ramp up into full puppy crazy mode soon 

That your sister doesn't want him back at her place is saddening. I wonder if she has ever been through the bitey phase of a golden puppy (let alone any puppy)? She will change her mind fast when Sosa matures. Don't worry.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Aiden's Mom said:


> In my opinion, the age at which you got Sosa was 9 weeks... At that point in time, they are very "tame", for lack of better words  He is just now hitting the 3 month old mark I believe? That's when my little boy Aiden started sleeping less while getting tons more energy in the process. 3 months to 6 months was my "super bitey phase" (teething/etc).
> 
> Don't let his behavior get you down -- you sound like you're doing a great job with the consistancy. Honestly, being consistent with Aiden was the best thing for him. I was such a nerd because I literally wrote out his hourly schedule on a sheet of paper and was amazed at how structured his puppy life was at the beginning. You're exactly right in that he definitely could be acting up because there were a lot of changes that weekend. Don't be discouraged - Sosa will be back on schedule soon  But he definitely will start to ramp up into full puppy crazy mode soon
> 
> That your sister doesn't want him back at her place is saddening. I wonder if she has ever been through the bitey phase of a golden puppy (let alone any puppy)? She will change her mind fast when Sosa matures. Don't worry.


No, no ... My sister didn't want to let him leave with us! She wanted to keep him  

Thanks for all your kind words. We did the exact same thing with a notebook for the first few weeks and it was probably the most helpful thing in terms of establishing a routine. Overall he's been everything I could ask for and more. Sounds like I'll just need to add an extra cup of coffee or two to my day so I can keep up with the little guy! 

Thanks again.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

This is going to be a bit long, apologize in advance. [Edit: Turned out more than a bit long]

Took Sosa back to the vet for a follow up visit this afternoon and it didn't go well. My GF took him there and I was 10 minutes behind. Apparently a woman was petting him before I got there and tripped over him while walking. My GF said she partially landed on Sosa and he yelped and peed. Didn't seem like he was hurt, just shaken up. 

As I posted previously in this thread, I had a great experience with this pet hospital the first time. Today, however, there was a relief veterinarian who we hadn't seen before. Had the same assistant and they were great. But when the new vet tried to look at Sosa's ears they held him down in what they called a 'submission' pose and Sosa totally freaked out. Growled like we've never heard him growl before and bit the vet. 

I was pretty shaken. As he was freaking out I tried to give him a toy and the vet told me not to. When she returned, she told me she had never been bitten like that by a golden puppy in 20 years and put a muzzle on him to complete the exam. Sort of condescending toward us and at one point said, 'Looks like he's used to getting his way.' 

Please understand, by no means am I blaming the vet. At all. I was horrified by the whole thing. Sosa bites me all the time, especially when I'm trying to put his leash on or take it off. This is the only behavioral issue that's been difficult to deal with. Considering I've never had a dog, I have a hard time differentiating between aggressive and normal behavior for a teething puppy. Once he turned 12 weeks old I would stand up whenever he bit me too hard and yell 'NO!' while looking him in the eyes. But I have a really high pain tolerance and my hands and forearms are covered in scratches. 

The vet told us to take him to a behavioral therapist right away, which I plan on doing ASAP. Left a voicemail with one as soon as I got back. I really want to stress I am not blaming the vet for his behavior and consider this a very serious issue. But I just didn't like the way the vet handled the situation at all. It was as if she thought I didn't think it was a big deal, when I was clearly visibly shaken to the point where I almost got choked up. 

Asked the vet if they had any advice on how I should handle aggressive behavior while I'm in the process of setting up a meeting with a trainer. They said I should take him to a trainer as soon as possible because he could hurt a small child. I said yes, I've told you multiple times I will do that immediately. Just wanting to know if you have any advice over the next 3-4 days on how to handle it. They just said, 'I don't know.' And I don't think they believed me when I said we've never, ever seen Sosa show that kind of aggression. 

Keep in mind Sosa has played with multiple children and adults of all size and races, stayed with several puppy-sitters and we've never had one complaint. We play throughout the day and have great training sessions. He's been sitting on command since he was 10 weeks old, looks me in the eyes and holds his attention when I call his name and, as of last week, learned how to high-five consistently. He is crate trained and hasn't pooped in our house in over two weeks, with accidents of the other variety maybe every other day if that. 

I know many owners/parents think they have the perfect dog (like children) and I'm not saying that. I'm saying that for a rescue dog with an unclear past and multiple health issues (fleas when we got him, tape worms, roundworm, ear discharge) etc., he's been pretty darn good in my eyes. The only issue is the biting and my GF and I are working on it every day.

Also have to consider he was probably still stressed from the weekend trip and had a grown woman fall on him 5 min. before we entered the vet's office, all of which we explained to the vet in advance. He fell asleep as soon as I put him in the car and is napping in his crate right now.

I guess I don't really have any specific questions, just a lot on my mind and wanted to write about it. Want to stress one more time that I'm taking the biting/growling incident with the vet very seriously and will begin to work with a trainer as soon as possible. Also want to say that at no point over the past 3.5 weeks have I ever regretted going with a rescue instead of a breeder. Sure it's involved a lot of extra money for medicine we didn't plan on and headaches at times. I just can't imagine my life without Sosa and can't stomach the thought of him not being in a loving home. If the trainer seconds the opinion that he has a serious behavioral problem then we're a perfect match - I behaved recklessly and caused a lot of headaches for my parents throughout my childhood and only began to settle down (somewhat) in the past few years.

Hope the tone of this wasn't too depressing. I feel just the opposite and writing this all down has made me feel even better. Met the early challenges of potty/crate training and middle-of-the-night wake up calls head on and have seen incredible results. Can't wait to do the same with a private trainer and tackle Sosa's behavioral issues together. (Should also note that my GF has done just as much, if not more)

If anyone has read all the way to this point, thanks so much. Feel free to share any similar experiences or just general opinions. I'll close with one of my favorite quotes that hits even closer to home today.

_"Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” _

- Theodore Roosevelt.


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## Eclipse (Apr 21, 2014)

I don't know if this has been suggested before, but are you planning on taking Sosa to puppy classes? Even if your puppy has the basics down, I found classes a great place for my puppy to be introduced to distractions (treats on the floor, dogs, people, ect.). I entered my girl in Rally classes after her puppy class, and I am going to start taking Agility with her in January as well. I also love the support I get from the community of dog people and as a result joined the training club that puts together and teaches the classes. A training/dog club might be something you want to look into.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Eclipse said:


> I don't know if this has been suggested before, but are you planning on taking Sosa to puppy classes? Even if your puppy has the basics down, I found classes a great place for my puppy to be introduced to distractions (treats on the floor, dogs, people, ect.). I entered my girl in Rally classes after her puppy class, and I am going to start taking Agility with her in January as well. I also love the support I get from the community of dog people and as a result joined the training club that puts together and teaches the classes. A training/dog club might be something you want to look into.


We were going to start puppy classes this week but the vet (who we were not comfortable with) told my GF and I that he should see a personal trainer first. He's been great with other dogs so we might do both, just waiting to see what the trainer says.


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## lloyddobler (Nov 30, 2014)

Please note, I am not a behavioral expert, but I very much doubt your dog has an issue. I have a 14 week old golden and he bites and nips me constantly... sometimes harder than others. I too, get up and walk away to try to send the message that behavior is not ok. 

However, it sounds like your puppy went through a very stressful situation after being fallen on, then held down, etc. and likely had a very normal reaction to all the events that lead up to him biting the vet. I would try to find a new vet in your area as well so as to avoid having to be matched up with the one you saw today!

I also had a trainer tell me my dog has pica, which he described as a life-long mental health condition after he swallowed another dog's collar at puppy class and to find a behaviorist and wear a muzzle. That absolutely scared the you know what out of me. I called a behaviorist and spoke with them, wrote a few threads on here looking for advice, etc. However, I ended up not meeting with the behaviorist as his scavenging ways have seemed to improve greatly with training. I think he's a normal puppy learning his environment through his nose and mouth!

So, I can totally empathize with what you went through today. Hang in there and just keep loving and training your little guy and I'm sure all will be well. 

I'm not suggesting you should change your plan and not meet with a behaviorist. Only you know what is right for you and what will ease your mind. 

Please keep us posted and give Sosa some snuggles from us!


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## Eclipse (Apr 21, 2014)

FirstTimeOwner said:


> We were going to start puppy classes this week but the vet (who we were not comfortable with) told my GF and I that he should see a personal trainer first. He's been great with other dogs so we might do both, just waiting to see what the trainer says.


I had a food aggression issue with Penny when she was three months old. Having a personal trainer come out was an immense relief. Her snarling and snapping made the behavior seem worse than it was, but since I learned how to correct the behavior as soon as it made an appearance, it was very easy to deal with. I hope this will be the same case for you, and I'm guessing it will be even easier, since this was just an isolated incident. It sounds like the vet overreacted, if anything.


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## lhowemt (Jun 28, 2013)

OMG do not go back to that vet and do not take their behavioral or training advice! I cannot even believe what they did. It is still good to go to training and maybe see the behavioralist, but a vet's office can be stressful and they purposefully ramped it up. I would expect nearly any puppy in that situation to go over threshold. Just because Sosa lost control and lashed out once isn't necessarily an aggression issue.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

lhowemt said:


> OMG do not go back to that vet and do not take their behavioral or training advice! I cannot even believe what they did. It is still good to go to training and maybe see the behavioralist, but a vet's office can be stressful and they purposefully ramped it up. I would expect nearly any puppy in that situation to go over threshold. Just because Sosa lost control and lashed out once isn't necessarily an aggression issue.


Thanks so much. That's pretty much exactly how I felt but the whole 'Haven't been bitten like that in 20 years' comment just freaked me out. Tried to explain the circumstances to no avail. 

You're all making me feel much better about the situation.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

lloyddobler said:


> Please note, I am not a behavioral expert, but I very much doubt your dog has an issue. I have a 14 week old golden and he bites and nips me constantly... sometimes harder than others. I too, get up and walk away to try to send the message that behavior is not ok.
> 
> However, it sounds like your puppy went through a very stressful situation after being fallen on, then held down, etc. and likely had a very normal reaction to all the events that lead up to him biting the vet. I would try to find a new vet in your area as well so as to avoid having to be matched up with the one you saw today!
> 
> ...


Consider him snuggled  Just woke up from his nap and chowed down. Played some fetch and is currently chewing on a toy next to me. 

Thanks for sharing.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

FTO,
There's something wrong with that vet. Her suggestions stink.
Puppy classes are fine though.
Look at it from Sosa's side. He's away partying at a really cool place with cool people, comes home and has to go to a Dr. he never saw before, gets flattened by "Grace" in the office then has this strange lady poking at his ears while laying in a headlock with some blimp pushing down on his neck/head. 
They gave you some shoddy service and swayed their dx at his behavior. 
You're doing good with him. Just a little bump. Don't let anybody deter you.
And when you call for any future vet visits ask which vet you'll be seeing. Try and stick with one you had that all 3 of you like. Be nosey at his puppy classes and find out who all the other puppy owners use for their vet.

Now.......more important stuff: Bears ever gonna have a defense again?


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## Aiden's Mom (Aug 27, 2014)

Tennyson said:


> FTO,
> There's something wrong with that vet. Her suggestions stink.
> Puppy classes are fine though.
> Look at it from Sosa's side. He's away partying at a really cool place with cool people, comes home and has to go to a Dr. he never saw before, gets flattened by "Grace" in the office then has this strange lady poking at his ears while laying in a headlock with some blimp pushing down on his neck/head.
> ...


This 100%

Don't go to that vet again -- try to set up appointments specifically with that other vet you saw and only that one. I'm sure Sosa would appreciate the consistency with the same vet each time, too. It's like having your own family doctor that you *know* -- you are way more comfortable with a familiar doctor, or at least I am. 

After he was traumatized enough for one visit the vet brings out a *muzzle* to put on Sosa, a _*3 month old puppy*_? I don't know about you but vets should go out of their way to make sure the "early vet experiences" are the best. Now I'm afraid that the vets office will always remind him of that experience. Bring lots of treats for Sosa next time -- try to make it into a happy place somehow. :no:

I'm sorry that happened to you. It's completely not your fault. I don't think Sosa has any major aggression issues at all. Just watch him and use your own judgement -- you are the one who knows his "baseline" and what is aggression versus the normal puppy bitey phase. Not saying that you shouldn't work on it, but you are -- it's very normal.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Tennyson said:


> FTO,
> There's something wrong with that vet. Her suggestions stink.
> Puppy classes are fine though.
> Look at it from Sosa's side. He's away partying at a really cool place with cool people, comes home and has to go to a Dr. he never saw before, gets flattened by "Grace" in the office then has this strange lady poking at his ears while laying in a headlock with some blimp pushing down on his neck/head.
> ...


Ha, awesome. Thanks a bunch. Not sure on the Bears. Actually went to the game at Soldier Sunday and can't wait to see Trestman head out of town on Monday. Few young guys on D who could be players. Fuller has potential at CB, not sure on Bostic at LB but he has the physical tools. We shall see. Rough year but hopefully they get it turned around soon!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Aiden's Mom said:


> This 100%
> 
> Don't go to that vet again -- try to set up appointments specifically with that other vet you saw and only that one. I'm sure Sosa would appreciate the consistency with the same vet each time, too. It's like having your own family doctor that you *know* -- you are way more comfortable with a familiar doctor, or at least I am.
> 
> ...


I almost tried to stop the vet from putting the muzzle on and I could tell the assistant thought it was a bit over the top. Should have trusted my gut and said something even though I'm so new at this and figured this vet should know what they were doing, even if they were a relief vet.


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## lhowemt (Jun 28, 2013)

Tennyson said:


> Now.......more important stuff: Bears ever gonna have a defense again?


I turn 46 tomorrow! As a Bear fan, you know what this is?


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## lhowemt (Jun 28, 2013)

FirstTimeOwner said:


> I almost tried to stop the vet from putting the muzzle on and I could tell the assistant thought it was a bit over the top. Should have trusted my gut and said something even though I'm so new at this and figured this vet should know what they were doing, even if they were a relief vet.


Trust your gut. Don't be afraid to stop the appt and leave.


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

I had a vet tell me one time that if at any time during a vet appointment I felt uncomfortable with actions or them pushing for certain procedures I should immediately leave. Pay for the office visit leave and find a new vet. He told me that I know my dog best as far as what works and his behavior. I vote with NEVER GO TO THAT VET AGAIN!!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

lhowemt said:


> I turn 46 tomorrow! As a Bear fan, you know what this is?


Time to walk the Plank! Happy birthday. Doug was actually in Chicago Sunday doing radio for the game.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

So as I sit and read about several pups who have been misdiagnosed with behavioral issues, I wonder how much has to do with $$$. Obviously there are some serious behavioral issues in certain dogs that need to be addressed, but personal trainers aren't cheap and it could (hypothetically speaking, of course) be beneficial for a relief vet to filter dogs to the same personal trainer by saying outlandish things like this is one of the worst cases they've seen in 20 years following what was by most accounts a completely understandable incident for a stressed puppy.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

lhowemt said:


> OMG do not go back to that vet and do not take their behavioral or training advice! I cannot even believe what they did. It is still good to go to training and maybe see the behavioralist, but a vet's office can be stressful and they purposefully ramped it up. I would expect nearly any puppy in that situation to go over threshold. Just because Sosa lost control and lashed out once isn't necessarily an aggression issue.


I absolutely 100% agree with this post. DO NOT go back to this vet, they have no idea how to handle a puppy. There was ZERO reason for them to hold the puppy down for an ear exam, good grief. 

I am so sorry you had such an awful experience. Sosa does not have an aggression problem, the vet does.

I would suggest you have a few "interview visits" with some other vets to find one you really like. Personally, I don't recommend Banfield clinics, I have heard way too many bad reports about them, multiple locations. It's a corporation and that doesn't lead to personally involved, caring veterinarians.


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## lloyddobler (Nov 30, 2014)

How have things been going this past month? Hopefully, no posts indicate everything is going along wonderfully!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

lloyddobler said:


> How have things been going this past month? Hopefully, no posts indicate everything is going along wonderfully!


Ha, going very well. Thanks for asking! Been really busy with work lately and haven't posted in a while but Sosa really seems to have turned a corner in the past few weeks. 

He's now 17 weeks old and completed a basic obedience class last month. He was the youngest pup there but seemed to really enjoy it. We really liked the instructor and have incorporated a lot of his advice while discarding a few things that didn't seem to fit Sosa at this age. We'll probably go through another round of training class when he's a bit older. 

He's been bell trained for months now and will leave whatever activity we're doing to go ring it when he has to go. Accidents in the house are so rare that whenever they do happen it's like, 'Huh. Where the hell did that come from?' Couldn't be happier with that and the fact that he enjoys his crate and naps there for hours at a time during the day. 

Biggest problem is still the biting as we couldn't find anything that worked. It just sucked. I'm not talking about mouthing - Drew blood several times and I still have a few scars to show for it. We consulted everyone from vets to trainers to posters on here and of course they all had different opinions. Aside from the fact that it made it almost impossible and painful to play with him, I just constantly worried about it continuing as he gets bigger. 

We FINALLY had a breakthrough last week when we tried shaking a container of rocks to create a loud noise every time he bit too hard. He’s still mouthy and chews on his toys/sticks he finds on walks like crazy. But we were consistent with the rocks and he doesn’t really even bite us anymore, just gets mouthy. We don’t even really have to shake the rocks anymore. If it seems like he’s about to cross the line he stops as soon as we even reach for the container without making any noise. 

We all know how quickly they can change from day-to-day so I’m sure we’re not even close to being in the clear with the biting. But just to finally have some success, even for a week, is cause for celebration. (Just so happens my favorite limited-release microbrew, Bell’s HopSlam, hit the market last week. Perfect timing.)

Obviously he still requires a ton of our energy, attention and patience as a four-month old and I don’t expect that to change in the near future. But the victories are mounting, the headaches decreasing, and the sense of reward and enjoyment is plentiful. He had a lot of health problems from 8-14 weeks, including a freak accident that left him with a bruised eye that he could barely open for a day. That killed me. But he’s finally healthy and all caught up on vaccinations, shots, etc.. Next scheduled vet appointment isn’t for five months. 

Take him for daily walks around a large pond outside of our condo and since he’s so good with ‘sit’ and ‘come’ we’ll let him run around outside without a leash when there aren’t any other dogs or people around. 

Yeah, he’s still a little jerk sometimes. But he’s our little jerk. Pretty cute too.


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## golfgal (Dec 31, 2013)

He's barely 4mths old. Give him and yourself a break. Sadly I have to break the news to you that he's probably also entering the teething stage now. Starting to get adult teeth now. Time to reinforce those 'no biting' tricks. I found frozen carrots, ice cubes, wet and freeze rope toys and anything cold was very helpful as growing teeth is hard work. Keep up the work.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

golfgal said:


> He's barely 4mths old. Give him and yourself a break. Sadly I have to break the news to you that he's probably also entering the teething stage now. Starting to get adult teeth now. Time to reinforce those 'no biting' tricks. I found frozen carrots, ice cubes, wet and freeze rope toys and anything cold was very helpful as growing teeth is hard work. Keep up the work.


Not sure if you're referring to an earlier post or the most recent but I totally understand teething is just kicking in. Just saying he's been spending more time chewing on toys and ice cubes than our arms and legs for a change, which is awesome.


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## golfgal (Dec 31, 2013)

Well you could always have another one, it definitely kept my arms less scratched and teething less noticeable with another dog in the house. My theory is that the initial biting is more their inappropriate way to get attention. "Works for litter mates why not those bigger things that are here for me to play with". Then they start teething and the light bulb moment of toys being something fun and soothing to chew one kicks in.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

golfgal said:


> Well you could always have another one, it definitely kept my arms less scratched and teething less noticeable with another dog in the house. My theory is that the initial biting is more their inappropriate way to get attention. "Works for litter mates why not those bigger things that are here for me to play with". Then they start teething and the light bulb moment of toys being something fun and soothing to chew one kicks in.


I can definitely see the benefits of adding another pup to the mix but don't think we're ready to take on those first couple weeks of training again juuuust yet 

The good news is there are several other dogs in our complex so he's made some friends. He loves playing with one dog in particular and I've become friends with her owner so we let them off the leashes and let them chase a frisbee around/roughhouse several times a week. That definitely helps. One of our friends has a 6-year-old lab he spends time with as well, but as you can imagine he tires the older dogs out pretty quickly. 

Thanks again for the advice.


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## Duke2014 (Nov 30, 2014)

He is too cute!!! Congrats.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Sosa turned 18 weeks old today. What a great week it has been. 

Over the past 7 days we have seen an unbelievable transformation. Our past struggles with the biting are well documented and the tupperware full of rocks is a God send. He's still very mouthy but nothing like before. I could cry I'm so happy with the developments over the past week. 

The running joke between my GF and I is we've inherited a lap dog. The guy chills with us on the bed/couch without biting our skin and will just hang and play fetch like never before. The progress he's made in the past week or so is seriously unbelievable. 

Now I'm going to throw this out there with the full understanding it is opening us up to controversy - We had him neutered at 4 months. 

I understand this is a hot topic. If anyone comes in this thread and suggests we should not have neutered him at this age I will unleash a tidal wave of words the likes of which you have never seen. There will be no debate about it. It happened, it's done with, deal with it. 

That being said, our little guy is finally becoming the dog we envisioned. I'm not saying it's because he was neutered. Maybe that played a part, maybe it didn't. But we've worked our asses off for the past two months and to see it pay off like it has over the past 7 days is indescribable. 

Before Sosa I didn't really understand how people could become so attached to their pets. Now I literally can not imagine life without Sosa. He became my best friend within a couple of days and to see the growth process occur over a period of several months is SO MUCH FUN. Man, I love this little guy. 

The daily photo opps just never stop and I think he takes after his dad a lot. For example, I write for a living and whenever Sosa gets a chance he hops on the keyboard. Honestly never could have imagined I could love a dog this much. He is THE MAN.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Hey, gang. Sosa turns 19-weeks-old tomorrow and obviously I haven't been posting as much. Partly work related and partly because I just needed some sort of therapeutic outlet in the early weeks and this forum certainly delivered some much-needed peace of mind. 

Currently going through the terrible twos/teething stage and we've just sort of accepted it. Give him lots of appropriate things to chew on, go heavy on the positive reinforcement and try not to take his perfectly normal rebellious phases personally. Hard at times but so much easier than house training/early biting/restless stage. 

Funny now to look at threads from all the brand new puppy owners freaking out over every little thing. I shake my head and then read back through this thread and realize I was the exact same way, probably worse. (OMG HE GROWLED AND SNAPPED AT ME WHEN I TRIED TO PICK HIM UP? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT HIM DOWN?? WHY GOD?!?!?!)

Anyways, quick question about leash training. We live in a condo complex with a large, wooded backyard area including a big pond. Walk him around the pond once or twice a day, usually with the leash on. The GF and I often work nights so Sosa's sleep schedule is a bit different, and when it's late with no other dogs outside we'll take him outside without a leash to toss a frisbee and run around or whatever. Sometimes I'll walk him around the pond without a leash after midnight. He knows the route and sticks to it, often running about 20/30 yards ahead before sitting & waiting for me to catch up. If I start to get uncomfortable with the distance I'll pat my leg and call him & he sprints right to me. The pond is about 50 yards from a road & any time a car comes by he'll just sit down and watch. Never chases after squirrels or random critters or anything, just observes. 

Question is, are we teaching him bad habits by letting him run free like that? He's on the leash 90% of the time and does fine with it. Just wondering if it should be 100% at this stage in his development. 

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

As an aside, have a great group of friends who all love Sosa and some are already figuring out how to use him to their advantage. 

I'm in my mid-20s and a lot of my buddies are single and on Tinder (Dating app which connects people via cell phone. Use google or ask a millennial for further detail if need be). One of my friends was in town for the Super Bowl last weekend and let me know ahead of time he had a job for Sosa - needed to take a picture with him to use as one of his Tinder photos. Let's face it, the pup's a total chick magnet. 

Might be on to a nice side business here - $10 for a profile pic!


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## FirstTimeOwner (Dec 4, 2014)

Sosa turns 5 months old today and is doing great, but I have another quick question for everyone ...

Sosa and I were hanging out in the apartment a few weeks ago when we heard several loud banging noises coming from right outside the door followed by a woman screaming bloody murder. I immediately sprinted outside and shut the door behind me to see what was up (long story I'd rather not get into) and Sosa was pretty frightened with all the commotion, along with my immediate reaction.

Now whenever there's a relatively loud noise from outside or even someone knocking on the door, Sosa reacts just like I did then - Starts barking frantically and racing to the door, whether it's my GF, pizza delivery guy, whoever. Any tips to try to reverse this behavior? Wasn't an issue at all before a few weeks ago but he's been doing it since that night.


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