# 10 month old Golden Retriever biting issue



## goldenCosmo

Hi. I'm new to the forum. We got our Golden Retriever when he was eight weeks old. He is now about ten months old. He is usually very sweet. He loves our whole family and he loves giving kisses and he is very sweet with other dogs and people. The whole issue with him is that everyday around dusk and sometimes in the morning, he goes into a rage and bites viciously. We've tried telling him no, closing his mouth, holding him tightly by the collar, or pinning him down, but he continues, with his mouth open and his nose all scrunched up. We don't understand why he does this. Is this a sign of dominance or something else? What should we do?
Also, another thing is that when we are walking, he constantly pulls ahead and goes wherever he wants, dragging us behind him. If we try to slow him down or take him where we want to take him, he jumps on whoever is holding the leash, trying to bite, so that we will let go of the leash. It has become very common. We don't want to seem like we are abusing him, by trying to act like the boss in public, but he really jumps and bites viciously when he wants to go off on his own. Is there anyway to teach him that this is not okay?🇳🇴
Cosmo also loves jumping on the counters and stealing stuff from the sink and tables. How do we stop him from jumping?
One last thing about Cosmo is that he is very possessive. Ever since he was a tiny puppy, he guards stole items and growls fiercely if anyone tries to take anything from him. He is not afraid to bite. It has really become scary. The moment something is taken away, however, he goes back to being his angelic sweet self. Is there any technique for a teaching a dog to drop and leave something?
Cosmo is our first dog, so we've come to realize the things we should have taught when he was younger. We love Cosmo so much and he usually is very sweet, but sometimes in the day he is unmanageable. We were wondering if these problems are common with other goldens? And is it to late to train him, or is there still a chance? Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!

(Cosmo is a male golden, eighty pounds)



UPDATE: HI ALL! Cosmo is now 9 years old. I can't believe it. I'm glad to say with the right amount of exercise and activity, he grew up into the perfect gentleman! He's been our best friend, support, and inspiration. Couldn't imagine life without him. Hoping he has many golden years ahead of him. It's so funny reading this post and the responses today after all these years! He turned into the best dog a girl could ask for. So sweet with adults, children, and other dogs!


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## Leslie B

You need more help than can be given on a forum. Please look for a certified behaviorist in your area to help train you and your dog. This is a situation that will not get better without outside help.


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## Claudia M

Do you have access to any training classes? Any trainers around you? Your profile does not say where you are. 
He is a teenager and some of what you are saying comes with it but it does need to be nipped in the bud.


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## ally1h

I agree with the above posters. You need help beyond what people on the forum can give you. It sounds like there are multiple problems going on, and without knowing the whole story it would be incredibly challenging for any of us to tackle such an issue or give you advice. Please search for a certified trainer that can work 1 on 1 with you and your dog. These behaviors may be influenced by the age of the dog... But they are behaviors that can become very bad, life long habits very easily if not taken care of pronto.


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## Gwen_Dandridge

It is NOT too late. But go get help soon!


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## Roushbabe

Please understand that we aren't trying to push you away with not giving you advice.. but at 10 months... it's past the puppy stages really and he's starting to get confident with his behaviors. You can't really try and fix this without a certified animal trainer/behaviorist. Putting it simple... for 10 months he's tried these antics (guarding/pulling/biting) and has gotten the reward (left alone, freedom, or attention). Please keep us up to date if you find someone and how it goes with the training. Without fixing these problems it can become something more serious.


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## Ljilly28

Closing his mouth, pinning him down- this only exacerbates problems. Teach him solid obedience commands at other times, so he knows his down-stay rock solid, and can be put on one. Make sure he burns off a ton of energy daily with off leash running and games likr tug with a very strict "out" command mixed in. No "out" no play. Lower the protein in his food. Make sure he knows it is not a self serve world. He musst do something for you to earn any resource. Want to go out? Down. Want your breakfast? Down, sit, Down. Try not to give this dog any freebies while this behavior is occuring. Regulate his toys and treas so he is working for them.


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## goldenCosmo

We took him to Petsmart classes when he was younger. He does very well on his commands, such as sit, down, stay, come, watch, leave, when in a controlled environment. When he is too excited he wont listen. 
We also asked a private instructor to come to the house. He came a few times. The only problem is that Cosmo doesn't act with the instructor how he does with us, so it is impossible for the instructor to show us what to do in certain situations. For example, the instructor showed us how to use a choke collar properly to correct, but if we use it on him for walks, he holds his leash in his mouth so that we can't correct him. 
Anyway, thank you for trying to help. I appreciate that you all took the time to read my post. I'll look for other solutions.


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## CRS250

goldenCosmo said:


> Hi. I'm new to the forum. We got our Golden Retriever when he was eight weeks old. He is now about ten months old. He is usually very sweet. He loves our whole family and he loves giving kisses and he is very sweet with other dogs and people. The whole issue with him is that everyday around dusk and sometimes in the morning, he goes into a rage and bites viciously. We've tried telling him no, closing his mouth, holding him tightly by the collar, or pinning him down, but he continues, with his mouth open and his nose all scrunched up. We don't understand why he does this. Is this a sign of dominance or something else? What should we do?
> Also, another thing is that when we are walking, he constantly pulls ahead and goes wherever he wants, dragging us behind him. If we try to slow him down or take him where we want to take him, he jumps on whoever is holding the leash, trying to bite, so that we will let go of the leash. It has become very common. We don't want to seem like we are abusing him, by trying to act like the boss in public, but he really jumps and bites viciously when he wants to go off on his own. Is there anyway to teach him that this is not okay?:no:
> Cosmo also loves jumping on the counters and stealing stuff from the sink and tables. How do we stop him from jumping?
> One last thing about Cosmo is that he is very possessive. Ever since he was a tiny puppy, he guards stole items and growls fiercely if anyone tries to take anything from him. He is not afraid to bite. It has really become scary. The moment something is taken away, however, he goes back to being his angelic sweet self. Is there any technique for a teaching a dog to drop and leave something?
> Cosmo is our first dog, so we've come to realize the things we should have taught when he was younger. We love Cosmo so much and he usually is very sweet, but sometimes in the day he is unmanageable. We were wondering if these problems are common with other goldens? And is it to late to train him, or is there still a chance? Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!
> 
> (Cosmo is a male golden, eighty pounds)


I think the op may be overstating some of the behaviors. This is a first time dog owner with a rambunctious golden who's describing rough play. If the dog was actually viciously biting her family, he'd be drawing blood, seriously injuring her family and she'd likely be way past posting on a forum as the first time a family member went into a hospital for treatment they'd have gotten animal control involved. If you can afford it then sure, see a specialist, it will be more effective and quicker then a regular obedience class/trainer.

However if as I suspect, the biting is nipping that may scrape you, but doesnt deeply penetrate the skin then Cosmo is in a place where you likely need to increase his exercise and get into some obedience classes. Couple that with the lessons you can learn in the book linked below and your family as well as Cosmo will likely be a lot happier. The trainer in your obedience class will suggest a collar or halter to you. Buy it the first day as this will allow you to start walking the dog for exercise. He should be getting at least an hour of walks per day. Somewhere in the 2 - 4 mile range depending on your fitness level. It doesnt sound like in his current state he is getting any kind of exercise with you. Off leash play time doesnt count on this, I find the walk really makes a difference.

Meanwhile, I would stop any form of "dominance corrections" you or your family has been doing. Do NOT hold a dog down to punish them for this kind of behavior and do not use any corporal punishment. This type of attention may curb the behavior for a brief time but it escalates the intensity of the play. The best way to handle aggressive play like this is a brief time out, either turning your back on him, or taking him to the bathroom for 30 seconds - 1 minute on his own in a dark room.

book on dealing with possessive aggression:
Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs: Jean Donaldson: 9780970562944: Amazon.com: Books


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## Ripley16

The reason that Cosmo is acting differently towards your trainer is because he views the trainer as an pack leader or an alpha, and he obviously does not view you that way. You need to assert dominance over the dog, and make sure you are the boss of him, not the opposite. This would be greatly helped with a professional trainer. An e-collar might be a good tool for training your dog, but you would have to consult a trainer as to how to use this. Grabbing and holding your dog down is not a really effective way to assert this, is should be done with your voice and body language. 

With the biting, he is not drawing blood? More of a nipping? The scrunched up face is actually really common among goldens. My grandmother calls in Ripley's "smile" and she does this when she is really excited. For her, it is not a sign of aggression, because she does not have an aggressive or possessive bone in her body. If she was alone in the yard, and burglars came in, she would greet them excitedly. We used to think that the "smile" was an aggressive thing, but her breeder told us that all of her dogs did it, and it was just because they were excited 

Don't lose hope, he can be trained to be a great dog still, but you need to spend a lot of time with him, and probably change the techniques you are using. Good Luck!


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## CRS250

Ripley16 said:


> The reason that Cosmo is acting differently towards your trainer is because he views the trainer as an pack leader or an alpha, and he obviously does not view you that way. !


I'll respectfully disagree:

http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdf

Honestly sad to find members here believe in dominance theory.


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## Elisabeth Kazup

A few classes at Petsmart won't train your dog for life...obviously. We were in classes for almost 3 years; almost constantly.

Find a trainer who offers classes that are sequential. Cosmo isn't beyond hope but you need to get busy with him. You can start with my thread in the puppy section about loose leash walking. Sol Invictus put in some really great videos with very clear instructions. Please read thru that thread.

I agree that physical punishment like pinning is just going to make him more reactive. He's fighting for survival when you do that and he will gradually fight harder. 

Please get help for him.


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## Ripley16

CRS250 said:


> I'll respectfully disagree:
> 
> http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdf
> 
> Honestly sad to find members here believe in dominance theory.


If you read through my post, you would also see that I do not agree with using force to assert dominance, it should be done through body language and vocal tone, not yelling, but assertive. Dogs are intelligent creatures, and if they can get away with it, they will walk all over you. Mine tries with me, because I am the big softie in the family, and would let her get away with murder, while my father has never laid a hand on her, but is her "master" (even though she is my dog! ) and if he told her to come and she was off leash a mile away, she would come running. Maybe I worded my post in a way not to communicate my actual beliefs on this, but I don't think anyone can get anywhere with using physical force on their dogs. If your dog dosen't respect you, they will not listen to you. The respect is what you need to actually be affective in training.


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## CRS250

I did completely read your post the first time, it made me sad to read it. 



Ripley16 said:


> The reason that Cosmo is acting differently towards your trainer is because he views the trainer as an pack leader or an alpha, and he obviously does not view you that way. You need to assert dominance over the dog, and make sure you are the boss of him,


This is straight out dominance theory, disputed by the official position of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, who have eloquently explained, much better than I can why this type of thinking is faulty. Read the link I posted please. Frankly it's terrible advice for this situation, possible the worst thing the OP could do.



Ripley16 said:


> An e-collar might be a good tool for training your dog, but you would have to consult a trainer as to how to use this. Grabbing and holding your dog down is not a really effective way to assert this, is should be done with your voice and body language.


Using an e-collar is corporal punishment, whether you choose to acknowledge it as such or not. Can you get good results out of it? Sure, but you can beat the fight out of him too. Don't kid yourself if you did either to your children it's abuse, how is doing it to your dog any different? 

E-collars can be useful in specific situations related to curbing natural instincts in hunting and field training, not my choice/experience but I've read at very high levels of competition it's done, even by the best trainers. However the OP is not in a situation anything close to requiring this type of training. Suggesting it in any way for these issues is a very sad thing for me to see. This is a pet not a highly trained competitive athlete.

Edited to add the position paper on the use of adversives like the e-collar, alpha rolls, etc

 http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/Combined_Punishment_Statements1-25-13.pdf


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## CRS250

Ripley16 said:


> Dogs are intelligent creatures, and if they can get away with it, they will walk all over you. Mine tries with me, because I am the big softie in the family, and would let her get away with murder, while my father has never laid a hand on her, but is her "master" (even though she is my dog!


Ugh. Dogs are not people, they don't think like this, you are not a dog, she doesnt think you are. If she misbehaves for you then you are either inconsistent in training her, have accidentally reinforced this behavior, or the dog is testing the boundaries of her training. 

Specific to another problem you've mentioned in other posts - Your dog doesnt come when called, use positive reinforcement for your training and stop trying to dominate her. There are no shortcuts to a well behaved dog.


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## Wenderwoman

How much exercise is the dog getting? If it is around a particular time of day, try wearing him out before that time happens.

I am just speaking from my personal experience and I haven't work with a lot of dogs but I think they have a ton of energy as puppies and if they aren't getting exercised, it will come out somehow. My dog will get zoomies and run up and down the hall like a maniac if she doesn't get enough exercise and sometimes even if she does get enough exercise.

I wouldn't recommend putting yourself in a position where the dog might bite you. Sometimes I will use treats to get my dog to drop something. She'll drop anything for a treat.

p.s. Have you tried using a squirt bottle filled with water? My dog hates the squirt bottle and it works great for catching her counter surfing.


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## Brave

CRS250 said:


> I'll respectfully disagree:
> 
> http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdf


Hello! 

Just a quick interjection here. Not all people who subscribe to the "pack leader" philosophy utilize (or even believe in) dominance theory. 

For example, from the link in your quote:
"Dominance is defined as a relationship between individual animals that is established by force/aggression and submission, to determine who has priority access to multiple resources such as food, preferred resting spots, and mates (Bernstein 1981; Drews 1993)."

You can still establish yourself as "pack leader" without aggression. No need to alpha roll a dog to establish that what you say goes. 

Does my dog come when called? Yes. Did i beat him to encourage that? No. But he was CORRECTED for disobeying (i.e. the walk of shame back to where I was when I called him). 

I hear rescues describe different dogs as "needing a strong leader" and the dog in question may in fact NEED a strong leader. That doesn't mean strong as in physically stronger and making "abusive" corrections. But one that will not let a dog blow them off. 



CRS250 said:


> Honestly sad to find members here believe in dominance theory.


I wish forums were safe to give advice without being judged by other members for assumptions made about that person. If trainers (or people who simply have a variety of knowledge about certain issues) could talk without getting censored or shamed for their contributions, maybe the forum would attract more people from different backgrounds and philosophies. :wave:


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## Ripley16

CRS250 said:


> Ugh. Dogs are not people, they don't think like this, you are not a dog, she doesnt think you are. If she misbehaves for you then you are either inconsistent in training her, have accidentally reinforced this behavior, or the dog is testing the boundaries of her training.
> 
> Specific to another problem you've mentioned in other posts - Your dog doesnt come when called, use positive reinforcement for your training and stop trying to dominate her. There are no shortcuts to a well behaved dog.


Wow, okay. I really don't appreciate being personally attacked in a post that I meant to help another member. You are entitled to your own beliefs in regards to training your own dog, but criticizing the the advice of someone trying to give aid to another is uncalled for. I have never caused harm to my dog through training and am very insulted that you would insinuate that. I feel like you are trying to play the devils advocate here just to provoke me, and its really not appreciated. I do not know why you have taken the time to look though my past posting, and bring this up on this topic. If you have a problem with what I have said, this should NOT be posted on a publicly viewed forum. Feel free to PM me if you have an issue with me. 

What you must understand is that not everyone agree's with your way of dealing with your own dog, and as long as they are treating their dog with love and nurture, then you have no right to insinuate otherwise. I am respectful of your beliefs, please have the same respect of mine.

I would also add that in asserting dominance, it does not mean by any means that I adhere to the dominance theory or expressing aggression towards a dog as a form of training. I believe you have misconstrued my intentions.


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## HiTideGoldens

Friends let's keep this civil. Alternate viewpoints on training tend to be a hot-button issue on this forum but I would hate to have to close the thread because people cannot be polite. Please think about what you are writing before you hit "Reply."


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## CRS250

Brave said:


> Hello!
> 
> Just a quick interjection here. Not all people who subscribe to the "pack leader" philosophy utilize (or even believe in) dominance theory.
> 
> For example, from the link in your quote:
> "Dominance is defined as a relationship between individual animals that is established by force/aggression and submission, to determine who has priority access to multiple resources such as food, preferred resting spots, and mates (Bernstein 1981; Drews 1993)."
> 
> You can still establish yourself as "pack leader" without aggression. No need to alpha roll a dog to establish that what you say goes.


Hi Jen,

Thanks for your response. I'm sorry but I will disagree with you, I think you are under a misconception. Dominance theory IS pack leadership, this is exactly why the position paper was posted by the AVSAB! Because dominance theory has made a come back in popularity due to Cesar Milan.

Further your quote from the position statement is out of context I think for the point you were trying to make. The line you have quoted talks about dominance relations *between individual animals*, it is not intended to refer to animal - human relationships.

The correct quotes on the topic of dog-human relationships and dominance/pack leadership are:
"
People who rely on dominance theory to train their pets may need to regularly threaten them with *aggressive displays* or repeatedly use physical force. Conversely, pets subjected to threats or force may not offer submissive behaviors. Instead, *they may react with aggres**sion*, not because they are trying to be dominant but because the human threatening them makes them afraid."

Emphasis mine - All of the talk Cesar Milan does about 'assertiveness', poking dogs, backing them with physical intimidation, this is all aggressive display, all dominance theory, like it or not.


"the relationship(dominance) lasts only as long as the higher-ranking individual is strong enough to retain this rank. Thus, high rank may be short-lived in both human-animal and animal-animal relationships."

I dont dispute it can work to train an animal, but specific to the OP's position with a dog that is potentially aggressive and/or playbiting. I believe escalating this with physical intimidation, e-collar etc. Is the exact wrong course of action. I posted as I did because I strongly believe so - and so does the AVSAB.





Brave said:


> I hear rescues describe different dogs as "needing a strong leader" and the dog in question may in fact NEED a strong leader. That doesn't mean strong as in physically stronger and making "abusive" corrections. But one that will not let a dog blow them off.


People who run rescues are just as fallible as the rest of the population in believing the "fad" in training that is pack leadership.




Brave said:


> I wish forums were safe to give advice without being judged by other members for assumptions made about that person. If trainers (or people who simply have a variety of knowledge about certain issues) could talk without getting censored or shamed for their contributions, maybe the forum would attract more people from different backgrounds and philosophies. :wave:



I hope you understand that I responded as I did to show that the most well respected experts in the US on this subject think the idea of dominance theory which IS what was suggested is complete bunk.

Here are a few more links that I believe confirm what you are talking about IS dominance theory and is exactly what the position paper I posted originally is talking about. 

Pack Leadership and Dominance Theory | Dog Training

Dog Behavior and Training - Dominance, Alpha, and Pack Leadership - What Does It Really Mean? | VCA Animal Hospitals

LEE CHARLES KELLEY


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## CRS250

Ripley16 said:


> Wow, okay. I really don't appreciate being personally attacked in a post that I meant to help another member. You are entitled to your own beliefs in regards to training your own dog, but criticizing the the advice of someone trying to give aid to another is uncalled for. I have never caused harm to my dog through training and am very insulted that you would insinuate that. I feel like you are trying to play the devils advocate here just to provoke me, and its really not appreciated. I do not know why you have taken the time to look though my past posting, and bring this up on this topic. If you have a problem with what I have said, this should NOT be posted on a publicly viewed forum. Feel free to PM me if you have an issue with me.
> 
> What you must understand is that not everyone agree's with your way of dealing with your own dog, and as long as they are treating their dog with love and nurture, then you have no right to insinuate otherwise. I am respectful of your beliefs, please have the same respect of mine.


I'm sorry if you found my post to be an attack of some kind. I believe what you have suggested is directly in contradiction to the foremost experts in the field, the ASVAB. I posted their position paper on this and your other suggestion of the use of an e-collar. 

However I view either of these things as abusive and I wont apologize for criticizing your suggestion of using them for an "aggressive" golden, who is likely just play biting.


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## solinvictus

I like Leslie's suggestion that you should seek help. Even if you have done classes in the past you now have challenges and having someone that can help work you through this rough time will make it much easier and get you through it much faster than if you try on your own.

As pups get over that 7 month mark at some point they become teenagers. This is a very hard time for them. Many people that have been training when the pup was younger and the pup was doing well slack off on all their training. During the teenage time these pups really need limits and rules. They need their owners to be very consistent.

Pups that can sit, down, leave it in a quiet enviroment still are not trained. They need those training situations to become very slowly harder.

Example:

If my pup will sit on cue in my living room with just me or another adult in the room they may not be able to sit on cue with 2 children running through the room squealing and laughing as they go. The sit needs to be trained slowly in higher distracting situations. You wouldn't train both for the squealing laughter and the movement at the same time. You would train one at a time then when the dog can do a solid sit for either then you would train for both.

Every time something new is added to the mix it changes the picture for the dog and they need to be trained for it. You cannot expect a dog to be able to do it without the training. Every time you go some place else it also changes the picture.

If I would go to the park in the early morning and there isn't much activity my young dog will probably sit on cue. If there are 4 or 5 dogs running around playing ball with their owners my dog would not be able to sit on cue as asked unless I have trained for that type of situation. 

Usually on a walk when a dog grabs the leash and tugs and growls during that walk they have just gotten to the point of being totally excited from all the smells and exciting enviroment. Many young dogs go through this. I know when you can't get the dog to calm down and there are people around it seems so embarrassing.  The pup is just over stimulated. Try shortening the walks the next time or play fetch in the yard before going for that walk. If you do end up in that situation I would pick the behavior my dog does best and ask for it. If it is sit then ask for a sit and reward for it. Walk a few steps and ask for another sit. Get their mind working. The more solid cues you can train for slowly in more exciting places and times will help you to eventually be able to control the pup. But what you really want to do is try to figure out when they get over stimulated and not let the pup get to that point.

Your pup isn't trying to dominate you, they have just gotten over stimulated and do not have a way to calm themselves down. Think of a toddler that has gotten to the point of that they just cannot listen and act out. When my grand daughter who is 20 months does it we call it a baby melt down. They usually need a short break by themselves to calm down. Think nap time.

Good manners is a daily process. Reinforce your pup for all good behaviors that you like along with setting up short formal training at least twice a day.


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## robinrd

We got our golden when he was 4 months old and he did some of the same things you are describing. He would constantly jump up and bite and walking was a nightmare, he would jump, bite, grab the leash. Closing his mouth and holding him down makes it worse. I used a spray bottle, shook a can with coins in it, when he was jumping on me i would turn away and ignore him, nothing worked. He was just overstimulated and couldn't calm down. I contacted a trainer that alot of people recommended and she used an e collar. I know this is controversial and I never thought I would ever use one of those but it works and I would never use it unless I was taught how to use it correctly. He has been a challenge and but he is worth it. He is 17 months now and still has his moments but he is much better. We also go for 3-5 mile walks and I get him out to let him run and chase a frisbee as much as I can. I get kisses now instead of bites. I would definitely find a trainer to help you, I know I couldn't do it on my own. Good luck.


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## Melfice

Cesar Milan is a joke and knows nothing about training dogs.


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## Ripley16

CRS250 said:


> I'm sorry if you found my post to be an attack of some kind. I believe what you have suggested is directly in contradiction to the foremost experts in the field, the ASVAB. I posted their position paper on this and your other suggestion of the use of an e-collar.
> 
> However I view either of these things as abusive and I wont apologize for criticizing your suggestion of using them for an "aggressive" golden, who is likely just play biting.


Again, You are entitled to your own opinion as to what is abusive and what is not. I do not use an e-collar on my own dog, and maybe it's not the right suggestion, that is why I said to refer this to a professional. Though you may think that the ASVAB is the "foremost experts in the field", again that is YOUR opinion. Generally their articles are written by multiple sources, and one author's opinion can differ from others. Everyone is entitled to use a variety of *HUMANE* ways to train their dogs. Though you are entitled to your own opinions, I would suggest to keep potentially insulting views off of a public forum to avoid further conflict.


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## GoldensGirl

Friends, this thread is getting out of hand. 

People have a right to disagree and to present their opinions and reasoning. It is not appropriate to keep repeating the same position statements in response to everyone with whom you disagree. If you have shared your opinion with the OP, please allow others to do the same. 

Thank you.


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## Brave

In the OPs situation, I don't think an e-collar would be helpful, and having used Jean Dodson's book "Mine!" I think it's a great step in the right direction. However, if the OP doesn't see result or progress within a few weeks of working through the book, it might be time to call in the certified veterinary behaviorist. My Bear is a resource guarder who drew blood over a carrot when he was ~3 months old. If we were EVER concerned that he isn't "afraid to bite" I would seek professional help because that changes the ball game (IMO). 

I'm in the process of starting a new thread for further discussion, b/c i don't want to continue to derail this thread.


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## CRS250

Ripley16 said:


> Though you may think that the ASVAB is the "foremost experts in the field", again that is YOUR opinion.


Sure is, of course the people who wrote the position statements have some letters after their name that neither of us likely do...like DVM, DACVB, DECAWBM, and one of them was 2012 vet of the year.


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## olliversmom

Classes with trainer or in facility should be sought. It is not enuf to train dogs, but manytimes people need training on how to train their dogs. Bad training is worse than no training in my opinion. A good trainer will point out good and bad in your methods and steer you and the pup down the correct road.

Here is a good example that relates to your pup:
Olliver has grown out of most of his puppy antics and biting etc.
But once in awhile, when he is very wound up, he will be a bit rambunctious (this is usually early morning before I get a chance to throw the ball 90 times at 6 am!!) .

Just yesterday he was jumping and tugging on my arm and would not quit. Play mom play!!
So, in order to calm him down and give us both some breathing time, I put him in a down stay for about a minute. I calmly talked to him about what a jerk he was being to his dear mommy. By the time he got up he was calmer and listening again and we were able to have a nice game of catch which soon tired him out and all was well in the world again. (If he did not stand up from the down stay in a calm manner, he would have been brought inside and put in a short time out.)

We learned the down stay in class session 2 and worked on it again and again, building with distractions, temptations, etc. Additionally, I work on it every day, in situations such as I have described. 

So, having your puppy to a set of classes to learn basic obedience is a great start, but not the same as continuing their education thru other classes and/or home work with your dog.

I see dog obedience lessons as never ending. They are a lifelong commitment to my own sanity and happiness and a gift I give to my dog so he and I can be wonderful companions. I would not be happy living with cranky, disrespectful children, nor do I want to share the majority of my days with an out of control pup.

Sure, they go thru their moments and periods of rebellion, but with proper exercise and training you can count on when needed, these behaviors can be controlled until they grow out of them and learn they are not acceptable.


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## Selli-Belle

I see two separate issues here. The first is a crazy adolescent Golden who wants to play and jumps, nips, grabs the leash and acts like a brat. If his bites have not drawn blood, he is playing. My general advice with this situation is the same as LJilly, a combo of lots of exercise, training and teaching a structured tug game.

However, Cosmo is also displaying resource guarding behaviors, possibly acerbated by using harsh techniques. Because of this and the reality of your being a novice when it comes to dogs, I would advise you to get help from a professional behaviorist not just a trainer. True behavior experts are either veterinary behaviorists or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists. There is a sticky at the top of this forum that can help you find one of these people.


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## Charliethree

OP - Though it is hard to know without seeing it, I suspect that the morning and evening 'rages' you see are colloquially called 'zoomies'. The dog, and many dogs do this, is likely experiencing a burst of energy and silly happiness to boot - they are not thinking, just acting on impulse. The nipping and biting, his attempt to get you to play - the way dogs play. Try to remain calm and take him outside - encourage him to run, throw a ball or what ever and burn off that 'spurt' of energy. Holding his collar tightly doesn't tell him what to do, and is likely just frustrating for him and pinning him down can be viewed by him as an 'act of aggression'. 'Pinning' is something no one should ever do to a dog, it can make them feel threatened and become defensive and force them to bite. It accomplishes nothing and can make your dog afraid of you.
As others have suggested reward based obedience classes, even if you have done them, revisiting a structured training program, can help in many ways. 
With the resource guarding, the dog is afraid of losing what he has, simply taking stuff from him reinforces to him that he will lose what he has whenever you come near. It has been going on for a while, and it will take some time and it is a process to change how he feels. However, teaching him to 'trade', along with 'drop it' and ' leave it', reinforced with high value rewards and a ton of praise, will help him to understand what is expected of him.


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## goldenCosmo

*Cosmo's First Birthday*

Merry Christmas everybody! Thank you everyone for all of your suggestions on this thread. Cosmo is turning one year tomorrow. He occasionally still nips, but on the whole he is a much better well behaved puppy. 
Whenever Cosmo bites now, we attach his leash to a leg of the dining room table so that he can not jump or attempt to rip clothing. Then, we ignore him until he calms down. Now, he is beginning to understand that biting and rough play leads to a boring time with the table. This tactic has really worked and his behavior has improved tremendously. 
Also, we know that the occasional nip is inevitable because he is an excitable puppy. On the whole, he is very sweet. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


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## lhowemt

Yay! Congratulations. It is always good to hear things are going better.

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## Jennifer1

Thanks for the update. Sounds like things have really improved!


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## Tayla's Mom

Please search for my posts in the past. You are describing Tayla for the biting and walking issues. My prior posts started around May or June of 2012. If you read them feel free to send me a pm with questions. You can fix it.


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## mylissyk

Merrry Christmas to you ! Thanks for checking in with us I'm glad Cosmo is doing better. 

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## MikaLesim

Hi! I have the same problem and tried everything to stop this behavior. My golden is 10 months and when I`m taking him for a walk after 20 minutes of running or playing he will bite my shoes, pants, jump on me etc. I know the post is really old but I would like to know how did you handle this situation. I was totally against the e-collar but I don`t know what to do. I just used in once with vibration so we will see. I`m wonder how long did you had to use it? How long was your training?


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## goldenCosmo

Roushbabe said:


> Please understand that we aren't trying to push you away with not giving you advice.. but at 10 months... it's past the puppy stages really and he's starting to get confident with his behaviors. You can't really try and fix this without a certified animal trainer/behaviorist. Putting it simple... for 10 months he's tried these antics (guarding/pulling/biting) and has gotten the reward (left alone, freedom, or attention). Please keep us up to date if you find someone and how it goes with the training. Without fixing these problems it can become something more serious.


Thanks for the response! I can't believe how much time has gone by. I posted an update in the original post for everyone who expressed their concern 8 years ago!


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