# Almost 7 month old Golden disobeying



## Crosby7

Hi! Just joined the forum and I'm so glad I've found this site! So my husband and I have a 7 month old Golden Retriever named Crosby. She is a total sweetheart. She's the first pet we've ever owned and we couldn't have made a better choice. We're only having a few issues that I would love some advice on because frankly, sometimes this can be exasperating. 
1. We do not want her on the furniture. And she knows not to be on the furniture. But sometimes, I really think she's testing our limits. Because she jumps on the couch and just loves it when we grab her collar and say "No!" While pulling her off the couch. She thinks it's a game. We've been doing what the vet told us to do and we've been consistent with this for months. But once or twice a day, she'll still jump on the couch knowing she's not supposed to. 
2. She still loves to gnaw on our hands. She has a ton of chew toys that she plays with but then gets bored and gnaws on us instead. It's a bit frustrating because she's left me with bruises all over my arms. We've tried consistently to give a loud squeal or "yip" but it doesn't seem to phase her. 
3. We have her in a small enclosed area to sleep during the night and use a crate to put her in when we're away during the day and can't watch her. She used to go willingly into her room to sleep or into the crate when we were leaving. But lately, when she knows she has to do either, she just lies on the floor and doesn't move. It's a fight to put her up every night or when we need to go somewhere during the day. And that's the most exasperating part. It's just so frustrating to go through this routine with her every time we need to put her in her crate/room. 
Sorry for the long post. But any advice would be great. My husband and I are so in love with her, but at times we lose patience and get really frustrated. Are we doing something wrong? Any suggestions would be so appreciated. Thanks in advance for reading this long post.


----------



## Crosby7

Here she is!


----------



## Prism Goldens

There are pedigrees that I believe the hand holding w their mouth is genetically transmitted in. 
But personally, I just close the mouth and say no loudly and then offer my hand back- until they get it. Then I reward. And a half hour later we repeat. 
Crate- just toss a treat in and tell her crate. Do it when you are sure she sees the treat. 
You've made the couch chase into a game. I'd put her on a tag line, and before she jumps, stop her. Have her sit or down or whatever skill she has and then reward her. Teach a stay. Tag lines are long rope or whatever that they basically drag around and that you can step on or pull on or whatever to control the dog from afar.


----------



## cwag

Welcome to the forum. She's very cute with her happy, goofy smile. Keep working with her. They grow up eventually and settle into the rules if you keep patiently training. Does she have a comfy place to sleep in the room where the couch is? If not get her a nice pillow bed or a dog cot and direct her to it with treats. Personally I just keep a cover on the couch since my little dog loves to lie on the back and look out the window. Rukie has a cot he likes in that room but he also enjoys the couch. I just wish everyone would stop slobbering on the windows!


----------



## nolefan

Crosby is adorable! She is still a puppy, but now is definitely the time to put a stop to the behaviors that aren't acceptable. 

1) Are you enrolled in obedience class with her? If not, I can't recommend it enough. It is so important to work with her every day on obedience and also to get some help learning the best ways to train her and if she is your first dog I would plan on spending the next year or so enrolled in a weekly class. It will keep you honest about daily practice and if you join a dog training club or obedience club you will meet a lot of great people who can teach you how to be a more effective trainer.

2) Prim's advice about having her drag a leash when she's out in the house is the best - you can get a cheap one from walmart and cut the handle off. This gives you a quick way to get control of her when she isn't obeying. Use it to get her off the couch, use it to lead her to her crate when it's time to go in etc.

3) Cwag's advice about a dog bed next to the couch is great, she can have a comfy spot to lay which she will like especially when the weather gets cooler. The type with the 'bolsters' around 3 sides are best because they can prop their heads up, it's my dogs' favorite kind.

4) Don't give in with the couch, just keep with it. Be calm and don't act excited. As mentioned, it's definitely a game. This tells you how much she needs more fun, play and games in her life. Start teaching her some new games that are acceptable to you. Some of our favorites at my house are hide and seek where you put her in a down/stay in one room and then go hide a favorite toy in the next room. Then you come back and release her to go find the toy. She will need help at first (use the leash to guide her) but it won't be long until she gets this and will love it. You can also have one spouse hide while the other spouse waits with her and then you go find the hidden person. Lots of fun. 

Purchase a kid's heavy duty play tunnel and put in the family room on the carpet and teach her to go through it. 

Build a wobble board and teach her to get on it for a treat, work up to all four feet on it. You can build one yourself with a round pre-cut wooden table top from Lowes and drill a tennis ball or a wooden banister top in the middle on one side. Instant wobble table.

Teach her some skills like "touch" "leave it" and other tricks - you can find you tube videos to show you how to start. It's so easy and fun to teach a Golden to do these things, you will be blown away by how smart she is and what she can learn.

Find a club that you can start a pre agility class or a retrieving club where you can teach her to retrieve, if she wants things in her mouth she probably has a very strong instinct and you will be amazed by how much she LOVES field work. You don't have to be a hunter to get involved. There is a wonderful DVD by Jackie Mertens called 'Sound Beginnings' see if you can find one used but if you can't a new one is worth every penny. Teaching her a formal retrieve is the best thing you can do for a Golden. Nothing in the world makes my girl as happy as field work. It's like flipping a switch, you can't believe how their instinct kicks in.

All the time you spend with her over the next year or two will really pay off big time for the next 10-12 years of her life, getting involved with these activities doesn't take a ton of time and it will build a relationship with her like you can't believe. 

Hang in there with this puppy stuff. It's time now to be very firm with her. If she is putting her teeth on you, it's time to be very clear and no nonsense with her that you won't tolerate that anymore. Make sure that you have plenty of stuffed toys that she can carry around. Always make sure there is a toy around to pop in her mouth when you realize she is getting in that mode. Use Prism's suggestion on discouraging the behavior and use your tone of voice to make sure she knows that you're serious, be very low toned (not loud, but be gruff and stern) and use the leash to make her stop bouncing around or being silly. 

Be sure she is getting enough aerobic exercise every day - a good 20-30 minute session outdoors that involves running or swimming or a puppy play date with another nice young dog. She also needs appropriate chew toys - frozen stuffed kong or raw beef shank - chewing is a way that young dogs burn off excess 'wiggles' and it's important to set her up for success by giving her these outlets.


----------



## Crosby7

Thank y'all so much for the suggestions!!! Using the leash sounds like a great idea to keep her off the couches! We use a leash at night to take her to go potty and put her right up so she can't get away from us. But she still loves to tug back on the leash or lay down and become dead weight ?. She has a huge bed by the couch! She lays on it most of the time. But then she'll get the urge to jump on the couch. But the leash idea sounds like it should really help with this! 
We go on two 45 minute walks a day. But I would absolutely love for her to learn how to fetch. She loves to chase after the object, but then waits on me to go over to the object I threw and throw it again. She won't bring it back to me. Will that DVD show me how to make her actually retrieve something?


----------



## nolefan

Crosby7 said:


> ... She won't bring it back to me. Will that DVD show me how to make her actually retrieve something?


Yes. Start from the beginning just as if she were still a small puppy. It's a step by step process.

I suggest that you print out the responses you receive from this thread. That way you can keep them in a notebook on your kitchen counter and refer back to them as well as share with your husband. Also, go through the "puppy" board and look through the threads for other people's questions and the responses they received. THere is a lot of good information there if you are willing to look through it.

You are not going to 'fix' her behavior with one trick or in a week. The list I gave you are things that need to all be done together and worked on over the long term. Look at this as a long term project. She is going to be a really cool dog but it's going to take a long term effort from you. You didn't answer my question, are you two enrolled in obedience class?


----------



## Crosby7

We were in enrolled in 2 puppy classes. The second one just recently ended. And she's learned a lot from them. We work with her every single day and are currently looking for another class.


----------



## Karlie's mom

Crosby7 said:


> Hi! Just joined the forum and I'm so glad I've found this site! So my husband and I have a 7 month old Golden Retriever named Crosby. She is a total sweetheart. She's the first pet we've ever owned and we couldn't have made a better choice. We're only having a few issues that I would love some advice on because frankly, sometimes this can be exasperating. 1. We do not want her on the furniture. And she knows not to be on the furniture. But sometimes, I really think she's testing our limits. Because she jumps on the couch and just loves it when we grab her collar and say "No!" While pulling her off the couch. She thinks it's a game. We've been doing what the vet told us to do and we've been consistent with this for months. But once or twice a day, she'll still jump on the couch knowing she's not supposed to. 2. She still loves to gnaw on our hands. She has a ton of chew toys that she plays with but then gets bored and gnaws on us instead. It's a bit frustrating because she's left me with bruises all over my arms. We've tried consistently to give a loud squeal or "yip" but it doesn't seem to phase her. 3. We have her in a small enclosed area to sleep during the night and use a crate to put her in when we're away during the day and can't watch her. She used to go willingly into her room to sleep or into the crate when we were leaving. But lately, when she knows she has to do either, she just lies on the floor and doesn't move. It's a fight to put her up every night or when we need to go somewhere during the day. And that's the most exasperating part. It's just so frustrating to go through this routine with her every time we need to put her in her crate/room. Sorry for the long post. But any advice would be great. My husband and I are so in love with her, but at times we lose patience and get really frustrated. Are we doing something wrong? Any suggestions would be so appreciated. Thanks in advance for reading this long post.


 Hi I have a Golden that turns 7 months old nest week! She has been doing the same with the crate. We have been working with a trainer and she is testing her boundaries. I had to start crating her more when we are home so crating her when we go out is easier. I also crate her with her collar and leash when she refuses until she goes in and lies down then remove collar and leash before closing the door. she seems to understand it is not a game when the collar and leash are on. Hope this helps!


----------



## Karlie's mom

We had to make our hands off limit. Offer her a toy, keep your hands away. If you get a trainer they will show you gentle ways to discourage hand chewing.


----------



## Ontariodogsitter

This post is 5 years old so the problem has probably been solved,
But welcome to the forum, and let us see some pictures of your girl


----------



## Karlie's mom

Ontariodogsitter said:


> This post is 5 years old so the problem has probably been solved, But welcome to the forum, and let us see some pictures of your girl


 Thanks did not see the date


----------

