# Our 6 month old puppy is driving us crazy....



## goldensrbest

Have you thought of doing a doggie day care ,say once a week?


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## oakleysmommy

search for a thread "Good Lord" its about 5 month olds My Oakley is 6 months tommorow and i feel your pain!! barking at nothing, counter surfing, ignoring me, into just about everything!!! He went in the pool at 6am didnt get out til 8am this morning, i threw the ball in for him the entire time, he was a tired boy!!


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## Mirinde

It's a phase...just breathe. If you know that she has poo'd and pee'd, and has had plenty of exercise and attention, it may be time for some food puzzle toys in her crate or in another room if she's really starting to drive you bonkers =)
A good obedience training session can be really effective at redirecting their focus as well. Doggy daycare is another great idea, especially if you're finding yourself so worn out that you're losing patience with her. 

Iorek is all around a pretty mellow pup, but he is going through his Tyrannical Six Month Old phase too and my fiance and I have found that we are much better able to deal with him and spend quality bonding/training time with him if we remember to take at least a couple hours a week to make him comfy in his crate and spend some time on our own.


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## iansgran

Yes, this is the bad age stage. Lots of dogs get given up to shelters between 6 months and a year. The chewing and destroying things is terrible. Are you in training classes? That will help. Raw marrow bones, the femur bone, are great because it will give you an hour or more of peace. Crate when you can't watch him. There is a really good DVD called Crate Games which will help if he doesn't like his crate. It will get better.


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## oakleysmommy

Our baseboards are pretty much chewed on the corners but we love him,,,and we know it will pass...im lucky Oakley watches tv with me, he loves tv!


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## Molly's Mum

Molly is only coming up to 4 months so I'm not at that crazy 6 month stage I read about. We are trying to encourage her calm, settled behaviour by using a clicker and treats. When I'm in the kitchen preparing a meal, I click and reward her if she lies down and is quiet and settled. I guess you need an opportunity of them being settled in order to click and treat so they get the message of what you want. I then pretty much ignore her, because at this stage she'll be looking all hopeful for another treat. When she's given up on expecting a treat again and rests her head back down on the floor and relaxes then I click and treat again. She's beginning to learn that when I'm busy in the kitchen I want her lying down settled and not under my feet following me to the fridge every time I head that way. I don't give her any cue or command to do this, I want her to learn that the best way to get a treat whilst I'm busy in the kitchen is for her to decide herself to settle and be relaxed. Of course as she's not 6 months yet all this training might go flying out the window at that age, time will tell


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## Willow52

My guy just turned 2 y.o. but those puppy days weren't so long ago that I don't remember wondering rather I'd ever get to watch an evening TV show. The one thing that save us were bully sticks. I would get the 12" Supreme ones and they last for a hour or two. Cheaper if you buy in bulk & free shipping over $50. I got them at K9 Cuisine.com

Hang in there, it will get better!


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## nicosmom

I know what you're going through! Nico's puppy behavior really came out when she reached 6 months. She'll get into barking fits when she wants attention now, which she never used to do. She is also a chewing machine! We are doing our best to deal with it. We keep her in the kitchen with baby gates when we can't watch her, and when we let her out in the rest of the house we just have to keep an eye on her. She has definitely started acting like a teenager though, and realized she doesn't have to do what we say. Can't wait til she outgrows this phase!

Also I saw a few posts on this forum about antler chews, so I'm going to order one of those for her since she's so into chewing right now. Hoping that'll give her something calm to do and give us a break for a while!


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## CarolinaCasey

Are you in puppy class? If not, get enrolled pronto! An instructor can better help you as they can see and interact with you. The more training, the better. Not only exercise tires a puppy- so does mental stimulation. 

Don't give eye contact or any attention when the puppy bites or barks. You're just reinforcing it. A simple "quiet" and turning your back or "quiet" and redirect to a desired behavior such as "sit" or "down." 

How much is "lots" of exercise and what type? At 6 months our puppy was running and sniffing off-leash for 40 minutes a day in a field. It tuckered him out much, much more than a 40 minute leash walk or some games of fetch in the yard.

Use your treats, kongs, and chewies to your benefit. Strategy can be key! Freezing the kongs with canned dog food, mashed banana, peanut butter, really any concoction makes it much harder to get out. That means more work for your growing puppy and more peace and quiet for you. Get rid of the PB marrow bones from Petsmart- they are not that good for your dog and don't hold their interest long. With direct (!!) supervision, get a 5-7 inch marrow bone from your grocery store butcher. Have them leave some meat on it. Your puppy may get some loose stool the first time or two that they chew it but you are guaranteed a long chew time! You'll want to review the term "resource guarding" and make sure you set your puppy up for success as this is a very high value item. Use your food dispensing toys at meal times every day. Routine, routine, routine!

If you don't already have one, get into a routine. At bedtime our dog gets brushed, petted, or a kong to wind down for the evening. We put the toys away and reinforce calm behaviors. He usually just sacks out on the floor. 

Use your crate! When you can't watch her- crate her! It will keep her safe and protect your home. There is no reason to have chewed baseboards, shoes, whatever! The crate is your friend!


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## ActionJackson

yeah pretty much par for the course at that age.....my 11 month old still has those waves of "love me-want me-neeeed me!!!" When he gets like that, I will bust out the treats and go work with him on obedience. Takes his mind out of that crazed frame of mind and tires him out a bit too. More times than not, the bitiing/chewing/going crazy would go away. But you're dealing with a little kid that just wants to play....it will get better, just keep the exercise going, and keep reinforcing that calm energy


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## bioteach

Now that Nugget is 9 months we are finally getting somewhere! When he hit this stage my husband declared "NO more puppies"! Nugs was pretty obnoxious but we all somehow lived through it.

I totally agree with the previous posts - you will be rewarded with a great companion before you know it.


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## Luccagr

Saying a firm 'NO' or 'Eh Eh' works for me when Lucca attempts to nip our hands while playing and he'll stop nipping for a while. The bad behaviors will get better over time. Lucca used to nip even more when he was younger and he got better now that he's 6 months old. 

Try teaching Dinah some new tricks. It helps to get her to be mentally tired but do not overstretch the training session cos' she'll get bored eventually and won't enjoy it. Lots of exercise for her will work too. It's just the kiddo phase right now and once they grow up, they'll be fine. Be patient with her.


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## vcm5

That is definitely a rough stage for many dogs. Just try to get through it and definitely don't give up. I would encourage using the crate liberally if you are not. When you can't watch her or just can't take it anymore, put her in there with some toys so she can entertain herself. Whatever you do though, don't use the crate as punishment. I also would say to get her enrolled in puppy classes right away, and don't stop there - follow up with basic obedience classes. These classes are great for the dog and for you. Good luck! Let us know how it goes!


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## Ainsley's Momma

my Ainsley Cait is now 61/2 months!! i feel ya...totally! she chews on any and everything including my 3yr. old min pin who at times gives up and looks at me like "fine, just quit telling her to leave it, cuz she's not gunna and your giving me a headache" also, she goes into these phases where she is wound up and runs around the house or yard trying to bite me with her front nibble teeth on my leg or my toosh! OUCH!! she also likes to poop halfway down our dimly lit staircase for surprise poo attacks!! (she is doing this about once every 2 wks. now....it was weekly) she loves to shred paper, or anything foam. oh, and the water bowl? forget about it, i have 3 bowls of water hidden in different spots so the cats and my min pin can have water because she will stand in it and stomp it ALL out! but every bit of this is worth it when she struts so proudly around the neighborhood with me, she stands in my truck with her happy head jutting out of the passenger window, she swims like a giant otter in the lake or pool, she snuggles next to me, my son, 2 cats and the min-pin (yes i have a huge co-sleeping issue) at night, and when she shows off her smarts with the many tricks she has mastered. i hope you stick it out and i am new to having a big dog much less a spirited and willful Golden. i just know how much this big goofy girl with her big soulful eyes and that silly grin mean to me and i couldn't imagine life without knowing this silly-billy! keep us posted but i am told it will get easier with maturity and guidance...at least i hope so...but i have faith it will.


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## vcm5

In terms of the nipping and some of the other stuff I might actually suggest watching the video I just posted in the Main Discussion section on dog training issues. Good luck!


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## Cadie

Funny I am going thru the same thing. Good Luck, this too shall pass.


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## mygoldenkids

My Molly is a little over a year old and still has plenty of crazy moments. We find that obedience training is what calms her down. Mental training actually wears her out more than physical training. My girl is the golden equivalent of Lance Armstrong--there's just no wearing her out physically.


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## Ljilly28

You've gotten really good advice. Structure the pup's time so she can't drive you nuts. Once she's played, exercised off leash, been fed, pottied, and worked on some obedience, she is done setting the mood for the household! Tether her and teach her "Mat" or "bed" or crate her with her kong for a few hours. My 6 month old puppy Lush is well acquainted with the word "relax". Once she has been on a two hour hike, played with Copley for hours, been fed and trained, I expect her to be livable if she'd like to be free like the other housedogs. She gets one warning if she is pacing or chewing something that's a nono, and then I put her in her crate for a few minutes. At this point, when she hears "relax", she comes and lays down on my feet or hops up on her part of the couch for a nap.


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## Spoonerpaws

We went through this and were ready to give up. If you have a high energy puppy it can be exhausting.

We found that a tired puppy is a good puppy  If you work, hire a dog walker, this helps.

Also, anything to challenge their mind like the dog puzzles as someone mentioned

Take them for swims - that tires them out Run with them if you can, don't walk!

Good Luck!


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## Mirinde

I'm kind of in the camp of people that is hesitant to believe leashed exercise automatically leads to hip dysplasia... but for the sake of playing it safe, running might not be such a great idea for another few months. At least, not leashed running. We frequently take Iorek to the park which has a huge fenced dirt area and we encourage him to run run run run. If you're going to let your puppy run in any capacity in which you are participating (even fetch), be sure to watch for the warning signs that they're getting physically tired. Sometimes Iorek can play in that park for two hours, and sometimes he's done after twenty minutes. You don't want to push their joints.


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## vcm5

I agree - no leash running for a dog this young. Swimming though is great!


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## Dallas Gold

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. I too had one of those energetic puppies that drove us crazy. He's pushing 8 years old now and to be honest he only settled down in the past year. :uhoh: There were many times when we felt like giving up, then he would do something so adorable we felt bad for thinking it. Lots of training, consistent instruction and time works in your favor. Some dogs just need a job. We channel our Toby's energy by sending him on errands to find my husband or myself, look out for visitors, alert us to anything unusual around the house, go search, find and return a treasured toy, etc. In looking back I can now laugh at all Toby's puppy antics so it helps to keep a sense of humor and remember "this too shall pass, this too shall pass".


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## nolefan

*"Are you in puppy class? If not, get enrolled pronto! An instructor can better help you as they can see and interact with you. The more training, the better. Not only exercise tires a puppy- so does mental stimulation. *
*How much is "lots" of exercise and what type? "*

CarolinaCasey give you brilliant advice! I can't agree enough. I've been observing this forum for awhile now and I have concluded that most of us average pet owners (yes, that includes me) had no idea what we were getting ourselves into when we brought home our golden retriever puppies. Even those of us who've had multiple goldens tend to forget during the 10 year period between puppies. 

These are super-intelligent, high energy working dogs who require a lot more mental stimulation and physical energy outlet than the average dog. Most of us tend to think that a mile long walk around the block followed by a tennis ball game in the backyard should be sufficient for daily exercise. But for a young golden, this will barely make a dent. Especially if we crate them for any period allowing them to sleep during the day and then put them to bed at night between 10 and 11 p.m. That may be sufficient exercise for an older adult, but it will lead to behavior problems in a younger dog or pup. 

Can you re-work your schedule to include a playdate with another young dog or some doggy day care? Maybe get up an hour earlier in the mornings to knock out a longer walk and training session?

Believe me, I've been there too, it can be exhausting. Hang in there!


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## Joy Jo

*My 7 month old Golden Retriever is going to send me over the edge!!!*

My 7 month old Golden Retriever, Joy, is driving me insane!!! I don't understand why she just can't lay down and relax. She has plenty of food, toys, clean blankets, and water. She sleeps in my bathroom which she can easily see me from. I give her Kong after Kong after Kong!! I do take her to training. She is going to start an adult training class where she will be working on her Canine Good Citizen. She is constantly barking just because she doesn't get her way. I also have a
Pit bull that Joy plays so rough with she makes the Pit bull yelp. HELP!!!!


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## acetheretriever

Joy Jo said:


> My 7 month old Golden Retriever, Joy, is driving me insane!!! I don't understand why she just can't lay down and relax. She has plenty of food, toys, clean blankets, and water. She sleeps in my bathroom which she can easily see me from. I give her Kong after Kong after Kong!! I do take her to training. She is going to start an adult training class where she will be working on her Canine Good Citizen. She is constantly barking just because she doesn't get her way. I also have a
> Pit bull that Joy plays so rough with she makes the Pit bull yelp. HELP!!!!


If you need a breather get something like a whimsy or bully bone so you can have a break. I'm in the same boat as you and it helps to have a 30-minute break. Also, I got lucky a found a similar age and size dog for Ace to play with and that interaction really tires him out. Little 10-minute training sessions throughout the day will also help.


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## LynnC

Have you tried a frozen marrow bone? You can scoop out the marrow if it’s too rich for your pup & fill with peanut butter or yogurt mixed with blueberries, apples or other treats & freeze. They keep my Luna busy for a long time.


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## mylissyk

Joy Jo said:


> My 7 month old Golden Retriever, Joy, is driving me insane!!! I don't understand why she just can't lay down and relax. She has plenty of food, toys, clean blankets, and water. She sleeps in my bathroom which she can easily see me from. I give her Kong after Kong after Kong!! I do take her to training. She is going to start an adult training class where she will be working on her Canine Good Citizen. She is constantly barking just because she doesn't get her way. I also have a
> Pit bull that Joy plays so rough with she makes the Pit bull yelp. HELP!!!!


She won't settle down because she is a teenager! It's that age. Put her up in a crate with a good chew bone and go have a glass of wine when she pushes you over the edge. 

I would keep a leash on her when she's out playing with your other dog, and remove her from their play if she is being too rough. She will eventually learn to tone it down or the fun stops.

It will get better over time!


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