Please help! It's about my puppy!?

We got a golden retriever puppy at a dog breeder a while ago when we was 8 weeks old. Now, she is probably about 13-15 weeks old. And we have no control over her whatsoever. She bites all the time- we pinch her teeth together, we put her in her crate everytime she bites and yelled "NO BITE!" I think we have done enough stuff to get the point across but she just refuses to obey. We award her when she does good. If you stand up to her and tell her "no bite!" or "bad" or when we put her in her crate and pinch her teeth together she gets even more aggressive like she is trying to get back at us! I have so many cuts on my body from her.





I am not sure but my ******** a$$hole father wants to send her back to the breeder! What do I do??? I need to make her stop getting aggressive and we are not about to take her to obedience school!!!

Please help! It's about my puppy!?
This is really really tough to deal with. You really need to check out the parents and bloodline of dogs when you get them from a breeder. I don't know that taking the dog back will solve the problem. I suggest you talk to a professional trainer. You can talk to them online on various websites and call those that are local to you. Unfortunately, obediance school may be just what she needs. Good Luck.
Reply:why wont you bring her to obedience school. It is a REALLY good investment.
Reply:This is just normal puppy behavior! be patient, maybe take a puppy obediance class and keep up the rewards for good behavior! its hard but it will pay off in the long run.
Reply:Golden Ret. are very hyper..


And it sounds like she was abused by the breeder!





Maybe this will help:
Reply:Unfortunately, puppy preschool would be the best bet for you. A dog is a responsibilty, and training is part of the responsibility. You have to be calm and work with her daily. Pinching her teeth together could be telling her that you want to play. Tell her "OUT!", which sounds like a mother dog correcting her. Put her down and ignore her until she stops the undesired behavior. By using physical means, she will think that you are wanting to play. Plus, her crate should never be used for punishment. It should be her den, and a calming place.





If you won't try obediance training, get a good basic obediance book and start learning what you are up against. It is really in your best interests.
Reply:that's what they make muzzles for.they are not expensive
Reply:I would DEFINATELY take her to obedience school! It's a great thing to do...GOTTA get the biting under control! It'll get worse and someone will get hurt and you may get sued for it.
Reply:take her to a trainer
Reply:Golden retriever are known to get aggressive when they are puppy's.And just try to smack her on the nose! i know they are cute but if you want you can that will help make them obey more... So um yea
Reply:all you would have to do would like not put her in a cage or anything, or pinch her teeth together, but just barely slap them on the head, or tap it, and say,"Don't do that," or,"SPANK," make your Golden Retreiver be scared of you, but not like where you can't pet it no more. I feel the same way becuz my dog is like that and now she don't bite me anymore.
Reply:don't pinch her teeth and when ever she bites you get a news paper roll it up and (don't hit her so hard that she wines)hit her behind her legs.if this doesn't work then get some toys for her and when ever she tries to bite you switch the part shes biting and give her the toy.like the one for tug a war but remember to always win on tug a war.hope it helps!
Reply:i don't know what to say
Reply:*sigh* honey, i got bad news for ya. out dog was just like that. we tried traning and all, but it didn't work. unfortunantely, when he bit someone and they had to be taken to the hospital,








we put him 2 sleep:(
Reply:the reason why shes so aggressive is because she either wants to play or because shes trying to be more dominant then you are, get a short leash and put it around the dogs neck right behind the ears, take her for a walk and make her walk beside you not in front, when a dog walks in front of you that means there more dominant which if a bad thing for you, after a while she will stop pulling and trying to get ahead of you and she will calm down. also lay her down on the floor and stand over her and stare at her, this also makes you more dominant do this when she is being bad and in a deep but calm voice you tell her "no".
Reply:i have a puppy golden retriever who is about the same age as yours. whenever she bit, or jumped we would hit her snout and yell no. i don't think that crating it is a good idea. maybe putting it outside if that is possible? it's a good way for them to run around. and if she growls back, keep yelling no until she stops. one way to train them is to reward them whenever it does something good.
Reply:luv a pug gave the correct advise. Your Golden will not want to be crated if you continue to to punish her this way. Obedience classes are always the best way to go. Chances are the breeder is not a reputable one and never socialized any pups in the litter. We are Golden breeders and this is a case of very careless breeding. Goldens are also very smart, so there is also a good chance she has set the pecking order in your home. If you need some advice, feel free to contact us so we can try to help you out. Taking the pup back won't help. Chances are the this breeder won't give you a cent back, tell you there hasn't been any complaints about the other pups and will resell it to someone else. Your breeder should actually be helping you with advice on your pup. GOOD LUCK!
Reply:Some pups are more energetic and more hard headed than others. Retrievers are smart dogs but also very energetic. All dogs but especially breeds who are extra energetic need lots of exercise and outside space to play. Try taking your pup for walks several times a day. Take her outside often and play with her with balls and Frisbees and things like that. Pups her age are teething fiercely and need to chew so get her a supply of dog toys. 'Kong's' are an excellent brand of dog toys for chewers (Petsmart, Target, Walmart). My chewers LOVE their Kong's. They have a hole in the middle of them so you can put peanut butter or dog biscuits or anything she likes. She'll love that trust me!! It also keeps she busy with her mind and her mouth.


Just putting her in her crate when she bites is not a good idea! The crate is meant to be her sanctuary not her room for punishment.


Ask your dad to hang in there a little longer! She IS after all just a puppy. Gently remind him of that. And you guys have to wait the teething stage out. Teething hurts anyone, including pups and she's just trying to relieve the discomfort of the teeth coming out.


One more thing, talk to her vet. See if she or he has any suggestions. Good luck!!! And show that pup lots of attention!!
Reply:I'm not sure obidence school will do the trick. Extra love always worked with my animals but I have never really had such an agressive dog. Perhaps she is trying to tell you she is in pain. Have you taken her to a vet for a check up? Perhaps she was abused by the breeder and she is afraid to get close to you, for fear you will abandon her or whatever.





If you truly want to keep the dog you are going to have to do some homework and a trip to the vet to see if there is a medical problem that is causing her anixety.





Pushing the teeth together doesn't work and quite frankly I have never heard of it done like this. I've heard where people bite the dogs ear and say no, but this seems rather like reinforcing a bad habbit by saying you can't do this but I can.





Animals are like small children. They consume a lot of time and love and patience and sometimes the rewards are not immediately comming as fast as we would like them to.





When your puppy bites she may be playing rough. My cat does and so I don't play with her except with a string and I'm far from her sharp claws.





You might try a muzzle when she bites and tell her firmly without screaming that she is bad for bitting and that she has hurt you and show her where it hurts. Muffle a tear and sob a little and then put the muzzle on. Allow her her normal freedom and let her roam the home. You could still give her love and still talk to her in a normal loving voice. With the muzzle on you could pet her and let her know how much you love her. But when the muzzle comes off you should be stern and wistful and say you won't do it again if she doesn't bite you or hurt you. She will learn that the muzzle is only for bitting and that you don't love her less, but you won't put up with the bitting either. If she wants her mouth free than it can't offend.





My bet is that there is something medicaly wrong and she is trying to tell you. Take her to a vet - the peace of mind will be worth the price and it could be one thng less you don't have to worry about.
Reply:The puppy learns what acceptable behavior is from the mother like biting and if the puppies are with the mother longer than the standard 8 weeks they learn biting is not acceptable. Please don't put her in her crate as punishment, she needs to have that as her place like her den, where she can feel safe. Never play games like tug of war, that will make the problem worse. Do you have a friend that has a female that has had a litter? Maybe you could set up some play dates where puppy learns from a mama
Reply:Obedience classes sound like what your dog and you need. If you're not willing to do that, try this book. The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete. It covers all the bases from basic training to housebreaking to problems solving.
Reply:golden retrievers often have aggresion problems. well first u can do is not do physical punishment because it may make matters worst instead use your body posture, tone of your voice, and facial expression to remind the dog that your the boss. also try to make your authority firm by attaching a leash to the collar and putting it a one minute time out from the family. don't hold a grudge instead review your relationship with the dog and see why it may be challenge you? and remember little signals are big things to dogs and that you are the leader of the pack and eat first and walk first.





i got most of my info from a nice book and knowledge of my own but most of it from the book called" caring for your dog."
Reply:I agree with the training class answers. My lab puppy used to play bite me all the time and I had scars and scratches all over because I couldn't even touch her without getting teeth on me. As long as she's not growling or snarling when she bites, she's only playing and/or testing you, or she could be teething.


One thing I did was every time she bit, I yelled "Ouch!" and quickly got up and left the room. I came back a minute later and tried to pet her, but if she bit again, I did the same thing, until she learned that biting will make playtime over.


Also, it would help to know why you're against "obedience school". Look up training classes at your local humane society's website, or Petsmart. It's so important! Especially for an active breed like golden retrievers. It's only a couple of hours a week, for a few weeks, and it's the best thing you can ever do for your dog and for the family who loves the dog!!! Like another answerer said, training is part of your responsibility as a dog owner. One trainer in my area says "An untrained dog is an unloved dog."


Best of luck to you.
Reply:TAKE YOUR DOG TO OBEDIENCE TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!! you need it just as much as she does! you're giving inconsistent messages to yell at her in her crate. that's just like not sending your kid to school. you'll all have a better relationship if she's trained and you learn how to train her.
Reply:I've got a golden puppy that is just a little bit younger than yours.





The first thing that you *need* to do is get control of this dog! Put her on leash and take her for walks - lots of them. Unless you are planning on hunting this dog you need to teach her to heel - now. Don't believe anyone who tells you that puppies can't learn this stuff.





A lot of the time golden puppies don't get the amount of exercise that they need and they get a bit (OK, sometimes more than a bit!) hyper. Face it, goldens bounce off the ceiling sometimes. Remember too, she's testing her limits. What can she do and get away with? Can she do the same thing tomorrow? You need to be consistent with everything. It's like having a 2 year old kid - which I also have.





You really should stop physically punishing her for this. You are not really teaching her what you think you are. By pinching her teeth together, you are making her feel that hands are bad. By yelling, you are playing to her sense of the dramatic. Any reaction is good, in her view.





Also, you want her crate to be a quiet place of refuge for her, not a penalty box.





Now - all of that being said - this is how I taught my puppy to keep her teeth to herself...





1st time (in a quiet but low tone of voice) "no bite"





2nd time collar shake - gentle here! - simply grap her scruff at the collar level under her throat and give her one or two shakes while you look her in the eye and tell her no bite. DO NOT get crazy with the shaking thing.





3rd time - if she came back and continued, which she usually didn't - I would go full-on-alpha-female and roll her. Gently but firmly roll your puppy onto her back and put her hand on her throat (gentle but firm!!!!), look her square in the eye and verbally chastise her, do NOT scream or yell, but make your voice absolutely mean what you're saying. Lower is better because there's no drama. Keep her "pinned" and continue to chastise for about 30 seconds. Let her up but then ignore her for a little while. She will probably go off and sulk for a little while but when she comes back to you and is ready to make up - do it!





I only had to go to the 3rd step a couple of times. Anymore all I have to do is give her the old "stink eye" and she generally settles down.





I agree that obedience school would be a benefit to both her and to you. BUT - at this stage you can do a lot of it yourself. Read the 3 books in the source section. I really liked the Dummies book because it was geared specifically to goldens. Also, the Golden Retiever Club of America had a lot of information on their web site.
Reply:Send her back to the breeder. You're obviously in over your head and not willing to get professional advice in the form of obedience school or puppy classes. For the love of god, don't do any more of this physical punishment crap, and don't start any of this alpha rolling either. The puppy is like a little kid, exploring it's environment with it's teeth. Retrievers are fun-loving, hyper little devils at that age, and she's learned that she can have a grand ole time making you yell and thrash around by biting you. You've managed to turn this into a real rough and tumble game. Maybe the times when she gets more aggressive are a sign that either a) she's taking the game to a whole new level or b) she's feeling attacked by your physical domination and is responding in a defensive manner. I would strongly recommend you give this puppy back before she is damaged beyond all belief, or contact a puppy training specialist who can teach you the basics of positive reinforcement training.


Remember, this is just a baby and she's not trying to hurt you, she's just responding to how you've been unwittingly coaching her to react.


Good luck!
Reply:Puppies need ALOT of patience and loving training. It will take time to get results. I feel if you cannot do this yourself and you want to keep her you must take her to obedience classes. You pinching her snout closed is wrong. I have NEVER heard of doing this to control bitting. She is a puppy...puppies nip and bite when playing. Don't you think that if someone held your mouth closed you'd be pissed off too????? And as far as putting her in the crate when she's bad...thats wrong also. The crate is suppose to be a happy, safe haven for your pet. It is not to be used for punishment. Again puppies need alot of love and patience and ALOT of happy rewarding when they do right, that is how you get positive results. Did you really think this thru, meaning all the work that it takes to be a responsible pet owner???
Reply:Every year, millions of dogs are surrendered to the pounds and humane societies because they are believed to be "untrainable". Their "bad behaviour" includes chewing furniture and shoes, barking too much and ignoring commands - all problems that are not permanent and easily corrected if you take the time to do so.


As difficult as it may be to remember, your dog is not a little person. You cannot reason with a dog to get him to behave the way you would like. Even though they have shared our homes for thousands of years, dogs still retain many of the instincts and characteristics of the wild dogs from whom they are descended. Bred from ancestral wolves, dogs are both pack and den animals and for this reason, most dogs will accept a crate as part of their lifestyle. Like a baby's playpen, a crate or cage is a place in which your dog can stay when you are unable to keep an eye on him.


Choosing a Crate





A crate is a dog's very own special place. When you choose a crate, be sure to select the correct size for your dog. The crate must be large enough for the adult dog to stand up straight, turn around and lie down in a stretched position. Crates usually come in two varieties: fiberglass and metal. A fiberglass crate will provide a greater sense of security for your dog; a metal crate is collapsible and will allow for better circulation.





Introducing Your Dog to the Crate





For crate training to be most successful, your dog must be properly introduced to the crate. Crate training should begin as soon as you bring your new dog home. Equip the crate with water and a blanket or towel. Start off slowly and increase the time gradually. Place the crate out of the way, but not away from the action: your dog is one of the family, and needs to feel he is not being banished when confined in the crate.





Introducing your dog to the crate should be positive and fun. Never place your dog in the crate after disciplining him. Your dog needs to feel the crate is a happy, secure place. Select a command such as "Into your house". Encourage your dog to enter by tossing a treat into the crate. Leave the door open at first. Once your dog enters readily, close the door for a few minutes, and praise him with a cheerful, positive voice. Leave your dog with a special chew toy, just for the times he is in the crate.





Scheduling is very important. Ideally, young puppies would not be crated for more than three hours at a time - they cannot be expected to hold their bladders for more than a couple of hours. Adult dogs should not be crated for much more than eight hours. If you must leave your puppy or dog for longer than the ideal length of time, be sure the crate is arranged to provide a bedding area and a papered area to accommodate "accidents". If your dog needs to use the papers in the crate, under no circumstances should you scold or punish him.





Any complaining your dog may do at the beginning is not usually caused by the crate, but by the new controls set by this unfamiliar environment. Do not let your dog out when he whines or complains. By doing so, you will only reward his bad behaviour. When your dog settles down for five minutes, release him from the crate.





Once you feel your dog can be left on his own, you may practice leaving him alone for short periods of time. Allow your dog access to only certain areas of your home. As with children, place breakables and dangerous items well out of reach!





Your dog's crate is a tool that should allow you to have a smoother, happier relationship with your dog. It is not intended as a place to leave your dog and ignore him.





While crate training is a very effective method of training your dog, it may not be the answer to every behaviour problem your dog might exhibit. If your dog seems to be taking a long time to come around, do not give up! Your dog can be trained to be a fastidious member of your household regardless of age. Just be sure to give your dog every chance to do the right thing, at the right time, in the right place, and let your dog know you love him for him!





The Golden Rules of Crate Training:





The crate belongs to your dog. It should be off-limits to children.





You are the "pack leader", and you are in charge. Your dog needs to learn this!





Never let your dog out when he is whining. Giving in will make it more difficult to train him.





Remember, you are doing your dog a favour by keeping him safe and out of trouble when you are unable to supervise him.





Your dog's crate is not intended for long hours of use. When you are at home, your dog needs to be out of his "house" and in your company.





Never use the crate as a means of punishment.





Do not place the crate in a draft or in direct sunlight.





Do not leave a collar or tag on your dog when he is in the crate. It may catch on the bars and cause injury to your dog.








The Basics


SIT, COME, DOWN, STAY, HEEL.














SIT





Holding a treat in your left hand just above the pup's nose, gently rest your right hand on pup's rump.


Slowly move the treat in an upward motion while applying gentle pressure to the rump. ( you dont want to push hard because if you do the dog will sit every time someone touches him and this is not good for competitive obedience)


as soon as pup sits say in a very happy excited tone "GOOD SIT" and give the treat.


Repeat excersize 7x. then take a play break and move on to something elce.


very young pups should not train for more than a half hour each day


every time you put food bowl down or give a treat give the sit command, and wait for the sit. then once pup sits give treat or food down.


DO NOT move on to something new until pup has the new command down pat.








COME





walk away from pup about 10 feet to start. say pup's name and "COME" in a happy voice. once pup comes praise it lavishly have a bit of a play and give it a treat.


Gradually increase the distance you walk away. and eventually once pup knows command only treat every 3rd come. tappering off until he comes every time with out treat using only praise.


this will take a few days to learn if you practice every day.











DOWN





Start with pup in sit. move hand with the treat between the pup's front paws on the ground.


Say "DOWN" in firm but not loud voice.


pup might try and get treat without going down, dont let him have it until he downs.


praise in happy voice "GOOD DOWN"


repeat 7x








STAY





Start pup in down possition. say "STAY" in firm voice. walk to end of leash, backwards. if the pup moves say once only "AP" in a not pleased tone. go back do not say anything. put pup in down again repeat "STAY" walk backwards to end of leash.


pup does NOT get praise or treat untill he stays for 30 seconds, then a minute, then 5 minutes. move times up each week.


after he can do a 5 minute down/stay every time. move on to a sit/stay doing exactly what you did for down/stay.


Once on leash sit and down/stays are reliable for 5 minutes each. drop the leash and walk away from your pup, your back to the pup. about 10 feet away. wait 5 min. recall your dog. with dog sitting in front of you once he reaches you. treat and praise.








HEEL





Please do NOT train with a choke collar. i recomend martin gayles.


with dog on a short leash exactly beside you on your left side say "HEEL" if the dog starts to pull give a correction snap with leash on collar. and recomand "HEEL" the second your dog complies peaise with "GOOD HEEL" in happy voice. and continue to walk , correct, and praise for 30 minutes.








Allways end training sessions on a positive note. Never get angery with your pup for not responding to a command. Praise lavishly every time pup responds to a command.


NEVER hit your dog. NO reason is an acceptable reason for physicaly abusing your pup.


REMEMBER: you can allways call me for problems, you and your pup are allways welcome here to train with us free of charge for the dog's life time.



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