I have a 6 1/2 month old golden retriever bitch. Up until recently she has been a model puppy.
Her toilet training was coming on well, hardly any accidents during the day and the occaisional accident at night (usually poo, rather than wee). She started off badly as she had a digestive problem for the first month or so. Recently however toilet training means nothing to her. It seemed to coincide with the change in the weather, which made sense as the door was shut and we weren't outside as much. So i started making sure that i took her outside regularly, but it just never seems to be enough. The other day she jumped on the bed and proceeded to pee all over it. I have stepped up the training and am now taking her outside almost ever 1/2 hour until she does something and then click and treat (before i just praised). Is this normal to suddenly lose all control again? I don't think she has a urinary infection because she has no other symptoms and it is both wee and poo that causes the problem.
Also when she was a puppy she used to sit nicely when we met people when we were out but now she leaps all over everyone as if she is on springs ignoring any requests to sit. Ignoring her at home doesn't work either. She goes to training classes, (she has been since 8 weeks) and its going really well, she's just moved up to the next group.
She is also an awful thief ( i know it is a retriever trait), but she never stops eating if given the chance. But this then makes the toilet problem worse.
She has no sense of recall when out, even when shown food, this is not a new problem, she has always been more interested in eating rabbit poo than coming to me! We are trainig using a long line now.
This post makes her sound awful, but she actually is lovely and hasn't got a bad bone in her body (apart from the occaisional scuffle with our other dog).
Sorry for the long post, but i thought perhaps someone could shed some light on some of these problems. She is driving my mum insane!

She sounds as if she is being a typical teenager pup, I'm afraid. They do go through this phase and usually come out of it.

I suspect the toilet training problem is partly the result of the wonderful weather we have had for months. If the door has been open all the time and you are outside a lot, she may not have got into the 'habit' of going from inside to outside to toilet, if you know what I mean - she may not recognise the difference between inside and outside. Go back to basics on the toileting - not every 1/2 hour but after food, when you get up, last thing at night and other set times.

sound like a norml 6 1/2 month old pup to me Cassie hit her teenage stage at about 7-8months and god did we know about it
she became a barky chewy messy little horror wouldn't sit still for 5mins her obedience training plz she sat there as if to say and you surpose i know what your on about.
she got over it about 3months later and we had a well behaved nearly adult dog

My friend has a Goldie youngster as well as a Flattie, and it has been fascinating watching them/him grow.

He doesmany of the things your dog does - really due to adolescence :) He has been well trained, but recall was difficult esp. as mu friend's partner wasn't as keen on the training aspect. I do feel that where adolescence is the cause, it is best to just put the head down and keep up the training, and possibly adapt one's methods a bit. For instance if as a teenager a dog suddenly starts jumping up, address that specifically, otherwise keep on with all the basic stuff and gradually advance as the dog is ready. I think you sometimes have to be a bit firmer with cheeky youngsters, i take the attitude of "excuse me but you will do as i ask" - so not being hard, just firm in a kind way, as long as the dog does understand, and then reward for good behaviour :)

Sometimes hormones can just make it impossible - my bitch went AWOL in a training sense when she was due in season, for 3 whole long worryhing weeks: not her fault at all, and a week into her season was fine again.

Lindsay