Hi all, just joined!!!!!! and need some advice, I have a golden retriever bitch called willow who has just turned 5 and half months, she is a very bright girl although she is very dominant and would rule the roost if we let her, she is very good with training but just recently she is getting a naughty girl when she is out she constantly has started biting the lead jumping up me biting growling pulling clothes, today was the last straw I took her for a walk as soon as I let her off the lead she starts aggresivley attacking me biting growling jumping up I tried ignoring her and walking off this didnt work so I just put her back on the lead and tried to continue with the walk and she played up all the way home!!!!! she does not do this to my husband only me, does anybody know why she does this and what I should do when she does!! sorry it's a long one folks, any advice would be great many thanks sara.

It sounds as though she's becoming a bored, stroppy teenager! What training do you do with her to keep her brain occupied?

it's all the basic training at the moment recall, walking to heel, retreive, wait, and the odd game of hide and seek!!!

Hi

Firstly, I would forget the word "dominance", this is NOT why your dog is behaving like this.  Here is a link you might want to read about why dominance is rarely the answer: http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2004/Debunking.pdf

Secondly, if I were you, I'd feel secretly flattered if the dog wanted to play with me like this and not with my other half!  It means she has a better relationship with you and sees you as a friend and a source of fun.  Not saying that it's ideal or to be encouraged, but certainly don't feel that she's taking advantage of you - she's not - she just finds it more fun to be with you than with your husband and she is trying to play with you.  She doesn't understand why you don't want to play.

Also, to me it doesn't sound like she's being "aggressive", so I wouldn't say she's "aggressively attacking" you - she is playing!!  Please don't label your dog like this - she is only 5 and a half months and this is NORMAL puppy behaviour!!

About biting the lead:  If this is a real problem (like it's happening a lot, not just occasionally), you might want to consider buying a metal lead.  NOT a choke chain - please do not use any metal around the collar part of the dog, but you can buy a metal or chain clip lead that clips onto the dog's collar.  Dogs don't like to bite metal, so she will stop playing with the lead.

About the jumping up at you, growling, biting clothes and so on - if this happens, I would put two hands on the collar, and quickly but gently hold her down so she's standing on the ground and look away from her.  (Don't squash her or role her over, just hold her with 4 feet on the ground.)  Wait.  She might keep struggling or trying to play, but just wait and keep holding her by the collar.  Eventually she will get bored because she can't move.  She will calm down and be still.  When she does, praise her quietly and calmly, release her and continue walking.  If she does it again, again take hold of the collar and do the same thing.  Be warned that you might not get very far at first!

Another thing you might like to consider is some kind of head collar, like a Gentle Leader or a Halti.  This will give you complete control of her head.  She won't be able to jump up because she will need to lead the jump from her head, and her head won't be able to go anywhere.  She will also not be able to play bite you, because the head collar will gently hold her mouth closed when she pulls against it.  You can buy these head collars in most pet shops.

hi there, thanks for the advice what you say all makes perfect sense, we may have to agree to disagree about the dominance issue as I do beleve that some dogs have a more dominant nature than others. anyway I will try your advice and see how we go i'll perhaps buy a new ball or outdoor toy that we can take out with us and have fun with this hopefully instead of biting me!!!!

Don't confuse 'dominance' with high spirits and confidence! ;) Your puppy (not yet even old enough for the youngest puppy show classes) does not want to take over the world! :D

I Couldnt agree more however I am not confused there is a difference between confidence and dominance, I am not saying that it is something that is out of hand I am saying she has a very dominant nature which isnt a problem as we are responsible dog owners, I suppose you would say that it is just confidence the way she trys to pin my daughter to the floor and hump her like a male and with her toys she does the same. To me this is dominance.

Yes, I'd say the humping is normal puppy behaviour - she's playing with your daughter as she would another puppy. If it was 'dominance', you'd be seriously attacked when you tried to prevent it ...

well at the end of the day everybody has there own opinions, the world would be a pretty dull place if not!! and I have to say right or wrong that I don't agree with what you say, I have had numerous dogs over the years and each one is individual and nobody knows a dog like your own, what breed do you have?

[link]http://www.barry.eaton.clara.net/pack_leader.htm[/link]

I currently only have dalmatians, but I've also had a labrador and a mongrel, and had close dealings with other labs and goldens. Several have been 'cocky', but none has been a truly dominant dogs. They certainly exist, but only about 1% will be like this - even people who are very experienced with dogs know fear when trying to handle them - they are very, very different to a normal bolshy dog. The awareness of their willingness to kill if necessary is very apparent.

yes I definetly agree, and maybe I could retract a little and say very cocky and bolshy, it's just that we all have different views I just know that given half the chance she would be a madame!!!!!

Caught my young bitch trying to hump my 3 year old dog last night, first time she's done that! I told  her I do NOT want her turning out like my friend's bitch who could hump for England!!! :-D

>given half the chance she would be a madame!!!!!

Ah yes, we're all on the lookout for the main chance and to have as cushy a life as possible. ;) I know toddlers who are just the same! I wouldn't label them as dominant, though! :D

and I have to say right or wrong that I don't agree with what you say, I have had numerous dogs over the years and each one is individual and nobody knows a dog like your own, what breed do you have?

For what it's worth I fully agree with Jeangenie and I have as said had 9 Goldens (and 3 crosses which were/are half Golden) over 25 years as well as other breeds, so maybe my opinion does count? ;)

Also, to me it doesn't sound like she's being "aggressive", so I wouldn't say she's "aggressively attacking" you - she is playing!!

I fully agree, and Goldens DO normally make a lot of noises whilst playing that some people mistake for growling. It's just the way the breed is -certainly all mine have been, I've had 9 over the years. :)

yes I have had goldies before and they are very verbal they have all talked however just because I have had goldies this does not make me an expert on them like some people. May I ask what would your opinion on why a dog would curl there lip and show there teeth what would this mean to you?

There are many dogs, of many breeds, which smile. Without seeing the rest of the body language, it's impossible to say which yours is doing.

maybe, I am not saying she is aggressive, however she does curl her lip and show her teeth mainly when she gets over excitied or when she is palying who knows she could be smiling

If she's smiling, she's happy - just what you want in a dog. A 'smiler' is a joy to own. :)

yes it would be brill to think she was happy, have you any idea how I could determine that it was a smile? I try to figure out when she does it the body language and thinking about it she does it when shes pyhsically playing with you, when she is excitied or when we are out and she starts jumping up and nipping and generally going loopy!!!

May I ask what would your opinion on why a dog would curl there lip and show there teeth what would this mean to you?

In a 5 month old GOLDEN PUPPY; without a doubt it means PLAY. I even have a photo in one of my old albums from the 80's of one of my first Goldens as a 4 ½ months old pup doing this to me in play.(I could even dig it out and scan it but am unsure if I would be allowed to post a link to anything like that if I uploaded it to my webspace.) I also see my 2 year old Golden doing this every day in play to his puppy friend!

yes I do understand now that she means play, however it is coming to the point where she is driving me mad yet again I took her out today I took the ball na dwe had play time off the lead as soon as I put her back on the lead that was it biting my clothes jumping up biting hands gorwling curling her lip I just stand there until she is finished as Im not sure what else to do, shouitng does not work treats do not work talking sternly does not work so I just dont do anything, I understand she wants to play however how do i get her to learn that play timeis over and biting and pulling is not acceptable behaviour it is quite embarrasing when your out as people look at her as if to say what a nasty naughty dog and she isnt really.

By standing still and ignoring the bad behaviour you're doing exactly the right thing. :) If she gets no response, she'll eventually stop doing it.

To improve things even further, I'd suggest that when she's calm again (as calm as a young puppy can ever be! ;)), praise her, give her a treat, walk a little way with her, and then let her off to play again for a few minutes. When she learns that going on the lead isn't automatically the end of all the fun, she'll accept it better. :)

thanks, thats brilliant advice ill start first thing tommorow. I can see it's going to take alot of patience and perserverence!!!! but then doesnt most things when you have a pup aproaching adolesence!!!! bless her it's all good fun.

In addition to what Jeangenie said, you need to occupy her MIND, not just her body. :) Running after a ball may tire her out physically, but a few obedience exercises will tire her out mentally, so she'll be less likely to still want to play. :) Also with Goldens they are usually SO keen to retrieve it can get a bit too much for them as it makes them SO excited, so limit it to just a few throws, in case you weren't already doing that. (And turning it into a more formal retrieve with her having to come back to you, sit in front and give it up, then not run off after again until told so, will also help.)

Hi, I have just put on another post as the problem is getting worse, I have tryed all of what you said and she will do all of that fine but for some reason which i cannot figure out or predict when she is going to do it she will just decide to start biting jumping up pulling clothes i timed it the other day and i stood there for 11 minutes trying to ignore her before she gave up and the only reason she gave up was because a boy went past on a bike and she was interested in him, I just dont understand why she is doing it and what i can do she does not do it in the house?

A dog who has already learnt to get attention or the reward they are seeking by one behaviour will often increase the behaviour if not getting the reward before they cease doing it all together, we often forget to warn owners, but it is quite 'normal' and to be expected.  If you keep on ignoring it, it WILL stop so long as she's not getting any other reward.......

mine makes a growly throaty sound when playing that is completely innocent, and not like a real warning growl, but alarming to people who are not used to it.

Hi, I just joined too!!  One day while walking my Maltese, he started pulling on the lead and shaking his head from side to side.  When I stopped to see what was wrong, he ran between my legs and sat down with his tail wagging!  I started walking and he started nipping at my shoes and barking at me!  It startled me at first because he had never done this.  Then I noticed he was looking at me as if to say 'C'mon!  Let's play!'  It always happens at the end of our walk - HE HATES BEING INSIDE!  And like you, I am the only one who witnesses this behaviour.  My boyfriend and his son walk him with no problem.  I read the responses and I guess all they want is our attention. 

my 14 month old bitch does the same thing , in doors or out i'm the only one that she jumps up nips my hands, feet wot every she can grab hold of to play , even on her lead she does the same thing and gets that look in her eys that says " come on mum playyyyyyyyyyyyy with me "

Nips, given half the chance, would be more than happy to gain attention by wandering over and attempting an air nip somewhere at knee level. However, I'm not actually prepared to play with any dog who thinks that's an acceptable way to start a game so I don't!

i totally agree, whether they are playbiting or biting for attention it is certainly not acceptable to let a dog bite