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My husband and I have a nearly 2 year old daughter and a 8 month old Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy. We originally thought that we could train our puppy (Shadow) ourselves, but my husband is at his wits end...He's almost ready to throw in the towel. Our dog is part of our family now (we got him when he was 8 weeks old), but my husband lacks patience and I can't do everything by myself.
We bring him inside on the leash once our daughter goes to bed, and he will suddenly start jumping up and biting whoever is holding the leash (hard!) and grabbing the leash. Off the leash in the backyard, he will race in circles around me, jumping and biting and grabbing arms, shirts, etc. as he dashes by. He loves to fetch, but is not too careful about discriminating between the toy and our fingers; he has learned to drop the toy so we'll throw it, but bites at our hands when we try to pick it up.
He hasn't had any formal training, but we've tried everything recommended to us (sprayed "Bitter Apple", held his mouth closed when he bites, yelped like a puppy (worked the best for a couple of days), grabbed him by the scruff, put him onto the ground and held him there to show dominance, grabbed his feet, or put a knee up when he jumps -- He can always manage to bit no matter what position he's in...I feel like we're in some sort of power struggle with this puppy (and losing!) We wouldn't dare just turn away and ignore him, because we've tried and he jumps up and bites...hard!
We don't want to get rid of him because our daughter and he really do love each other and I know he is capable of being a good family dog...Thought maybe he is mad at us because we are gone about 10 hours a day and really only get to spend an hour or so with him due to work/baby schedules, so we were considering getting him an older, trained friend to learn good behaviors from. I'm scared that if we take him to formal training alone, it won't work if he really is having seperation/boredom issues...Any suggestions???
Please no negative comments. I'm already super emotional about this situation. Money is tight so an extra dog and/or formal training will squeeze us, but I feel like there's no other choice unless we rehome him
My husband and I have a nearly 2 year old daughter and a 8 month old Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy. We originally thought that we could train our puppy (Shadow) ourselves, but my husband is at his wits end...He's almost ready to throw in the towel. Our dog is part of our family now (we got him when he was 8 weeks old), but my husband lacks patience and I can't do everything by myself.
We bring him inside on the leash once our daughter goes to bed, and he will suddenly start jumping up and biting whoever is holding the leash (hard!) and grabbing the leash. Off the leash in the backyard, he will race in circles around me, jumping and biting and grabbing arms, shirts, etc. as he dashes by. He loves to fetch, but is not too careful about discriminating between the toy and our fingers; he has learned to drop the toy so we'll throw it, but bites at our hands when we try to pick it up.
He hasn't had any formal training, but we've tried everything recommended to us (sprayed "Bitter Apple", held his mouth closed when he bites, yelped like a puppy (worked the best for a couple of days), grabbed him by the scruff, put him onto the ground and held him there to show dominance, grabbed his feet, or put a knee up when he jumps -- He can always manage to bit no matter what position he's in...I feel like we're in some sort of power struggle with this puppy (and losing!) We wouldn't dare just turn away and ignore him, because we've tried and he jumps up and bites...hard!
We don't want to get rid of him because our daughter and he really do love each other and I know he is capable of being a good family dog...Thought maybe he is mad at us because we are gone about 10 hours a day and really only get to spend an hour or so with him due to work/baby schedules, so we were considering getting him an older, trained friend to learn good behaviors from. I'm scared that if we take him to formal training alone, it won't work if he really is having seperation/boredom issues...Any suggestions???
Please no negative comments. I'm already super emotional about this situation. Money is tight so an extra dog and/or formal training will squeeze us, but I feel like there's no other choice unless we rehome him
He needs training by a certified animal behaviorist. Check with your vet for a recommendation. Some train via phone consultations for about $100 or less with follow-ups included. Write down a detailed history including knowledge of first placement or home and reason why he was put up for adoption; any history of abuse; problem behaviors, possible triggers and your responses to the behaviors; attempts at positive reinforcement (catching them being "good"); your work schedules, etc. ready.
Try the Pets->Dogs forum.
I have a sweet "problem child" whose behaviors have not changed at all even though she has had multiple professional trainers. My solution, and I realize it's not an option for you because of the expense, is to put her into doggie daycare about 4-5 times a week. I also "manage" those behaviors which are not likely to change.
For example, she likes to bark at everyone (anti-barking devices don't work), so I take her on early morning and late night walks since we encounter fewer pedestrians during those times. She gets upset and barks whenever I leave the house, so I give her special treats when I'm leaving to help her associate my departures with something positive. She used to be a very, very destructive chewer. Lots of durable chews designed for "power chewers" and cow knuckles to the rescue. She used to tear apart her beds, so I bought her the durable type with legs made from very hard plastic. You get the picture.
All is all, she is actually a sweetheart , if you know her well, and a definite keeper. She ain't goin' nowhere.
P.S. Take seriously the recommendation for lots of exercise for your working dog. He wasn't designed to just loaf around, and probably had ton of energy to burn up.
Just one other thing regarding the aggression, he has been neutered, right?
I had a Lab--best dog I ever owned. He was a wild and crazy puppy till he was 4--that's just the breed.
You seriously need to get into dog training classes--there's plenty on the weekend available--excellent ones at Howe park and Carmichael Park--don't do the Petsmart or Petco ones. If money is too tight, look on www.meetup.com for the various dog groups--there's dog walks and dog socialization groups. They are free, you can take your daughter with you, the dog gets exercise, and you'll get all kinds of helpful tips from other dog owners.
A Lab/Golden needs way more than 1 hour a day of family/people time. He's not even going to calm down in the first hour. My Lab was with me from when I got home from work till bedtime, and was only crazy the first 30 minutes or so.
Getting a second dog will end you up with two untrained backyard dogs that aren't bonded to people, and won't honestly be trustworthy around your child.
My advice:
1. Daily--or at least 3 times a week--down the street walk. Take the whole family, even if it's only 10 or 15 minutes, get out there.
2. Realistically look at your schedule--that 8-month-old dog is baby #2. You can't not put the time in him now. Eight months to two years is the age when these dogs get dumped to the pound for being hard to handle/mauling the kids. Do the work now, and find/carve out the time to work with him.
3. Schedule something every weekend--long walk, park time, Meetup group, training, something. Find out where the dog parks are--full of dogs for him to play with, and owners with lots of hands-on advice.
Good luck with him. With some time, attention and training he will be a much-loved companion for your daughter for many years to come.
You seriously need to get into dog training classes--there's plenty on the weekend available--excellent ones at Howe park and Carmichael Park--don't do the Petsmart or Petco ones. If money is too tight, look on www.meetup.com for the various dog groups--there's dog walks and dog socialization groups. They are free, you can take your daughter with you, the dog gets exercise, and you'll get all kinds of helpful tips from other dog owners.
Dogs don't learn good behavior from one another. They do however learn bad habits from each other.
Your puppy needs more exercise. Your daughter is young enough to sit in a stroller while you walk him. Get a gentle lead collar to make walking easy. Get small treats that you give when he comes in only after he settles down. Buy bully sticks from Costco and cut them in half using pruning shears. It should occupy him a good 10-15 minutes when you bring him in and he'll probably settle down while chewing.
When playing fetch, tell him to drop, then put your foot on the ball until he backs off to keep him from going for your hand.
You need to handle this or find someone with more time and training to take him before he hurts someone with his biting. Throw the ball until he can't run anymore. Then bring him in.
I agree with the previous posts...exercise is very important. Animal training is mostly about training the human. Dogs just do not think like we do. We rescued a Pit Bull about a year ago from the Roseville SPCA. She has been a lot of fun but also a huge challenge. We have done one-on-one professional training sessions and they have helped immensely, but old habits die hard it seems, and a lack of socialization with other dogs has left its mark. But even though she is a challenge she brings us lots of joy. I found the Sophia Yin videos on You Tube to be very helpful BTW (Sophia Yin - YouTube.)
Hello Platinum, As others have said, you have a large, young dog who's got lots of energy. When you are training him, keep in mind that most dogs want to please you, they just have to be shown what you want them to do. A lot of his problem is being alone all day. This is hard on a young dog. Can you or your husband take him out for a 15 minute (at least, longer would be better) walk before you go to work? You don't say where you are, but Albree dog training offers group classes in the Sac parks that are very reasonably priced and excellent (I hope this isn't considered advertising; I'm not connected with them in any way, but I did take my Staff Terrier for lessons with them when she was young -- if this gets bounced by the moderator, I will PM you with the info). There are many trainers who promote cruel "dominance" training methods (choking the dog, grabbing the scruff, etc) which just confuse the animal and make you feel like a monster. I've been through some of those courses and am pretty ashamed of the way I ended up treating my little girl, no matter how much she deserved it! You might want to have a look at the UCD Vet Med Clinical Animal Behavior Service Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ucdavisbeha...ice?ref=stream
The goal is to be your dog's leader, not his tyrant. Patience is absolutely essential, and if you are get a good trainer and take the lessons to heart, it will also make you a more patient, better parent. Try looking at the situation from the dog's point of view, and imagine him as your companion rather than a pain in the neck. And if he isn't already neutered, make that your first priority.
We don't want to get rid of him because our daughter and he really do love each other and I know he is capable of being a good family dog...Thought maybe he is mad at us because we are gone about 10 hours a day and really only get to spend an hour or so with him due to work/baby schedules, so we were considering getting him an older, trained friend to learn good behaviors from. I'm scared that if we take him to formal training alone, it won't work if he really is having seperation/boredom issues...Any suggestions???
Please no negative comments. I'm already super emotional about this situation. Money is tight so an extra dog and/or formal training will squeeze us, but I feel like there's no other choice unless we rehome him
I'm assuming your live in Sacramento....have you called any of the dog training schools? perhaps a dog rescue organization that could give you some tips....I don't think this is something you can handle on your own. If it were me, I'd call Caesar and find a way to pay for it.
My husband and I have a nearly 2 year old daughter and a 8 month old Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy. We originally thought that we could train our puppy (Shadow) ourselves, but my husband is at his wits end...He's almost ready to throw in the towel. Our dog is part of our family now (we got him when he was 8 weeks old), but my husband lacks patience and I can't do everything by myself.
We bring him inside on the leash once our daughter goes to bed, and he will suddenly start jumping up and biting whoever is holding the leash (hard!) and grabbing the leash. Off the leash in the backyard, he will race in circles around me, jumping and biting and grabbing arms, shirts, etc. as he dashes by. He loves to fetch, but is not too careful about discriminating between the toy and our fingers; he has learned to drop the toy so we'll throw it, but bites at our hands when we try to pick it up.
He hasn't had any formal training, but we've tried everything recommended to us (sprayed "Bitter Apple", held his mouth closed when he bites, yelped like a puppy (worked the best for a couple of days), grabbed him by the scruff, put him onto the ground and held him there to show dominance, grabbed his feet, or put a knee up when he jumps -- He can always manage to bit no matter what position he's in...I feel like we're in some sort of power struggle with this puppy (and losing!) We wouldn't dare just turn away and ignore him, because we've tried and he jumps up and bites...hard!
We don't want to get rid of him because our daughter and he really do love each other and I know he is capable of being a good family dog...Thought maybe he is mad at us because we are gone about 10 hours a day and really only get to spend an hour or so with him due to work/baby schedules, so we were considering getting him an older, trained friend to learn good behaviors from. I'm scared that if we take him to formal training alone, it won't work if he really is having seperation/boredom issues...Any suggestions???
Please no negative comments. I'm already super emotional about this situation. Money is tight so an extra dog and/or formal training will squeeze us, but I feel like there's no other choice unless we rehome him
We used to have a Lab and our son has one now. The most important thing to remember, which may not be of much help to you right now: Retrievers do not grow out of the puppy stage until they are about 2 years old, certainly not before a year. This is probably why the training problems. There is not much you can do about it, other than, professional handling training. That would help, but as you say, it is very expensive. If your husband can survive, just keep trying and give it time.
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, if you know her well, and a definite keeper. She ain't goin' nowhere. 
You might want to have a look at the UCD Vet Med Clinical Animal Behavior Service Facebook page: 
