Golden Retriever Aggressive
- Thread starter chino2000
- Start date
My name is Sonya and I live in Queensland. I am not a dog trainer, but have grown up with dogs all my life. I have 2 at the moment. A 9 year old Basset Hound, Floyd and a 3 year old Golden Retriever. I am having huge problems with walking the retriever. She goes hypo as soon as I put her lead on and lunges and growls at other dogs and occasionally people. She's been through obedience training and everything I can think of. I'm sure she has ADHD or something 
MaryK
Honored Member
Welcome Sonya
First with your Goldie. When did this behavior start? Is it recent? If so, can you recall ANYTHING, how ever small, which triggered her reactions? Is it with all dogs or just say, bigger dogs, smaller dogs, dogs which are pulling towards her?
It can be the smallest thing, to us anyway, which can trigger an over reaction.
Do you use Positive Reinforcement training? Do you use a clicker? If not please get one, you can buy them on e-bay for about AUS$5.00. And there's a video by Kikkopup as to how to 'charge' a clicker. Basically you just click/treat around ten times without asking your dog for anything at all and that way the clicker is charged.
What I would do with your Goldie is first ask for sit when you are going to put on her lead and collar. When she sits, quietly, then click/treat her and put on her lead. If she's a lead biter, then you'll need to work on this separately. Kikkopup has a brilliant vid for over coming this problem.
Once she's outside and you spot a potential problem, i.e. another dog coming into view, ask for heel, click/treat. If she's really over reacting, she will NOT hear you at all, so you'll need to become a 'ninja' in other words, AVOID other dogs at this stage. Do NOT try to pas them 'head on' as this is 'threatening' to a dog, so best avoid passing another dog head on. They learn to 'accept' having to pass a dog 'head on' but the natural way for a dog is in an arc, that's saying 'hey I'm not a threat' whereas in doggy language 'head on' is a threat. You do have to learn to speak 'dog' and learn their language. Move aside if possible, ask for sit click/treat. Or cross the road, keeping her calm by click treating as you're walking along.
Also, start in your own garden, I would be teaching her 'look at me'. Get eye contact with her and the second she give's you eye contact, doesn't have to be a lengthy time, click/treat her. Practice this until she'll give you immediate eye contact and then, when you're out walking and see 'trouble' ask for 'look at me' and immediately click/treat and keep doing this, become a treat dispenser' until the potential danger has past.
When a dog is eating, their brain switches gears, Victoria Stillwell has a very good article about this on her site.
What is her body language when she's lunging? Is it definitely 'aggressive'? Some dogs appear to be aggressive but are really just over excited to see another dog and want to meet/greet, which is of course not acceptable behavior, but not aggressive. Also, does she have a lot of play time off lead? Goldies need loads of exercise. That may be why she appears to be ADHD, she's not getting enough play time. This can be either physical or mental, mental play such as puzzle games can really tire a dog, even more at times than physical work.
With people, do the same things as with another dog. Did anyone 'frighten' her? Is it with all people or just some people, ie. men/women/people with prams, those ghastly senior citizen speedsters in their mobile chairs?
Sorry for asking so many questions, but the more details you can give us, the better we're able to help you. If you can video her behavior that's even better (or get someone else to)
First with your Goldie. When did this behavior start? Is it recent? If so, can you recall ANYTHING, how ever small, which triggered her reactions? Is it with all dogs or just say, bigger dogs, smaller dogs, dogs which are pulling towards her?
It can be the smallest thing, to us anyway, which can trigger an over reaction.
Do you use Positive Reinforcement training? Do you use a clicker? If not please get one, you can buy them on e-bay for about AUS$5.00. And there's a video by Kikkopup as to how to 'charge' a clicker. Basically you just click/treat around ten times without asking your dog for anything at all and that way the clicker is charged.
What I would do with your Goldie is first ask for sit when you are going to put on her lead and collar. When she sits, quietly, then click/treat her and put on her lead. If she's a lead biter, then you'll need to work on this separately. Kikkopup has a brilliant vid for over coming this problem.
Once she's outside and you spot a potential problem, i.e. another dog coming into view, ask for heel, click/treat. If she's really over reacting, she will NOT hear you at all, so you'll need to become a 'ninja' in other words, AVOID other dogs at this stage. Do NOT try to pas them 'head on' as this is 'threatening' to a dog, so best avoid passing another dog head on. They learn to 'accept' having to pass a dog 'head on' but the natural way for a dog is in an arc, that's saying 'hey I'm not a threat' whereas in doggy language 'head on' is a threat. You do have to learn to speak 'dog' and learn their language. Move aside if possible, ask for sit click/treat. Or cross the road, keeping her calm by click treating as you're walking along.
Also, start in your own garden, I would be teaching her 'look at me'. Get eye contact with her and the second she give's you eye contact, doesn't have to be a lengthy time, click/treat her. Practice this until she'll give you immediate eye contact and then, when you're out walking and see 'trouble' ask for 'look at me' and immediately click/treat and keep doing this, become a treat dispenser' until the potential danger has past.
When a dog is eating, their brain switches gears, Victoria Stillwell has a very good article about this on her site.
What is her body language when she's lunging? Is it definitely 'aggressive'? Some dogs appear to be aggressive but are really just over excited to see another dog and want to meet/greet, which is of course not acceptable behavior, but not aggressive. Also, does she have a lot of play time off lead? Goldies need loads of exercise. That may be why she appears to be ADHD, she's not getting enough play time. This can be either physical or mental, mental play such as puzzle games can really tire a dog, even more at times than physical work.
With people, do the same things as with another dog. Did anyone 'frighten' her? Is it with all people or just some people, ie. men/women/people with prams, those ghastly senior citizen speedsters in their mobile chairs?
Sorry for asking so many questions, but the more details you can give us, the better we're able to help you. If you can video her behavior that's even better (or get someone else to)