Heidi Olszewski
New Member
Hello everyone,
I've just clicked onto your forum and found it very interesting. I currently have a 2 year old Golden Retriever named Max. Max is a sweetheart and loves people.. When I take him to the dog park he would much rather visit with people then play with the dogs. By the time we leave everyone one knows Max.
Max is not the typical size of a Golden Retriever. He is a big boy, weighing about 125 pounds and the build of his body matches. When he was just 6 months old and we took him to the vet to be fixed. The lady at the front desk started giving us a lecture for waiting so long to bring him in and said the operation may not help with any negative behaviors. She was quite surprised to find out he was indeed 6 months old and apologized.
Being a Retriver Max is happiest when he is carrying something in his mouth. We have worked with that and he loves carrying around water bottles just to carry them. He was a jumper and took him a bit to break him of that. Also took him about two years to grow out of the puppy stage, which I've read is pretty normal. He still gets so excited to see a new person though and has to be reminded to not jump. Which I have to say he does pretty well, but he still upsets my nephew which has special needs because he reacts to Max getting excited and just wanting to be pet.
I know one of his problems is I don't get him tired out enough and have to look to this forum for some solutions. Walking is something I need to work on with him, getting myself into the habbit, but I am looking for activities that would tire him out more than a walk could do and possibly draw on some of his natural instincts of being a retriever.
I think with more exercise my second issue will ease a bit. At this time when he's indoors, which is usually only when the heat/cold is to much (he has free run of the property and shelter from the elements) or when he goes to bed. When inside I keep him in our breeze way which is a good sized room because he just can't act appropriate. I would love if I could just pet him and not have him get so excited or have him relax in the living room at night like he does in his room.
I've been able to have him in the room with me when we are alone. He doesn't get all hyped up, but once my husband walks in the calmness is out the window and I have to go catching lamps and fighting such a large dog off our laps. My husband is not the best with consistent dicsipline (something that needs to also be worked on).
Any suggestions would be appreicated. I feel if I had a plan and steps to follow it would be easier for me to train all of us.
-Heidi
I've just clicked onto your forum and found it very interesting. I currently have a 2 year old Golden Retriever named Max. Max is a sweetheart and loves people.. When I take him to the dog park he would much rather visit with people then play with the dogs. By the time we leave everyone one knows Max.
Max is not the typical size of a Golden Retriever. He is a big boy, weighing about 125 pounds and the build of his body matches. When he was just 6 months old and we took him to the vet to be fixed. The lady at the front desk started giving us a lecture for waiting so long to bring him in and said the operation may not help with any negative behaviors. She was quite surprised to find out he was indeed 6 months old and apologized.
Being a Retriver Max is happiest when he is carrying something in his mouth. We have worked with that and he loves carrying around water bottles just to carry them. He was a jumper and took him a bit to break him of that. Also took him about two years to grow out of the puppy stage, which I've read is pretty normal. He still gets so excited to see a new person though and has to be reminded to not jump. Which I have to say he does pretty well, but he still upsets my nephew which has special needs because he reacts to Max getting excited and just wanting to be pet.
I know one of his problems is I don't get him tired out enough and have to look to this forum for some solutions. Walking is something I need to work on with him, getting myself into the habbit, but I am looking for activities that would tire him out more than a walk could do and possibly draw on some of his natural instincts of being a retriever.
I think with more exercise my second issue will ease a bit. At this time when he's indoors, which is usually only when the heat/cold is to much (he has free run of the property and shelter from the elements) or when he goes to bed. When inside I keep him in our breeze way which is a good sized room because he just can't act appropriate. I would love if I could just pet him and not have him get so excited or have him relax in the living room at night like he does in his room.
I've been able to have him in the room with me when we are alone. He doesn't get all hyped up, but once my husband walks in the calmness is out the window and I have to go catching lamps and fighting such a large dog off our laps. My husband is not the best with consistent dicsipline (something that needs to also be worked on).
Any suggestions would be appreicated. I feel if I had a plan and steps to follow it would be easier for me to train all of us.
-Heidi
