I have a 1 yr old golden lab that i received as a give-away and she appears to have no prior training. She has started to tear up EVERYTHING and runs away at night, but returns in the morning. She has started to bark whenever a car drives by, whenever someone walks by, and sometimes for no appartent reason at all. She is a very lovable dog, stays with me whenever I’m outside with her and loves to go on walks and is very well behaved when we are out, BUT when I’m not watching her….SHE’S OUT OF CONTROL. Please help, any ideas will definitely be tried!!! THANK YOU!
You have asked some very good questions that will take a long time to answer. First of all, a one year old golden retriever is going to need LOTS of exercise. If she is bored, she is going to cause trouble to make life more fun for her. Throw the ball, run with her, play with her. Have scheduled play times just to wear her out. A tired dog is a content dog. she may be able to run miles a day. Invest in a bike and allow her to run along side you IF YOU CAN DO THIS SAFELY. I used to roller blade with my dog but I was a very good roller blader! She needs a job and a good set of rules. In order to do this effectively, YOU NEED HELP! You need to get her enrolled in dog obedience classes. You need to learn about dog behavior yourself by talking with someone interested in behavior or a pet behaviorist or investing in some books. I like positive reinforcement using clicker training. Get some references from your veterinarian. She is probably due for some vaccines at 1 year old. Also, please make sure she is spayed. If she is wandering, pretty soon you are going to have puppies. She is more likely to stay home if she is spayed. Barking is a normal dog behavior but there are ways to help tone it down. You want to teach her to bark on command. When she has this down, you can teach her to stop barking on command. You also want to teach her to sit and stay during situations that are going to rial her up, such as someone ringing the doorbell. All of this can be taught by going to dog obedience. It sounds as if you are a dog novice and need some professional help. Here is a great website to check out and do some quick searches.
http://www.veterinarypartner.com
I did a search here for barking dogs for you. Here is a good result…http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content…
Here is a result from typing in separation anxiety, which your dog may or may not have.http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content…
All the things you are talking about sound like normal dog behavior, albeit undesireable for you. You need to get a handle on it quick by taking some of my advice or I can predict your dog will end up in a shelter like so many other unwanted animals. Behavior is the leading cause of euthanasia in the U.S. You are taking a good first step by asking questions.
Please take your dog to your vet for some help to your questions. Make sure you let the receptionist know you are going to be asking some extensive behavior questions as these questions take a long time to answer. Be prepared to take notes.
The previous answer is probably sufficient but for one more resource check out the dog whisperer training DVD. Its cheaper than a class if your on a tight budget, the class is better but if you cant this is what I used to train my dogs.
WOW!!! You have a problem on your hands –are you a patient person? Time and love is needed here plus strict and also consistent discipline. Exercise is huge for this dog-a tired and content dog will less likely chew stuff up. Teach her the basics first and cage her up or try and contain her in your house when you are away. She is still a puppy too. It takes about 2 years for her to fully develop. When teaching the basics reward with a cooked hot dog (little pieces). It will help with the beginning training. Always praise “good girl” etc after she does the “trick”. Good luck
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