Retriever Rescue

OK, you all knew it was coming. The honeymoon period is over and my baby boy has turned into an adolescent - with all the trimmings!

I'm rapidly getting to the stage where I'm scared to let him off his lead as I don't have the same control over him as previously. When he is off the lead his sole intention seems to be to get as far away from me as he can in the shortest time possible. I'm sick of the sound of my own voice calling him back. The residents of Darwen must wonder who the hell that woman is who walks round shouting all the time. It goes a bit like this; "Bentley, wait. BENTLEY, WAIT!BENTLEY!!! WAIT!!!!!"[/b] On the third attempt when he knows I'm really narked he might slow down, albeit grudgingly.

I've noticed other behaviours are becoming more challenging as well so my question is: Should I ride this out or should I go for the neutering option?

I'm concerned abut the health issues surrounding neutering as in weight gain, change of coat and loss of bone density. I don't want to cause him any future health issues in order to time my life a bit easier while he goes through adolescence.

I've done a bit of research and there are powerful arguments for each side.

As experienced Golden owners I'd value your opinions. What are your views? Do the pro's outweigh the con's?

Sincerely yours
dazed, confused and frustrated

Mum of Wandering ' deaf lugs' Walter
Lesley

Hi Lesley, I would recommend neutering only as a last resort, people think it's a solution to many problems, the truth is it can create more than it solves, its similar to having a bitch spayed before her first season she enters adulthood not knowing what she is.

Bentley is now older but is still behaving as he only knows how, I would suggest you contact a gun dog trainer I assume you live in Lancashire so I have tried to include a link
just to give you an idea, I realize this may seem extreme but it does work and can be very rewarding.

A friend of mine is a police firearms officer and works 3 black labs the latest one is about Bentleys age and already responds to the whistle and hand signals and walks without a lead.

I wish you well, good luck, Steve.

Training is the answer not neutering. However he has to be neutered at some time but I think it is too soon to do this unless he is mounting everything in sight. This is a Golden Retriever and they are notorious for being heedless.

However I would not suggest a gundog trainer under any circumstances.

In total agreement about this subject... with dogs and bitches, we have known people just take their dogs to be neutered thinking that this solves 'their' problems, another friend's golden dog is now 9yrs and has always been the model of excellence, he and his owners attended a well run training class. He has now been neutered due to health issues.
It's different with bitches though....too many health issues...
We don't think that Ginnie had had a season, (Ginnie hadn't got any teats whatsoever) but we knew she was spayed when we collected her from Jan. Cobi was spayed 3 months after collecting her from Jan as she had come into season a few days later. Like most owners I've always been on the 'lookout' for anything untoward and got Ceili to the vets when she developed pyometra, and also my sister's golden (who had only just come to live with us), thankfully both were spayed in time. I can never understand why some vets recommend different options, as they have the same training (cynically .... it's probably money orientated) thankfully our vet isn't like that, and has given us good advice over the years.

Lesley, go along and have a look at a couple of training classes in your area and ask lots of questions from other dog owners, I got 'ripped off' with a one-to-one trainer who hadn't got a clue when we were struggling with Ginnie, anyone can set themselves up as a dog trainer, or behaviourist. I certainly don't like some peoples ideas of training dogs, and was given some awful advice and methods, regarding a 'rescue' dog. Dogs have to been 'moulded' and coaxed into doing the right thing, and rewarded. Prior to Ginnie (who we had from Jan in 2000) we had only ever had goldens as puppies, but even they had their moments !!!

As Jan says goldens can be heedless.....

I'd like to add stubborn....stroppy, defiant, selective deafness, .... this covers Cobi for this mornings walk....but so loving and adorable even when wet and grubby and she is now on our bed !!! ( 2covers on )

Is he aggressive , or as Jan says mounting every thing or is he like an adolesent teenager,He is enjoying the big wide world, selected deafness is in most dogs, training and teaching is a ongoing thing throughout his life, some things he will get right away other things take a lot longer, with time and effort on your part, most things can be done by you, unless he gets really out of hand. I personally dont think neutering is needed with him at this stage, maybe in the future it may be a option. He will learn if you show him that when he behaves,you reward him with treets love or affection. Good luck to you both,

Thanks, everyone. he's already doing obedience classes where he is the model pupil, he might as well take apples in for the teacher, he's so swotty.

It's out on walks he's a bit deaf, well, a lot deaf, and stubborn when it suits him and I'm terrified he's going to catch the scent of some female and disappear. All the obedience classes he's been to seem to have been a waste of time when he's on a mission. He's never aggressive though - I don't think he has an aggressive bone in his body. Time will tell.

I had a nice long chat with Jan yesterday and she's put my mind at rest. It's just like having my teenage son all over again -hopefully with Bentley though there won't be any fags, cider or girlfriends sneaked in for the night. There is however a bit of back chat!

As for the neutering - I'll avoid it till he's fully mature unless he turns into a humping lunatic.

Funnily enough, he seems to know he rattled me yesterday He's been as good as gold today. Yup. Just like a teenager - 'How far can I push it? Oops, too far. Better back off a bit.'

Blimey! I thought dealing with teenage angst and issues was all behind me!

Yes agree with all on here dont nueter yet, just Basic training is needed here, but train with something that is useful for him to come back to, liver, chicken, sausage,most people use a bit of a biscuit,which if you think about it in your dogs mind that isnt very tasty to come back to, but if you want to start recall training, start in the house, a good way is to call his name, let him come to you and praise, let him sit, then reward him with the chicken, liver, sausage, then tell him to "go play," do this a few times, he will soon realise that when he comes to you he gets a tasty treat and youre not going to stop him from playing, this can be applied outside, if you are not 100% sure he is going to come back to you get a long training lead, and use this a few times, again call him to you, and praise praise and praise again,"Good Boy,then say "Go play" he then knows the play time isnt going to stop just because you call him,do this a few times then when you are sure he will come back you can let him off for good. Some folk let their dogs off and then when the dog doesnt come back they shout the dog, and when he does come back he gets put back on the lead and play finishes, so next time dog realises,"I remember that voice and Im not going back because play is over " so pup dosent come back, and so a vicious circle starts...

I would also reccommend Ian Dunbars "How to teach a New dog old Tricks, its an easy to understand book
and he puts the dogs point of view across so it helps you to get into the mind of a dog. Also all trainers I know love him,he also does "You tube" lectures,which are great to watch...as for a gun dog trainer no I too agree with Jan on this one,just basic training is all you need here....

Before you know it though Bentley will be returning to you.

Bentley is now a "Kevin" so enjoy...
HTH....

We know a Gun dog trainer and he is often seen with three Springers , these are not pet dogs and live in kennels. The training is pretty brutal and they are not allowed to socialise with the other dogs. They are trained as working dogs for a shoot. A friend has one of his dogs that failed the grade and when she sees him she runs off and hides in the undergrowth. ( the dog not the friend!!)
In our experience it is usually about 18 months old when Retrievers become mature and sensible, or as sensible as they can get.
Having said that Katie who is 9 still tries it on !!
We can now let her off the lead and with being firm with her she does return on call , well most of the time any way.
Pat , Syd & Katie

All good advice, thank you. I'll order that book from Amazon. Before you know it I'll have be the perfect pooch again

Teenagers, eh?

bentley wrote:All good advice, thank you. I'll order that book from Amazon. Before you know it I'll have be the perfect pooch again

Teenagers, eh?

Enjoy the book Bentleys Mum hope it helps....

So glad I went onto Amazon. My cat food is about £10 cheaper and so is the dog food and I can have it delivered directly to work for free. Bargain!

Book on it's way - can't wait till it arrives. The only trouble with being a 1st time dog owner - no prior experience to draw on. Thanks goodness for all you Golden owners on here!

Lesley

That book arrived!! It's rather more text book-y than I was expecting but there's a wealth of good advice in there that I've already started to put into practice. Thanks, Hairydog.

Lesley

bentley wrote:That book arrived!! It's rather more text book-y than I was expecting but there's a wealth of good advice in there that I've already started to put into practice. Thanks, Hairydog.

Lesley

Enjoy..

The best possible tasty treats as best for training.Start in the garden and make him sit reward when he does that well.Then move onto the return walk away from him saying stay stay stay then Bentley come and give him the treat when he does.Need to take your time with it and if he gets board stop until another day.Practice this every day until you feel confident he will come back.When you let him off the lead on your walk first give him a small treat so he knows you have them.Call him back periodically and give him small treat.Obviously reduce the size of his meals to accomodate the added treats.I will always go with Jan so far as the neutering is concerned.
love
Diane & Monty
xxx