jamesanddean

We bought the pet enclosure on this link for our Golden Retriever puppy and it worked great. It is a little more expensive but they have several types of enclosure and are easy to put together. http://www.soldsmart.com.au/l2.aspx?depts=41

When we bought our puppy home we had all the things ready for him but he has never been interested in his Kong toy (or the $220 fake grass toilet which we will not go on!). He has also lost interest in pig's ears now as well. There will be something that he will enjoy playing with and it is all about experimenting until you find the right thing. Our Golden Retriever loves his treats but has never been into toys where they have to get them out. He is just as happy with anything that squeeks or he can thrash around in his mouth hitting himself in the head in the process - very funny to watch. He also is just as happy playing with an old plastic soft drink bottle with the plastic cap and attachment removed. I found frozen raw chicken wings good in the hot weather and they kept him busy for an hour initially, now it is about down to 5 mins.

Congratulations on bringing your new Golden Retriever puppy home. By now you will be in the hectic first few days where you feel like a zombie and don't know what you have done! We were also first time dog owners 12 months ago and researched and adopted crate training and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Our puppy went in from the first night and was very comfortable with it and never made a sound. We put the crate in our bedroom with us for the first night but I hardly slept a wink as I was listening for him to take him out to the toilet. All I could hear all night was his tail wagging and hitting the cardboard divider we had put in there to restrict the space. From the second night we moved his crate into our kitchen becuase I couldn't sleep from the anxiety of listening out for him! I would set my alarm and get up once in the middle of the night to toilet him. He was sleeping through from 11.30pm to 6.30am within 2 weeks of getting him home. I was lucky that he was good in the crate but found that taking him out on my terms worked well ie set your alarm and take him out before he cries and get him in a routine which you determine so that he knows you are the one (suposedly!) controlling him. I also agree you need to get into the routine and stick to it as soon as possible. For the first couple of weeks we had to get up in the night to take him out, but he learnt so quickly. At least it is summer and not the middle of winter for those middle of the night trips outside. If you go with crate training it is important you restrict the space available in the crate (we used cardboard boxes) and cover it with an old sheet or blanket as it makes them feel more secure - I think this was one of the things that really helped us. It is also good to have somewhere to put them when you want them safely away when you can't give them your full attention (or you need a rest!). The other thing that happens in the early stages is that they grow in size and change behaviourally so quickly in the early stages. I went back and read over my old posts tonight and the things you get concerned about one day are gone the next week or month and there is something else to address. So don't get too stressed about things as they will change constantly. It will be one year tomorrow (Mon 5 Jan) since we picked up our GR puppy and it has been the best year of my life. Once you get into the routine it will be a breeze. Just persevere and it will get easier every day. I am no expert when it comes to this stuff but happy to answer any questions regarding our GR puppy experience in the first few months. Good luck and keep posting those pics!

Congratulations on bringing your new puppy home. By now you will be in the hectic first few days where you feel like a zombie and don't know what you have done! We were also first time dog owners 12 months ago and researched and adopted crate training and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Our puppy went in from the first night and was very comfortable with it and never made a sound. We put the crate in our bedroom with us for the first night but I hardly slept a wink as I was listening for him to take him out to the toilet. All i could hear all night was his tail wagging and hitting the cardboard divider we had put in there to restrict the space. From the second night we moved his crate into our kitchen becuase I couldn't sleep from the anxiety of listening out for him! I would set my alarm and get up in the middle of the night to toilet him. He was sleeping through from 11.30pm to 6.30am within 2 weeks of getting him home. For the first couple of weeks we had to get up in the night to take him out, but he learnt so quickly. At least it is summer and not the middle of winter for those middle of the night trips outside. It is important you restrict the space available in the crate (we used cardboard boxes) and cover it with an old sheet or blanket as it makes them feel more secure - I think this was one of the things that really helped us. It is also good to have somewhere to put them when you want them safely away when you can't give them your full attention (or you need a rest!). The other thing that happens in the early stages is that they grow in size and change behaviourally so quikly in the early stages. I went back and read over my old posts tonight and the things you get concerned about one day are gone the next week or month and there is something else to address. So don't get too stressed about things as they will change!

I cannot recommend crate training highly enough. Our puppy went in from the first night and was very comfortable with it and never made a sound. For the first few weeks you have to get up in the night to take him/her out, but they learn so quickly. It is important you restrict the space available in the crate (we used cardboard boxes) and cover ot with an old sheet or blanket as it makes them feel more secure. It is also good to have somewhere to put them when you want them safely away when you can't give them your full attention. It can also depend on the breed - what are you getting?

The good news is that Hunter has been displaying more acceptable behaviours since I posted the original message through positive reinforcement training and preventing getting into these situations. He was desexed yesterday so I will wait a week or two and see how he goes before we take any action. It was totally out of character for him to behave as he did. I have been focusing on training him to drop/swap things to take a treat and he is now coming to me more regularly when I call him in the park. As a first time dog owner it is amazing how they change in size and personality on a weekly basis. Some of the things I was concerned about in the early weeks are long gone eg why he would not walk on a lead. He is a well behaved dog, very good with people and other dogs and very affectionate. I will keep an eye on his behaviour over the next couple of weeks and follow up if I see any further behavourial issues. Thanks for all your advice....it is very much appreciated...and we shouldn't forget the thing all readers and posters on this forum have is that we are here because we love our dogs and want to do what is right for them despite us having different opinions from time to time

Thanks for your response. We are in Sydney's eastern suburbs. There are no children in the house so no threat there. When he plays with other dogs he has a very gentle nature (especially with puppies and smaller dogs) and does not get too rough with them. he also has no issue with me handling his food when he is eating it, or with me being able to put my hand into his mouth at other times eg checking his teeth etc. It just seems to be when he has something in his mouth he shouldn't! I have looked online and seen dogtech and doglogic and a few other trainers..any recommendations?

Our Golden Retriever is 5 and a half months old and has been been a dream puppy (our first dog) - house trained very early, enjoys time in his crate (including not making a noise until we come to see him in the morning), is affectionate and loves people. We have had one major issue with him that seems to be getting worse and I do not know how to address it before it spirals out of control. Like any GR he loves to mouth and eat anything he finds in the park or anywhere for that matter! Whenever he is chewing on something he shouldn't be he will run away, or if I manage to get near him he will growl and snap as he knows I want to take it from him. I have been tried a few different approaches whereby I have taken the items from him and then given them back to him to show him that I am not only taking them away, have laid him on his side in a submissive hold and growled back at him, etc. A few weeks ago he bit and punctured my hand, and last night whilst he was on lead at the park I was trying to retrieve something from his mouth and he went crazy and bit me on the arm which almost required stitches. He may have been going for the lead (as he does sometimes rather than my arm) but this behaviour is unacceptable. I am lost as to what is the best way to address this issue. He is very good 98% of the time. He has undertaken 4 weeks of puppy preschool and will sit, drop, walk on lead, etc but we are yet to do any further formalised training. He is being de-sexed later this week so perhaps this may improve these aggressive outbursts? Should we enrol him into some group training or do you think he needs some personalised training with a dog behaviourist? I think we may be too affectionate with him (he is not allowed on the bed or couches but we play with him on the floor, etc), and perhaps he doesn't know his place in the pack? I did read somewhere that one way to address this is to remove any affectiona nd attention for a couple of weeks and only giving him attention when he does the right thing. Eventually he will be desperate for attention even if it results in him being in a lower position in the "pack". Does this sound like a good technique? I never expected he would be obedient all the time (especially at this age) but the aggression has to stop. It is like he is possessed by a demon in these outbursts and it is generally when he is tired. Please help.......

We picked up our 7 week old Golden Retriever puppy (Hunter) on Sat 5 Jan. We are crate training him when indoors and he has a puppy run with shelter, toys, food and water, etc in the back yard (on the concrete tiles) for when we are not home during the day. I stayed home with him for the first week to settle him in and we were very lucky and have had many successes including.... - housetrained from day 1....he will only go outside on the grass - has never cried at night - at 8 weeks of age can already sleep the whole night 2330-0630 without toileting However I have a few questions about how to handle some of the situations and behaviours.... - He has toys to play with which keep him busy, but he is biting feet, ankles and even goes for your face when you pick him up. It could be excitement and I have been saying no, turning my back on him, standing over him, etc to stop the behavious but it doesn't seem to be stopping (unless he is exhausted). The initial days of cuddling seem to be over already! Should I be crating him for short amounts of time when he is being naughty or am I being too harsh as he is an 8 week old puppy? - When we let him out of his pen he has started running around the back yard like a crazy dog. I assume he is just letting off steam and getting exercise but should we be trying to calm him down. He is not really getting in to any trouble other than the biting and nipping when he comes to us. - I have taught him to sit but haven't spent a lot of time on training yet. I leave his collar on him now and he is getting used to it but he doesn't like the lead and chews it. Should I be persevering more with the lead and will this assist in controlling him more? Perhaps I should be doing more down the training path to try and curb his crazy behaviour? - He starts puppy pre school on 5 Feb but should I be doing more to train him now? He just doesn't seem to listen much yet but I assume this is because he is so young? - I have taken him in the car a few times and he settles but really want to socialise him effectively. I have taken him to parties where ther have been 15 people (but no other dogs of course) and he mixes well with adults and children. I really want him to mix with other dogs as son as possible but he doesnt have his 2nd vacc until 4 Feb so need to wait. We have friends with dogs who had missed one of their annual vascc's by a few months and have only just had it so I don't want them to meet him just yet. Should he be meeting other dogs we can trust before puppy preschool or is it OK to wait until then (5 Feb)? I appreciate any advice. We are first time dog owners and he has been an absolute joy and we have been very lucky with him so far, but just want to make sure we are doing the right things. Thanks

Does anyone know of any company or location which sells dog crates with a divider so that you can restrict the size of the crate space while the puppy is small and increase the space available once he grows bigger? I have had a look at a few crates on ebay but they are difficult to find. Any advice? Thanks

We did think about getting 2, but the advice I received was that they can tend to bond with each other rather than you, and that if you go with 2 you are better to have a period of a few months in between.

Thanks for your support Tony. We will make it work because we are making the conscious decision to do this. I am not someone who would rush into a decision like this (I have waited years to do it now that we have moved into a house with enough room to have a dog).

Thanks for the recommendation dogmad, I didn't know they even existed...

NSW - eastern suburbs (near the airport)

It sounds like the puppy run in the back yard is the way to go with a visit during the day if possible by me (where possible), a friend, or a dog walker/player, and perhaps a day a week of doggy day care. I am tending towards a male, and have been looking at the breeders on this website, but will take any advice???

Thanks everyone for your advice to date...it is very much appreciated. I agree that as we work full time we have to find a way to make this work for the puppy and ourselves. We are dedicated to the long term commitment of purchasing a puppy and need to make the changes in our lifestyle to accommodate him. On these forums you get a wide range of views but we are committed to making this work whatever it takes. You see so many people who purchase pets (and have children) who are not committed and neglect them. Although we are not home all day I don't want it to be a reason for us not to proceed, but rather an opportunity to find a way to make it work.

Hi We are a couple who both work full time and are planning to get a Golden Retriever puppy early next year. We will be getting the puppy at 8 weeks of age and plan to crate train him in the house, with him sleeping in the crate near us during the night. My questions are concerning what we do in the early stages whilst we are at work. I plan to take a week off work for the puppy's first week in our home to settle him in, but what is the best option for while we are at work during the day? - If we crate him, we would need to be able to get home to let him out every 2-3 hours which is difficult, so I am not sure what is the best way to look after him during the day - Would we be better to leave him in the laundry for longer periods uncrated during the day (coming home during the day to see him) - this will affect his toilet training I would expect? - Would we be better to leave him in a puupy run in the backyard with water, food, toys, shade, etc, but I would be concerned about his barking and our neighbours - How early would people advise we send him to puppy kindy/day care and how many days a week is "acceptable"? We have friends who have dogs who don't work who may also be able to assist with a daytime visit here and there and we will also look at a daytime dog walker - is this all OK? I just need advice on what to do during the work day, as I am sure many others have been through the same situation? He will get plenty of love and attention in the mornings, after work and on weekends, but I am conscious of what to do with him in the early weeks and months, and would appreciate any advice.