Scared of our dog and I'm not too sure I still want him

[Kayzr]

We have a golden retriever. He has just turned 1. He is a nice dog except for he barks a lot outside when he hears neighbours etc. Someone reported him to the dog warden who came and said that the barking wasn't too bad and just to try and bring him inside when he does start to bark.

But for the last week when I have gone to get him in, he has been growling at me. He seems to crouch down and starts to growl at me and bark. Its really scaring me and I am so sick of crying about him.

DP works away for 5 weeks at a time so its just me at the minute. I am also pregnant which is worrying me as well about the growling.

Sound like the start of a far happier time. Great stuff, long may it continue! :)

You have a lovely neighbour too, what a bonus.

Oh, and please don't apologise for the thread turning into an argument, it's not your fault at all - the person who should have apologised early last night appears to have gone off in search of a spade instead. :o

"Gresley is a lovely name".

It is! Whose the steam fanatic then, Kayzr? :)

DP is. He drives a steam train as a volunteer on the local steam railway.

I think LoTF may have a point my RR bitch reacts when I am pg or someone else comes in who is
Pre neuter she kept having phantom pregnancies and got really hormonal and agitated
Post neuter she wants to sit on your feet or lap if you are pg - not easy with a full grown ridgey I even guessed a friend who had previously had failed ivf was pg because of the dogs behaviour
Also everyone is right definitely teenage years, things will improve and it does sound like a play bow - can be scary If you don't know what it is again imagine a full grown ridgeback in play mode - it's great fun

Kayzr! The lucky, lucky man! If you ever get fed up with him (or Gresley!) send 'em round! I'd kill for an introduction to steam train driving! :o

(Sorry folks, blame my uncle, another fanatic, who got me into steam trains when I was a small child!).

If you are ever in North Yorkshire let me know. He could take you on the footplate. I've been twice and its absolutely amazing.

I'm keeping you to that! :o

We have Sir Nigel Gresley here, its in pieces but DS2 who is only 2 already knows its 'Gresley train'

Hi OP

We had a golden and that behaviour and noise is probably NOT "growling" - they have a habit of making a soft growly noise with their bum in the air and tail wagging - is that what your boy is doing? if so then he's inviting you to play. Our dog's breeder told us about it specifically as she had someone return a dog due to "aggression" which wasn't. I found this on this web site for Goldens

Growling at the kids when he has food and they come near is likely to be different - possibly dominance. We had a very dominant Golden and we trained her to allow anyone to take her food away from her. This is not difficult to do - but tbh you don't sound like the most confident of people around dogs and you need to be confident in doing this, I think you need to be shown how to do this by someone with a bit more confidence. Where are you in the country?

I echo the comments about getting him neutered asap - it will make a difference.

I have to ask if you are sure he is growling in a menacing way? Just that our Golden was such a talker and when he would pounce around on his front paws growling, he was really just playing. People always thought he was growling, but he would just be groaning in approval of being petted or talked to or played with.

On the other hand if he is being a menace. You have to be the pack leader and let him know you are not standing for it. I am a firm believer in clever dogs knowing how to get what they want, and if they spot a weakness they will use it..... Just as children manipulate parents, dogs will try to dominate their master/mistress. Once they know they are at the bottom of the pecking order in the house they are normally much better to handle.

Exercise is also key with a strong and energetic breed. Goldens were bred for hunting, fishing and later on the show breed. This makes them clever, high energy and with the show part of them it sometimes makes them highly strung. We used to (when he was young) walk ours 3 times a day making sure at least one of those walks had him out for the count when we got home.

The Golden Retriever is not a breed that has bad or menacing trates and it is normally just a lack of training or stimulation that causes problems with them. Be firm but kind and it is about repetition with training. But one thing is for sure they are clever and they will pick up anything in no time at all. We never had to work to hard to get the result we wanted when training. As long as when you get the result you want you then don't send mixed signals to the dog by letting it away with things when it suits you.

Please don't give up too early on him. I met a lovely man the other day with a Chocolate Lab puppy (18 weeks old puppy) he had got at the rescue in Windsor. A family had driven all the way to Liverpool to buy this puppy for £450. But when the puppy started being a puppy it barked at one of the kids. The parents got spooked and took it to the dog home. Puppies will bark, nip and play rough and they stay a puppy in their minds for quite a while. And all they need is to be taught what is and is not acceptable in your family. I was glad it was a cute puppy they had got and not an older dog, who by now would have probably been put to sleep for no real reason.

I wish you all the best with your clever pup, and at 1 year old he is still very much a pup.