unruly pup

Question
My cousin just recently got a male golden retriever pup, hes less than a year old and just recently fixed. The problem is this dog just doesnt listen. He has been to puppy training school and he is just so hyper and wont lay down, always jumping up on you, keeps grabbing socks out of the laundry basket. How do we get him to listen? I love all animals but I must say he is the most annoying dog Ive ever been around. HELP!

Answer
You may see an improvement as the hormone levels drop following the neutering.  Many obedience classes are inadequate for more difficult dogs.  The better ones include training for the owner which your cousin hasn't had.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts.  Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm