dominance-aggression in puppy

Question
Heyas Kristen,
I have a big problem with my nearly 5 month old golden retriever pup.  I admit that most of his problems were created by myself, and that I now need mostly to retrain myself, but need some tips on how to do so.  He is fine with my mum and dad and does not bite them (which is quite ironic since my dad spanked him when he would get aggressive with him and i hated it! and convinced him that the puppy-manuals stated that aggression will breed aggression.  However my pup is proving me wrong).  

We got him only when he was 4 weeks old and at the time he was soooo tiny that i was in awe of him and let him nibble on my finger.  A month later i changed my mind and realised his biting really hurt.  However I am quite an unconfident person and really so in love with him that i think he senses I am inferior to him and am positive from what what he does that he is getting out of hand. When my rents go to bed he will bite me non-stop. If I try and lie down on the sofa and watch tv he will jump up and climb all over me and then bite my ears, hands, arm, or anything else he decides.  If i take him off the sofa he will be up in 2 seconds.  I cant crate him or put him outside because he starts barking the house down and disturbing the neighbours.  I have read how to be alpha-male but he dosen't listen to me, and he is getting too big to pick up now.  I have tried every method; the yelping, time-out, closing his mouth, distracting him...but nothing works.

I really want to be able to have a loving and secure relationship with him but he is making me hate him being around me! please help me.  Also there are no obedience classes or puppy kindergartens in the country i live. And he is not neuteured- I don't want to breed him but the idea of castration seems so...extreme.  However I do realise that if this stage dosen't pass, and considering he's starting to hump me after terrorizing me, that it may be necessary.  Can you advise me of the correct age to do this, because I read for large breeds like the golden, if you neuter before 1 year their heads and backs will not develop properly and they will lose their manliness, and also to learn to lift their leg up to pee.  He is eating purina puppy food (pro-plan) and is an inside dog.

Answer
Oh my goodness! I can't believe you got him so young! That is probably a very big reason for many of the problems you are having with him, because he was taken from his mother and littermates much too early.

I would strongly, strongly suggest that you enroll him in a puppy obedience class. Surely you can find one somewhere. If not, talk to your vet or friends to see if you can hook up with some other puppy owners. Because he never had that vital socialization period with his littermates, he never learned bite inhibition or when enough is enough. If you can't take charge and teach him these things, you're going to have to get him around other dogs that will, without bullying him.

Re: the sofa, you must be consistent. When you are on the sofa, he is not allowed. Every time he gets up there, push him off again. You are going to have to do it over and over and over again, but he will eventually figure it out.

I'm betting that he is getting a case of the 'puppy zoomies' after your parents go to bed. Try tiring him out just before they retire for the evening. Take him for a walk, initiate a game of fetch, etc.


One thing I have found to work nearly 99% of the time is using your pointer and middle fingers held together as if they were taped to one another, and tapping him under the chin when he bites. Imagine a scale of 1-10, where 1 is the lightest touch, and 10 is the 'hardest.' When he bites you, tap him under the chin at level 1, and then immediately offer him your hand/arm/whatever he was biting before, and encourage him to bite it again. If he does, tap him under the chin again, at level 2. Repeat until he refuses to bite you again, and then praise him and offer him a toy to play with! The next time he bites you, whether it's in 30 seconds or the next day, start where you left off the last time. Don't start at level 1 each time.

Neutering will not affect whether he learns to lift his leg or not. I know of intact males that still squat at 10 years of age, and neutered puppies that start lifting their leg a week after the surgery. I generally recommend waiting until at least a year of age to neuter large breed dogs, though; not because of 'losing their manliness' (which they won't), but because large breed dogs need those hormones to finish growing. It's very important, though, that you be responsible and not allow your puppy to roam or breed while he is still intact.


I'm not a fan of Purina products. Please take a look at http://dogfoods.angelfire.com to learn more about how to pick a good food for your dog.