biting and jumping

Question
I have a 7 mont old golden retriever.  when she was younger she would nibb and bite a bit.  But know i belive she has stopped teething but there are times when she just goes crazy.  An example is when we take her for walks.  She pulles too much I have tried different leashe to calm the pullin but it doesnt work . Well while we are in our walks there comes a time were all of a sudden she starts running i circles all around you and thats when you know that   she will come after you. Well she will be running in circles and then she jumpes at you like she was trying to push you down, as much as i tell her no jumping or down girl she wont listen, the she tries to grab you with her jaw kinda like biting, She does not make me my arms bleed but i get brused up really bad.  I get sacred to take her out for walks sometimes because of the way she acts.  What can i do to stop this?

Answer
Hi Monica,

Thank you for writing to me about your precious Golden puppy.  I apologize for the delay in answering. I've been overwhelmed with recent rescue work.

Your Golden is exhibiting typical puppy behavior that has gone too far and gotten out of control.  It is imperative that you give your dog an excessive amount of exercise to tire her out.  This can be in the form of two solid hour walks a day.  If you can enroll her in doggie daycare, that would be perfect. If you jog, take her jogging with you for an hour two times a day.  If you can arrange a play meet with another puppy, that would be excellent.

It is also crucial that you work with a trainer who uses positive reinforcement.  The trainer will show you exactly how to handle your dog. Your dog is in a place right now where she can be turned around to be well mannered and follow your commands or can become possibly aggressive and she would suffer dearly for that.  The choice is up to you.

Dogs want to please their masters more than anything in the world.  When they fail, it is only because they do not understand what you want from them.  You may think they do, but from what you have described, your dog doesn't have a clue.  This is where a good trainer comes in. You absolutely must make sure that the trainer uses positive reinforcement.

In the meantime, enroll your dog in a basic obedience class. You can ask your vet for a referral to a class or often your local large pet chain will hold them right in the store.  These would be stores like Petsmart or Petco.  There are classes for puppies all over the place. I know you can find a good one. This will help get your dog under control.

All dogs crave a good pack leader, so you must educated yourself and learn the cues that your dog is looking for.  A well behaved dog is welcome everywhere. A dog without puppy manners is never welcome.  The choice is in your hands.  It is a good start that you are reaching out to try to find answers.  The best thing is to go to the experts, starting with a puppy training class.

There are also books and tapes you can buy on training your dog.  These will be very good as an adjunct to your basic training class. Go to the following site for a list of helpful books:

http://www.paw-rescue.org/info.html

I can promise you that enrolling in a puppy training class and possibly having a few sessions with a trainer, will give you the dog of your dreams. You must be consistent and practice every day, but what you do now, will last the lifetime of your dog.

I wish you the very best of luck in reaching your goals with your dog.

Best Regards,
Shelley Davis