[Xelimayy38]

I got a golden/lab mix when he was 12 weeks and I was pregnant, I took the months during my pregnancy to train him and he was well trained, listened, used the bathroom outside, was able to go all night without using the bathroom, would wait for me to wake up in the morning or would wake me up if he could no longer hold it to take him outside and waited for his food. When I went to go give birth, I left him with my mother and father in law and my significant others sister who shared a part in taking care and training him as we both decided to get him together. When I came back it was as if I never trained him at all. He was using the bathroom inside the house, jumping on people, not listening. It’s been 3 months and He’s constantly given attention and I take him out 3 times a day for walks not counting the times he’s taken outside for the restroom. He’s still not listening to anyone regardless of training, stealing food off the counters, jumping on people, running into the street when taken out into the backyard, fighting with the dog that was already in the household before we got him, stealing all the babies clothes and toys regardless of being shown that those are not his and that he needs to behave around the baby, trying to nibble at her feet, jumping on the bed when she’s laying there, he has me worried as I can’t risk having a dog that’s going to hurt my child. he’s gotten better with the usage of the bathroom inside the house. He’s 7 months. I don’t know what to do anymore, I don’t have the money to pay for obedience classes as I am not working right now and the most i can pay for is his vet and I really don’t want to give my dog away.

 

[parus]

Think about it this way: when you were training him as a little puppy, he was a sweet little 5 year old who just wanted to please you. Now he is a 15-year-old who wants to borrow your car to go smoke with his hooligan friends.

Both Goldens and Labs in particular (and sporting dogs in general) are known for being hyperactive, mouthy adolescents. They are slow to reach full physical and mental maturity and they are full of energy. For generations they were bred to do a demanding job and now we want them to sit around the house all day.

He needs physical exercise, but more importantly, he needs mental stimulation like brain games, trick training, walks in interesting places where he gets to sniff lots of stuff, etc. He also needs appropriate boundaries - I would suggest starting with gating off part of the house so he can't be stealing the baby's things or accessing the baby freely. Put him on a long line when taking him outside, so he doesn't have the opportunity to run into the street and reinforce that bad habit. Actively teach him to settle by playing games like "sit on the dog."

He will get better with time, training and consistency. Most large dogs start to settle down a lot between 18 months and 2 years.

 

[Xelimayy38]

We have gated the living room where most of the babies equipment is and the upstairs bedroom with her stuff is always closed, but if i put something of hers on the table for a quick second and grab something in a different room he’ll instantly grab it, If i gate everything he’ll no longer have access to the house. He has access to the room he sleeps in and has all his toys. When i take him out on walks he doesn’t run or walk in the street if I tell him “sidewalk” he automatically goes to the sidewalk, i take him out to the backyard without a leash whenever he has to use the bathroom and after he does he runs away into the street, i obviously can’t catch him. I’ve tried taking him to the backyard with a leash but he refuses to use the bathroom and i can’t be outside all day waiting for him to use it and if left alone he barks up a storm. We give him physical exercise and he has access to the pool to go swimming.