AboutLabman Expertise housebreaking, chewing, feeding
Please do not send me questions on medical problems or AKC standards
Experience Through my volunteer work with a large dog guide school, I know a little about all the breeds they use including Goldens. I have extensive experience with the closely related Labs. The service dog schools have acquired a wealth of knowledge about raising well behaved, healthy dogs with long, active lives. They do not share it with the general public, but pass on the best of it to those like me that raise puppies for them. I am part of a group that has raised dogs for 6 different service dog schools. We meet monthly for training and share information.
Question We recently adopted a Comfort Retriever puppy from a breeder in ND. She is now 6 months old. Both of her parents are Retriever Cocker Spaniel mix. The breeder advertised them as great family dogs but we are not having the great family dog experience. I have 4 children 1, 6, 8, 10. The dog is very affectionate to our 2 older children, my wife, and myself. She growls and sometimes snaps at the 2 youngest children when they get too close to her. Can you tell me if this is a temperament issue and how can I might correct this? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks from the Luke family!
Answer Likely this is a matter of early socialization. It is much more important than breeding in cases like this. Dogs that aren't exposed to young children before they are 12 weeks old frequently don't do well with them. This is going to take a lot of work starting with obedience training. With somebody the right age in the family, 4-H dog training is a great idea. In my area, clubs form soon after the first of the year. Even many urban areas have 4-H. For info look in your phone book under government listings for extension or cooperative extension offices. Ask specifically about a dog or canine club. The 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 a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/
For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm That site has some additional pages of dogs and children. Find and read them.
Try to keep the smaller children calm and quiet. Their rapid movements and and shrill voices upset dogs. The 6 year old can give it treats. One year olds' eating habits tend to be a bounty for dogs. A few weeks ago I saw my 7 month old grandson flip over his first bowl of cereal. I suggested to my daughter she should feed him out of one of the tip resistant, skirted dog dishes.
