As the New Year begins, many will set their personal goals and resolutions. One resolution we want to encourage is the enhanced bond between you and your Golden Retriever puppy. To do so, you can address and correct some of their bad habits early to ensure the relationship stays peaceful with your soon-to-be well-behaved companion.
Along with basic puppy commands, breaking bad puppy behaviors is essential. Here are some common behavioral issues in puppies and strategies to tackle them.
Bad Puppy Behavior & Solutions
Excessive Barking
One of the most irritating habits a dog can carry is constant barking. Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. It could be out of boredom, hearing unfamiliar sounds, alerting visitors, or seeking attention. They may bark simply because they can.
No matter the circumstance, excessive barking can disrupt the household and be unpleasant in public settings. While not all barking is a problem, you will want to teach your dog that doing so excessively is not acceptable.
Solutions:
Provide regular physical exercise and mental stimulation through interactive toys and training sessions.
Teach the "quiet" command by rewarding silence and calmly addressing barking triggers.
Avoid reinforcing barking by not giving attention when it occurs; reward calm behavior instead.
Chewing on Household Items
Chewing is a common behavior in puppies. It happens because of teething pain, exploring their surroundings, or not having the right chew toys.
Puppies will try to chew almost anything on their site, whether it’s shoes, furniture, clothing, etc. To ensure they don’t bring this habit into their adult life, it’s key to put an end to it as soon as possible.
Solutions:
Provide a variety of suitable chew toys to satisfy the natural urge to chew.
Use deterrent sprays on furniture and items you wish to protect.
Supervise your puppy and redirect chewing behavior to appropriate toys.
Jumping on People
When it comes to puppies, jumping can be harmless. However, you should quickly address and fix this kind of behavior. Dogs jump because they’re excited and eager to greet and are seeking attention. It’s endearing, but can become dangerous as they get older and grow.
Solutions:
Teach the "sit" command and require your puppy to sit before receiving attention or greetings.
Ignore jumping behavior by turning away and only providing attention when all four paws are on the ground.
Consistently reinforce calm greetings with treats and praise.
Pulling on the Leash
When walking a dog, they will tend to pull on the leash. This is caused by their excitement to explore the surroundings and lack of proper leash training. Pulling might not be an issue currently, but as a puppy gets stronger it will become more of a pain.
Solutions:
Teaching your puppy to walk beside you, also known as “heel,”
Use a front-clip harness to reduce pulling.
Practice loose-leash walking techniques, stopping when pulling occurs and resuming only when the leash is slack.
Reward your puppy for walking beside you with treats and praise.
Nipping and Biting
Puppies have razor-sharp baby teeth which makes their bites quite painful. Nipping and biting is a normal behavior for puppies as they play and experience teething. This puppy phase usually lasts 3-6 months, but it’s still important to teach your puppy to stop biting.
Solutions:
Teach bite inhibition by yelping softly when nipped, mimicking how littermates signal discomfort.
Provide appropriate chew toys to alleviate teething discomfort.
Avoid rough play that encourages biting; engage in gentle play and reward soft mouth behavior.
General Training Tips
Consistency: Use the same commands and rewards to avoid confusing your puppy.
Positive Reinforcement: Reward desirable behaviors with treats, praise, or play to encourage repetition.
Patience: Understand that learning takes time; remain patient and persistent.
Socialization: Expose your puppy to various environments, people, and other animals to build confidence and reduce fear-based behaviors.
When you set these training goals, or resolutions, you also have to realize the dedicated time that will be spent addressing these behaviors. With that, you’ll have a well-mannered Golden Retriever in no time who is the joy of the house.
Remember, the effort you invest now will lead to a lifetime of companionship and mutual respect.
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