I have a golden retriever that is 4 years old. She is really beuatiful and sweet most of the time except when she is told to get in the house. She refuses and will growl and snarl at me when I try to get her in. I don't know what to do I don't want her to bite anyone. How exactly do I punish this behavior and reward good behavior? Please Help I am desperate for a well behaved dog.

put the leash on her then tie it to a chair or something then she wont like it but she will stop i do that to my dog

I must assume you got this dog when she was 10 months old or older, right?? The reason I say this a puppy as they are growing up will come a time in the process that it will challenge the owner and see if they can get away with something, its funny you said the probelm was getting your best friend to come back into the house. I had that same problem with my little girl when she was about ten weeks old and and when I went to pick her up she bit me really good and I bled all over her as I pinned her to the ground untill she stopped resisting. That was it, never had another problem with her she is an angel. So your dog must have gone through an event that required correction and got away with it. Sorry but tying a dog to a chair is dangerous, I know of an accident where the animal hung itself trying to break free of the chair. Your dog must go through basic training, and you should consult a trainer, most classes are very resonable, the only problem I can think of is you schedule, if you can find the time? It is really a short time and once completed you will have a dog you and every one around you will be impressed with!! Good luck!!

Agree with bobSD no tying to chairs, it can 1. be dangerous and 2. be quite counteractive, and could cause your dog more stress, agression, anxiety and more likely to become destructive.

Coming inside has to become a game, a fun thing to do. If you start getting cranky and frustrated with your dog, she will pick up on it and is less likley to obey, because your body language and voice will be that of one she does not like to respond too.

A trail of treats to the door might be a good start for the first few times, saying to her at the same time as she is following the treats " inside good girl inside" once she is in an extra special treat and lots of praise for a "good inside"

Is she reluctant to come inside because something negative then happens? is she immediately confined, or are you going out as soon as she is in? If so, bringing her inside from time to time just to hang out with you may start helping in the long run.

Do you feed her inside or out, if it is outside maybe you can utilise dinner time as another rewarding thing to come inside for.

Recall, you really need to get your recall under control this in itself could help you out in locating your dog where you want her to be.

Thank you both(Bob and Nattie) for the wonderful advice. Its nice to hear from people who have used these methods and they work. I am definetely going to work on first myself and then I am going to really put these plans in motion. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by K-mac

Thank you both(Bob and Nattie) for the wonderful advice. Its nice to hear from people who have used these methods and they work. I am definetely going to work on first myself and then I am going to really put these plans in motion. Thanks again!

Thats OK K-mac, keep asking, will try to offer some thoughts. It all comes down to trial and error, some things may work or not work at all or may even work for a while but then require modification.

Every dog and their human is different, be patient and persistent and you will get her where you want her to be.

The best advice I can give, is to not only analyse your dogs behaviour, but the way you respond to good and bad behavior, we can so innocently ruin our own hard work by responding to things the wrong way. I like to do things the way an alpha dog would first, along with gentle persuasion, convince the dog that they want to do what you are asking.

Thats great you said that, When my dogs come in they rush upstairs to the treat bowl to get something. I never thought of the importance of that little event. They really hate to come in even though they are indoor dogs, we have a huge fenced in all around the home and property just for the dogs, and I still go out with them when they are out just to supervise they do not get into trouble, like eat a dead mouse, etc. We live in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and is a lot of wild life here and pleanty of great smells for the dogs, and we have mountain lions as well.

[wishbone]

Well said, Nattie and Bob. Calm and sweet commands always work, it always feels good when I teach my dog new things with sweet commands and he follows.

i think she will be better soon! please don't worry about her! because she is our best friend!