[ddesantiago]

Hello everyone!

I am a first time owner of a Golden Retriever. I inherited him from a good couple that had to leave the country and could not take him with them. He's 1.5 years old and generally very well behaved and obedient.
He's not neutered (yet), but that will be taken care of very soon. Due to the fact that he's not neutered he escaped (chasing a bitch in heat) and didn't come back until the afternoon the next day. This is fairly normal if you are not careful, as most dog owners know.

My questions to all of you veterans are:

1.- What is the best way to deal with him coming back? (angry, tolerant, loving?)
2.- What is the best way to help him recover from being neutered?
3.- What behavioral changes or traits should I look for after him being neutered, besides a more "relaxed" behavior?

Thank you all for your time and wisdom!

Cheers!

 

[nolefan]

Welcome to the forum! Congratulations on your new golden! Thank you for explaining up front that you plan to neuter your boy, I hope it is already scheduled. The last thing you want is for him to escape and father a litter of unwanted puppies.

When he returns he will have no clue that he has done "wrong.". Please do not punish or scold him. He is simply following dog instinct and it is going to be your job as a responsible
owner to do whatever it takes to make sure he never escapes again. He should never be allowed out unless he is in a fenced area or on a leash.

The neuter should be a fairly easy procedure, just follow the vets instructions on trying to keep him quiet while he heals. It shouldn't change his personality at all.

Please post pix of your new golden!!!

 

[mylissyk]

Welcome to the board! Congratulations on your new companion.

If he is prone to running off, do not let him off leash. You can get a long line, 30 to 50 feet to give him more freedom if you need to.

Find a good obedience class and work on the basics of recall. If you are angry or punishing when he returns, he will not want to come back to you. Make coming back to you fun, happy, and rewarding for him, the best thing that ever happens in his life has to be coming to you, he should gets pets, treats, praise like he's just done the most amazing thing ever. This will take time and lots of repetition, and as he gets better you will need to work on it with more distractions. It could save his life, or keep him from being lost if he LOVES coming to you.

The vet will give you instructions for after surgery care, but basically don't let him lick the incision and keep his activity low for 7 to 10 days. You may need a cone for him to wear if he won't leave the incision alone.

Neutering doesn't always change behavior, it might decrease his interest in the females, but it's possible it won't. Or it could mellow him out. Every dog is different.

 

[Casey and Samson's Mom]

Welcome to the forum! It is a wonderful place to hang out and learn about all of the great things you can do with your golden. I agree with the previous comments...make a huge deal about his return home! You want him to wonder why he ever left, when such terrific treats and attention are to be had with YOU! Do neuter him soon. The boys recover quite quickly...even my Sam of the retained testicle was back to his old self in only a couple of days. It does settle them down, but boy goldens stay puppies until at least two years old and often older, so don't expect him to turn into a couch potato any time soon. good luck with him and ENJOY!

 

[Phillyfisher]

Welcome! Good advice given so far. Remember, goldens are sensitive dogs. Be firm, but never angry. It will take a good 6 months for your boy's testosterone levels to drop and stabilize. Don't expect to see any changes before then. Even then, you will probably see more change in him due to just getting older. Boys tend be knuckleheads forever though.

 

[Willow52]

Hello everyone!

I am a first time owner of a Golden Retriever. I inherited him from a good couple that had to leave the country and could not take him with them. He's 1.5 years old and generally very well behaved and obedient.
He's not neutered (yet), but that will be taken care of very soon. Due to the fact that he's not neutered he escaped (chasing a bitch in heat) and didn't come back until the afternoon the next day. This is fairly normal if you are not careful, as most dog owners know.

My questions to all of you veterans are:

1.- What is the best way to deal with him coming back? (angry, tolerant, loving?) I would be loving. He doesn't know running off is bad especially when those hormones take over. You want him to associate coming home to be a good thing.
2.- What is the best way to help him recover from being neutered? My guy was neutered at 1 yr., other than keeping him from running around until the stitches are out, he'll recover fine on his own.
3.- What behavioral changes or traits should I look for after him being neutered, besides a more "relaxed" behavior? I noticed a definite decreasing in marking. Before his neuter he'd lift his leg on every weed, tree, bush & blade of grass.

Thank you all for your time and wisdom!

Cheers!

Welcome and congratulations on our new boy!

My suggestions are in bold.

 

[Dallas Gold]

Welcome!! I totally agree with the posters above and just want to chime in and say it's the best feeling in the world when you know your dog has good recall and comes to you when you call him! We spent a lot of time with our fireball of a Golden, Toby, calling him back and forth between us when we were in different parts of the house. When he came to us we'd make it a huge celebration of praise and then give him a treat. We wanted to make sure he knew when we called him it was for fun and not as punishment. We still keep him on leash when outside, because he's too friendly with the neighborhood wild life and the outside kitties.

 

[ddesantiago]

Thanks!

Thank you all for your responses! You have all been REALLY helpful. I did make a great deal about him coming back, giving him treats and lots of love. Good thing it was the right thing to do!

Fortunately, we have a very big garden where he spends the day running around. He is an obedient dog overall, and this is the first scare he has given me.

I will most definitely take all your advice into consideration!

Again, thanks a LOT!!