# Shy, Submissive Golden Retriever



## 1000buddah (Nov 17, 2009)

Have a 1 year old Golden Retriever female. I've owned her since she was a couple of months old. She is very submissive. Training, to her is discipline, which means cowering, or rolling over on her back. She acts like a beaten dog, though I have never hurt her. 
I already know that she is going to have a problem with gunshyness. I have never exposed her to unusually loud noises, or fired a gun in her presence, but something accidentally dropped on the floor scares her out of her skin, and she hears every shot from a firing range which is a couple of miles away. She loves water as long as it is not so deep she has to swim. Once she has entered an area that requires swimming, she will not go back in that spot. What can I do to instill some confidence ? Have had many hunting dogs, and never experienced this kind of behavior before.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

Sorry to here that, Couple of questions for you, are you looking for a hunting dog that will be hunted alot or mostly companion that will be hunted on occasion? Hate to say it but if you hunt alot and that is your goal to have a top notch gun dog I would look for a good companion home for her and move on, sorry but it's true.

If you mostly want a companion and a hunting and training buddy I would try to get her on some live wing clipped pigions and see how she reacts, let her chase them, i don't know how much training, yard work you have done with her but she may just be bogged down from OB and drill work, ect.

Try and explain more of your training program.

Goldens can be strange dogs, they can be great acters when the going gets tough, making it sound like your killing them when your really applying very little pressure, and at time what they really need is more pressure. They can be really good at avoidence as well, alot of times around the water


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## 1000buddah (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks for the reply. I think I really knew the answer, and didn't want to admit it. She chases quail in the yard and in the field, along with rabbits, sqirrels, rats, sparrows, etc. She is mainly a companion, and would only hunt a few times a year mainly for Chukars. The main reason I hunt is to watch a well trained dog work. Since my last Golden passed on I haven't taken the gun out of the closet. Looking forward to hunting again, but afraid I will make her gunshy because she is so skittish. I will follow your advice, and get her out in the field more.
Thanks


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Just build her confidence up with lots of play. When you have her in the house, get lower than her ( a dominance thing) to build her confidence. Maybe get her around some younger and smaller dogs will help too...


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## speckline (Dec 13, 2008)

Might help to bring other dogs into the training sessions. Sometimes other dogs will raise the confidence level in a more submissive type. .02
Good luck!!


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## blacklabs2 (Aug 2, 2009)

Sounds like you got a pet. Been there, done that. I wish you the best.


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## 1000buddah (Nov 17, 2009)

Thank You! When another dog is present, she pusues it relentlessly wanting to play. This is okay, but the older dogs eventually get annoyed and then there is a battle. I tend not to get invited back. Maybe she is just to young for any serious work.


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