This is one of my dogs, Chloe. She is such a super dog sometimes! She is great with my kids, she has the best temperament I have ever seen in a dog, but sometimes I want to wring her neck.
We adopted her when she was two. I could not believe someone would just want to get rid of her – there was absolutely nothing wrong with her – NOTHING. Although, I have seen some of her flaws, but they are not that bad, a little endearing sometimes, but other times, she can get on my last nerve.
Poor little Chloe is a little baby at heart. She has a little separation problem. No, she does not go crazy when we are not home and tear things up or go the bathroom.
Her problem is that she does not like to sit or sleep without one of our belongings. She is a big girl, 120lbs, so you can hear her when she is coming. The other night, I went up to bed and I heard a “thump, thump” against the wall. It was Chloe walking up the stairs, tail wagging, hitting the walls, and she is walking slowly.
I think, what the heck does she have now? She walked into my room carrying my daughters bag – clothes, hairbrush, and papers hanging out everywhere.
I am currently searching for my purse.
I am following the trail of items that were in my purse, but apparently, Chloe wanted to sleep with it, so she took my purse and carried it around the house, dumping my belongings as she went. I still cannot find my keys.
I love that doggy and the joy she brings to my family, but I can wring her neck sometimes.
If only she would tell me where she has taken my keys.
I am on my fifth and sixth golden retrievers. My sister has had several. We are involved with Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, (in, where else? Golden, CO)
Goldens generally fall into two distinct types:
Carriers – they grab something and carry it around. They don’t chew it. They just carry it around.
Retrievers – they will chase and retrieve anything, but they aren’t interested in carrying it around.
I have a 4 year old rescue purebred who is not the least bit interested carrying stuff around, but will try to retrieve anything she can carry – and some things she can’t.
I have a 10 year old purebred that will not go anywhere without something in his mouth. He will stand there and let a ball hit him in the face and not retrieve it. But, he won’t go anywhere without something in his mouth. He will pull the covers off the bed and try to abscond with them. No shoe is safe.
I used to think this was cute, and it is, most of the time. Then I realized how shrewd he was. When he wants attention, he only carries things around that he knows will get my attention. Like my shoes when I am getting ready to go out. Other times it is clothes, pocket knives, etc Just about anything. And he knows exactly what item will produce the biggest reaction from me.
It is a simple way of getting my attention. And he is relentless. To the point where I can identify with your thoughts of neck wringing… lol
You get really adept at making sure you put your shoes behind closed doors, so you don’t have to go looking for them. Nothing extends off the top of tables, counters, etc lest it get ‘carried off’.
Of all my goldens, he is only the second one that carries things around.
i found that giving them more attention, (don’t give them attention when they are carrying things, that just reinforces the behavior), results in less ‘carrying’ of things to get my attention.
There is another type of behavior that is common to goldens. Putting their paw on you when you are petting them. I am not sure why they do this. Breaking them of this habit is almost impossible, (I think it is instinctual).
I’ve had three goldens that did this. This can be really, really annoying.
Then there is shedding… LOL
Your dog is beautiful.
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Mike – It sounds like our dogs are a lot alike! Chloe also puts her paw on us when we pet her…and the shedding….YIKES!
Chloe is the best dog ever…I could not imagine our life without her in our family. She is also thinks she is a lap dog…she is a bull in a china shop…but we wouldn’t have it any other way!
That is great you are involved in a Rescue mission! At one point, I wanted to be a trainer for seeing eye dogs…