If your Golden Retriever talks a lot you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you common reasons why they do it and what you can do about your Golden Retriever talking a lot.
So, why does my Golden Retriever talk so much? Possible reasons are that it is hungry or thirsty, it is looking for attention, you have inadvertently rewarded the behavior, illness or injury or it might be doing it due to boredom.
There are many reasons why it might be doing it and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason and there are some things you can do about it.
Why your Golden Retriever talks so much
Below are some common reasons why Golden Retrievers talk a lot and what would make them more likely to be the reason why yours talks a lot.
It’s hungry or thirsty
The cause could be that it is trying to let you know that it is hungry or thirsty. This would be more likely if it does it more when you have not fed it for a while or it has not got access to water. In this case, it would help to make sure that it is being fed the right amount and that it has access to water when it needs it.
It wants to go outside
Another possible cause could be that it wants to go outside. This would be more likely if it does it when standing by the door when it has not been able to go outside for a while.
You have inadvertently trained it to be that way
It might be the case that it has learned that it gets things that it wants when it starts being noisy. If you tend to give it things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it starts talking, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.
Instead, it would help to reward it when it is being well behaved and to avoid rewarding it when it talks a lot.
Nature
It could be the case that your Golden Retriever talks a lot naturally. This would be more likely if it has always talked a lot and it has not started doing it suddenly. However, even if it has always talked a lot, it could still be the case that it learned to do it if you tend to reward it.
Illness or injury
The reason why it has been doing it might be that it is ill or injured. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill or injured. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Boredom
Golden Retrievers are a breed that is meant to get exercise daily. When they do not get enough exercise, they will often behave abnormally and it might be why yours has been talking a lot. This would be more likely if it does it more when it does not get exercise. Generally, they are meant to get an hour of exercise per day as healthy adults.
Fear
The reason might also be that something has been causing it to be fearful. This would be more likely if it does it more in situations such as when there is thunder and lightning, sirens or when you are about to leave home.
Things to consider
Below are some things you can consider when trying to figure out why it talks a lot.
When it started talking more
It would help to consider what else happened when it first started talking a lot, if it did not always do it.
If it started doing it suddenly it would be more likely to be due to things such as illness, injury or a sudden change in its daily routine. It would help to consider what else changed when it started doing it.
Whereas, if it has always seemed to talk a lot then it could be the case that it learned that talking gets it things that it wants from an early age or it could be that it talks to let you know that it wants something.
When it talks
If there are certain times that it tends to do it more, it would also help to consider what is different when it does not do it.
For example, if it tends to talk more when you are leaving home it would make it more likely to be the case that it does it due to separation anxiety.
Whereas, if it seems to do it at random times then it could be the case that it is ill or injured, you have inadvertently trained it to do it or that it does it naturally.
It’s age
It would also help to consider the age of your Golden Retriever.
If your Golden Retriever is still young it will be likely that it will talk less as it gets older and that it talks a lot now naturally because it is looking for attention.
Whereas, if it is an adult it would be more likely that it learned that talking gets it things that it wants but it could also be due to one of the other reasons mentioned above.
What to do about your Golden Retriever talking a lot
Below are some things you can do to get your Golden Retriever to talk less.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As mentioned above, it might be the case that your Golden Retriever has learned to be noisy since it gets rewards when it is noisy. If you want to get it to stop it would help to reward it when it behaves the way you want and to try and recognize when it is likely to start doing it and to redirect its focus.
Ensure that you are feeding it correctly
It is also important to make sure that you are feeding it correctly and that you are giving it plenty of access to water. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding your Golden Retriever.
Take it to a vet
If your Golden Retriever has been doing it suddenly and it seems like it could be ill or injured, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to rule out medical causes and to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Golden Retriever.
Give it exercise
As mentioned above, it is important to make sure that your Golden Retriever can get daily exercise. Generally, it is recommended for them to get at least an hour of exercise per day when they are healthy adults.
Give it things to be distracted with
In addition to the things mentioned above, you could also give it things to be distracted with so that it is less likely to want to get attention from you. Things that you could give it would include toys, chews or bones.