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Hi there, Welcome to the forums, Great to hear your Golden Retriever is such a sweetheart! I have met many lovely retrievers, they're a wonderful breed, so happy, gentle and outgoing. In regards to the behavior of barking and jumping when there is some action on the TV, this is not an uncommon problem. This is a behavior that we are seeing more and more, possibly due to the higher quality pictures and better sound systems of modern TVs, which turns them into some sort of a "window" to a different world, that randomly, throughout the day, emits some intriguing sights and sounds. Dogs may not see things on TV as clearly as we do, but their eyes are built to detect movement. On top of enticing sights, dogs are also attracted to specific sounds. This combo of sights and sounds may therefore prompt dogs to bark, just as they would if those triggers were happening for real. On top of all of this, imagine what our dogs must think seeing us stare intently at the TV for hours. To our dog's eyes we are likely "guarding" our homes and they wany to join in the "fun." Something that makes the behavior of barking at the TV really addicting is the fact that the animals or strangers eventually disappear from the screen. There is eventually a change of scenery or a commercial break or maybe the show ends. From our dog's perspective, it is therefore thanks to their barking that these strangers or animals have been sent away! This increases a dog's drive (internal motivation) to continue the behavior. The more dogs get to repeat behaviors, the more they become stronger and establish, becoming more and more ingrained and difficult to extinguish. I treat barking at the TV in a similar fashion as dogs barking at outside triggers from a window. After all, as mentioned, to a dog, a TV is some sort of "window." I therefore tend to apply the look at that method as outlined here, although depending on each case, I may use several other individualized strategies combined. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ Now, if the dog is too aroused and therefore not very responsive, and if we identified the exact triggers (other dogs? certain sounds), I will use a more direct approach with desensitization and counterconditioning. Desensitization entails presenting a trigger in a less intense form that doesn't evoke the problematic behavior. In other words, you want to keep your dog under threshold. Sometimes, this requires a creative approach. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/ You may have to work on visual triggers and sound triggers separately initially before presenting them together. Desensitization, works best when used along with counterconditioning, which will be explained better in the next few paragraphs below. Strategies To Reduce Reactions to Visuals: Dimming the TV. Most TV sets have an option of dimming the TV so that images are darker and less intense. Every model will have their own instructions to follow. Adding distance. Keeping your dog at a distance from the TV can help keep him under threshold. You may have to place your dog behind a baby gate or use a tall pet gate that he can't jump over. Placing some fabric. Taping a piece of fabric over the screen can reduce the saliency of the images. One may use different fabrics gradually moving to more and more transparent ones. Using a Calming Cap: a calming cap like the Thunder Cap can block a dog's visuals so to reduce reactivity and help keep the dog under threshold. Strategies To Reduce Reactions to Sounds: Lowering the volume. Simply reducing the volume of the triggering sound can help better keep a dog under threshold. Adding distance. If your dog is in a separated area at a distance from the TV this can help keep him under threshold. You may have to place your dog behind a baby gate or use a tall pet gate that he can't jump over. Adding some white noise. A fan running while you watch TV can help buffer a bit the noises. Using noise-cancelling devices. There are several products meant to make noises less salient to your dog such as the Happy Hoodie or Noise Cancelling Head Phones for Dogs. Counterconditioning entails creating positive associations with a trigger so to change a dog's emotional response to a trigger. It works better along with desensitization, so that the dog is exposed to lower versions of their triggers, while making great things happen. The goal is to obtain what's known as a conditioned emotional response, where the dog looks forward to hearing or seeing the trigger (because it predicts something wonderful!) versus dreading it. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/ I like your approach of keeping some treats close by and when he runs to the TV, you shake the treat container and call him over while saying "leave it" and then ask him to lay down finally reward him. The fact that the behavior is diminishing is a good sign and the going to the TV and looking back to you, is suggestive of you having potentially established what is known as positive conditioned emotional response (+CER) https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ Here is an example of a case I worked on not too long ago: Roxie was a 2-year-old Pitbull who recently started barking at the TV. This dog barked at the TV when other dogs showed up or barked. Knowing what the exact trigger is is very helpful considering that predictability allows a certain level of control over the trigger. It helps pave the path to behavior modification since the sight and sound of dogs barking can be presented in a less stimulating way. Roxie was therefore exposed to a recording of dogs barking using a video from YouTube played from a computer (without any visual) starting from a low volume. Every time, the sound of the barking dog was presented, a tasty treat (piece of roasted chicken) followed. This was repeated several times until Roxie developed that "where's my chicken" look. She simply turned her head in our direction upon hearing the dog barking versus reacting. After several trials, the volume was increased gradually. Once she was fine with that, the same exercises were moved to the living room in front of the TV, but still using the audio recordings and now tossing the chicken on a mat. Next, videos of dogs were displayed on the TV (without audio) using a thick cloth taped to the TV screen first. Roxie was kept on leash at a distance from the TV next to the mat. The same exercise was done, feeding chicken every time Roxie spotted a dog. Once we got that "where's my chicken" look we used a gradually thinner cloth and did the same. We then graduated and used the thinnest cloth and then started adding some audio starting at low volume first. Finally, we removed the cloth altogether and played at regular volume. We used baked liver rather than chicken (liver was at the very top of her favorite things!) for this last part to more effectively compete with the saliency of the dogs barking. If at any time during the process she reacted, we took that as a sign that the stimulation level was too intense and would take a step back in the process. After several trials, we were able to have her go lie down to her mat upon seeing/hearing a dog barking and rewarded her and then we established a new routine of keeping her busy with a stuffed frozen Kong (her dinner meal made of kibble mixed with canned dog food and frozen) when the owner was watching TV in the evening. The more a dog doesn't react to the sights/sounds (despite hearing them in the background), the more we establish some level of habituation, where the TV stuff starts getting more and more boring and ho-hum.. so not worthy of paying attention to. To answer your question about your concern of teaching him to bark and run at the TV to just get a reward, this is possible, but please remember to cherish the improvement you have obtained so far. Imagine if all these times he were to be barking and jumping while instead you were able to stop him in his tracks! This is a very powerful transformation (not easy at all, considering how aroused many dogs are-too aroused means less ability to think and follow our cues) and you therefore need to pat yourself on the back for this accomplishment, so kudos to you! Now, what you are referring to (the fear of him purposely going to the TV for a treat) is technically called a behavior chain and there are several methods to prevent them from establishing. Here are several strategies: So what to do if you suspect your dog has learned that, "every time a dog appears on TV, and I bark, I get a tasty reward?" There are several options for this. My favorite approach is prevention, but we'll see below several other strategies. Adding More Behaviors In this case, after the undesirable behavior occurs, the dog is asked several more behaviors (at least three) in hopes that the dog sort of "disassociates" the undesirable behavior from the reward. So in the case of a dog who barks at the TV, you can make a smacking sound, then ask your dog to go to his mat, then sit and then lie down. Here is how to train a dog to go to his mat: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/ Adding a Delay In this case, a delay is added in between the undesirable behavior and delivery of reinforcement in hopes of extending the chain and confusing the dog a bit. This method of un-coupling behavior from reinforcement is thought to work because, reinforcement, in order to be effective, is suggested to be delivered within 0.5 seconds of the desired behavior (Karen Overall, Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats). In the case of the dog who barks at the TV it may therefore help to not immediately reward the dog when stopping to bark and making eye contact with us, but asking the dog for some longer eye contact (like holding a treat at eye level for a time lapse of 5 seconds before giving the treat). Preventing the Problem Behavior This strategy aims to go a step ahead of the first chain, preventing the inappropriate behavior from occurring in the first place. In technical terms, it's known as antecedent control. This is my favorite method therefore because it doesn't allow the dog to rehearse a problematic behavior. If you therefore pave the path for no barking at the TV, it is easier to help your dog succeed. For example, the moment you notice a dog coming up on the TV, use the mute button or quickly change channel. If you are caught unprepared (where's that stupid remote!?) redirect your dog *before* he starts barking. Make a smacking sound with your mouth and toss treats on his mat. Here's how to train the smacking sound: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/ Train your dog to respond to a smacking sound beforehand (away from the TV) so that you have a nice, quick and fluent response. If you catch him before the barking, you can't be accidentally reinforcing the barking and then getting a treat. Even better, we can set the stage for better behaviors if we make a routine of coordinating our TV downtime with giving our dogs something to keep them busy, putting their mind to work in more productive ways. So if we can create a new routine of turning on the TV and giving our dog a stuffed frozen Kong to enjoy on a mat at a distance from the TV or some other long-lasting food puzzle, our dog may be less tempted to go bark because he has something much better to do. The more a dog doesn't react to the sights/sounds (despite hearing them in the background), the more we establish some level of habituation, where the TV stuff starts getting more and more boring and ho-hum.. so not worthy of paying attention to. Finally, some thoughts about rehearsals and needs for exercise/ mental stimulation. About rehearsals: The more a dog rehearses the barking at the TV behavior, the more it puts roots and establishes. It is therefore best to prevent access to the TV when you don't have time to actively train. Therefore use management techniques for these times. Following are several management options: Keep your dog in a separate room when you watch TV Have somebody walk your dog when you watch TV Have somebody play with your dog in the yard when you watch TV Keep your dog in a crate looking away from the TV (if your dog's barking is triggered by visuals) Avoid leaving your dog alone with the TV on (unless it's a channel that you are absolutely sure it never displays any triggers (like classical music channel, white noise channel). About exercise/mental stimulation If we look at a dog's past, we will notice how many dog breeds were selectively bred for some type of work. Retrievers were retrieving downed birds for the hunter, scent hounds were tracking hare, collies were herding sheep. Even small dogs were bred for chasing rats or warming up the laps of aristocratic ladies. It can therefore become a dog's new hobby to want chase away dogs, people or other critters from your home by lunging and barking at the mysterious box that contains them simply because the dog needs a "job." So it's important to also tackle a dog's deep need for exercise, play, socialization, mental stimulation (brain games!) and training. I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions! Happy training! Best, Adrienne