How many of you have been told your pup is "naughty", "hyperactive", needs more training, or have been offered help with training?! Need to know I am not alone in people thinking they can work with my dog better than I can. If Aspen actually was untrained...Lord knows
My vet said penny was the most hyper dog she had seen. I wasn't happy hearing that. My dad took her to vet to check her stitches in her paw and they had to hold her down. I mean for goodness sake..she is 6 months old, still a baby and she gets excited at vets with people and other dogs. Then theres the fact she is a lab puppy who just wants to get everyone to pay attention to her. I wonder now if she is hyper as she still has the crazy times and needs full attention. I guess i was just protective of her as she is my whirling dervish and thought " you're a vet you should know what pups are like " .
Yep at dog training classes - got to the week where everyone else swapped dogs to do an exercise - only to be told “ no - not you - I think it’s better if he just stays with you” Didn’t go back.
Happens all the time, and not even when necessary. I was locking my door the other day and Maisy was standing patiently beside me, I tell her to 'wait' and she is really good with it. Some woman comes up, presumes she can stroke her without my sayso, then says "Have you been naughty then?". What? I have mentioned this type of thing in other posts so won't rant on anymore but it is really annoying isn't it? I think we are very protective towards our pups too which can bring down the red mist, with me anyway, a woman of a certain age and all my hormones out of control.
I think a lot of people just don't understand adolescent Labs at all, although you'd expect people who work with dogs for a living to know better
OMG...I can totally relate! I wish there were classes just for labs. My fur baby Enya is being held back in the puppy class and not allowed to go up to the next level because she 'breaks' her sit sometimes when someone in the class drops their treats. She is there in a flash, "offering to clean up the mess", dragging me with her. All the GSD pups in the class have moved on while Enya and another lab pup are the 'naughty' ones who are being held back
I was told my 12-week old puppy was "naughty" and "a handful" by a vet because she was backing away from eye drops. Errrr, no. She's scared, you dimwit. People like to give idiotic and almost always negative opinions. It gives them validation, I think.
Luckily the trainer at our class is very understanding of our Labrador behavior and actually uses Aspen a lot to demonstrate! She has 2 flat coated retrievers herself and I think she understands where we are coming from. It always just seems to be those strangers or even people you see everyday (like family) who think they can say things about your pups behavior...if I am like this with a dog, I can't imagine kids
@alschwahn , it's great that your trainer understands you and Labs, it makes such a difference, it took me 3 goes to find a class that suits us and I feel comfortable in. Interestingly, the trainer also has a flatcoat! As for people knowing better, don't they just make you want to scream? The worst are people who actively encouraged her to jump up when tiny and now when she does it to them say "oh , still bonkers then!". Makes me incandescent with fury. And yes vet's who lack handling skills with their patients and then blame the dog are also infuriating. I must say that all bar one at my practice are very good, as are the nurses. I shall be avoiding the one on my blacklist. So - you are not alone!
Yes they had to hold down Pearl who's a about a week away from 8mths...when checking her ear. I know I haven't trained her for that...But I do feel like they think she's a bit wild...
Sophie is actually really good - for a 5 month old lab. I had 3 separate groups of people yesterday who said complimentary things about her and her behaviour. "You'll have some fun with her, I've got 2 lovely labs myself. Wonderful dogs", "Wish my pup would come back as quick as that when I call" (I had special sausage treats!!) and "Aww, she looks so happy" (also when she was coming for a sausage!!) Just cherish the good ones and ignore the bad!! And remember sausages are your friend!
I was told my dog, correction, my puppy needs to be fixed cause he’s aggressive and too hyper. Even the surgeon said he should be fixed because he growled at the tech who fed him after surgery. I told them about his random resource guarding explicitly and gave instructions to prevent the growl and he said when we picked him up that he’s never been growled at before and I must neuter him. I won’t get into the conversation that directly ensued. I’m sick of advice from people with wild dogs, shockers, invisible fence owners , re-homers and Bob Barkers neuterers. My dog is hyper. But he’s the best trained animal my family has ever had. Retrieves game and in another year will be more amazing than he already is.
I remember going to puppy class and being asked to sit over the other side of the room as another owner was scared Harley was going to hurt her puppy (a tiny westie) by jumping on her. I refused as at the time Harley was sat inbetween my legs licking the cheese I had soread in her Kong. She hadn't jumped up at anyone or even gone towards another dog! I made it clear that I would sit wherever I wanted. Yes, there are always people out there who tell you how to train your dog, how to deal with any concerns and also those who try to 'show you' how it's done! I ignore all of these people as best as I can and just move on.
I took my then 4 month old pup to the vet for his heartworm vaccination and as the vet picked him up Bailey tried to ‘mouth’ the vet. I know he shouldn’t have but he was 4 months old! The vet then held Bailey’s muzzle firmly closed telling me he was trying to dominate and needed to be taught not to. It was the last time we visited this vet. In the same week, while waiting at a polling booth a lady came up to admire Bailey. He jumped up-not far as he was just a little chap then-she then put her knee up to his chest while telling me how to train him. I do wish people would mind their own business!
