who can talk to me about what I should expect from my 7-8 month old lab? She is great, responding to training mostly , reasonable recall, very loving, bouncy and a bit mischievous. But.... She keeps pinching things, it seems to have escalated. Shoes, toys, food, paintbrushes, remote controls.....the list goes on. Is this excessive theft normal at this age? She runs off with stuff and it's impossible to get her back. I am trying to get the kids and the husband not to make chase becasue I have ideas about taking her picking up. she won't go down well if she runs off with a bird and doesn't come back. Lots of humping cushions going on and at training the other night she just decided she wouldn't sit for me halfway through, at all. I never have problems making her sit. (I was mortified I had a stinking headache and it was really hot I could have cried, I felt all eyes were on me and she was just not responding.)
Yup, she's a proper, normal adolescent, head all over the place! Just keep going with your training, rewarding good behaviours, ignoring the ones you don't want. Never chase her when she has something, because you're making it into a wonderful game, which is very reinforcing. You may need to increase the value of your training treats to really make her feel rewarded for doing the things you want her to (such as delivering that remote control to you), rather than the things she wants to do. Remember to proof, proof, proof. So, if you're working on her delivering to hand (I assume you are if you want to take her picking up), then don't just stick to the dummy. Do it with loads of different objects, so she will bring you a shoe instead of running away with it With humping, just distract her and sh'll grow out of it
Once again 'Humiiation at the Paws of your Labrador' ...I know it well,many of us do! You are right at the time where your puppy training ,which has been going extremely well suddenley seems to have been completely forgotten and the Teenager version of your dog emerges.This is the time where you really need to stick harder than ever with your training.They are getting more independent at they same time as they are getting bigger and stronge and it can be really challenging .it can mean going back a few steps on your basic training ,many onus had to do that.I went to a second set of basic obedience classes at this age just practice focus around distractions . We haven't got children so it was very easy to follow advice I was given about keeping temptation out of reach ...we kept a very tidy house ,rocking the minimalist look brilliantly!!that way there wasn't as much stuff to nick! When he did make off with something we didn't make a game of it,we just swapped for a treat ....teatowels were a nightmare but he grew out of it .... Sorry you were embarrassed at class but truly it's so common albeit frustrating when you KNOW they can do the excercise perfectly ....younarent alone .Are you working with food rewards? If so I would really up the ante in the rewards ,take something super tasty and when Dexter used to decide not to cooperate I just used to move away from the rest of the dogs to where we had more space,ergo less distraction and try and get his focus back there before moving closer again. Good luck,keep,with it,she sounds a lovely dog x
I would try to puppy proof the things that might harm her or are precious to you. If she doesn't chew and swallow, none of mine did, then I leave them. Maybe not my toothbrush or the remote. I worked on fetch with things they took till I was sure they were only taking them to engage me, then I let them just take them, remember, mine didn't chew. Fetch up of things they took had to be to me in whatever room I was in, usually the kitchen. I insisted they bring it to me, not me go to them, of course a very nice reward for doing so. And sometimes I did just chase, sometimes they were right and it was time for a play, but not often. Humping at our house started at 9 weeks old. I bought a big Teddy Bear (called Poppa) who was bigger than Oban at the time and encouraged the pup to hump Poppa. "Get Poppa, you tell him, good boy." Poppa is washable and can be hidden when visitors come. Oban is still intact at nearly 9 years old and has never humped anything other than Poppa. If you mind humping this might still be the way to go as then you can fade your Poppa. Oh, that sounds funny, but you know what I mean. Yup, she sounds absolutely normal. Are you going to training classes? They help in even these seemingly non formal training situations by building a bond with you as benevolent leader. Have fun.
Great thanks @Dexter & @snowbunny . I do use a clicker and treats, I just use her regular kibble but sometimes I makes some chicken liver treats for her or use leftover chicken so I guess I need to use them more frequently at the mo. Good to know this is normal, I need to get used to moving things further back on the counters too I think she can reach further than I realised!
Cooper just loooooves slippers and dishtowels.....slippers get put away immediately BUT dishtowels are a different thing since you use them around the kitchen all the time....so unless I put the towel way over into a corner of the counter, he seems to be able to reach and, as soon as there is silence in the house I just know there is something going on and, lo and behold, there is a shredded dishtowel in his mouth and he is ready to play....I can get it from him no problem with a "drop it" but, by then, there are pieces all over the livingroom floor! I am now down to ONE dishtowel left.....have ordered more from Amazon but will not be here until Monday!!!
Just as I was reading this, Harley (aged 3) ran upstairs and came down with a pillow off my bed!!! She ran into the garden and started throwing it around and having hoolies. I decided to leave her as if I try and get it she would carry on running around with it. Because I ignored her, she dropped it inside the front room door with a few minutes as it was no longer exciting!! It is very rare that she will pinch something and run off and it's usually a cushion, flip flops or slippers. She never chews though.
I need to remember this. Normally chasing oven gloves, slippers, daughter's Sylvanian Families she keeps taking out the garden
Stanley trots past you proud as punch with whatever his new find is then he tries to get it into his crate (or den as I guess he must think of it) in the hope he'll get to keep it. Really infuriating but his proud little trot is so cute, I struggle to not laugh.
Axel is 8 months and will run off with pillows and controllers and tea towels etc. I have been very diligent with making sure all is out of reach, it's my husband who often forgets. So I feel like I need to train him more than Axel Each time Axel is able to grab something and run off, he is self rewarding himself. So I really try to make sure he doesn't get the chance to grab something. But when he does, like suggested above I never chase him. I pretend like I didn't see him run off like a hooligan and finish what I was doing then walk up to him and he drops what he has now but I exchange for one of his toys. He's also began mouthing AGAIN this week so I'm also working on this. Thankfully there is no pressure but it is something I want to nip. Classes start again next week for him so that should help but I have a feeling we will have some embarrassing moments like you have experienced It will all get better
Quinn took the bath mat this morning and was galloping up and down the hall with it in glee...she's 9 months. She will drop it immediately when asked and sits and waits for her treat She typically targets shoes and socks...I guess she was extra bored this morning!
How have you trained her to drop it? Luna will drop a toy that I have chucked for her but not her loot! She stays clear of me ready to bolt off if I move towards her. I think @Boogie and others are right. The chase has become a game. I feel a family conference coming on
I have him sit first and then slowly go towards him and say "drop it" and he growls as he wags his tail (growl is a play growl not a real growl) and he loosens his grasp on the "thing" that he stole......As Kelsey says.....I live alone so I can keep as neat a house as I can!! pick up everything and anything I know are his preferred loot...... I do not treat anymore because it had turned into a mad game of what he could get his mouth on so he could get a treat....but dont forget my Cooper is 2-1/2 years old!
I do as Yvonne describe, whenever Millie take something and want it to be a game I tell her to sit. If she don't listen to my voice I do this hand maneuver I do for her to sit which she always follows (ever since I started train sit I did hand gestures along with the words). Millie is 7months and this sit thing is very helpful to get to the things she shouldn't have, it even works for us outside when she's off lead. At the moment we're working on to NOT try sniff and lick the kitchen table! Someone noticed that there's a top of the table the other day and my husband said to me, so it begins. Lol
Yes, she will drop it (we use the command leave it) and brings it to us and gets a treat or I walk toward her treat jar in the kitchen and she drops whatever she has and runs after me for her treat. We never chase or follow her. When she was tiny her drop it was her best command - we practiced with tug toys and balls like crazy. I'm sure she grabs some things for a treat now!
