Hi there, we have had our lab Bonnie 2 weeks now, she is 9 weeks old. She gets massive "zoomies" in the mornings and evenings, she just runs through the house at high speed biting anyone she can find! She tears up her training pad, tips over the water bowl (constantly). When I pick her up to get her in her crate she bites and wriggles, but I do usually manage to get her in, away from the kids... My boys are actually pretty calm with her, but she just has sessions where she goes bonkers! When will this calm down? I know she's only young. She's knawed on everyone that's come to visit cos she gets too excited. She's still stuck inside the house and just out on our fenced off decking area as her jabs aren't finished yet, I cant wait til she can go out on a long lead and run off some steam!!! She is super lovely at other times, but wow what a handful. All advice grateful, I need all the help I can get!
Your post took me back to earlier this year when I spent a lot of time in my kitchen with my young puppy. I had to manage every interaction with anybody as she had such razor sharp teeth. Yes it will calm down. Once you can get out things will begin to change and you can channel Bonnie’s energy more. Boxes are good to rip up and a solid water bowl might help.
Thank you so much for your reply, it gives me confidence that things will improve. I'm failing on the toiletting too, last week we were doing really well, the fireworks started and now she is doing it in the kitchen and the lounge (yuk). I had everything sorted in my head, did lots of research, thought I was prepared, I've stopped working for a while (I work from home) so I can give her some early training, and my attention, but it's just like a meltdown in my house, I'm desperate to take her out to burn off steam and do her business away from the home just for once. I think I need to crate train again from scratch...
You can take her out places - just carry her instead of having her on the ground. If you have an area of grass in your yard she can run around that too. You can also take her to meet friendly vaccinated dogs at their homes/yards
Don't think that you've failed, it's very early days, your puppy is still really tiny. I think it's fair to say that most puppies are not really reliably housetrained until they are 6 months or so. But they do all get there in the end. Must be very annoying if the fireworks set her back though. Do you take her out at frequent intervals? They have to go very often when they are tiny. But you'll know that if you've done your research. With the going in her crate do you use a treat to get her in, or give her a stuffed Kong to occupy her? There is a way of training them to be crate trained, I think you can find it on the main site. It will get better. Lots better.
You are not failing at anything - you have a baby that has been with you for two weeks! You are in puppy shock! Housetraining is just repetition repetition and more repetition until you count their age in months not weeks - I know Bailey had been dry in the house for about three weeks and then started to lift his leg when going for a pee - he was so impressed with himself he promptly came in and cocked his leg against the fireplace, looked at me and I could hear him say "look at me mum I'm such a clever boy" - he was around 6 months old then! I'm afraid you will have a while longer of the zoomies but yes they do calm down, as does the nipping and biting. Bite inhibition is a good thing to train from and early age. You can carry Bonnie when out and about as part of her socialisation. We took Bailey everywhere with us, with him being put down only in an area we knew was safe so he could go to the toilet when needed - I used to carry newspaper around with me to pop down for him, but he used to attack it after use! Soon gave up on that one! At 9 weeks old we introduced Bailey to two dogs that I knew were fully vaccinated (in doors) that were about the same size as him. The following week he was carefully introduced to my sisters boy who is a fox red lab and 10 weeks older than Bailey so at the time a fair bit bigger than Bailey. These three dogs are still his best friends, with my sisters boy being his "burvva from another mother". All will come good - just keep repeating that to yourself.
They ALL are hands and hands and more handsful Here is a good article - https://www.thelabradorsite.com/what-to-expect-of-a-new-labrador-puppy/ .
