Hello! I have an 8 month old Labrador Male that has developed a habit out of eating EVERYTHING.From sticks to animal waste and bird corpses. A few months ago I could easily walk him without a leash and he wouldn't get distracted by anything. Now if it finds food or anything else, it doesn't even answer when called. No reaction at all. When we're at home he comes when called and knows and does every command I have taught him. If I tell him he's not allowed to do something he obeys but only at home. Now walking him is an absolute nightmare because he pulls like crazy and gets distracted easily and by everything. Now my question is: Is this permanent or will he grow out of it? I live in a country where dog parks are a thing of fantasy so this is definetly not an option. I have also tried training him to exchange what he has for a better treat that I could give him but every atempt was a failure and trust me I have tried for a long while consistently. Thanks in advance for helping me out!
Hello, your lab has hit the teenage phase and all the training you have done tends to go out of the window. He definitely won’t grow out of it and needs more training and patience. Training at home does not really count for much now as there are no distractions. Unless you train in real life situations with distractions he will not improve. I found Meg really hard at this age for all the same reasons as you. What saved us was weekly obedience classes where she learnt to focus and listen whist doggy chaos was going on around her. She is fabulous now, always off lead but it took lots of work and patience. Can you get to a class ? Have a read of old threads on here, there are loads similar. You are not alone .
Training with distractions is key. My pups training regiment is perfect at home, but when went to training classes she became a flying Wallenda! We were in basic obedience for almost 6 months before I started training her in distracted environments. Started first by doing her training on the front lawn, then at the local park, then in front of our local grocery store. Worked like a charm, she is now on her way to advanced training! Good luck and never give up, the price you pay will be totally worth it!
Yep Hero has days like this, had one today. I know when he's got his teenage head on he won't listen to anything till he's ready. Ate a sparrow yesterday( dead one). Last week found a pigeon, but managed to get him away from that one. We've had squirrel skeletons brought to us, great big lumps of rock, sticks, rubbish and all-sorts. Generally he's good and will leave things when told but he has his moments. Biggest thing with him is the rolling in poop rather than eating it. Makes the car stink like a farmyard on the way home. Birds, rabbits and squirrels are objects of fun to chase but when he can't catch them he gives up, that's if he hasn't come back on whistle command. He's learning but mix of super days and not so good ones. You get through crocopup and all the tears thinking things are starting to come good, then teenage times hit and any mum knows that when your children become teenagers it's years of battles, so what's a few months with pup. Well we've just had hallway carpet torn to shreds in about ten minutes flat, no cushions on the sofa, everything hanging from sky hooks and a pile of lovely chewed up toys in the corner. Oh the joys of having a pup. Just keep on with the training, do the classes if you can and hold on to your sanity with luck and you'll get past this phase I'm sure
