Hi everyone We are new here but I am so pleased to find these forums. It could be a life saver at this point! We have a 6.5 old lab cross with golden retriever. From an early age we have had mouthing issues which have now developed into full blown "attacks" this is what we call them as once hes in that mood it's hard to get him away. Hes bruised and hurt our arms and tends to jump and "jab' at us. This usually happens when hes over excited during walks or play..OR when we have to take back something he shouldn't have. He has been through training classes and is a very smart boy. We do some training every day. We also use sniff work when we see the hyper moods coming and he has chews and kongs at different times and boxes to find treats in. And a snuffle mat. Alot of times a day these moments end in tears because it's quite scary. Hes constantly demanding attention or barks and start biting if he doesnt get his own way it seems? We have been told to get him neutered but vets say wait until a year (which I dont think we can) we arent sure if it's bad to have him done soon? I suppose we are hoping all our efforts will pay off. Weve been trying time outs when it's really bad to help him learn to calm down ...that seems to settle him. If anyone has had this experience we would love to know what worked?! We havnt had a day without upset for a long time now. And feel we are doing all we can we work from home and yes never alone more than 30 minutes to an hour occasionally. Really appreciate the help. Thank you
Hello, if you have a look at old threads you will see you are not alone. Have you seen this one https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/faq-6-9-or-12-month-old-dog-jumping-up-and-biting.28049/ also having him neutered will probably not help, it only really helps over sexualised behaviour. There are lots of pros and cons to neutering, but have a good look in old threads about that too. My girl Meg was the worst at this age, an overgrown pup. I think a lot of it is over zealous play and they do settle with age, but you have to stick with them with patience and training, to get them through.
This reinforces basic obedience when Lab's are growing up. With-out a good obedience foundation things can get out of hand quickly. If I were in your shoes I would contact a good dog trainer to get things under control. With the proper obedience training your dog will have a chance to be the dog you want it to be.
Hello, This pretty much mirrors what we are going through with our 6.5 month lab, so I am following with interest. I'm nursing bruises where he has clamped onto my arm. This never happens on walks only in the house and is mostly directed at me, I think when he is over-stimulated. Its hard work and I keep hoping this phase will pass. He gets a crazed look in his eyes and we've found the only thing to calm him down is his crate, but he's becoming harder to get him in there now! I totally sympathise with you!
