first post so be gentle .. i got a 11month old black lab boy ...about a month ago. his training is going slowly . but he doesn't seem to be enjoying it at all ..he does it in his own time sits down sloowwwly and walks to heel ... but he is not bouncing around tail wagging etc just doesnt seem to be enjoying me , he does wag his tail but never gets excited like i see other dogs always aiming to please .. he is like a old man .. unless somebody comes to the house .. so my question is should i just play with him and get a bond (how ?)recall not to good but getting there he was kenneld before i got him and he has had three previous homes ..one of them was with a trainer who just didn't have the time for him .... Help as i would like to get the best out of him as i write this he is laid by my feet .
Re: get up and go.. Hi there and welcome to the forum. You say that you had your lad for about a month now so I think he is still finding his feet and trying to adjust to his new life with you. To have so many different homes in such a short time must be terribly confusing for a young dog, he is still a puppy really. I take it he is otherwise healthy and your vet is happy with him? Can you give us a bit more background on the dog, what sort of temperament is he, soft and sensitive or bold and confident? What are your plans with him? Do you intend to work him? I took on a cocker of similar age and background to your dog. He was terribly confused and all over the shop when he came to me. I hand fed him ALL of his food for the first few months to get a bond started between us. It worked very well and might be something you could try. Best of luck with your new friend and please, tell us a little bit more about your lad.
Re: get up and go.. Hello and a warm welcome from me and my two year old boy Sam . I cant really add to what Heidrun has said , he will need time to settle after such a difficult start in life . They vary so much in temperaments , my boy has always been very serious and steady , even as a pup but its just the way he is , I dont get a madly wagging tail greeting either but have just accepted that its how he is
Re: get up and go.. thanks for the quick reply's,He is soft and sensitive , i would try to feed him by hand could b a idea .the only time i get a good tail wag is when he is trying to lick me to death .. we do have a sort of bond when im home he always wants to be with me .. if i go to the loo he waits outside for me ... if i go out and leave him with the wife he will sit by the front door and wait for me until he relises im going to be a while...do you think he is just insecure ??? and Yes i do plan to work him i don't want to push him too hard but i also don't wont to spoil what we have learned by letting him have his head and having to start over ...
Re: get up and go.. If he wants to be with you then you are already ahead. ;D I'll be back later with some more ideas.
Re: get up and go.. Me and Dexter say Hi too,he's a 9 month old ( in a week) yellow lab.hes my first dog so I'm not good with advice unless it is something we have encountered....you'll get lots of great advice on here,everyone genuinely wants to help you.What's your boys name?he sounds like he thinks you are a little bit special already so I think you are going to work great together x
Re: get up and go.. hello and welcome. You will find some very helpful advice on this site. As already said he is maybe just finding his feet. 3 homes in 11 months is a lot of change for one so young. Sure he will come out of his shell once hes settled and realises hes not being passed on again. My girl was kennelled her whole life (3 years) and took a while to show her real personality and her silly little ways ;D
Re: get up and go.. Hi and welcome from me and Obi (15 months, yellow). We got Obi at 9 months and he had had one home previously. He settled a huge amount over the first month. Still, it took him quite a few months to really, truly relax and show his cuddly side. So, just give your boy time It sounds like you are off to a great start already though - if he follows you then he likes and trusts you. That behaviour is normal for a Labrador (to want to be close). It's not insecurity, it's a feature of the breed that they want to be with their people
Re: get up and go.. Big welcome from me too. 3 year old called Lady here. Olly is probably feeling a bit insecure because of all the changes in his short life so far. Sounds to me like you are doing the right things. My girl is lying in the conservatory right now snoring for England!
Re: get up and go.. Welcome to you and Olly, from me and Poppy! 15-month old red/gold working strain dummy junkie (the dog, not me... ). No wonder poor Olly is a bit confused, but he obviously wants to be near you, so I think you already have the beginnings of a good bond.
Re: get up and go.. When he came to you from the trainer did Olly come as a part trained dog or a 'blank canvas' so to speak? If his training had already been started were you given a demo of him retrieving and doing the basic obedience things like walking to heel, sit and recall?
Re: get up and go.. Welcome from Lisa and Simba (9 month old chocolate lab/Newfie cross). I've just had Simba for a month and this is his second home, so it took some getting used to for him to settle in here as well. Sounds like he is attached to you, as the others have said. I wouldn't worry about the bonding - it will come as you spend time with him training and walking and playing and all those other fun doggy things! Many people here more experienced than I so don't be afraid to ask questions! Lisa
Re: get up and go.. Hi Darren - welcome to you and Olly from me and Lilly (3 year old black lab girl) I guess all dogs are different. Lilly isn't a touchy-feely dog particularly (is that her or was that us? we have had her from 11weeks) but she loves a snuggle on the bed at night. And we (me in particular ) always get a lovely welcome when we come home. Lilly is placid and layed back 95% of the time. But give her a chance to play with another dog, or a scent to follow, deer to chase, she's like a different dog. I think you both are probably still working each other out in equal measure. Heidrun's advice is usually spot on ;D Happy Birthday to Olly for tomorrow - hope he gets spoilled rotten
Re: get up and go.. Hello from me and mine too. 13 yr, partially deaf (and now very naughty) Maia snoring fit to bust (I'm sure she's out doing Lady!) and 6yr old hot crackpot Hebe, oh and me too, I'm Kerryn. Poor lad he's had a rough start and isn't sure yet of what reaction he's going to get from you to each of his actions. Don't be too upset if he behaves in a way very different from what you've seen elsewhere with other dogs and owners. He's confused right now and without knowing exactly what's happened to him in the past you don't know what he's anticipating and more importantly he doesn't know what you expect of him or what you're going to do. You have to learn each other. You're half way there in that he wants to know where you are and what you're doing. Hand feeding is great but he needs physical contact too, full body hugs and lots of stokes and 'rufflings', TTouch is a great way of learning to handle your dog, where and how much pressure to apply, thereby rewarding him with that physical affection that he'd instinctively expect and enjoy. Don't force him, if he backs off in any way let him but encourage him back to you with open arms and positive body language. Dogs read faces and body language far more readily and easily than words. So smile and be happy with him, he'll be happy back. Once he's "fixed" on you the rest of his training will follow much more easily. So for tomorrow, "Happy Birthday, Ollie", big hugs and from Hebe plenty of pink (that's licks!). Kerryn
Re: get up and go.. His training had been started ... he will retrieve sit stay heel.. sort of does the whistle .. recall not too good but iv got the book and working on it ... hes not been socialised with other dogs properly.. I was told and showed what to do .im probly a little to impatiant .. im more scared im going to spoil him by not doing things correctly
Re: get up and go.. I find training a sensitive dog much more of a challenge than a bolder dog. You need to tread very softly to build up their confidence and their believe in you. Two of my dogs, the cocker and the clumber, are real softies compared to the springer girls which are made of much sterner stuff. You will need masses of patience with a soft dog and not let the dog feel any disappointment you might feel when running into problems during training. My cocker was also under socialised with other dogs and people so I started to take him to obedience classes to get him used to train alongside strange dogs and in different settings. I found it quite hard going at the beginning but it improved his confidence enormously, and also taught him to keep his focus on me in highly distracting situations. So joining a gundog club or normal obedience training might be a good first step in your training plan. You say that his tail is wagging furiously when he is licking you to death, that's probably because you are happy and relaxed in those situations and not in 'training mode'. If you can keep that same happy and relaxed mood during training then you will be on to a winner.
