Hi everyone! Looking for some help with my black lab pup 6 months old. First time dog and lab owner. Doing dog school training 2x a week (havent been this week though .-)). However, our dog is a bit of a challenge and I am quite honestly getting very tired. He is super energetic and can't leave him alone in the garden. We have 2 spots for him. One in front of the house with a dog house and a low fence around it and one big patch of about the size of 2 tennis courts (on a hill, so sloping). We alternate between these 2. Now the winter is coming we will try to also have another warmer spot in one of the garages, but up to now he has broken lose of that as well. Anyway, I know labs are high energy, I know they need excersise etc. etc. But I cannot leave him out of my sight - or he bites and breaks everything he comes across, or he digs in the garden, or he breaks free out of whichever enclosure: i walk with him on short walks several times per day, every 2 to 3 hours and at least 1 longer walk off leash once per day. He now doesn't want the normal leash, so he runs away from me when I want to walk him. It gets so frustrating that I give up walking with him on longer stretches and only let him go in the super quiet cull the sac (in forest area) where he can walk off leash. I can't handle the struggle every single time. Another problem: in the evening I walk him around 19 or latest 20, he then eats and I walk him again at around 22.00 hrs. Sometimes when I end up being late I´ll walk him again at 23/24 or even 01 am. These are not walks walks, but I let him go to have a weewee and if needed a poo. He then goes into the dog house enclosure. This week I wake up to a poo in the enclosure every morning. Why if I have walked him at night. No more food and no more drink from 20 hrs. Then 3rd big frustration is him eating and breaking everything. I have bought so many toys already that he wrecks within seconds or loses. I have bought biting woods as alternative, not interesting enough. He now eats his blanket, his bowl. I guess he is bored, but I don't know what to give him anymore because all toys and puzzles die (ak he murders). When I leave him on the big field, I think it is too big for him, he doesn't really enjoy it. He is there on the side of the fence. He no longer barks or cries, so he is getting used to it, but I thought he would be wondering around, sniffing, discovering, digging - where he is allowed to do so. But he doesn't really seem to like it. I am getting at my whits end and my husband is ready to look for a new family for him. As you can imagine, it causes quite some stress over here. Please help - would love to receive some advise from you all experienced dog owners. Many many thanks for your tips!
