Has anybody on this forum heard of Royvon dog training school in the UK? Ive seen the reviews which look promising although it costs a lot of money im willing to pay if it really works. My lab is 8 months old and although he's fine some parts of the day he can really be out of control. He bites, he jumps, he chews, runs around like a lunatic etc. Im sure that if I dont do something now his agression will get much worse. Today he went for my face but I moved my head...so he bite my head...I felt completely useless and terrified. I scoulded him with a stern "no" which I admit I don't usually do but I was lying on the sofa (I have a migraine) and he kept jumping up the sofa to bite/nip my hands...I walked away did the stuff im told to, anyways he calmed down so I went back to lie down for him to this time go for my face!!!! My last resort is this dog boarding and training otherwise my parents will make me give him up even though he's MY dog. Im 21 not like I'm a child. Ive tried everything ive learnt from books, youtube internet etc to help with his issues but now they just seem to be more and more! Its like everything he's learnt he's forgotten :/ Please help im at my wits end!
Re: Royvon? I don't know anything about the company you've mentioned, or about the type of establishment that boards your dog while they train them for you. My parents friend has two out of control adult dogs that they never bothered to train and wondered why they couldn't get them to behave!! They were going to send them away for two weeks to this fancy dog school type place to have them trained. I don't know why but they didn't end up doing it. The only thing I would be wary of is that you cannot supervise the training sessions so how do you do the trainers are using methods that you agree with eg. Positive instead of punitive. Also it's all well and good sending them away to be trained, but then if you don't also continue the work when they come home again it will all have been for nothing. I think my parents friends viewed it as a magic fix - not realising that they would actually still have to do some work themselves when the dogs came home again. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but be prepared that you will still have to do work with the dog yourself when you get him home again.
Re: Royvon? You sound to be having a tough time with a teenager - many sympathies. Lots of people live through this a survive! I wouldn't send my dog away to be trained in the circumstances you describe - not because I object to other people training dogs but, to be honest, the behaviour doesn't sound all that unusual for a young labrador. Maybe he was biting your face because he wanted your attention, was frustrated because he hasn't got enough to do, or because your face at nearly floor level is unbelievably exciting, and so on. If you don't explore these things, and come up with ways that change his reactions, I'm not sure other people being able to do so in a location that is not your home will necessarily solve your problems when he is returned to you. Best of luck with it.
Re: Royvon? I had a quick look at their website and they seem to say the right things about using positive methods, but I agree with Lauren and Julie that it would be much better for you to go to sessions with him so you can gain more confidence about handling your dog, otherwise you'll probably find he'll do brilliantly at the residential training but behave just the same as before when you get him home! Did you mention this training school because it's near where you live? If so, they certainly seem able to do class training or 1-to-1 sessions and I would think that you'd get more benefit from spending the money you would have used on the residential training on some good 1-to-1s, with maybe some classes in the longer term. If this school is not near you, there certainly should be someone within a reasonable distance who could help- whereabouts are you? You mentioned 'aggression' behaviour - did you say this because he's biting you? It is more likely that he's 'playing' - all dogs play with other dogs by mouthing and doing big open-mouthed lunges and bites, and Labradors seem to be particularly intense with this - we've all suffered a 'crazy crocodile' phase If he's wagging, jumping and generally attention seeking at the same time as biting he's more likely to be asking you to play. True aggression would be more likely to have a lowered head, snarl and maybe hackles raised, it might be linked to guarding a toy or food, and this would be a different concern.
Re: Royvon? Firstly i would like to thank you all very much! I understand about the work and we spend a few minutes every hour or so training/going over things he already knows. So I am prepared to do the work however getting my parents to do the same is another question! Hi Julie, for your labrador at roughly what age did he/she "settle" down? Also do you have any tips to stop the mouthing stage? Max is a lovely fella about 80% of the time he sleeps in my bed and is a cuddley boy with me but its just when im on the sofa he goes nutty! Unfortunately Merla Royvon is an hour away from me, there is training classes near me but not as good as Royvon. I looked up one trainer and they got some very bad reviews! When Max gets bitey he can snarl if you go near him, shows his teeth and jumps to bite however he's usually in the "play" postion :S
Re: Royvon? Hi. I am going through the same sort of thing with my 11 month old girl, Molly. I don't think it is aggression as such, though it feels like it when you are on the receiving end. I think it is just energy with nowhere to go. It is something many Lab owners go through, and NONE of us enjoy. I was having a moan only last week. If you look up 'Unacceptable Behaviour' you'll see the answers that I got. It is always helpful to know that you are not alone. I expect you, like me, started wondering what you had done wrong.
Re: Royvon? [quote author=Tori_lizzie link=topic=7545.msg105366#msg105366 date=1409228289] Hi Julie, for your labrador at roughly what age did he/she "settle" down? Also do you have any tips to stop the mouthing stage? Max is a lovely fella about 80% of the time he sleeps in my bed and is a cuddley boy with me but its just when im on the sofa he goes nutty! [/quote] I had a slightly unusual experience with my boy - he was injured, so was on crate rest. Lack of exercise made him difficult to live with in the house for much longer than otherwise, I think. I'd say he has only really become pleasant to live with all the time now - at 17 months - this I put down to him returning to a full exercise and training programme. Which for him is 5 walks (2 of which include some form of training) a day, and 2 or 3 other activities (like classes or swimming or playdates) a week. I didn't quite have the same problems as you but I taught my labrador to settle on his mat, which was a big part of him being "livable" with. I don't really use his mat anymore, but he'll just settle if I do - normally. In terms of the biting, is it only associated with the sofa and when you are lying down with your face low? My boy has an overwhelming urge to get close to peoples' faces (in particular their ears), which is not unusual, so we say hello to him with our faces at his level. This stopped him jumping up, very effectively (and now he no longer feels the need to jump up - unless embarrassing me in the park of course ). I'm not saying you should let him bite your face - more try to figure out what's going on with him, is something triggering him to be very excited?
Re: Royvon? The problem with sending a dog away for training is that the behaviour reverts once the dog gets home if you haven't been taught to handle the dog as they handle him. It is also expensive and it might be better to spend that money on a one to one trainer or behaviourist who may well be able to influence your parents as well
Re: Royvon? As I was reading your first post I was thinking exactly what Stacia has said. The problem I think with sending a dog away to be trained is first you need to continue to train and cue your dog in the same way back home as Stacia has said. I also think its not just the dog that benefits from the training but the owner as well. If you go to a class or one to one training you will learn the best way to handle and train your dog, be able to ask questions and get tips on what to do if something doesnt work. His behaviour is not unusual for an 8 month lab. Unfortunately his thing happens to be faces. One of my dogs just loves to lick he will lick my face if he gets the chance but he will lick anything. You could perhaps try and redirect his attention when he gets in his bitey mood. What about trying a tug toy or tug with any toy. Engage him with it then toss it away (as long as you have a bit of room) hopefully he will go and take his excitement out on it. He might even fetch it you back and you will have started very simple retrieve. It's not easy and different things work for different dogs but it is normal. I'm sure what he did today was to get your attention. If you think about it he's an 8 month old excitable pup with lots of energy and you where lying on the couch feeling rotten not being exciting. He did what he thought would get your attention, which it did. I doubt very much he was being aggressive he was trying to play and that's how one pup will get another to play they get hold of each other. I hope you find something that works good luck
Re: Royvon? This may sound like I'm being flippant but I'm really not.... If your dog gets mouthy on your face when you lie on the sofa then don't lie on the sofa Until you've got a training plan in place that's showing some improvement and you will probably need to reintroduce the close contact carefully and for small periods of time until you're sure your pup isn't over excited any longer. I would also second the views above about residential training. You may find more success (at a more reasonable price) working at home with a reputable trainer or behaviourist.
Re: Royvon? Hi there, it sounds like you have full on adolescent lab there. It does sound like over excitable play. I agree with the others that sending him away wont really get to the root of the problems. He is showing normal lab age appropriate lab behaviour and training with you would be much more productive. Do you go to any kind of classes? they would be a great start and you would see many others in the same boat? Also time with a 1:1 would help you to get a plan of training. Also does he get enough exercise and time off the lead to let off steam? My 6 moth old girl can get over excited as she is due some exercise, afterwards peace returns. Good luck I whichever route you choose. Emma and Meg.
Re: Royvon? I do understand that if you're feeling unwell or tired then a young, excitable dog can be a trial. I wonder if part of the solution may be to look again at the amount of exercise your dog is having. I assume you're at work or college during the day, so does he get a walk before you go? And what about during the day and in the evening? You mention spending a few minutes doing some training every hour, which is great, but I would suggest he needs at least 2 walks a day, preferably with some off-lead time. At 8 months my puppy was getting a minimum of three 30 minute walks a day as well as play and training in the garden. At nearly a year my dog is pretty settled, but she does have the occasional evening when she launches herself at me and my answer is to put her on the lead and go for another short walk - then she comes back and cuddles up for a sleep. I think the image we often see of Labradors as being laid-back and lazy is a bit misleading - they're big, energetic dogs and need an active lifestyle.
