Here's a newer avatar of Ted, in which butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. On the whole he's a much loved addition to the family, and has attracted a lot of fans on our regular walk routes because he's such a loveable character. He sleeps right through the night despite his nightmare first few nights. We simply can't imagine life without him. He is a delight to be with just about the whole day. You can sense a "but" coming, can't you? Well Ted is now in that adolescent phase during which he looks me direct in the eye and then does as he likes. If he were my son, I'd say he's going through his perfectly normal Oedipal Stage, where Dad is challenged for supremacy for a time. I know this is temporary, but it's a tad draining! He is surprisingly reliable with recall when we're out, but try getting him in from the garden without a treat and it's no deal. Where I used to be able to simply point at the door and he'd walk in, he now stares at me as if I've asked him to perform a triple somersault with tuck. He then strolls off in the other direction. I dont want to have to bribe him in with a treat, just want him to come in when I tell him! If I shut the door on him and feign disinterest he takes the opporunity to pull up plants from containers, or run round the garden with an lightweight flowerpot in his mouth. It's the same indoors when I want him to go from one room into another. No deal. Any ideas how to break this impasse? The other thing (and you'll all, as Lab owners, recognise this) is that he is still an opportunist sneak thief. He has been known to snatch underwear from a clothes horse and run out the door and round the garden with it. Just when we think we've totally Ted-proofed everywhere, he runs past us with another bit of swag, tail up, waiting for the game to start. Indoors I can trap him with strategically placed furniture so he has to give up his prize. But outside? Forget it. Now I know the advice is, in some quarters, to ignore such behaviour until he tires of it, but some items of clothing are a bit too precious to be torn to shreds. This morning it was a towel, snaffled from the laundry basket as it was about to go into the machine. The run round the garden which involved both me and my son, was pure Keystone Cops. Ted was loving every minute of what was for him a great game. I'm sure he'll grow out of it one day, but right now, it would be good to know how some of the old hands get through this phase.
Firstly, you have to go back a load of steps in your training at this age. So, train him to come in from the garden. Do this by luring at first, like you would with any new behaviour, gradually fade the lure, turn it into a reward and put it on cue. You have to appreciate that you're asking him to do something he doesn't want - it's great in the garden, with all the smells, so coming into the house can be punishing for him. So, combat that by giving him a game or a chew or whatever when he comes in. Set up actual training sessions around it, rather than just when you want him to come in, so that you can use outside itself as a reward. Come in, have a treat and then immediately go outside again to play - win-win! The more you do this, the less impact it will have the one time he actually has to stay inside. Secondly, you are seriously reinforcing his behaviour by chasing him around the garden. He's just going to learn that taking stuff will get him your attention and a fabulous game! So, you have to stop that first. Instead, train a strong "give" cue. Similarly to above, put this into structured training sessions, rather than just reacting when he grabs something. And, again similarly to above, when you're training it, make sure that nine times out of ten, he gets his treat and the thing back. Do this with loads of different objects to proof it. For example, Luna nicked a pen earlier. I knew she was in no immediate danger from it, but it's a nice pen and I didn't want her wrecking it, so I sat down on the floor and we played the "give" game, where she gives me the pen, gets a bit of sausage and then I give it back to her. After five minutes of this, I've heavily reinforced that giving is a good thing, and I can finally take the pen away, scattering a few bits of sausage on the floor after the last "give" to distract her. Because she's never had anything removed from her without this sort of game, she never plays keep-away with me.
@snowbunny gave you the advice, and I've not yet had a Lab crazy pup so would be rubbish at trying to give you more. I'm just here to say that despite your trials and tribulations, your post was a hoot to read and I'd love to hear about Ted more often!
As an American I have to say I always read everyone's posts here in a British accent (probably because of all the British slang), and this was a great one! Haha. Anyway.....I want to tag on to this. Does the "grab and bite everything that is new" and stealing thing thing just wear off over time?? Every time there's a new object (such as my sweatshirt in the back seat of the car when I put him in) he's after it. Whenever Finn grabs something he's not supposed to have I do the "drop it" thing, or (rather than chase him) I go "ah ah!" in a gruff voice and abruptly get up and leave the room (hoping he'll stop what he's doing and follow me). Or I call him from the other room and treat him when he comes in. Is that a good strategy?
I also play the give game. Duggan actually takes thibgs he won't chew just so he can give them back. The other great advice is to get your pup to chase you instead of you chasing them. Play hide and seek. It pays huge dividends.
I reread your post and have a few comments as another 10 month owner who has followed Total Recall and Happy Pupppy Handbook. First off. Your pup has been trained for situations not cues. Second, when he looks at you for direction you're lucky but he does it cause he wants your guidance but he's not as trained and you think and doesn't understand what you want. My wife is convinced Duggan knows what come means.... he doesn't. The cue had been ruined. He understands two whistles and a two thigh slaps. Then when he comes in he's so pleased with himself he sits waiting for a treat without being given a command. He's trained for situation not cues. We work it to our advantage but he's been by no means as well trained and other people think he is.
Annie use to nick my OH slippers, so now we have taught her to go and get his slippers. When he come in he says, Annie get my slippers and off she goes to get them. She gets them one at a time and he will say get the other one. She loves this, she is so pleased with herself.
