Hi there, my lab is 11 months old, and has a lovely playful personality and is very friendly (sometimes too much!). We did puppy training up to about 5 months old, then Covid came, so we haven't done much training outside home since then. He is great at home and in the garden - lots of fun, a bit cheeky, chewing and eating all sorts, just normal lab behaviour.. and his recall is pretty good at home. However, over the last few months his behaviour outside of the house has become a lot worse. When he was little, we got him lead walking really well, but he is now so strong that he is pulling me practically off my feet (I broke my finger a few weeks back when he lurched forward and it got trapped in the lead), and when off the lead, he is fine we are alone, but as soon as he sees another dog or people, he takes off into the distance towards them (unless I quickly manage to get his lead on before he sees them). When he reaches the other dog/people, he is jumping up / trying to play. I've had a couple of scary moments with this recently, and now have lost my confidence and so have him on the lead at all times out on walks (dragging me along), which isn't very relaxing for either of us, and I feel like i'm spoiling his fun as he just wants to play with everyone. I have tried taking his favourite food out with us as a treat (sausages) but he either just ignores it or snatches the treat and continues to pull. At home he responds to the whistle as recall, but outside he just ignores it. I have also been told by the dog walker that he is humping the other dogs a lot when they take him out, and that neuturing will 'solve' a lot of this. I'm still undecided about neuturing, so just wanted a view on whether anyone thinks it could help with all these issues? I'd rather work on our training first although I find this really difficult given how strong he is.. perhaps I just need to persevere. Any tips gratefully received!!
Hi Ali, Welcome to the forum I'm sorry to hear about your poor finger! Your Lab sounds like a pretty typical teenage dog, my dog Max is just starting to come out of the other side of adolescence, and I understand now why some people told me they found it harder than the puppy stages! He was exactly the same as your boy! Alas there isn't a magic instant solution, but he won't be a teenager forever. So the good news is that patience and consistency will get you there in the end. This article has tips for loose lead walking - with a teenage dog you might find you need to start at the beginning again and teach him as if he were a puppy. Also have a look and see if there are any off lead dog exercise fields for hire near you, so you can let him run about without the stress and anxiety. Next, this article is about choosing whether to neuter your dog. Ultimately it's a personal decision, although lots of people feel very passionately for and against it. However, the one thing it's not likely to do is change his behavior - Pippa looks at the evidence in that article. Whatever you decide to do, good luck, and do let us know how you get on!
We too are at the 11 month mark and I can second everything you’re experiencing. I am finding adolescence SO much harder than the puppy stages. I don’t know a lot about neutering however as Sarah has said there is loads of interesting debate across the forum about it and articles/research on it too... these do suggest strongly that neutering will not change this ‘life stage’ for our pups which I feel I agree with. @sarah@forumHQ - you say yours is coming out the other side... dare I ask how old Max is?!
Ahhh, good to know. It all comes with time and I know he’ll begin to mature when he’s ready but I’m desperate for some light at the end of the tunnel!
Mine is 16 months now and starting to calm a bit more. I'm not neutering him or if we do not until he's fully adult. If he's humping the other dog will tell him off if the human doesn’t redirect him first. At home if he humps a pillow or something a quiet no and redirecting should do it. Mine has stopped doing it. I am using a front clip harness and have done since I got him. His heel and loose leash walking are pretty good and he's getting super good at ignoring cats and ducks at close quarters. My advice is start over with loose leash training like he's just beginning and use a Padded front clip y harness like Ruffwear front range or Dog Copenhagen so he has less chance of pulling you over. Forgetting everything they ever learned is a teen dog thing. You have to persist. With leash training a really good 'look at me' cue rewarded with high value treats is helpful. Keep him on lead in public and invite dogs over to your fenced yard for play dates or get invited to one. Or find a fenced school yard or playing field he can run in. Teen dog recall is shocking with my lab who is over friendly which was never a problem with our GSDs! You'll likely have to train recall around dogs and people with a long line and starting further away and gradually working closer to the distractions. Or have him play in a yard with another dog long enough and often enough for the novelty to wear off so you can start practicing recall/treat/resume play, repeat. Or take dog obedience classes so he gets better at listening around a group of dogs and people if Covid allows where you are.
I hope your finger is ok! When my boy Bongo was 11 months old I had to have my wedding ring cut off my finger after a similar incident! We were told at dog training to purchase a Canny Collar which is their preferred lead training method. It has been the best purchase, I highly recommend, although at 2 1/2 years old Bongo will still lunge if he gets sniff of something, despite wearing his Canny Collar. Labs have an amazing pulling capacity! After being bitten by another uncut dog at 1 year old in a totally surprise & unprovoked attack (my vet says it happens frequently and usually when both boys intact) we decided to book him in to try & prevent a repetition. We noticed a big change in behaviour after the surgery, generally calmer, more affectionate & compliant. Might just have coincided with his age/hormones but as a family dog & no plans for breeding, I have no regrets with this decision.
