I have a beautiful seven and a half month old Honey coloured lab called Sally.
Over the last month and a half or so she has just become a great deal more hyper, especially when meeting people and in social situations (friends, dog classses etc).
I have been advised to change her on to a lower protein diet (she has been on Beta puppy / junior until now - 29% protein)
Has anybody any experience of these type of problems and will the food change help do you think, or could there be any other things I could consider. I understand that she will not fully calm down until she is older (if I am lucky) but she does seem especially hyper lately.

I love her to pieces and will certainly do what it takes for her - but it is hard!

many dogs and bitches get like this when hormones come onto the scene,....has she had her first season yet?

Hi
no she has not had her first season yet
shawn

I agree with Pinklillies about the seasons, this does affect bitches in different ways.

I would also say that I like to get my puppies onto adult food by around 6 months. A gradual change over a couple of weeks or more (However long it takes to finish the puppy food, gradually adding more and more adult to a reducing amount of puppy) The adult feed I use is 21%

Regards, John

I am having problems with my 6 month lab too, he is a dog does the same apply to having him castrated john?

About the only effect Castration has on a dog is to POSSIBLY reduce sexual based aggression. Even then there is no guarantee and any improvement would gained over a period of months as the hormones subside.

Do I take it from your post that he is inclined to hyperactivity? If so it could be just his age, getting into the adolescent period or it is possibly a food related thing. Certainly you could try a change of food. Food intolerance is not that unusual and a food perfectly acceptable to one dog can cause problems with another.

As I’ve said on here, I like to get off of puppy foods early and get straight onto adult grades.

Best Wishes, John