Hi
I have a 6 1/2 month old Choc Lab who we love to pieces and have had from 6 weeks old. Up till now he has been great he has always loved to train and learn (we have attended classes) and he has always listened to me and my husband. The last week or so this changed dramaticly to the extent where we are not sure what to do with him. He has these really hyper moments where he just runs in circles around the house and garden the more we try and tell him to stop the quicker he goes. He has started barking at us (not in a vicious way) when we eat or try and take him for a walk (which he has never done before). He has never been like this before and it is quite worrying to see this change in him he was always playful and naughty at times but not like this. It almost feels like he is trying to push us to see what he can get away with. We have never had a puppy before and would be grateful for some advise or reasuuring words.

Bev

Bev, sounds like you have a normal Lab to me, what do you Lab people think, just a normal teenager going through the 'Kevin' stage.

if he goes quicker when you try stop him he may be thinking its a game.why not try and ignore him totally or even walk away when he does this behaviour.

HIYA, MY NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF WAS FINE UNTIL ABOUT 7 MONTHS OLD THEN ALL HER TRAINING WENT OUT THE WINDOW AND SHE TURNED INTO A "FRUIT-LOOP" AND WAS QUITE THE LITTLE IDIOT!!THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I USED TO SAY TO MY HUSBAND TO TAKE HER AWAY AND TIE HER TO A LAMP POST( ONLY JOKING BEFORE ANYONE WRITES IN!!)SHE IS NOW 2 YEARS OLD AND IS CALM AGAIN,SO DONT WORRY JUST KEEP UP THE TRAINING AND WAIT FOR THEM TO GROW UP A BIT---REGARDS

Kane can you please refrain from posting in capitals it is not only hard to read, but also seen to be shouting on the net. :)

never shout at your dog to stop....shouting from humans seems to be all part of the excitement! I suggest turning your back on him completely, no eye contact at all. if you can catch him(but never chase him) just put him in time out in the other room, behind a door. when you do this, say absolutely nothing to him. no eye contact either. when he has calmed down, let him back in, but dont look him in the eye for a bit.
the reasoning behind this is that the yelling and chasing gives the dog a buzz. they dont like being ignored. this worked really well with my affie when she was a baby

Have you thought of trying a crate to put her in for time out if she starts barking ignore coz if you come she'll see this as getting her own way put a food kong or something in with her to keep her ocupyed.
Do you do training classes with her if not have a look on the internet for some or even in your local paper news agent etc