Can someone please help me with some suggestions - we started taking our Lab puppy out for walks this weekend and he was fine. Once we got off the road we let him off the lead and he stayed near us or came running if he got a bit too far away and towards the end of the walk his tail was flying high and he got more confidence. When we put him back on the lead he was fine, constantly smelling and looking as you would expect. The last two walks we have tried to take him on (last night and this morning) he gets so far and then just stops dead and lays down on the ground and won't budge! If you turn round to go back home though he'll follow. If you carry on in the same direction and crouch down he'll come for a fuss, walk a bit further and then lay down again. Please does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him to walk!!
Thanks, Rachel

Not very experienced but i wondered could you be walking him to far? He could be trying to tell you he is tired and wants to go home.

I am sure others will have better answers but just my thoughts.

By the way how old is your pup?

When he lays down he only gets about 100ft! He's a 4.5 months old Labrador.

You may have raised a good point though - how long should I be walking him for? At the weekend we were probably out for an hour - this includes all sniffing/standing around time. Is this too much, should we just be doing quick 20 minute walks for the moment.

I think I might feel a bit silly now, are we expecting too much from him?

Hi

I would say that you are walking him too far. At 4 1/2 months I would only be taking him a very short distance only for 5 mins if that. Didn't your Breeder give you any guidelines on how far to walk him :)

I have Cocker Spaniels and don't take them out for proper walks until they are over 6 months old. Your Lab will still have a lot of growing to do and if walked too far to early you may cause problems with hips etc in later life :(

Sorry to sound harsh by my step sister has a lab which she over walked and she is now suffering with hip trouble and she isn't even 2 years old yet :(

Best to take it slowly rather than rushing into to taking him/her great distances :) You wouldn't expect a toddler to walk for 15-30 mins ;)

Best wishes and good luck

Derryn & The Boys ...

No, you don't sound harsh at all, I completely understand what you are saying - I think it will just be training and playing in the garden tonight!

The breeder never gave us any guidelines - but then she also lied about how old our pup was so I don't expect too much from her! Thank goodness for forums like this where I can receive such information!

Dear Lab owner
I think you are walking your puppy too far, but please don't worry about what you've already done, just cut it right back to maximum of 20 mins at a time and no bounding around, jumping up etc. I'm sure he'll be fine.
I don't think that's why he refuses to walk though. Thistle, our 8 month old Lab pup, sometimes does the same as yours although she does it much less often now. She did it because she was unsure of going out for some reason best known to herself. I think she was frightened of the dark/heard another dog bark/saw an unknown object/thought someone at home should have come along too. Anyway I think it was all anxiety related because she was alot worse without me. We just cajoaled, bribed and encouraged and usually she would be ok. Sometimes we carried her a bit and occasionally we had to admit defeat and go home:-(. Hope this helps.
So you've decided they did lie about your puppy's age. Do you know why?
Have fun
Jane

I have no idea why she lied - I've passed that now, just enjoying my puppy:) One thing though, we still haven't received his KC papers and if she sent them off just after Christmas that gives her six weeks which is my understanding of approximately how long it takes. I will be in touch with her soon to find out where they are. Mind you, I'm not too bothered about the KC papers as presumably they are based on the information she has sent them - if that's a load of baloney then his papers don't really hold up to much!

My puppies' registrations have just come back within 10 days, so they're well up to date at the moment.

As the owner of a 9 week old Lab pup,what sort of exercise should I be giving him? I`ve not had a lab before and I know they aren`t supposed to have too much at first. After his vaccinations are finished he`ll be going to puppy classes once a week for an hour each time,but how much/how long should he be given on a lead each day? And when do I start to give him more? Thanks
Tina

Your puppy will get enough exercise running around the house and garden for the next three/four months or so. Don't let stop you socializing him tho - but be prepared to carry him a lot!!

To get him used to the lead - just put it on him and let him drag it around - don't let him chew it. His training class will be a lot for him at first and he'll be shattered and might not make it through a full class - don't push him.

I would have thought that a lab would be nearing a year old before they were of an age to undergo decent walks etc. Between now and then build it up very very gradually.

Good luck - enjoy :D

Pam n the boys

Hello Rachel,

I don't have labs but I would say that the subject of exercise is pretty much the same across the board! Firstly let your puppy become accustomed to his collar and then attach the lead and let him drag around behind him, correct him if he decides it is a new chew toy however! When he is used to the sensation of the trailing lead and pays it no attention then you can gently pick up the end of the lead and let him take you wherever it is that he is going whilst you keep a light contact on the lead, as he becomes used to this start gently tugging the lead to get him to follow you! Word of advice here. When puppy puts the brakes on do not turn around and look at him!! It is your attention he wants and by looking at him he will be winning. Simply stop, encourage puppy, GENTLY tug at the lead and encourage him to walk on again, when he has done as you have asked tell him he's a "Goooooood Booooooooy!!" tone of voice is important too, keep it light and almost sing song, they adore this, your friends will think you are bonkers but not your dog!! He will find it fascinating and be eager to get you to talk in the "silly voice" !!

Length of walks now, when the vacciantions have been completed and not before take puppy up and down the road outside your house, be prepared to stop a lot and to have to pick puppy up for encouragement. The key here is patience, try squatting down and looking around it's a big scary new world out there, plus to sensitive dog ears VERY LOUD!! Gradually over the next few months build thes little outings up from 5 minutes initially to 20-30. Do not over walk a young puppy, his joints, muscles and tendons are very soft and can be easily damaged, you only want to take "the fizz out of the bottle" at this stage, watch that puppy doesn't jump off high objects etc also. When puppy is now an adult, usually around a year old you can gently extend the length of your outings, his growing is done and you can now start to "exercise" properley, but take it easy, after all you wouldn't run the London Marathon without training for it for months now would you?

Hope this has been of help, basically all things in moderation, but above all else, enjoy each others company, don't let taking the dog out become a chore! I see many OAP's in my village taking their dogs out in the most awful of weather simply because their routine says 10.00 a.m walk dog!! If you wouldn't be comfortable in the weather outside, would your dog be either?

Best Wishes

Cathryn

I am glad you mentioned about not having to walk the dog religiously if the weather is appalling, I always feel guilty when I don't walk my dog ( a 6 month old GSD) but what I usually do is exercise/ train him indoors.

Last night for instance it was blowing a gale all night with terrible rain, so we played fetch with a squeaky fur ball he got for christmas which doesn't damage anything when thrown, this entailed sit, wait, take it, down and lots of praise.
This way his training is reinforced and we are both nice and cosy and he ends up KN*****D

Hurry up summer I am fed up with this C**P weather!

I'll second that Shadow, all the weather's ever done since we got Tally four weeks ago is rain:(

One reason I got a dog was to make me go out come rain or shine as I am-shall we say-not my ideal weight :-( Last night it was blowing a gale and I still took her out and she didn't mind at all, but maybe she wouldn't have minded staying home and being played with here either.
Jane

The trouble with living in the the north west as I do there are too many wet windy days in the winter, my dogs would go stir crazy. Although I only walk my 13 year alternate days now and put a coat on her they don't give a toss about the weather in fact they seem to find the wild weather exhilarating, we are talking about aninals that will break ice to get a swim after all. The first dog I had we lived on the coast 30 miles north of Aberdeen and if we had chosen better days to walk it would have boiled down to 3 days in August. The secret is to invest in top quality outdoor wear and you will be barely aware of it and unless you dog is a chinese crested neither will they.

I live in the north west as well! The dog doesn't mind at all, its me who's the wimp, don't get me wrong it's got to be really bad for me not to take him out.
I have got the thickest sheepskin (old) coat you have ever seen but its my face that cops the worst, I come back from walks with a red glowing chapped face and a very muddy dog (he will insist in finding the muddiest wettest places to run through) I'll have to get a ski mask!! I will look like a right villain with an almost all black GSD.

well it is not me that will not go out it is the dogs, last night we all went out(me and 3 SBT) and it was fine but for the wind but half way thought it started raining well not just rain it pi**ed down and well the dog decided that was anouth and wanted to go home, one turned around and started in the other diretion and the other two just stoped and would not go until i have given in and well in the ens i did,

they hate the rain that much, if they need a pee or i am putting them out for the last time in the night and it is raining they sometimes need a little push and if it is coming down hard they need a big push.

bobby
and 4 poofs

Same here Bobby. This morning it was just starting to rain and while getting my shoes and coat on, they (my westies) were giving me that 'look'-----like "hurry up, we wanna go". As soon I opened the door, they gave me that 'other look'-----like "what-you want us to go out thereeeeeeeee???". But as usual, after I went on out, just far enough where they couldn't see me around the corner of the doorway; suddenly they all made a dash out the door, down the steps, around the corner and right to me...........each one hoping to beat the other...........You see, I had the UMBRELLA.

Can anyone tell me why my cat looks out the open back door and sees rain, then elects to go to the front door to see if its the same before she ventures out ? my two Rotties have to be sent outside following digestive biscuits that are thrown strategically before them.

Lorraine

Lorraine I thought only I did that ,mine will only go out in the rain if I chuck something nice out for them. Once theyve taken the plunge they are fine , dont they make you laugh :D :D mari

My Malamute pup is 11 weeks and he absolutely loves the wind and rain. Yesterday in all that wind, I let him out for a wee in the garden, he curled up in a ball and went to sleep. It was absolutely pouring it down.While I stood at the door freezing to death. I ended up having to show him tit bits to get him in. :D

That sounds familiar, Mals seem to love the bad weather. If the heating comes on in the house, Kiera starts crying to go out and just curls up on the concrete floor (even if its snowing). We have to tempt her into the house with biscuits.

Takes after his uncle Blaze :)

My akita pup was curled up on back step yesterday and today, lying in a puddle watching the rain and wind quite happily, (the rotties were curled up on the sofa !) her mum was the same, this morning she came in after morning pee absolutely dripping then came over to me in my nightshirt, I was woken up very quickly by the shower coming off her tail. Her brother lives with friends and he tips the water bowl over the kitchen carpet and then lies in it if the back door is shut.

Lorraine

Mari,

I always by Tesco cheapy digestives, the Rotts love them, husband and child always moan as never buy them any !!

Lorraine

Hi lorraine. well you best let tesco know they love them best you'd never know you might have a tesco dog pack :D and maybe free biccies ;) and PREHAPShusband and child may get one

Hi Mari, I found plastic in chum puppy food once from Tesco, marched back in there with half empty can and got 3 free tins and £10.00 voucher - quite a pleasant surprise really, might mention the biccies though you never know !!!