my lab is 12 months old and is a very excitable, what age do they grow out of this stage, i am training him for search and rescue and he is a very high drive dog is it normal for this age group to be like this, any help would be great.

<<my lab is 12 months old and is a very excitable, what age do they grow out of this stage>>

I spent the first six years of my old Beth's life wishing she would grow up and the rest of it hoping she never did! My second wish came true!

Yes, a good Labrador does calm down a little but it needs plenty of mental stimulation. I personally do not consider them mature until two years old and although I start serious gundog training once the adult teeth are through I don't expect the reliability which comes with maturity until that time.

Regards, John

PS. And I am not joking about Bethany. Six months before she died at just a week or so under 14 years old she would go gundog training with me, spend half an hour playing with the puppies before we started, two hours of demonstrating, a play with the pups when we were finished and then ask "When are we going for a walk?"