I have just had the worst experience yet with my 18 month old labrador. We took him to the beach and there were only one other couple there, I decided to let him off the lead as usually he just runs round like a loony when there are no other dogs to play with. I then noticed that this couple had a little westie with them and Kobi went straight for it, he seems to lack the ability to judge distance and went ploughing into the westie and its owners. Then just when things couldn't get any worse a frail looking woman rounded the corner and Kobi charged for her, totally ignoring me and my husband shouting at him. Kobi nearly knocked this woman off her feet and then she started screaming hysterically.

We eventually got him back on the lead and I am ashamed to say that I had totally lost my rag and hit my dog which I swore I would never do. I am so stressed with this, I am 4 months pregnant and I need to get Kobi to calm down. I can't walk him anymore because he pulls to much and is out of control.

We have taken him to training, he has been well socialised, we have tried a halti, a harness, stopping everytime he pulls, treats, a rattle bottle you name it. Nothing seems to work.

Please if anyone can help I would welcome any suggestions, I can't imagine what he is going to be like with a new born baby around.

Sarah

Hi Sarah
I can't offer any training advice but I'm sure you'll get lots from your post.

I do sympathise with how you are feeling, but don't feel guilty about hitting him, if it's not a normal tactic I'm sure it would have done no harm and at least made him stop and think!  

You are pregnant, you are emotional and you certainly don't want any confrontation with people and their dogs!  It's understandable why you reacted that way.

I think maybe you need to re-visit his training needs and have you thought about his diet?  Maybe he is having too much protein ?

Labradors are usually happy, friendly bounding dogs and he probably had no intention of hurting anyone, he probably just wanted to play and be friendly!!

Speak to your vet, or the breeder or trainer or all three - I'm sure it can be sorted out before the baby arrives!

Good luck
Maria

Oh dear, poor, poor you, I really do sympanthise, I think in my area anyway, being so many of them, labs have the worst rap for being unruly, bouncing, jumping, nightmares, they need strict handling as youngsters.

I very often walk with all my families dogs that is a huge pack of 7 dogs all shapes and sizes who all behave impecably, walk beautifully, play nicely and recall within a second. I am always stopped by dog walkers with young dogs who complement me on my well behaved dogs, whilst their dog is running around like a lunatic. Whilst they look enviously and ask what they are doing wrong I always laugh and tell them, that all these beautifully behaved dogs were once complete nightmares themselves, they have just grown up ;-) the youngest dog is 4.

It truly is age related. Although your lab is fully grown , he really is still a baby, and will act like a mad teenager have boundless energy and do his best not to listen to you.

The good news is by age 3 he will be the dog you envisaged, you need patience, understanding and most importantly you need to remember that all dogs have the same problem, the difference is some people work hard to control this, others who have no conscience let their dogs run riot.

By all means allow him to run free, but the moment you see another person or dog (before he does) recall and lead then allow him off after they have left, you will need to be very choosy at the times you walk when less people and unknown dogs are around.  If possible can you find a dog walking friend with a dog who is suitable to play with him, can match his weight,  height and speed, if he has a playmate he will stay with his friend and not be as prone to charge off for meetings with others. You need to protect children, adults, the old, and other dogs from your charging bundle of joy, including your own bump.

Practice recall in your garden your home, every oportunity you can get, use praise and reward, when you have your baby, get a dog gate and segregate. Above all else don't give up, this is the time most dogs will find themselves re-homed another year down the line you will regret this as he will outgrow this behaviour and be a wonderful dog and companion for yourself and your forthcoming child, be consistant, and strict, it will all fall into place, and most importantly don't feel your dog or yourself are doing anything wrong, we have all been through it, how do you think we can advise on it ;-)

Calm down its not the end of the world (been there done that with a g.dane lol) ok its not the happiest of outcomes but at least you know what work you have to do from now on in.

Have you an enclosed area to practise recall in? or can you visit the beach like i do early morning or late evening when its empty to practise (no distractions)

For something to work you HAVE to be consistant and it can go on for months with no improvement and all of a sudden it happens, trust me it will happen you just need to keep on at it like a mad woman! :D
Just calm down its not worth getting worked up over, no harm done.

My westie  dog now age 4.1/2 can be like that, I could not let him off lead until he was 2 yrs of age, when we first go out for a walk he also pulls on the lead but soon settles, the bitches they are fine with good recall and walk beside you with no problems. My dog is like yours just wants to make friends with other dogs and people he is not aggressive towards them, but, its  horribile when you are shouting on them to "come" and they ignore you.  Yours sounds as though he is going through the teenage stage, you still have 5 months to work with him I can't offer much more advice re the pulling as I have also done the "stop and turn" with mine and it did not work.   I would not say "he was out of control" he is still very much a puppy at his age. One day it will all come together.   Your hormones will be "all over the place at the moment". and things will seem worse than they are, bet he enjoyed his run on the beach though.

I know that 'last straw' feeling, and it's horrible. :( What are you feeding him, and how much exercise (both physical and mental) is he getting? He's at the classic age for still being a hooligan - but it's possible he's not being stretched enough.

I'm sorry if it might seem that I don't have much sympathy.  But behaviour problems and training issues are made, not just naturally inherent in the dog.  If your dog has a poor recall and ignores you, that is your fault, not his.  If your dog pulls you around everywhere on the lead, again that is your fault, not his.

"Going" to training classes alone just isn't going to hack it, I'm afraid.  Firstly you have to go to the right sort of training class, where the instructor understands how dogs learn and is prepared to explain things to you, so that you can continue to apply the same methods out of class.  And secondly, the onus is on you to continue the training at home, not just go to class once a week and assume that your dog is getting trained.  Unless you are spending time every single day training the behaviours you want, your dog is likely not going to make any progress.

And, if you KNOW your dog has a poor recall and is very exhuberant, then for goodness sake, don't let it off a long line until your recall is fully trained.  You don't know who or what is going to appear round a corner and you are responsible for your dog's actions.  Your dog thinks other people and other dogs are incredibly exciting and you are the most boring thing in the world, which is why he doesn't want to come back to you.  What did you have for him when he did come back??  You hit him.  Great.  You punished him for being with you, for being back with you.  You punished the actual thing you wanted.  So, now he's even less likely to want to come back next time.  This is what I mean by a knowledge of learning theory. 

The one thing which will train your dog?  Consistency and knowledge.  Go to a good, reputable trainer, and keep going there indefinitely, every single week.  Apply what they show you outside of class.  Practise the behaviours every single day.  Where do you live, someone might know of a good trainer near you?

Hello Smurggle

Sorry that you had a bad experience with your Lab and learned a rather harsh lesson - that at the moment you can't safely let him off the lead around other people/dogs.

As you have learned, the hard way, Labs are only a pleasure to own when they are trained.  Please get the help and advice of a good trainer (I'm sure someone on here will have a number for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers) to overcome these problems.  He may well be at his absolute worst right now due to his age but he won't automatically change into a well behaved dog as he gets older - you need to keep working on him to get him there.

If you are 4 months pregnant, then it is all the more important that you tackle this now.  You are going to have your hands full before too much longer and you really will need a co-operative, calm dog when you have so much else on your plate! 

To be horribly frank, whenever I have contacted Lab Rescue, there has always been an 18 month - 2 year old male hooligan on offer but this won't happen to you if you act now.

Hope you are ok.

Totally agree with onetwothree, Consistancy and training everytime. Good luck Im sure with the right training methods on board, with the support of a good instructor and putting in the effort yourself you will reap the rewards tenfold.

Hi

A Lab holligan :rolleyes: Been there done it and have written the book ;)

Firstly how long did you go to training for ? You say taken, maybe going back to training may be a good idea as it will help to focus you and Kobi on getting the recall and pulling problems sorted :)

One way to help with the situation as well is keep him on a lead and introduce the dogs and ask the owners if it will be ok to let them off the lead together to play. That way you are controlling him and not letting him take control and do a very good impression off a run away steam train :)

Also is he entire ?

Lucy
xx

training classes are on going.hes only a baby,he needs to keep going for the "learning " side of it for years yet.

Hi LJS does being entire may any difference to the want of dogs running over to greet other dogs. As i have to be like a hawk as my dog just can't resist other dogs. Obviously we can't risk and don't want him pestering unfriendly dogs. It is a nightmare when you go for a walk and spot a dog a fare way off and have to lead your dog because you know he will just go. Tyler has got better and the distance has been less but he still can't resist another canine bless him. I would love another dog to give him company, but not sure i could feel the same about another.

I have known quite a few entire dogs that are terrible on recall etc as they seem to have only one thing on their minds :rolleyes:

I have seen a great improvement in this after they have been for the chop. It may not work with every dog and training is the key but sometimes it can help :)

Lucy
xx

There's a lady at our training club with a Lab like this -he's like a steam train LOL. He's a very VERY boisterous dog, owner is not old but OLDER, and she is not quite right -bit slow, she does have a genuine learning disability. When she first turned up with this dog, who just loves everyone but was SO out of hand, nobody thought she'd come back or that she'd ever get the dog to change.  But guess what, she has kept coming for 4 years now, and although it took her a bit longer than it would take most people (simply because it is hard for her to understand) she now has the dog under control. He's still charging around like a steamtrain, but he will come when caleld and he will even do a drop recall, does stays out of sight etc. :D So if SHE can do it, I am sure you can get there too! It's just a case of putting in the training all the time, and don't give up -18 months really is THE worst age for most dogs, especially the boys!

First of all, I can understand just why you must be feeling at your wit's end. This sort of incident is difficult enough at the best of times but when your own hormones are running ragged because of pregnancy, any sort of extra stress is a nightmare. But for sure, most of us will have had desperate moments about our dog's behaviour at some time or another.

However, you do need to sort our your dog's behaviour out and for sure, I'd suggest taking him back to training and consistently and continually reinforcing what you learn outside the class. It may even be worth considering one to one training. In the meantime, avoid at all costs the opportunity for him to repeat his latest incident and keep him on lead or on a long line if that's what's necessary to prevent a repeat performance.

As for labs being boisterously immature, they can be and until they're a deal older than yours! Only yesterday we met a lovely choccy lab on our walk and she was delighted to play with Nips who loves larking around with bigger dogs. The lab's style of play was very, very, bouncy and she twirled around in rather inelegant "gallumphy" sort of circles. Both dogs had a wonderful five minutes but Nips who is very, very much smaller is a sturdy, confident chap who has the typical terrier speed and ability to turn on a sixpence. A more sensitive smaller dog might well have found the lab overwhelming and it wouldn't be fair to ask them to tolerate a big bouncy lab, no matter how friendly. Given the generally puppylike behaviour of the lab we met I asked her owner how old the dog was. Nearly three (and clearly far from "grown up") was the answer!

Hi Sarah
I am no expert but having a steam engine Lab, know exactly where you are coming from. What has helped me is using the poles and exercises in TTtouch, , the dog learns to be aware of where he is stepping and that increased awareness allows them to be gentler. There is a bit of information on this site http://www.lindatellington-jones.com/whatisTTouch.shtml
Not so sure of the touches but can say the exercises have helped my dog.
Hope that helps.
Yash

My dogs have been squished by many a boisterous Lab,they seem to stick out in my mind as the boisterous steam engines of the dog world :) Just a couple of weeks ago,one came charging up to one of my dogs,reared up on his back legs in play and landed right on top of her,she squeeled lay down and i honestly thought this dog had broken her back 10 minutes later TWO labs came bouncing up and did the exact same thing,except this time my dogs hid behind me.My point is sarah that it sounds as iff you have a typical lab on your hands,and they need continuous training,as does every dog,but especially breeds such as yours. I hate to think how things will end up once your baby is born,i hope it wont all get too much for you,which is why it is imperative that you start intense training classes NOW.

You said you cant walk him anymore,well who does? Lack of excercise will only serve to make him worse,frustrated and even more boisterous when he eventually does get out.

Dont give up hope just yet,you will get him sorted once he learns how he should be behaving :)

There's an article in this months Your Dog magazine (September edition).
It's with a 10month old male Boxer, Parker and his family.
It's husbands dog but wife is pregnant with twins and
finding it hard to control dog, walk him etc.
Might be worth a read for some ideas?
There is a bit in there re recall.
Pages 20-23 for the article.

I'm sorry to read of your problem with your Lab. Is he castrated? If not, that's the first thing you need to do. I breed Labs and I can tell you that an un-castrated dog needs twice as much excercise as a castrated one. Also, unless they are working or get a huge amount of excercise, they need a fairly low protein diet. Don't expect instant resuts from castration, it can take a few weeks to take effect. Is he food orientated. If so, and most Labs are, it should be very easy to whistle train him. Buy a dog whistle,(good pet shop or sporting goods shop, I use a gundog whistle), when he is near you in the house, blow the whistle and immediately give him his favourite treat. Keep doing this and within a couple of days he will associate the sound of the whistle with the treat. When he comes running from anywhere in the house, start blowing it when he is in the garden, you'll soon find he'll come running at the sound of the whistle. I can have 12 Labs running in the fields and as soon as I blow the whistle, they all come running. I can even call them off a rabbit or hare using this method. The whistle has an advantage over the voice as it is high pitched and dogs hearing is more tuned to high pitched noises and it also cuts through any background distractions. 

I just wanted to add that I have had great success with a dog whistle with my Golden, who sounds like she was  a lot like your lab once upon a time. She has now matured (and with lots of extra recall training) recall is no longer an issue at all. I find the whistle much more effective as my dog seems to distinguish it better from my voice, it is a consistant sound that always stays the same and she knows exactly how to respond to it, I found with my voice she would sometimes come, sometimes ignore...but the whistle seems to catch her attention so much better. I wish I could get the same response from JUST my voice but I dont, so at least I can achieve an excellent recall even if I have to rely on a whistle. maybe it is somthing you could try?

Thank you for your verification of the effectiveness of the whistle shannon. Having quite a few dogs, I always seem to have my whistle round my neck. People in the village where I live, (where I am known as the mad dog lady due to my habit of sometimes walking my dogs in my fields wearing a nightie and gum boots if I want to catch a particularly nice sunrise), think my dog whistle is a type of eccentric fashion accessory.

>walking my dogs in my fields wearing a nightie and gum boots<

:D :D

Saxon you're not alone,i dont go out in the mornings in my nightie,but i do usually have my nightie and dressing gown on when i go out for the last walk at night :)

Hope you never get attacked, the judge might say you were dressed provocatively.

>the mad dog lady due to my habit of sometimes walking my dogs in my fields wearing a nightie <

>Hope you never get attacked, the judge might say you were dressed provocatively.<

Saxon i hope you're last comment was a joke,considering your first one :rolleyes:

I think she has just forgotten to put a smiley at the end ;)

I'm afraid I don't know how to put a smiley at the end. If somebody could tell me I'd be very grateful.

Just : ), without the space inbetween :)

Got your explanation by pm Saxon,no probs :)  A smiley face makes the world of difference :D :) ;)

Thanks. Apparently the feature isn't enabled whatever that means.

Saxon, what happens if you type a colon followed, without a space, by a bracket (the one above the zero)? You should get a smiley. :)

:) Done that. God I'm so hopeless. I've got 5 little faces at the top of my reply box. Confused, cool,eek,mad and rolleyes, but no smiley.Wow it worked! I'm afraid I'm so stupid I was waiting for the smiley to appear in my box. Didn't realise it doesn't come up until you post. Note to myself: must start taking HRT.

Yay! :D (The big grin is done by putting a D immediately after the : ) ;)

Hi Sarah,

I've just come across this post and i think it was my mum who bred Kobi (is his mum 'Chloe'?). 

My mum will email you tonight.

Jess

My retriever also used behave in a similar way, and i realise how frustrated you must feel, he is just over two and has calmed down a little now, and stopped bumping into us when running round like a looney. I only noticed how much he had calmed down when i met a young retriever a few weeks back. Like people say training does help, but these type of dogs are excitable and bouncy by nature. Obviously you have done the right thing by going somewhere you thought people weren't to let your dog have a run around, as i remember how my dog used to go deaf when other dogs and people were around. We still have the odd lapse now but no ones perfect, no matter what certain people say on here. The best things we found were to tire him out and bribe him with cheese. Don't despair keep trying.

Smurggle, i  can relate to your problems and feel sorry for you. Take the advice of other posts but you also have to take care of yourself and your baby to be. Have you read an endearing book called Marley and Me by John Grogan. It is a true story about the life of Marley (retriever-a BIG one) and the mayhem he creates during his happy life. It will put a smile back on your face!

Hi there,
Thankyou all for your replies, I have been ill and so haven't been able to reply for a bit. I feel alot bette knowing that Kobi isn't the only labrador in the world like this! Training in the back garden has been resumed and things are going well, although I think it will be a long time until he is safe to be let off in public. I cannot afford private training and training classes in Cardiff are pitiful which is why we stopped going in the first place. We have also had Kobi castraed, we were going to anyway as we live in an area with alot of stray bitches but it has now been done a little earlier than planned, he seems tobe recovering well.

For those who were worried about Kobis level of exercise, my husband takes him out twice a day and so he is getting plenty, also he is on a low protein diet (18%) so I think all the energy is coming naturally! Oh and I was mortified at how I acted onetwothee, and realise it is not the dogs fault that's why I wrote the post in the first place, and we have been consistant, it looks like it will just take alot longer than I thought!

Luckily we have never had a problem in the house with him and he is really well behaved so I have no worries about when the baby comes along. I hope that in a few years time my son will be happily be walking Kobi!

Thankyou again for all your replies
Sarah