Out of control chocolate lab puppy. Need advice.

My wife and I have a 6.5 month old chocolate lab. We wanted this dog as a family pet and not a retriever. I would love to have a retriever to hunt ducks with but all we have locally are wood ducks and a retriever is not necessary.

Anyway, our puppy is not behaving well at all. He bites a lot, barks a lot, harasses house guests, pitches raging fits when we are trying to eat, and generally won't obey any commands to calm down. We have been through the entire obedience training sequence at PetSmart but even the trainer there is flabbergasted by this dog. We are considering sending him to full time obedience camp at Mossy Pond Retrievers but it is a long way away and we don't want to be separated from the puppy for 3 months.

I would be grateful for any advice or information that can help us get our lives in order with this puppy. My wife has done a lot of searching and says there is no place in this area (NW FL / South Alabama) that offers camp-style obedience training. I find that difficult to believe but I don't know of any either. We need help because we are in distress at our house.

Has he been fixed? If not that will do wonders for his aggressive behavior. However it may take a month or two to see much difference. I have a soon to be 3 year old Chocolate male and he was rowdy and chewed my wife up before we had him neutered. He still barks a good bit but he is a well behaved young man now!

Thanks for the reply. He was fixed less than two weeks ago. I have seen a slight reduction in the angriness of his behavior but he is still aggressive. That is encouraging to hear though.

I've had similar issues with my field bred English Springer Spaniel Charlie. We have done the obedience training thing and that helped us understand better how to train him.

His problem may be that he isn't getting enough work in. Whether you want a retrieve or not, he is a retriever and he is going to require that you work him a lot. He's just wired that way ...

Charlie is a bred retriever and he wants to be working hard every danged day. If I do not work him 15 minutes in the AM and 15 minutes in the PM when I get home from work he gets really antsy and downright crazy at times. Some days we send him to a 'dog enrichment program' at a local vet. Only on those days can I get away with not working him.

There is a direct correlation between his craziness and how much I work him

I try to break up his work activities ... Mental work is just as taxing on him as physical work, maybe even more. Here are some things I do with him, they all help :

- Retrieving in the front yard
- Retrieving in a nearby pond
- Frisbee toss/catch/retrieve
- Exercising his mind in the front yard with all those exercises they taught us in the obedience school
- Brisk walks, up to a mile on the streets
- Brisk hikes on trails up to 3 miles
- Deer tracking training

Anyway, if you are already working him a lot like this then I can't help. Good luck ...

We were working him a lot until he broke my wife's ankle by plowing into her on a dead run. I have to work away from home so I can't be there all day. She hasn't been able to work him because of her cast. My wife also thinks we are not exercising him enough.

I'm willing to bet that is the problem. He may not be a good fit for your family ...

I think he needs more socializing too but I don't know where to take him to begin that process. Right now we can't take him for a walk because he wants to act up with every human or animal we encounter. We can't have family or guests over because he goes ballistic and won't stop. This is the first dog we have had together as you might have guessed.

I should mention that my wife loves this dog and we can't consider finding another home for him. He is part of our family now and we just have to find out how to get there from here.

This 'enrichment program' we take Charlie to is done by a local vet (Whitesburg Animal Hospital in Huntsville). This has had a HUGE effect on him in that respect. Before this he wouldn't get within a hundred yards of another dog without freaking out. Now he does pretty danged good ... 2 months into the program and my step daughter has left her dog with us for a week. It's working very well at the house with both dogs.

Maybe call around and see if there is a vet with a similar program near you?

That would be great if we could find a program like that. Thanks for the tip...we will be checking to see if we can find that nearby.

Then I would also suggest that you make a little more time in your schedule so that you can work him before you leave the house and when you get home.

Buy some bumpers and teach him to retrieve them. Use them in the front yard, heck he doesn't even have to run far, 20 yards per retrieve is plenty. Buy a couple thin frisbees at PetSmart and get him to retrieve them too. Get a pronged collar for walking him. I call BS on those that say don't use them. As long as you don't get aggressive with him they are fine. Get him a swim vest and let him swim a bunch, this will wear him out more than anything.

Just a note of encouragement ... Yes I have to spend a lot of time with him and yes he has been somewhat expensive with the enrichment program and toys we use with him ... But ... He has come a long long way since 6.5 months (he is 11 months old now) and he is a joy to have in our home. He still gets a little crazy at times but we discipline him and carry on ...

Fortunately, we do have a pool. He jumped in when he was tiny and went straight to the bottom. He has refused to go in since then but the swim vest may help get him over that.

Good to hear the encouragement and to hear that you overcame a lot of the same difficulties. Thank you.

Sure thing bud, PM me if you need any more help. I'm not an expert but I've learned a lot with him

Maybe. Sometimes castration will help simmer them down, sometimes it won't. Many people fall into the trap of getting them neutered to solve behavioral issues and are upset when it doesn't work. No way am I saying to not neuter him, as I am a strong supporter of spaying/neutering, but don't expect it to be a magic cure.

Has he lost his baby teeth? I never start training until that happens. Their gums are sore and they do not feel too good. If you want him to retrieve let it be something soft. Give him a little more time and if he does not turn out to be what you want. Sorry to say but some are not worth fooling with. Like people.

We have a fixed 3-4 yr. old at my moms place up in Lincoln.
Got him as a puppy, always been psycho. When we ride 4 wheelers, he constantly circles the four wheelers barking incessantly with a shrill irritating bark. Other times, he just whines constantly, cant be still, wants to be petted but wont let you touch him. Doesnt trust anybody. Paranoid to the max.

You need to talk to Mr Jim on here. His handle is laidback

I have a chocolate, and she was crazy until I found the right amount of exercise for her. She needs 20 minutes of exercise twice a day at least. She will then calm down and behave. I prefer to throw the frisbee with her, because it doesn't require me to move. She will catch it in the air and bring it back to me. Take him for a mile walk twice a day, or something, but he needs exercise to obey before he gets a little older.

And also a shock collar with a remote. That worked wonders too. Broke her of some bad habits real quick.

Yep excerise and an e-collar. They understand shock very well.

Naoh River Bottom Labs in Baldwin Co. is your best bet locally. I've been around several he's trained and they are all very well mannered dogs.

251-802-2952

A E collar is a TOOL for training NOT a punishment.I don't agree with the clicker/treat type training. Get you a training program I like Smartworks use the OB and STICK to it and ALWAYS hold the dog in the highest standards. never let them get by with things they will take FULL advantage of that. Dogs are like kids they will do negitive things to seek attention.They want attention and will always seek out negative attention over positive. A good training program and plenty of exercise.

They don't understand why your shocking them unless the OB is solid and conditioned.

IMO. It's just doing what any 6-7 month old lab does. Not sure what your wanting out of a lab puppy........

Training a dog to be a good citizen is a time consuming commitment. As mentioned exercise is your friend. A tired dog is a good dog.

Putting on an e-collar & "shocking" your dog is certain to end in failure. Dogs have to be taught the correct behaviour not simply corrected. Worst case is you "shock" dog & dog bolts. Now dog learned to run away & training will be harder.

IMHO with your wife's broken ankle professional help seems in order. Noah or Jim would do a good job teaching obedience. Larry Key would also be a good choice. Next you & your wife will need to learn how, when & why to correct your dog with the e-collar.

Any of these guys will be happy to "show you the ropes". If you need contact info P.M. me. Have their numbers in my phone.

If you decide to train yourself, forget Petsmart and find a serious retriever trainer in your area. Most are happy to help. If no one is local buy a copy of Smartworks & at least take your dog through basic obedience & collar conditioning.

I would be happy to help but am in northwest AL & don't train professionally.

We have been doing the treat type training but as soon as you don't have a treat, the desirable behavior vanishes. My wife may disagree but it seems to me he instigates trouble now in an effort to get the treat thing going. As far as his baby teeth, I do believe he has finished teething although he still chews on everything he can get to. He does seem paranoid and trusts no one outside of my wife, my daughter, and me.

I have to say that it is beginning to look like we need to get him in a more robust training program than the 1 hour a week at PetSmart thing. I know that is just so we are taught what to do at home but I think we need more outside help. The advice from you guys on this thread is very helpful.

I really think we have a good dog to work with, it's just that we were unprepared and inexperienced. The good thing is he is still very young and we are determined to get him the best training we can so that he is a happy dog and we are a happy family.

I might take this dog bird hunting (doves and wood ducks) after we get some help and if he calms down enough to sit with me in the field. He focuses on every bird that flies by and you can see he has great potential there. He sees birds that are so high I would never have noticed them.

Looked up Mossy Pond. Brad is an excellent trainer! We don't see him much in this circuit so I didn't recognize the kennel name.

Treat training is great to teach desired behavior. At this stage the dog finds the unwanted behaviour more rewarding than the treats. Formalizing obedience with compulsion based training is the next step.

Yes, we have talked to Brad and really like his operation but it is just too far away for us. My wife would be miserable going 3 months (his obedience training lasts 3 months) being 5 hours away from her puppy. Nice to hear there are closer options.

Not sure why you guys say e-collars don't work. It worked great with my lab. You don't just shock them when they misbehave, you show them the proper way to behave and reward them for it. It's the same thing as typical reward/punishment training, it just comes with a little shock that gets there attention. Dog runs off, shock it and call it back. Dog comes back, it gets a treat. Dog won't stop barking, command it to stop and shock it, dog stops barking, give it a treat. Same concept as house breaking. Dog pees in the house, put its nose in it and discipline it, then take it outside to show it where it's supposed to happen. E-collars work great if you know what you're doing.

I didn't read anything about e-collars not working. Just advice on how to properly use them.

I didn't say they don't just stating most using them wrong. I have a Master Level Lab. She is collar condition, I run her with a E collar 90% of the time I can use a tone to correct her and not a stimulation. Sorry Bama your training methods are not very affective. House breaking you don't allow the dog to ever use the bathroom in the house,yes accidents happen, but 90% of the time its the owners fault. Always take a pup out when the wake up,after they eat and drink and I always take them out every 45 mins, Then after a few weeks I up it to a hr, and so on for a few months. Then the pup knows. As its doing its business out side depending I use that word Pee or Poop. Every dog Ive owned and train will go on command. I never rub its nose in it. They don't understand. If they do go inside and I catch them I say NO. They will get the hang of it quickly. Its easier to lock them in a tile room and put down puppy pads.Thats saying its ok to go in the house.I never correct a dog with a ecollar on house breaking.I'e trained 3 Labs myself to Senior to Master levels.Mine are 100% house broken,mine do not chew on things except for Nylabones. Mine are VERY well behaved when company is around. And only bark when something is not right which I allow and want. MY lil dog she is sassy and mouthy and never was able to break her of that,but we love her anyways. Always hold them to the highest standards and NEVER let them slide or get by with something they will abuse it and try to get with other things as well.

E-collars work in the right hands. I used to train with a guy that if he had a bad day at the office his dog was in for a really bad time training. An electric collar can destroy a good dog if not done right. I know I have seen it happen.

I didn't say that's the whole process of how I house break my dogs. It's only part of it. I agree they should be taken out in intervals and that accidents can happen.

Have you ever considered that there are multiple ways to train a dog? And that your way isn't necessarily the only way? Because it doesn't seem like it. I congratulate you on have master level labs, it's an accomplishment, but not everyone wants, needs, or has the opportunity/time to achieve that. My training way worked well for my lab, and it may work for his. Yours will probably work well for his lab as well, but don't tell people their training ways are ineffective when they have a good dog and obviously are effective.

Ive trained each with a different program, So yes I know there is. No not everyone wants a Hunting or Hunt test dog. But OB should be the same for whatever type of dog you want.Unless you want a out of control dog. That was my point. A dog does not know it has to be taught, after it is taught then it knows, and then you can correct it.Lardy, Evan Graham, 10 min retriever as well as others are great programs,but the OB part are all usually very close.

I was thinking the same thing. Yours might be a little on the wired side but I'd bet this is the worst of it. I betcha exercise and neutering will go a long way with your dog.

The dog may be a normal lab pup. However the dog broke his wife's ankle. When dogs hurt people then something has to change.

I have now noticed a big improvement with his behavior toward me since he was neutered. Still, we have decided we need help and I will update this thread once we decide where we are going to pursue additional training.

Thanks for all the advice.

I should mention that the ankle break was an accidental collision but Fishduck is right because given our injury/work situation we feel we need help getting the puppy the training he deserves.

Look into Blackbelt Retrievers.
Blackbelt Retreivers

Sounds like you are doing everything per protocol. Are YOU the Alpha dog in the house? If not, that is your biggest issue.

The dog must submit to your authority and recognize you, your wife, any kids, etc.. at Alpha members. The pup is the lowest member in the family unit- period. Never tolerate aggressiveness or bad behavior. Nip that in the bud now or you are in for a world of hurt (including litigation). Sounds like you are on the right track with getting some outside help.

Good luck and hope it works out.

Welcome to chocolate labs. My next one will be black, I will never ever ever own another chocolate.

I didn't realize there was any difference as far as obedience and behavior between the 3 color phases of labs?

We took him to Noah at River Bottom Retrievers and left him there for 6 weeks of obedience training. They did a great job with him and we witnessed him behaving very well while he was there. That at least proves that he can be obedient. Now that he is back home he is trying his best to not obey but we are going to try our best to keep him from failure.

You have to follow up when transitioning from the trainer to the home otherwise all he was taught is for naught. I'm sure Noah showed you how to keep him obedient. Set standards for him and don't accept anything less than those standards.

Good deal! Jim is dead on with the transition. Bad habits return easily, so be very vigilant.

Think of it like when you were in school and a substitute teacher came to your class. Within 10 minutes the class knew if it was a party or shut up and work. A few hard lessons early will improve behavior for a long time.

Work very hard now keeping the standards high and you will be in good shape.

I don't know how I missed this thread. Wow, really surprised at some of the comments.

I'm sitting here watching my 16 week old chocolate male perfectly content to lay and wait on me. Just knowing he's only doing it to please me and I'm wondering how I got so lucky. He is very much like my young children. Lots of consistent pressure on negative habits and lots of praise when they do good.

Lots have been said, so I'll leave you with good luck and don't give up.

Ok folks we have been watching this thread and want to add some input. My wife owns the mother of this pup. She is one hell of a lab and my wife has turned down some big money for her. This pup was out of a second litter of the same parents. There are approx. 30 t0 40 titled dog in his bloodline. In the first litter there are several that are working on their master hunt title. In his litter there are all ready some jr hunters. In the first litter one is a diabetic alert dog. We have not have any bad responses on this cross,but there is always an outlaw in the bloodline somewhere. I'm not talking about the owners but the pup. BTW the grandfather of this pup is Pachanga Magnum Force and we have a waiting list for the next litter, which will be the last one

I have two pachanga magnum dogs in trAining and let me add there both EXTREMELY high driven. One has good head the other is kinda loco. Both super high driven . Let me add if your wanting. Laid back pet I don't advise pachanga magnum or any other performance driven bred dogs. I have ran plenty of hunt test with Noah and he's an excellent trainer. You have to follow and show the dog standard she you get him back he is dominant at your household but not at Noah's . You have to correct him strenuously for the next few months in order for this to work. I go through this with lots of clients some understand some don't. Good luck hope he works out for you if you have any other questions feel free to pm me

Let me add this dog will never loose his drive and may somewhat tone down after age 2 or 3 but will never be a " laid back animal " I have trained many of many of dogs I speak in confidence. I'm John Watts with Bear Creek Retrievers by the way

Nothing wrong with being separated from it. It's not a child, it's a dog and an unruly one ignoring you to establish himself as the Alpha. Send his butt away to be trained by a professional.

You can contact me at 256 996 4256 I'm not sure we're you are but I train professionally . Bear creek retrievers

Noah is a pro and is good at what he does 6 weeks was a tight squeeze however to get fully trained through obedience . I highly recommend buying a shock collar and reinforcing Noah's foundation

We take our choc for a couple of walks every day. My walk is about 4.5 miles and my wife's is around 3 miles. I play fetch with her daily with a frisbee too. I taught her how to catch it before she was 1 yrs old. She's 8 yrs old now. Use a tournament frisbee as her dinner dish as well as her fetch toy. When you throw it, he should get to where he will chase it in the air. Be prepared to treat him when he catches it the 1st time and do so for a few times then he should catch on and do it all of the time. The main thing is spending time with him.

We have one. THE most PARANOID animal i have ever seen. If he was human he'd be in a psych ward.

I know this is a very old thread and I meant to update it a long time ago. Our chocolate lab pup (Ira) is now just over 3 years old and he is wonderful. I cannot believe what a great dog he turned out to be. I guess the problem was not his behavior but rather me not being used to such a rambunctious, loud, and energetic pet. I am now thankful for his energy and enthusiasm. He is very affectionate with all of us and is a treasure to our family.

We have his half bother available now, He is 7 weeks and ready to go.
$600

I made the mistake of showing this picture to my wife and then had to talk her down.I will attempt to post a picture of Ira:

[img]https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMP9V4jHI9oWednRm-i8ut3A8woQjOWoqV4eQqs[/img]

Two of them is twice the fun!

Now my daughter is teaming up with her