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Original poster

Do Labradors wreck houses?

26 replies

elven99 · 30/11/2009 09:39

I have a new puppy and all the reading I did said that they only wreck house if they are not exercised and under stimulated.

But everyone coming to my house as said couldn't I have got a bigger dog and that he is going to wreck my house are they right about house wrecking. I didn't think labs were that big Everywhere I looked put them on the bigger side of medium dogs.

OP posts:
lilymolly · 30/11/2009 09:48

although mine dont wreck the house as such, they do leave hairs and trail dirty paws through the house
They are locked in the utility room or stables when we are out, so dont have access to the house to destry and apart from the odd, shoe or childs toy, they have never chewed anything.
They do get exercise and are working dogs, and if their is every an occaision when they dont get enough exercise, they do tend to become mischevious

They can be quite big, although my youngest bitch is a small lab, the mother is a big lab, and very strong. A good indication of adult size is looking at a puppys paw size, if they are big, it may grow into a large dog trouble is, its too latw now as you already have the dog!

Provide your puppy with chew toys, and plenty of exercise and discipline, and you will have a lovely pet - remember labradors will do anything for food- teach it not to jump up at people too, as this is a very bad habit, my oldest one has.

Good luck and enjoy him x

Original poster
elven99 · 30/11/2009 10:01

I don't want to get rid of him I love him to pieces only had him a week but if he is gonna chew furniture and such I would rather know now so I can find him a room he can't damage to much.

It was MIL mostly and she was complaining that we didn't ask her advice on what dog to get she also said the name we picked was crap and that Labradors are worse than Boxer's and st Bernards she said they are the worst dog for house wrecking.

His paws are not big they don't look out of place on his body he is 9 weeks so I don't think he is gonna be that big. My friend has a German shepherd and his paws are a lot bigger.

OP posts:
BellaBonJovi · 30/11/2009 10:06

I have a (big) lab and he hasn't chewed any furniture. I used a crate when he was younger and provided lots of toys which - I always get stick for this! - I rotated so he had 'new' toys every day. I didn't overdo the excercise because I was looking after his joints but he got lots of play time and mental stimulation. They go through 2 main periods of chewing - at 4/5 months when they teethe, and at 7/8 months they can go through quite a destructive phase if they're not managed well. I've never left my lab alone for long periods of time and I think that's a big factor too.

Good luck

lilymolly · 30/11/2009 10:07

tell MIL to butt out!

I am sure he will be lovely, just make sure he does not have free access to any where in your house to chew, prevention is better than cure!

if his paws dont seem too big, I am sure he will be a nice normal size, my first bitch had massive paws totally out of proportion and she grew to be a big dog. my second had tiny paws in proportion and she is a very small lab

beautifulgirls · 30/11/2009 10:08

All puppies can be inclined to chew - it's a stage they have, so best play safe and keep him away from valued items when not supervised. If however he is well exercised and stimulated there is no reason he should be a long term vandal!

Sounds like your MIL likes to be a bit controlling! Enjoy your new dog - they are one of the most popular breeds for good reason

Original poster
elven99 · 30/11/2009 10:22

Thanks I am very hurt by this as she knows I am scared of dogs and that I got him because my ds was getting scared too and I didn't want him to be and I remember how great a dog can be as I wasn't scared before I was badly bitten.
So any negative comments while I am really trying are really hard.

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newpup · 30/11/2009 10:23

Ha Ha toy rotation!!

Hi Bella [waves]

labs have a reputation for chewing but some do and some don't. My 18 month old yellow lab has never destroyed anything.

The key is prevention, obviously at 9 weeks he can only have so much excercise but as he grows you increase the exercise to match. My girl has an hour and a half most days. labs need exercise and stimulation. Lots of toys and chews.

We used a crate when we were out until she was 15 months and then we shut her in the kitchen with plenty of toys.

They do smell when wet - lovely in this weather but I think all wet dogs smell and my girl moults alot!!! I vacuum every day. There is alot of mud at the moment but i shut her in the laundry after she has been out until she is dry and labs have very low maintenance coats. Quick towel dry and brush mud drops out. My friend has a spaniel and a retreiver and their fur is high maintenance in this weather!

You will love your lab to pieces and those big brown eyes will make you forgive any mess and mud!

Honest

lilymolly · 30/11/2009 10:39

oh and get a bloody good hoover............I am hoovering 3 times a day to get rid of the black hairs on the lovey cream vinyl floor

But my god they a re lovely pets and give you dedicated and devoted love

BellaBonJovi · 30/11/2009 11:19

See! Told you I'd get stick!

Lovely lovely dogs - 'tis true.

Perhaps MIL could do with one to help her chill out?

Original poster
elven99 · 30/11/2009 11:24

MIL loves dogs but works too many hours and is probably jealous they are the only animal worthwhile to her apparently the rest should be shot. Put it this way she gives the dog more attention than my ds 4 or dd 4months. But she is very uptight and prudish I frequently talk quite openly of sex in order to keep her visits short.

I think the toy rotation is a good idea bella Harry has 4 toys at the moment so I would need some more to rotate though .

OP posts:
throckenholt · 30/11/2009 11:27

no more than other dogs. Puppies have a tendency to wreck houses - good idea to confine them to a small area - but labs are no worse than others.

Totallyfloaty35 · 30/11/2009 11:34

Any dog can be destructive,i had a Chihuahua pup that chewed four chairs,one of which collapsed when sat on afterwards.She chewed the kitchen cupboards and the coffee table and the bottom step of the staircase.But she was not getting enough attention,her buyer pulled out so i had to find a new one for her(she was a pup we bred) and she was left with us at same time as we had newborn dd3.
As soon as she went to new home and got the attention she deserved she was fine.
Im sure your Lab is Lovely,big dogs are usually very sweet and placid so dont worry about size.

sb6699 · 30/11/2009 11:38

My lab was a chewer - anything he could get his paws on. He has bad hips though, so we have to restrict his exercise which I think could have made the problem worse than it would have been otherwise.

Seem to have a turned a corner over the past couple of weeks. He's 11 months now so not sure if he's just grown out of it or whether my techniques have started to work.

I started a thread on here and was advised to rotate his toys and give him things with my scent on/covered in something he likes (he would ignore his toys in favour of say the remote control!) so that is what he would chew and leave other things alone.

Also plenty of bones!!!

They are fabulous pets though - wouldnt change him for the world. Although he's boisterous, he is so placid with the dc's and really sociable with other dogs.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 30/11/2009 11:39

I was told Labs were terrible chewers and were 'absolutely mad' after we got a pair of bitches, 6 years ago.

They did chew up some of my best shoes, foam flipflops, the bottoms off my kitchen cupboard doors, the little wooden edge that sticks out of the bottom of the stairs, they tore the kitchen lino up, chewed the corner of my coffee table, chair legs.....

But they are ok now and totally calm.

Having spoken to other lab owners in the park and stuff, it seems males tend to be more bouncy and a bit mad - I tend to avoid the males if I can as they are SO big and nutty - they scare my two girlies!

sb6699 · 30/11/2009 11:40

Btw, labs vary greatly in size. Mine his huge and apparently still growing but we walk with one who is half his size and yet is fully grown!

LadyOfTheFlowers · 30/11/2009 11:41

sb6699 - One of mine has hip dysplasia and the other one wouldn't go without the poorly one and the poorly one would lie by the door crying if we did manage to coax the other one out...
Plus the vet told me to try to stop them from jumping around too much and running as otherwise they would get 'big puppy syndrome' so they spent most of their time napping and chewing my house up!

chopstheduck · 30/11/2009 11:43

My parents have had lots of labs, and they do vary.

Not sure about the paw thing, our last one had giant paws but still only an average size lab!

Our first was the worst. He was very destructive, because he hated being left alone. We then generally kept them in pairs and they were much better that way.

There are bitter tasting sprays you can get from the vets if you find them going for one place in paticular to chew. If nothing else, they are worth if for the comedy factor when your puppy gets a mouthful. If they are unsettled when alone, leave lights and a radio and this can help a lot.

They are adorable dogs though, very loyal and loving.

sb6699 · 30/11/2009 12:01

LOTF - his hips are so bad that he's not allowed to jump up, go up the stairs, run around off the lead because it will lead to further cartillage deterioration .

The vet said they will fix it when he stops growing and will look at him again when he's approaching 2.

I do think this is one of the reasons he was such a bad chewer.

He is fairly calm indoors nowadays - although he does have the occassional mad half hour when he runs around the living room like a loony, on top of the furniture and throwing my cushions around. But suppose that is normal puppy behaviour.

Unfortunately for the sake of his health, I do have to be really firm about how much running around he does. Feel really guilty that we're inhibiting his normal instincts to run, chase and have fun

sb6699 · 30/11/2009 12:06

Dog is currenly sleeping on the floor with DD2 (3) snuggled in beside him.

Makes you forget about all the lovely shoes I have had to throw away because of him

Buda · 30/11/2009 12:13

We have a 7 month old lab pup and she hasn't really destroyed anything in the house. The garden however is another matter! I think we will def need a new hose come spring and we will need to pay to have the landlord's sprinkler system replaced!

She has destroyed lots of her toys though! Bought her a new one on Thursday and it lasted an hour before I had to bin it.

She is very placid though and just loves to be with us. Esp DH and DS. Sometimes if DS is watching TV he uses her as a pillow! And a few weeks ago he had a friend over and I saw all three of them lying in a row watching tv and the dog had a paw on each boy! So sweet.

Original poster
elven99 · 30/11/2009 12:34

Not sure about loyal I care for him all day I feed him and if he is jumping up and biting ds clothes I have to say a very firm no many times before he listens. Dp on the other hand says a quiet soft no and the dog starts crying because he has upset him and going over and trying to make things better dp only spends about a hour a day with him.

OP posts:
newpup · 30/11/2009 13:26

Forgot to mention, invest in a nylabone. Labs love them, good to chew and designed for powerful jaws, great when they are teething.

Also kongs are good for stuffing and leaving when you are out. My lab loves to chew up soft toys. She will spend ages gently picking out the stiches and go crazy with delight when she reaches the stuffing!! This is then pulled out and thrown around!!

bedlambeast · 30/11/2009 19:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

BellaGaveSantaAGoose · 01/12/2009 10:23

Am sure MIL will appreciate it when he starts humping her leg

kys · 01/12/2009 10:38

My last black lab destroyed absolutely everything in his path, kitchen cupboards, flooring, even the oven door!! He ate his way through the stairs as well.
The black lab i have now hasnt chewed at all, So they do vary greatly.