Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

My Labrador is a permanent coiled spring

10 replies

patterkiller · 12/11/2015 11:06

I don't know where to start. We rescued him at 7 months, he was returned to the breeder as the previous owner couldn't cope with the exercise he needed. No problem, I walk him loads. But it makes no difference. He is now four and has hours of calm/sleeping then he gets the white eyed scooties and literally bounces off the walls.

Visitors to the house are treated to a mad display of this plus jumping so he mostly goes in another room. Plus as much as I ask people to ignore/turn their back there is always those who say 'oh I don't mind' and send him into a love frenzy.

Walking on lead is fine with a haltie, until he sees another person or dog then the hyper red mist sets in. When I see someone I get him to sit and try and get his focus with a treat, it sometimes works but often not.
Off lead his recall is fine, when there is no one around. I walk in isolated places off lead but need to watch for anyone coming. If I don't get his attention before he sees anyone he rushes them jumping up, this has rarely happened as I do mostly manage to get him back, but I think he would explode without his run off lead.

I'm not nervous or tense walking him. I'm just aware and try to be appropriate with him depending on where we are.

We did do classes, I do training while out. I've tried to desensitize him taking him to busy places, Sunday markets and such but although he seems calmer after a while when there the next week he is just as hyper.
Is this just the way he is always going to be.

OP posts:
LilCamper · 12/11/2015 13:21

Sounds like my four year old Lab.

They don't just need physicall exercise, they need mental stimulation too.

Feeding /puzzle toys,trick training,scentwork....

TPel · 12/11/2015 13:30

My lab can be like this and she has two long walks -off lead in the woods- a day and is with me all the time so has plenty of company. I have noticed she has calmed down more in the last few months, since turning 5.
Give it time!

Muckogy · 12/11/2015 13:32

You need to return to training classes. And do very regular refresher classes after the first year of weekly training. You're in for the long haul with a lab.

daisydotandgertie · 12/11/2015 13:35

Sounds to me as though you could walk his legs off and you'd make no difference to his behaviour.

He needs training. He needs to learn self control - to walk to heel properly; to learn to listen to you, not to do as he pleases. Labradors are clever dogs - and without you training him to know what behaviours you want from him, he's going to make it up for himself.

It is definitely possible to train him and teach him better behaviours and self control. Where are you in the country roughly?

Also, what are you feeding him?

patterkiller · 12/11/2015 14:48

Thanks all. I think it's back to training classes although the last course we did he was impeccable, the trainer commented how well behaved he was, then as soon as we're out the door he behaves like a bafoon.
I think the problem is that the training classes are indoors, where he does equate having to behave and obeys commands. Outdoors is where the red mist happens.

I would love an outdoor training school but there isn't any around here. North East.

He's fed science plan.

OP posts:
Pigleychez · 12/11/2015 17:19

This sounds just like my 5mth old lab! He's just nuts!
We too call him a coiled spring.
The jumping up is the same too.. he will walk beautifully next to me round the woods but will leg it after a person or dog and jump up at them. Hes not aggressive, just playful but one day he really is going to knock someone off thier feet!
He's so socialable and gets excited and forgets himself and all he's learnt. Recall also gets forgotten! Like you, made worse when people make a fuss of him anyway ( especially being a cute puppy!)

We have started Puppy classes but so far (week 3/10) im not overly impressed as theres too many in the class so lots of waiting around and far too many other distractions. I spend most of the 30 mins pulling him off people and dogs! Contemplating getting one to one training instead.

chelle792 · 12/11/2015 17:20

The book 'calm down fido' changed my life with my pooch. He's learned that calm behaviour gets rewarded. He even guards the house less!

CakeMountain · 12/11/2015 22:17

Are you sure you are giving him exactly the same cues out of training as you are in? They don't equate 'sit and stay' in a village hall with the same in an open field - so you have to be so strict and stick to it. Reward and reward, ignore and ignore.

CakeMountain · 12/11/2015 22:17

PS: what about agility classes or field trials?

daisydotandgertie · 13/11/2015 18:31

I think you need to forget trying to exercise him out of this. It isn't going to work and will just make it worse,

These dogs are bred to be able to run all day, and then run some more. In addition, the more exercise they get, the more they ask for. It's addicitive and habit forming, which is just what you're seeing.

By any chance, do you respond to his bouncing cues by taking him out? Or do you walk him in a regular pattern - ie is it predictable for him?

I know this might make you despair, but he really isn't trained. At all. If he needs a halti to walk to heel, then he hasn't learned the self control necessary to do it; he is being held there by the device only.

His recall isn't strong enough to be meaningful in the face of destraction. He needs to learn to listen to you - no matter what. That takes a lot of time and persistence. Start in the house with a MASSIVE amount of incredible food - hot cooked chicken is good, and a squeaky toy which is only used for this exercise. Teach him that when you squeak, he gets his gob rammed full of chicken. Start when he's calm and in front of you, and slowly build it up to squeaking anywhere in the house and when he pelts towards you, ram in masses of food. Don't set him up to fail though, get it absolutely perfect, it won't take long.

Then extend this onto walks. The special squeaky thing and food. Start when there are few distractions - get it his head. The take a trip to the park or similar and with him on a lead, walk past distractions squeaking. He will look at you - no doubt about that - then ram in food. As this progresses, a verbal correction if he deviates will help him understand what it is you want.

Eventually, you can leave the squeaky thing and the stinky food at home - he will have learned what 'Fido, come' actually means. At the moment, it's a pick and choose command.

With regard to visitors, decide what it is you want him to do when visitors arrive - go to bed and chew a kong, or stand by you on a lead for example, and teach him. It might take a few stooges to set up so you can control the visitors reactions to him, but it will work. My guess is that at the moment, he hasn't a clue what he is meant to do, so he's working it out for himself and getting it wrong. He has visitors praising him for leaping about like a fish, you getting cross with him for it and no doubt it's different every time - all of that translates to encouragement and confusion to lively Labrador. Take control of it, keep it consistent and make sure he understands what he's meant to do.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page