New yellow Lab questions

Hello everyone,

I need some advise. I recentlyu adopted a 1 yr old yellow lab. However he has some behavior issues. He seem to enjoy mouthing & likes to run away if I let him outside without a leash.

Does anyone have any advise regarding stopping these behaviors?

 

Hi there...the only advice i can offer is what worked with my lab. With the mouthy thing, If he starts to play bite i would either say no and walk away and ignore him for 5 minutes, or keep toys near by and put a toy in his mouth. As for the running away when you let him offleash I would first off not let him off leash where he isnt fenced in, and then teach him the "come" command. You can practice when your home. I use to keep little treats in my pockets when I was home. I would call my dog over at random times and if she came over I would tell her she was a good girl and give her a treat, everytime! I started carrying treats in my pockets when i would be out too, like at the dog park or at a friends and do the same thing. She eventually learned coming back to me was a good thing and she always comes when I call her. Hope this helps.

 

Here is a good link on bite inhibition:
www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/bitestop.htm

I agree with winnie on teaching him the "come" command before allowing him off leash in unfenced areas. Also, its very important that you never call him to you and then punish him when he comes because doing so will greatly set you back on teaching the "come" command. Make good things happen when he comes to you....never call him to you for uncomfortable or negative experiences such as nail trimming or bathing.

 

How long have you had the dog? These things take time and patience!! Alot!

 

I would highly recommend obedience classes ASAP. Labs are notorious for training you if you don't train them first and even after they are trained those little scheming brains are always testing whatever limits you set. It's all a big game to them.
Good Luck.

 

I have had him for about 2 days, He is starting to mellow out a little, but I think obedience classes are definitiely in his future.

 

as for learning to be off leash. take him outside and use a rope and treats. you first start really close to you and give the come command give a light tug on the rope at the same time, reward him with a treat over a period of time, days or weeks, you move farther away from him. and practice, practcie, and as Dukesdad suggested, Iw ould get him in school too.

honeybear

 

Him how long have you had this dog? Was he abused or anything before oyu got him? I'm a fan of the fix it hard once and never have ot fix it again approach. My dog likes to run too. She knows she shouldn't and she ignores my commands to come back. I'm currently trying a low level shock collar. I have yet to find one that works, but i think once i shock her a few times she'll stop. I'm don't know if this is a good thing to use on your dog or not. I just know that you can't hurt my dog's feelings very easily.

 

For those who can't afford obedience class's consider walking the box that I posted awhile back.
He well be stuck to your side like glue in the end.
When we took in Arthur he would mouth me but after a few times of acting like he took my arm off he backed off from doing it. Same with Riley but we got him as a pup. He now takes treats very slow and with only his front teeth.

2pyrs