My 1 year old black lab has many bad habits like, not bringing back a retrieve, biting you if your running around her, chasing people, and jumping up. She is a good dog but she just has some habits we don't like so we wanted to know if since she is already a year old if we can get her out of these habits? And maybe how we can do it nad if we can put a little correction in her training wihtout confusing her?

It will be tougher correcting the bad habits now than a year ago. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position, Letting your dog know you are the boss

As she begins to accept you as the leader, corrections for the other behavior will be more effective. After she picks up something you threw, call her to you, make eye contact, and use her name, ''Give!'' in a stern, but not loud voice. Just quietly stand there holding eye contact. The first to avert their eyes loses.

Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
Biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
Another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are
Alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months
They are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
Moment biting or chewing. One thing you can do at that stage is to knot and wet a piece of cloth. Then freeze it. The cooling will soothe the gums. Only let the puppy have it when you are there to watch it. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another
Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find
One that won't yelp, jerk their hand away, and leave.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens.
Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can
Chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords.
Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into
Pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not
There to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a
Close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in
Pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed.
I don't trust any of the consumable chews. The dogs just gnaw them down to a
Dangerous size too quickly. These problems are the worst with, but not
Limited to, large, aggressive chewers such as Labs.

JConsistency is very important in correcting jumping and other problems. Quickly correcting her every time he jumps on somebody is very important. Something bad has to happen each time. People are successful with a number of different things. Ust as with biting, denying it your attention works on jumping too. When she jumps on you, step back and turn away.