I have a 4 month lab puppy. He is vey hyperactive. I have a nice garden and a pond.When I ty to let him loose he runs all over and spoils the whole garden. I have told him many times no in stern words but he still runs all over. It is the same if I bring him inside the house. He just runs around and pulls stuff all over.

I have a 4 year old daughter and am scared that he will harm her when he is that excited. I hate to put him on leash but I have to keep him chained unless I have someone physically standing next to him and watching him all the time when he is not chained.

I would love to let him loose outside in the garden or inside the house but I am unable to get him to be not so destructive. He can run very fast and he is quite strong. HE can knock off all dining chairs/tables, push my daughter down very easily. PLease help... I am at my wits end.

Otherwise he is in perfect health.

Thanks

Well, he's a puppy. Just like young kids, he is full of energy, and you can't really change that...
I would say wait for him to outgrow it... but seeing my red lab, four years old and still runs around crazily sometimes...

If you've ever dealt with puppies before, you will know this. Put a fence around your garden, or keep him inside. Put one of those expandable walls to hold him in the backroom or something, or keep him outside. You can't crate him, that's cruel, but you can restrain him.

Also, chains are usually too heavy for a puppy, as they can weigh down and start eating into his neck. It's horrible... :(

Don't worry, he would never hurt your daughter, just make sure that when he is running, you don't stand around any corners so he has plenty of time to see you and turn out of the way.

The garden has to be fenced to keep the dog out. An inviible fence might be wortwhile investing in.

The lab has lots of energy to use up

Jumping on people and chairs has to be fixed. When ithappens grap the dog by it's neck fur and pull down and say "NO". That's how momma dog trains it's little ones. Ignoring works. Time out's work.

I have a puppy to he is a germin sheperd bull mastive mix and he also chewed everything even my shoes *sad face*after we got him fixed he calmed down a lot. This is just a thing puppies do most puppies are like this it is all part of them growing up and yes it is very hard to deal with when you have little kids in the house I have a 5 yr old step brother and my puppy is very jumpy to so we put him on a leash when my brother is around.

Fence your garden, that will keep him out, but Labs need to run. Until they get older(much older) they have lots of energy. Labs will not hurt a child as long as the child is in their line of sight. Train your dog to fetch things that is what he is bred to do. Labs need to be doing.

As most people already said, your dog is only a puppy and puppies have a lot of energy.

Give him enough room to run around in the house and in the backyard and take him for walks often.

How often do you take your dog out for a walk?
You should take him for a walk at least two times a day.

Good Luck!:)

Joy

RUN! RUN! RUN! Go for a nice run with your dog so he will be tired out and maybe teach your dog how to swim in the bathtube then take him swimming in the pond that

RUN! RUN! RUN! Go for a nice run with your dog so he will be tired out and maybe teach your dog how to swim in the bathtube then take him swiming in the pond that

But some dogs don't fit in bathtubs.

RUN! RUN! RUN! Go for a nice run with your dog so he will be tired out and maybe teach your dog how to swim in the bathtube then take him swiming in the pond that

Yeah, except I believe the dog would long outlast the owner, just as a kid has more energy than their mom.

Swimming is a good idea, but not all dogs (labs included) like water.
It should fit in a standard bathtub, as it's young age. Taking it to a pond as it gets bigger.

Anyway, "then take him swiming in the pond that"... that what?

Yeah, except I believe the dog would long outlast the owner, just as a kid has more energy than their mom.

Swimming is a good idea, but not all dogs (labs included) like water.
It should fit in a standard bathtub, as it's young age. Taking it to a pond as it gets bigger.

Anyway, "then take him swiming in the pond that"... that what?

I think he messed up.

I take him out for walks quite a few times (minimum of twice). He runs around the house with someone watching and he will tire out completely in about 15 - 20 minutes of running. But he will be ready to go again in another hour or so.

Other question I have is, will labs typically calm down by the time they are one year old or so? I see older labs walking gently with their owners and jumping just once in a while. Will he ever calm down to that stage? If so, by what age will that happen?

Thanks in advance,

Some labs do calm down a bit ounce they're older but I've seen a 7 year old labs that always jumps on people.

Good Luck!:)

Joy

When he is older you will be able to take him for walks to expend some of that energy.
At the moment he is too young for long walks, it is my belief that larger breed dogs shouldn't start hard exercise (including long walks) until they are 12 months old, it can damage their growing joints.

Short walks are fine and it will help and will be good for leash training.

As for the jumping you will just have to be very firm on him.
If he jumps up give him an angry "NO" and push him down so all 4 feet are on the ground.

If he goes to jump up again say "NO" in an ever harsher voice and push him down and keep your hand there so he doesn't try again.

When he stops trying to jump up, reward him with a treat.

Obedience training would be a very handy tool at the moment, start teaching him commands like "sit" and "stay" Even "drop" would be a good one so if he goes to jump you can give him a command.

At the moment he is too young for long walks, it is my belief that larger breed dogs shouldn't start hard exercise (including long walks) until they are 12 months old, it can damage their growing joints.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with either your numbers or your definition of "hard exercise." If you mean prolonged exercise I'm with you, as puppies run out of steam quickly but build it back up just as fast. A 15-30 minute walk is easy for a lab, even at only 4 months. He'll pass out immediately on coming home for maybe even two whole hours.

"Hard" exercise is somewhat different, depending on the exercise. Field dogs begin training at about 4 months, and that includes running, swimming, and leaping for a couple of hours at a time. Without extensive experience, though, home trainer/owners should stick with basic obedience and fetch games, just to avoid overtaxing a growing pup.

A good way to stop a dog from jumping is to simply ignore him and turn the other way every time he jumps on you.

Many dogs, especially puppies, jump to get attention, and if you yell at them or shove them down - to them it's a game and they may just do it more. You yell - they bark. You shove, they nip.

Not all dogs do that though and sometimes those methods work. But a lot of time if you ignore him every time he does it (dont say a word, turn your back to him completely), he will eventually learn he gets nothing from it.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with either your numbers or your definition of "hard exercise." If you mean prolonged exercise I'm with you, as puppies run out of steam quickly but build it back up just as fast. A 15-30 minute walk is easy for a lab, even at only 4 months. He'll pass out immediately on coming home for maybe even two whole hours.

"Hard" exercise is somewhat different, depending on the exercise. Field dogs begin training at about 4 months, and that includes running, swimming, and leaping for a couple of hours at a time. Without extensive experience, though, home trainer/owners should stick with basic obedience and fetch games, just to avoid overtaxing a growing pup.

That info comes straight from my mother, she breeds Great Danes, has done for years.

Long walks or jogging should not be done before 12 months.

I did say that a short walk is fine, just not lenghty ones.


Short walks are fine and it will help and will be good for leash training.

:)

I admit, I don't know much about Labs, it's not a breed that excites me :o

She has just always drilled it into me that larger dogs = no exercise.

Guess I am being a little too cautious then :o

Maybe the definition in question should be "large" breeds. Danes, Wolfhounds, Mastiffs ,et cetera are truly large. Labs and Dobies and Boxers are often classified as "medium."

Edit: Large includes standard poodles by that classification. I think it has something to do with musculature versus bone structure.

Maybe the definition in question should be "large" breeds. Danes, Wolfhounds, Mastiffs ,et cetera are truly large. Labs and Dobies and Boxers are often classified as "medium."

Edit: Large includes standard poodles by that classification. I think it has something to do with musculature versus bone structure.

True, it is more a case of heavier boned dogs I think.
I just keep thinking back to a German Shepherd that was fed an incorrect diet and had bone problems because of it, I classify them as a larger breed but some people say they are medium...

Ahhh, I don't know... I have confused myself, stupid flu :p

OK, we still friends, Shaz?

Hswamina, I would recommend some tennis balls for puppy to play fetch with. Work with him until he'll bring it back and then even little kids can throw for him. In the meantime, he can destroy them instead of the garden.

Of coarse we are Cats! You were right :)

Do you think something like citronella candles in the yard would help?
Dogs hate the smell of citronella and I was thinking maybe putting some around the garden edging would be a deterrant?
I have never tried it, just an idea.

Never tried citronella. It repels me.

Maybe the definition in question should be "large" breeds. Danes, Wolfhounds, Mastiffs ,et cetera are truly large. Labs and Dobies and Boxers are often classified as "medium."

Edit: Large includes standard poodles by that classification. I think it has something to do with musculature versus bone structure.



I have irish setters and I have always been told by my vet to restrict their walks for the first year. My setters are about the same size as a largish labrador. Hope this helps.

I have irish setters and I have always been told by my vet to restrict their walks for the first year. My setters are about the same size as a largish labrador. Hope this helps.

Now I am really confused on the subject haha

I have irish setters and I have always been told by my vet to restrict their walks for the first year. My setters are about the same size as a largish labrador. Hope this helps.

Good point. Are Setters finer boned than Labs? I'll bow to a vet every time.

Hswamina, per your second question Yes, he will calm some as he matures, but how much is an individual dog variation.