I wouldn't exactly stop this right now, since you can use this to teach a great recall.
How do I stop this? It makes me crazy! I will throw the ball for Barley (there is a little more interest that before - he will play for maybe 10 minutes rather than 5 minutes) but he runs at me full speed to bring the ball back shoving the ball at the front or the back of my thighs until they are filthy and I worry that he will miss and gouge me with his brand new teeth. He does the same thing to Moby, my 13 year old dog.
How can I stop this?
Thank you!
Forever in my heart - Sweet gentle Moby - lover of belly rubs, bacon, and Barbara 9-10-2001 to 11-2-2015
I wouldn't exactly stop this right now, since you can use this to teach a great recall.
How old is he? You could teach him a formal obedience recall with a SIT square in front of you and a formal GIVE to hand from either the front sit or a swing to heel sit. You don't want to spoil his enthusiasm though so go slowly with it. It sounds like you are letting him play till he loses interest but you should control the length of play and stop while he still wants more. If you are going to use it for training that is. That kind of eagerness is going to be a fabulous training tool you can use to your advantage. In the meantime, trees, fences and deck railings are your friend and protector.
Are you going to training classes?
Excellent suggestion.
It's such a lab puppy trait that I love, the exuberance and energy combined with the inability to estimate where to stop. From what I've experienced they naturally grow out of it once they reach adulthood. My lab as a puppy would run with great gusto at full speed into my legs without a ball or toy...just no idea about breaking or barriers.
OK. You think this will end?? I apologize for my ignorance, but how do I use this to train a recall?
Forever in my heart - Sweet gentle Moby - lover of belly rubs, bacon, and Barbara 9-10-2001 to 11-2-2015
Will it end? Eventually, in my experience around 2 or so. Some earlier but some later, Labs are generally "puppies" for a while. For teaching recall, if he is coming to you with such enthusiasim use it as an opportunity to pair a word each time he does it. Do not use this word for anything else and make sure he will come right to you with this word, never allow negotiation with a recall command. As he gets older and braver, long before 2, you may need to use a long line to reel him in until this is a solid command. Right now I would just start by using your recall word every time you get this happy response so he begins to associate the command and action. Lots of praise and love from you will go a long way as well.
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Maxx and Emma Jean
Ozzy - 10/2002 - 06/2011 - Rest well my sweet boy. You are forever remembered, forever missed, forever in my heart.
Moby and Barley's Mom (10-28-2014)
I'm sorry, but I have to laugh here. My energetic little companion did the same thing. My first two labs got the picture before they were 6 months old, Sunshine, not so much. She was right around 2 years old before she learned she has brakes. LOL! Anywhere we went I would warn folks that she is a dangerous creature, and to keep a close eye on her. People would laugh and say what a cute little puppy she was.... until she put them on the ground a few times. Even when she was only 30# or 40# she could clock an adult, not to mention young folks!!! When she hit 80# everyone wanted to throw stuff for her and I had to be right there, to deflect her from them. You begin to wonder if your lab is defective and just doesn't grasp the fact that they CAN avoid running into stuff.
And sticks!!! Sunshine is a gal who thinks size does matter. A stick worth fetching has to be 3', 4', 6' long or better, and not skinny either!!! My legs were black and blue even keeping an eye on her!!! Then, suddenly, just as the running into folks stopped, she caught on. She can now, at 3 years old, have a 5' or 6' long branch and come RUNNING up to you.... Then, at the last moment she turns the item to avoid hitting you and keeps running. She still scares the bajesus out of me, and I keep an eye on her, but she is doing great at NOT hitting me with sticks.
She is one of those labs that HAS to have something in their mouth the whole time they are out and about. They might drop it to smell around for something but will RUN back for their stick.
Hang in there, it does get better. I used a lot of OUCH!!!! and really made a big deal out of rubbing the "hurt" spot when she ran into me or hit me with a stick. It eventually makes an impression on an overly energetic lab when the game STOPS because of something they eventually figure out they caused.
Jeff (11-13-2014)
This made me laugh. There is nothing more exuberant than an energetic lab, except maybe a wet one.
Hemi quit the slamming when fetching about a year old. However, at 3 I still get slammed once in a while when he gets the excited zoomies during play outside. Like if he is standing there totally interested in something like a bug, and I walk up behind him and grab both butt cheeks in my hand. Snaps him out of what ever he was fascinated on. Never inside, but outside if he gets all wound up from this, I am getting slammed or attempted to be slammed. It's really my own causation cause I wound him up. I have got used to it and I can see it coming, he has that possed devil is making me do this look in his eyes after he has taken 2 laps around the yard in 2 seconds. At the last minute once he is coming too fast and can't stop I move out of the way he flies on by, I do reach out and pat the butt as he goes by. Starts right up again until the zoomies have passed.
Hidden Content
Tammy
Maxx and Emma Jean
Ozzy - 10/2002 - 06/2011 - Rest well my sweet boy. You are forever remembered, forever missed, forever in my heart.
You are all killing me!! Hilarious! (Of course - not so hilarious as I review my bruises!!!)
Forever in my heart - Sweet gentle Moby - lover of belly rubs, bacon, and Barbara 9-10-2001 to 11-2-2015
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