Can't containt excitement with other dogs....

[klnst3]

Reggie will be 3 in August, and his whole life we've had a hard time with him and other dogs. Well, I should clarify, other older or less energetic dogs.

If the dog is his age or younger and has the same energy level as him, everything seems to be fine... but when we're around older dogs, or even dogs that are just mellow compared to him, he just can't contain himself. He gets soo exited, he loves everyone and he just wants to play, play, play!! I work at a dog friendly office and could have him here every day with me except that the owners' two dogs and another co-worker's dog are all 9+ in age and he's too rough with them. He bites at their legs and plows into them and jumps at them to the point where they try to bite or run and hide. This happens with other family members' dogs as well.

I want to have him at work with me because he is so sweet and friendly and smart... but he just can't contain himself. Especially when he gets into "Butt-tuck phase"! That's just what I call it, but literally, his ears go back, he tucks his butt under, and takes off at full-speed racing around the yard, or the office, or the house... wherever we might be.

I've tried teaching him "easy" and "be nice" but that doesn't work too much and I'm not quite sure what to do so that he has some manners around other dogs.

He used to be socialized often, coming here, going to obedience and agility classes. But then these issues started happening at work and it was disrupting to the office, so I've had to leave him home most of the time.

I know it's normal for Labs to be happy and fun-loving and full of energy, and that's fine! He just needs some manners... does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks!
~Kristy

[POPTOP]

You have a young, energetic lab. How much exercise does he get during the day? Remember, a tired lab is a much better behaved lab. At one training class I was in, the trainer suggested to another owner who had a very active lab, to really exercise him before class.

Your two most important commands are going to be come and leave it. If need be, get a trainer involved to help both of you out. Find someone who practices positive reinforcement training, trains with patience and love.

It can be done, it's a lot of work.

Oh, I call the butt tucking zoomies and know exactly what you are talking about.

[Snowshoe]

Mine learned those kinds of manners when he was younger and the older dog tuned him up. Now he does the same thing with younger dogs that are rude. However if an older dog tried to teach yours a lesson now that yours is three years old I wonder if your dog might retaliate? Plus some seem to take longer to get the message and some learn with one older dog and don't seem to apply the lesson to other dogs.

I agree with PopTop. Can you tell us how much exercise he does get? On leash? Off? How far, how long, terrain, activity? Exercise is not a substitute for manners but it can help take some of the starch out of them.

[amandalmw]

We have the same problem with Stig. He freaks out when he sees another dog because he wants to play with them. We went to a new dog park a few weekends ago & he started to FREAK OUT as soon as we got out of the car and he saw other dogs. Barking, pulling, ect. He just absolutely LOVES other dogs.

[Labradorks]

We have the same problem with Stig. He freaks out when he sees another dog because he wants to play with them. We went to a new dog park a few weekends ago & he started to FREAK OUT as soon as we got out of the car and he saw other dogs. Barking, pulling, ect. He just absolutely LOVES other dogs.

The reward is being let loose to play with the other dogs. So, essentially, he was rewarded for freaking out, barking, pulling, etc.

[Labradorks]

Reggie will be 3 in August, and his whole life we've had a hard time with him and other dogs. Well, I should clarify, other older or less energetic dogs.

If the dog is his age or younger and has the same energy level as him, everything seems to be fine... but when we're around older dogs, or even dogs that are just mellow compared to him, he just can't contain himself. He gets soo exited, he loves everyone and he just wants to play, play, play!! I work at a dog friendly office and could have him here every day with me except that the owners' two dogs and another co-worker's dog are all 9+ in age and he's too rough with them. He bites at their legs and plows into them and jumps at them to the point where they try to bite or run and hide. This happens with other family members' dogs as well.

I want to have him at work with me because he is so sweet and friendly and smart... but he just can't contain himself. Especially when he gets into "Butt-tuck phase"! That's just what I call it, but literally, his ears go back, he tucks his butt under, and takes off at full-speed racing around the yard, or the office, or the house... wherever we might be.

I've tried teaching him "easy" and "be nice" but that doesn't work too much and I'm not quite sure what to do so that he has some manners around other dogs.

He used to be socialized often, coming here, going to obedience and agility classes. But then these issues started happening at work and it was disrupting to the office, so I've had to leave him home most of the time.

I know it's normal for Labs to be happy and fun-loving and full of energy, and that's fine! He just needs some manners... does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks!
~Kristy

Sam was a rough puppy and bigger than all the other "kids" in class. He had other puppies under chairs and being defensive when all he wanted to do was play. I had to teach him "too much". So, if he got rough, I would lure him away with a treat, say "too much" and sit for a bit until he was calm. It was not a punishment, just a little time out. He did learn to think before acting and he learned that a time out was not a bad thing and that it meant to stop and come with me -- which meant attention and treats (you have to make stopping play nice, too). He is not perfect now, but when he's been rough he will stop himself and kinda look at me like, "oopsie!". And, I have to say, if another dog yelps or becomes upset he will jump back and certainly give that dog space. I always step in when I see that he is starting to get would up BEFORE he actually does get crazy. I don't always catch him in time, but I've got a good handle on it.

Exercise before he gets around other dogs is a great idea -- get rid of some of that excess energy.

Finally, teaching him leave it, watch me, etc. so that he can and will leave other dogs alone will help. There is a play time and a non play time. They need to learn that just because another dog is there, does not mean it's a free-for-all. Have you tried training him around other dogs? I.e., having a friend over and letting them play, take a break (that you decided to take, not him), etc.? Maybe not letting him play at all, but you and your friend talk, have him lay at your feet, and give him treats and pet him, then they leave? This scenario would work well with a friend with a dog that has no interest in playing versus one as exciteable as your dog. Some dogs just need more training around this area. You say that he needs manners, and he does, but they need to be taught. You may have to undo some things, especially if he was a doggie daycare and/or dog park dog as dogs allowed in these situations early on, sometimes think that when they are with other dogs, they get to play and that's the only option.

[jertom]

We have the same problem with Stig. He freaks out when he sees another dog because he wants to play with them. We went to a new dog park a few weekends ago & he started to FREAK OUT as soon as we got out of the car and he saw other dogs. Barking, pulling, ect. He just absolutely LOVES other dogs.

OMG! And I thought it was just Rocky. He just started training and I'm embarrassed to take him.

[klnst3]

I can honestly say that Reggie does not get as much exercise as he should. We take him for walks, but not every day, and this is something we're working to change... but he does get backyard playtime all the time. And he usually does figure 8 racing during this play time, exhausting himself, plus we play ball and run around and I'm getting him some agility equipment this weekend that we'll be working with too because he loved agility classes!

But, and I know he needs more exercise in general, BUT... there has been many, many times where he has had a fun-filled, completely exhausting weekend (for him, not just us) at camp or somewhere like that and I'll try to take him to work the next day. Typically, he's good as far as his energy goes, but the same scenario happens when he sees the other dogs, it doesn't seem to matter how tired he is. He acts the same way regardless of energy level. When I take him away from them and to my office or desk, he might pass out, but 20 seconds prior to that you never would have known he was tired.

He has never been to daycare or anything like that, and he has known these dogs since he was a pup. He's been taught MANY "lessons" by them, but when they do teach him, he almost thrives on it. He gets even more excited and thinks it's an invitation to play rougher...

[Labradorks]

I can honestly say that Reggie does not get as much exercise as he should. We take him for walks, but not every day, and this is something we're working to change... but he does get backyard playtime all the time. And he usually does figure 8 racing during this play time, exhausting himself, plus we play ball and run around and I'm getting him some agility equipment this weekend that we'll be working with too because he loved agility classes!

But, and I know he needs more exercise in general, BUT... there has been many, many times where he has had a fun-filled, completely exhausting weekend (for him, not just us) at camp or somewhere like that and I'll try to take him to work the next day. Typically, he's good as far as his energy goes, but the same scenario happens when he sees the other dogs, it doesn't seem to matter how tired he is. He acts the same way regardless of energy level. When I take him away from them and to my office or desk, he might pass out, but 20 seconds prior to that you never would have known he was tired.

He has never been to daycare or anything like that, and he has known these dogs since he was a pup. He's been taught MANY "lessons" by them, but when they do teach him, he almost thrives on it. He gets even more excited and thinks it's an invitation to play rougher...

It's a matter of training. Watch me, leave it, etc. He needs to learn that just because he is in the vicinity of another dog, doesn't mean he gets to play. I would try taking him back to group lessons where a trainer can help you out with this.

[TuMicks]

Your dog is "normal"... in the sense that he is within a couple of standard deviations of the mean when it comes to energy. But that doesn't give him the right to misbehave. (Actually... dogs don't have rights. There's a lot of confusion about that, now that I think about it. But I digress...)

Dogs only have the manners that they're taught. When dogs aren't taught manners, their social environment just shrinks and shrinks. The more their social environment shrinks, the less likely they are to learn good manners.

Decide that he will learn good manners and that you are the one that will each them. There are lots of books, classes, DVD's. You-tube videos, dog training tools, and... this and other websites. There are even professionals to give you lessons.

You want to expand his horizons... you have to do it. Stop putting up with behavior that you know will limit his ability to be with and enjoy you.