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  1. #1
    Puppy Teddy2018's Avatar
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    Teddy and puberty

    So my sweet little Teddy is now 5 months and starting to mount and hump. His energy level seems to be high all the time now and he can’t stop picking up things and looking for things to grab. I take him out 2 times a day (morning and night)- each 30 min walks around the neighborhood.

    I’m here to ask if this is typical for Labrador’s at this age and if I should amp up the walks to jogs to exert that pent up energy he has. I’m 31 years old and pretty active so I don’t mind taking him for jogs. I haven’t done so yet because of his age and worried about his joints

    Tips and advice would truly be appreciated.


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  2. #2
    Puppy Teddy2018's Avatar
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    Here’s Teddy and his brother in law Rambo.


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  3. #3
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Sounds like a five month old!

    Two walks don't do much to exercise a young pup. What other sort of things do you do for exercise? Do you have a fenced yard or any place you can take him to let him run and play without being on a leash? Sometimes schools have fenced areas that you could take him to. Running around in a yard or other fenced area chasing balls or soccer balls or playing with other known dogs would let him burn off some energy as well as stop and sniff around and sort of pace himself. Five months is too young to start jogging him for the reason you mention- his joints. If he's on the end of a leash, he keeps running and the repetitive movement on sidewalks or streets isn't good for his still developing joints/bones. Once he's reaches skeletal maturity, easing him into being a running buddy might be a fun thing to do. It can be hard to be creative about finding ways to get their energy out, I know that from experience.

    If you haven't taken him to any obedience classes yet, you could start that and practice with him all the things you'll learn. You can also look online for tricks you can teach him, spin, roll over, all sorts of things. Learning and practicing all those things are mentally challenging and can help wear him out, too. And it's fun to have a dog that can do a variety of tricks.

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    Teddy2018 (08-19-2018)

  5. #4
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    I agree, walks don't do much. Ball or fetch or swimming would be better.

    Obedience call is a must.

    And humping is excitement more than sexual, so I think it you can get him working, you'll find you can channel his energy better.

    BTW, I've caught my 9 week old puppy girl humping her mother. It's mostly about dominance play.

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    Teddy2018 (08-19-2018)

  7. #5
    Senior Dog Shelley's Avatar
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    No strenuous/forced exercise until the puppy is fully mature!

    I agree with some obedience training, it will wear him out mentally too.

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    Teddy2018 (08-20-2018)

  9. #6
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    Mental stimulation will wear him out quicker than physical. I did at least 3 or 4 obedience sessions with Brooks every day at this age.

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    Beth C (08-19-2018)

  11. #7
    Real Retriever Beth C's Avatar
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    I recommend enrolling him in a Puppy 1 class. When I walk Lido, who turned 4 months today, I stop and work on "homework" from the class. As stated already, mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. I also feed Lido every meal in a feeding puzzle/slow feeder - I have 4 of them so far, and I rotate them with each meal. They have caused him to take around 20 minutes to finish each meal, instead of his previous 1-2 minutes. Again, the mental exercise used in figuring out how to get the kibble out is good for him.

    Additionally, everything he does requires him to perform a task. For example, while getting his food ready, Lido has a bad habit of barking/whining/jumping in anticipation on the other side of the baby gate I have across the kitchen opening. Each time he does it, I turn my back on him and stand motionless, saying "sorry". When he stops I continue - this can take several repetitions until he realizes that it's better to sit and wait quietly. In order to be given his meals, he has to sit and wait until it's put down and he's given the release command "free". The same goes for going outside - he has to sit and wait at the door until given the release command, "go outside, go potty". Once outside, he must go potty before being allowed to play. Fortunately, Lido is very treat driven, so he's getting pretty good at these. He's required to "leave it" and "sit" when he wants me to throw a toy to fetch. This takes some patience, as well, since he's excited. In the long run, these things will be important, especially since he will be around our young grandchildren, and he will weigh upwards of 70-80 pounds!

    The key is to keep the puppy thinking as well as physically exercising.

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    Teddy2018 (08-20-2018)

  13. #8
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Ditto all above; humping is normal fun, too soon to jog, mental stimulation is just as tiring as physical exercise. A tip that might help; Oban started humping dirty laundry lying on the floor at 9 weeks old. I bought him a big teddy bear, bigger than he was at the time, encouraged him to hump Poppa and he's never humped anything else, ever. He's nearly 11 now, intact and still loves only his Poppa Bear.

    Now, vertical peeing, wait till you get to that stage. Oban hit that marker at 8 months old. Did I say marker? 'Cause that's just what he did, till I persuaded him certain things were not peeable.
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    Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
    Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content

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    Teddy2018 (08-20-2018)

  15. #9
    Puppy Teddy2018's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beth C View Post
    I recommend enrolling him in a Puppy 1 class. When I walk Lido, who turned 4 months today, I stop and work on "homework" from the class. As stated already, mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. I also feed Lido every meal in a feeding puzzle/slow feeder - I have 4 of them so far, and I rotate them with each meal. They have caused him to take around 20 minutes to finish each meal, instead of his previous 1-2 minutes. Again, the mental exercise used in figuring out how to get the kibble out is good for him.

    Additionally, everything he does requires him to perform a task. For example, while getting his food ready, Lido has a bad habit of barking/whining/jumping in anticipation on the other side of the baby gate I have across the kitchen opening. Each time he does it, I turn my back on him and stand motionless, saying "sorry". When he stops I continue - this can take several repetitions until he realizes that it's better to sit and wait quietly. In order to be given his meals, he has to sit and wait until it's put down and he's given the release command "free". The same goes for going outside - he has to sit and wait at the door until given the release command, "go outside, go potty". Once outside, he must go potty before being allowed to play. Fortunately, Lido is very treat driven, so he's getting pretty good at these. He's required to "leave it" and "sit" when he wants me to throw a toy to fetch. This takes some patience, as well, since he's excited. In the long run, these things will be important, especially since he will be around our young grandchildren, and he will weigh upwards of 70-80 pounds!

    The key is to keep the puppy thinking as well as physically exercising.
    Thanks for the advice! I’ll make sure to make him work for everything. How much does obedience school generally cost?


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  16. #10
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Teddy2018 View Post
    How much does obedience school generally cost?
    Obedience class prices may depend upon where you live, I'm not sure where you are. At our local PetSmart, group classes run about $120. Petco has classes but says costs vary by location, so I can't tell you what it costs here. You could look to see if there are non-credit classes in your area run by a local community college. One at a local community college here is $98. I've also gone to classes run by a local rec council. Check at your vet's office to see if there are group obedience classes around. Call around and see what the prices in your area are. It can be really worth it to take an obedience class with your pup. Even though I've had 7 dogs over the years, I always take each new pup to formal obedience classes. It helps you focus in on what things you want to be able to teach and makes you want to practice the skills. It can really help you develop a good relationship with your dog and having a nicely trained dog is a win for both you and your pup.

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    Teddy2018 (08-31-2018)

 



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