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  1. #1
    Puppy
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    Puppy showing aggression towards us

    We’ve had our 12 week old for about a week now and over the last two days he’s shown aggression towards us…growling, snapping and chomping down on the clothing we’re wearing. This is a problem as we’re not sure what to do and I’ve had a fear of big dogs since I was bit on my way to work 2 years ago. However, under the coercion of my family who really wanted this dog I gave in and accepted the “you won’t be afraid of your own dog” lines that were being told to me. I did think I was getting over this fear but now with the aggression I know I’m not, it’s just worse because now it’s in my own home.

    Anyway, a few things that have happened during his aggressive sessions…
    1. We have two cats; one of which will not take any of his “crap” and another who just lies there and lets him chomp on her ear, neck and anywhere he can get a hold of. We take him away when he is doing this and he’s started to not like that.
    2. He was biting and pulling at my son’s shirt and my husband got a bit upset (not shouting just talking sternly) our pup growled and snapped at him a few times.
    3. I was sitting in the couch, glanced at him and seen him “dead staring” me and when I looked away he growled and tried to jump on the couch.

    I’m really at the end of my rope. I don’t want to have to find another home for him but I fear that he will hurt myself or one of our teen boys when they have to care for him while we’re at work. Please help.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Hi Amanda!

    Welcome to the lab board! Labradors are lovely dogs but many people see older labs on TV or walking around their neighborhood and think, yeah, that's the breed for me! They are in for an awakening if they have no other dogs and have never raised a puppy before.

    I think many people are not prepared for the puppy stage of a labrador retriever. We've had many people come in tears because their puppy has turned out to be a little land shark. Labs are very energetic as a breed and especially so as puppies. We got our first labrador puppy after having had 5 dogs of other breeds and we were shocked at the difference. I can't tell you how many items of clothing got ripped from the jumping and nipping of our little demon. We were experienced dog owners so it was not scary for us but it was eye opening. The nipping got better once their grown up teeth came in, around 4-5 months of age, but they do need a lot of exercise and patience to get them, and you, through the puppy stage! We now have our 3rd and 4th labs and are definitely hooked on the breed.

    Tell us a little bit about where you got your puppy, how you picked this breed, and what you have done so far to try to manage his behavior. Where was he before you got him, if you didn't get him until he was 11 weeks old.

    I'd start by reading some of the threads in the puppy training section if you haven't already done so. I'll put a link to a good article. Don't lose heart, your puppy is probably not a demon, even though he might seem like one right now. You also will want to sign up for some puppy training classes as soon as you can. Some places like Petsmart have them or you can ask your vet or other private pet stores for recommendations.

    Here's one thread to start with. Take a deep breath, do some reading, and while some days will be better than others, try to enjoy the experience. Come back and ask questions and let us know how things are going.

    https://www.lab-retriever.net/board/...cky-maybe.html
    Sue

    Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
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    “Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Welcome to the board. Labs, as are many dogs meant to hunt and retrieve birds, can be pretty mouthy puppies. It's in their genetics to pick something up with their mouth. Many, if not most, need training to do this "softly" so as not to mangle the bird, and need direction on what things they are permitted to mouth. Hopefully your breeder gave you all sorts of tips on how to handle your new boy (we need a picture ) and will welcome the chance to help you with any concerns you have. ONe thing I was taught was the art of redirection. No. you can't chew on my pants legs, here's a little tug toy you can chew instead. With this though, you also need to teach him how to stop tugging even on the toy. A trainer, private might be a good idea for you, as Smartrock suggests, is a wonderful idea. There are puppy classes for mere babies (I mean the dogs) these days. You've only had him one week, everything is strange for him, how was he housed and exercised (not too much, his joints aren't ready) and fed and handled before you got him? It's good to keep as much the same as you can. Personally I am not a fan of crating as you see it described sometimes but a time-out in a crate can really help. Five minutes is a lifetime to a puppy. Let us know, we would like to help, but, again, a trainer who can see what's going on first hand is a good idea.
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  5. #4
    Senior Dog Berna's Avatar
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    Puppy biting is one thing, but growling and lunging is something different. It sounds like you don't control this puppy. I urge you to talk to a professional. Also, you should be starting some basic training with your puppy anyway.
    Cookie Black Snowflake
    July 12th, 2006. - May 25th, 2023.

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  6. #5
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    I've had Labs for over 40 years, and there's one constant amongst all the puppies we've had over the years. They are assholes. They bite, they jump, they lunge, they chew. And that's on a good day. On bad days they are something between a velociraptor and a land shark. The great thing thing is with a lot of love, training and most of all, patience, they tend to grow up to be really nice dogs.

    1. If you have not started crate training yet, start now. It gives them a safe space to go that is theirs, and comes in really handy when they need a time out.

    2. If you haven't started basic obedience yet (sit, down, stay, here) start now. Labs need mental stimulation as much as, or more than physical stimulation. Two or three short sessions every day is a good start. No more than 5 minutes to start, and you can gradually increase the time as you go. Meal times are especially good for training. You can use their food as a reward, so you don't have to buy a ton of training treats.

    What are your plans with this pup? Family pet, completion dog, hunting, etc???

    At 12 weeks you should be done with (or almost done with) shots. Once these are done you can look for a puppy obedience class. These can be really good for socializing and introduction distractions to your training routine.

    If you do a search on Youtube you can find a lot of good puppy training videos. The Dog Bone Hunter and Bill Hillman have some good ones that are geared towards hunting dogs/retrievers.

    I will say this. I have seen very few truly aggressive dogs over the years I've had Labs. What many people call aggression is usually a fearful or excited dog. A fearful dog will definitely bite, but will normally give warning signs before this happens. Many dogs, and Labs in particular will bite and nip as a form of play when they are over excited. You have to teach them that this is unacceptable behavior. Sometimes it's very helpful to have an experienced professional trainer help with this. It usually can be corrected in a couple of sessions with most dogs.

    A friend of mine once asked me "do you know why Lab puppies are so cute"? His answer, "So you don't kill them when they are little". Like I said above, Lab pups can be real assholes, but it will pass. You have to remember they are working dogs. It's bred into them. They want to work, and it's your job to give them work to do.

    Best of luck as you begin your journey.

 



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