I need some advice for my 9 month old Lab pup

[klrogers]

I have a 9 month old Chocolate lab pup and I need some advice for the one thing that she is bad for. She is really smart and really good otherwise. She sits, lays, rollsover, retrieves really well. I take her with me everywhere I go, she loves to go for rides. When I need to go somewhere I can't take her I have a 40'x20' kennel built for her that i put her in. I can't seem to catch her to put her in there, she thinks it is a game and won't even come close to me. Like yesterday I tried to take her for a ride with me and she wouldn't get in the truck. I can't just drive off and leave her home cause she follows the truck and I don't want her to get run over.

 

She sometimes does this when we are out in the woods, she is impossible to catch, she gets down and wants to play. She has almost gotten run over twice now because she will NOT mind me and just runs away. She listens really well otherwise except for getting in the truck and into her kennel.

 

I have tried putting her on a 50 ft rope hoping she will act up and I can teach her to mind me that way and she can't run away. but she doesn't act up on the rope, so that doesn't work. I have tried luring her over with treats, thrown toys, walking away and hoping she will follow me, but she doesn't when she is in this mood. I need some help with her, I'm gonna be starting work soon and she will need to go in the kennel everyday and I won't have time to chase her around and be late for work.

 

Should I try a shock collar? Any advice would be great!

 

Thanks!

 

Here is a picture of her...

[WildHeritageTaxidermy]

PM Sent

[tjhunt2]

You got a beautifull lab and I had similar problems but at an earlier age. I didn't want to use a shock collar at first but finally gave in. It was the best thing I could have ever done. My lab is 15months now and I can't keep her out of the truck and she kennels when I want her to. There are alot of do's and don't's with the collar. There is a ton of UTube videos on the web that can help you in the right direction. I always put the collar on her with all the training, not always using it though, so she gets use to it and associates it with fun times. Now when she sees it she can't wait for me to put it on her. I kept my kennel in the house open at all times for her to go in and out as she pleased. Lexie, my lab, didn't like it at first but had no choice if she wanted to eat. Feel free to pm me with any questions you might have. I'm no experienced dog tainer, and far from it, and alot of cwt members helped me and I appreciated everyone's help so I hope I can pass on some of what I learned. Good luck with the training.

 

TJ

[afmalinois]

I have had this problem with a few of my working dogs. They are great on leash and doing obedience and detection or patrol work, however when they got some freedom they come back on their terms. The one thing that I will say is to keep it positive. No matter how upset you get with the running and avoiding you, praise her when she finally does come to you and praise her for going into her house. Keep the kennel a positive place as well. Don't toss her in there and storm off because you are mad. That is her house and there should be nothing but happy thoughts when it comes to going in there. Take her in the kennel and play with her or just to love on her. Hang out in there, it sounds big enough for a basketball game, and try to make her house somewhere she wants to be. I know its frustrating when dogs do there own thing and you want something else to happen, but they have a reason for the actions that they are displaying. The shock collar could work as well, but they can back fire pretty quick if your timing isn't right. I'd say positive reinforcement will work just fine for you. In time it will all click in her head and this problem will be gone, but three more will arise. I love working with dogs, I learn something new every single day. Hope this helps! -Adam

[rogeti]

Just give her away and get the best dog in the world and you know exactly who that is!!!!!!!!!!

[Ron G.]

At 9 mos she's still very much a pup, going into adolescence. Sounds like she's acting like it too! Shock collars are best for enforcing KNOWN commands. Doesn't sound like she knows 'here' or 'come' very well, so sounds like the shock collar would just reinforce that the kennel isn't where she wants to be.

 

Working her with a check cord and being VERY CONSISTENT sounds like your best bet. Don't allow her the option to disobey. Easier said than done, I know. Use a leash and or check cord everytime. This might mean no more 'free running' but she needs to know how to behave on a leash as well. You might want to feed her in the kennel as well if she is a chow hound. Food was/is always a good motivator for my lab.

 

Good luck! Things will probably get better with time, but she has you trained for now it seems like. ;-)

 

Ron

[tjhunt2]

Adam, you made a really good point with the positive attitude. I always praise my dog, even when she takes something she shouldn't have but brings it to me. There has only been a few times, I can count on one hand, that I actually scorned her for something I actually caught her doing. I have always made it positive and fun no matter what.

Another note on the shock collar that Ron made about using for known commands is right but it can be used for breaking her of running after your truck and it just might keep her from getting run over. The very word shock sounds terrible and my wife had a fit until she saw the results. Just remember it is a tool that needs to be used properly and not for punishment. Think of it as getting her attention instead of shocking her. I hope more dog owners chime in on here. There are many ways of training as I found out searching the web. You will figure out what works best for you and her. Keep us posted on her training.

 

TJ

[afmalinois]

TJ you are right on point with your posts as well. Shock collars are great tools and I have used them a time or two with dogs that were too stubborn with bite work. I have seen them used as a reward as well. Its all about how you manipulate them. The problem I see arising with shocking her for chasing the truck is, where is she going to run to next if she is already going into avoidance while she is out running. Most likely she wont go into her pen (yet), so it might create another problem. Gotta love dog training, fix one thing and a handful of new issues come up!

[robertramsey61]

Sounds very familiar, I have a lab, he is now 6 years old and he still does those things once in a while when I have not played with him enough. One good thing to do, take him on a long run or bike ride, this will get there energy leave down and more willing to just relax. I do agree, you need to make the kennel a fun place, our dogs hatted it. I have a large kennel as well and they would do everything to not go in it, go sit in it and hang out once in a while (sounds dumb but works). My dogs will know go in when I say the word kennel. Shock collars work to, helps them get the head back on straight.

[klrogers]

Thanks everyone for the tips, I have started working with her today and she is improving already, I couldnt get her to even come in the kennel with me, and then i started playin with a ball in there just kicking it around and she got jealous and decided to come in and have some fun too. I hope she gets out of this little stage and we can move on to some more fun and exciting tricks and skills!

 

Thanks Again!!

[Guest 300ultramag.]

Thanks everyone for the tips, I have started working with her today and she is improving already, I couldnt get her to even come in the kennel with me, and then i started playin with a ball in there just kicking it around and she got jealous and decided to come in and have some fun too. I hope she gets out of this little stage and we can move on to some more fun and exciting tricks and skills!

 

Thanks Again!!

 

 

hold off on the shocker... thats the easy last resort... it will do the trick.. but if u can avoid doing so.. by all means...

 

 

the kennel is really all you need.. once they get the mentality that its their place.. sh!t really comes togethr..at 9 mos. shes right where she needs to be... the best thing is.. to run the pup hard.. all the time.. let em swim that wears em out best... and while their tired.. offer up the kennel.. coax em into it... let them choose to go in there.. lastly.. put an old shirt or something in the kennel that smells like you..or another dog from her litter also the size of the kennel is crucial.. its actually better to get one thats a wee too small then if it is too big... the first year is frustrating... but a well trained dog.. is priceless..

[klrogers]

Thanks everyone for the tips, I have started working with her today and she is improving already, I couldnt get her to even come in the kennel with me, and then i started playin with a ball in there just kicking it around and she got jealous and decided to come in and have some fun too. I hope she gets out of this little stage and we can move on to some more fun and exciting tricks and skills!

 

Thanks Again!!

 

 

hold off on the shocker... thats the easy last resort... it will do the trick.. but if u can avoid doing so.. by all means...

 

 

the kennel is really all you need.. once they get the mentality that its their place.. sh!t really comes togethr..at 9 mos. shes right where she needs to be... the best thing is.. to run the pup hard.. all the time.. let em swim that wears em out best... and while their tired.. offer up the kennel.. coax em into it... let them choose to go in there.. lastly.. put an old shirt or something in the kennel that smells like you..or another dog from her litter also the size of the kennel is crucial.. its actually better to get one thats a wee too small then if it is too big... the first year is frustrating... but a well trained dog.. is priceless..

 

I take her swimming at least once a week and I play with her alot and make her VERY tired, I even take her on runs with me. She is a very calm dog and sleeps quite a bit. She is getting used to her kennel now, she will eat in there and has no fear of walking in there with me. I wanted to make her a pretty good sized kennel because starting in 2 weeks she will be in there from about 6am-4pm. She is a free ranging dog, we have 2 1/2 acres and she never leaves the yard. I am almost through the first year! Can't wait! haha

[Basser15]

Sounds like you are on the right track with the obedience and it might just take a little more enforcement on the "here" command. I'm not the best at this and my lab still likes to wander and I know when it's coming too. He gets a certain look in his eye and at that point I know no matter what is said or done he is going for a run without me. I did have him collar conditioned and those "runs" never happen when the collar is on him so I know he understands what I'm telling him.

 

With the Kennel you could try training for that just like you do for all the other commands. Give the kennel command and offer a treat in the kennel, or anytime your dog goes into the kennel without a treat still say "kennel" and then praise her for doing it. Hopefully at some point you will just be able to give that command and no matter where the pup is at she will know it is time to get in the kennel.