Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 2:42 pm Post subject: Excitable puppy problem at 9 months - HELP
Hello
I have a 9 month old non castrated Chocolate Labrador of the show dog type, his name is Dillan. This is not my first Lab but is my first Lab puppy.
I am continually being criticised by some close friends and family relating to his behaviour. Basically he gets very excited when he sees familiar people and complete strangers so there's lots of jumping, kissing and occasionally light contact with his teeth for a good 5 to 10 mins. I tell people to ignore him which doesn't really help.
My response to these criticisms is that he's still "young" and it's a common trait in Labs that take longer to mature and basically in time he will grow out of it and due to his friendly nature will be a fantastic pet. TBH I'm quite laid back with him thinking in my mind that he'll just grow up and I should let him enjoy his puppyhood.
How was your Lab at 9 months, and did he/she mature or are my friends and family correct in saying that I'm not doing enough to correct his behaviour?
Although labs get excited they dont necessarily grow out of it so I would do some training and curb some of his exuberance especially if it is upsetting people. We have to train all our dogs to have acceptable behaviour or they like kids never learn that it isnt acceptable to leap about and hurt people. So although I am sure he is a charming boy after he settles he will be much more popular if he is under control the bulk of the time. Rules and boundaries are needed to make him a happy and much loved by everyone member of society. His fun time should be with you running free and playing with toys in the garden or park
i know how you feel i have this problem and we are now making him sit next to me or husband when people com in if he jumps we ask them to ignore and turn there back to them, over last week we have had comments hes def calming down, just mum mum who keeps saying oh debbie you got your hands full you should think of rehoming him and getting a smaller one, in my last response was oh mum was that your thoughts about me when i was a little 2 yrs old or in my teens, would you have changed me to a smaller one. as i say if they dont like the door is there and casper is staying put
What do you do when Dillan is jumping up at people? My pup is 12 months old and would still jump up and lick people if given the chance, although he's getting better with strangers and sometimes ignores those who ignore him but I still don't trust him. I distract him with treats and make him heel or sit if people, especially joggers, are coming towards us. If people are friendly and reach out to pat him I know he'll want to jump so I hold his collar and make him sit. He's a big boy now and could easily knock someone over.
Luna is still excitable and Tucker is too. Family and friends that come to the house are given a toy to give each of them as then both dogs waggledance around rather than try to jump up. Both dogs are then pretty much ignored while they prance around proudly with their toy!
If guests are staying for a while then I usually give Luna a rawhide chew which she usually disappears with into the garden as soon as she is given it! Making the house a lot quieter!
When we are out and about then both dogs tend to be better off lead and again with a toy in their mouth. Today at the park all the people were ignored unless we stood chatting for a while. If they are on lead and someone wants to say hello then I make a judgement, either I say no because they are too excitable or I warn them that they will probably get jumped on or clothing will be held and doggy people are usually fine with this!
I don't like having such excitable greeters, Tucker is already steadier than Luna and he is learning how to greet people when sitting nicely at training classes so I hope that his calmer behaviour can rub off on Luna as she's always found it impossible to sit to greet!
If your family and friends are feeling uncomfortable with your dog then I would take measures to sort the problem out. My family and friends prefer waggledancing with toys to being jumped on!
We have the same "problem" - I know we are all grateful to have such lovely friendly dogs - but we are finding it difficult when people come round or if we meet people out and about. Max knows we won't say hi and fuss him when we come home or in the morning unless all four feet are on the ground, but excitement levels are through the roof with other people. First 10 mins is worse, and we tell everyone to fold arms and ignore until he calms down. I do treats for distraction when we are outside, but if someone goes to greet him without checking with me first, he's on his back legs launching himself at them. To be honest I'm getting pee'd off asking people to leave him be until he is calmer - think I'm going to get a T-shirt printed! We love him SO much, and I'm really happy he's sociable and outgoing and that he wouldn't harm a soul, but it can be a bit wearing sometimes I'm not sure the message is getting through, so here's hoping that time and repetition works eventually.....
Hey all my boy only stopped jumping up about 2 yrs ago and he's 11.5 now!!!!! My two Pointers hardly ever jump up at all, in fact probably only about once every couple of months. My only conclusion is it's a Lab thing they just have too much love everyone xx
Murphy is 11 months and is getting better but he is huge and can be quite insistent. If I am expecting someone I will sometimes put his lead on and he doesn't get to greet until he has calmed down a bit and then only in short bursts.
He is particularly bad with small children as they are at face kissing height I would dearly love him to calm down too as we have a problem in that my mum looks after my kids after school so is at our house with them and the dog. My sister doesn't like dogs and has a 3 year old, so when she calls round (which is a lot) my mum shuts Murphs out It is a real shame because when I am there I just tell him off if he barges and once he calms down my nephew will play with him. The real problem is my sister who makes a massive fuss and keeps telling everyone our dog is out of control. So if there is a good fix for this I'm interested too but I suspect they may just be being labradors and that's why we all love them
Bamber is 3 and although he doesn't really jump up he still gets very excited when people come round! I find that it doesn't help that inevitably when you welcome someone to your house you are generally greeting them in an excited manner which then rubs off on a dog - they are just joining in!
We have found that what works for us is to shut Bamber in the utility room (which has a glass door and is his bedroom) and then let him out once the new people are in the house and everyone has settled down a bit. He is only shut away for a couple of minutes and can see what is going on and he now knows that he is only allowed out if he is calm.
Different things will work for different situations, but I don't think you can rely on it just getting better with age. Although he will no doubt settle down, if he doesn't learn that a behaviour is unacceptable then he will just continue to do it.
Thanks for this post, I don't feel so bad now. Ivan is an absolute nuisance with visitors still and he's nearly three. Although the mental greeting is restricted to one hoop-mouthed bark now as oppose to full battlecry and death by doglick.
BUT, he was much much worse, and he would not have grown out of it if I had just relied on him "maturing". It's a continual training session because he does keep forgetting what to do.
It really got my hackles up when F&F pass commented on it. In the end I lost my rag and had a bit of an argument with them all along the lines of, "Well if you insist on ignoring my requests to turn your back to him when you come in, and start petting and tickling him instead while he's licking you then it's your own bl***y fault!!!"
Don't worry, you're not crushing his spirit if you train him to be good with visitors, he'll enjoy his puppyhood even better if people come through the door with bickies and sausages for him rather than a riot-shield. He'll calm down quicker if you can get everyone to do as they're told, but people are worse to train than dogs
____________
--------------------------------
Mooz, Ivan & Milly xxx
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
I'm not sure the message is getting through, so here's hoping that time and repetition works eventually.....
I would dearly love him to calm down too as we have a problem in that my mum looks after my kids after school so is at our house with them and the dog. My sister doesn't like dogs and has a 3 year old, so when she calls round (which is a lot) my mum shuts Murphs out 
It is a real shame because when I am there I just tell him off if he barges and once he calms down my nephew will play with him. The real problem is my sister who makes a massive fuss and keeps telling everyone our dog is out of control. So if there is a good fix for this I'm interested too but I suspect they may just be being labradors and that's why we all love them 
