[colette]

Hello everybody!

Well, I'd like to ask some help about my baby Milo. He's 7 months now and is quite naughty indeed! It's basically his general behaviour. He won't allow my husband or myself to relax and sit down. If we sit down for 5 minutes it seems to wind him up and he starts barking at us! If we ignore him, then this makes him worse and he tries to bound towards us aiming to nibble our knees! He has been to puppy classes and he is excellent at the training, he is very good at responding to commands but it is on a general level when we would like to have a sit down that he misbehaves. He never sleeps in the day anymore which we find unusual. I've spoken to a lot of lab owners and one of my friends said that their dog was exactly like my Milo, but didn't calm down until he was thirteen when he went blind! My husband keeps saying that we'll have to get rid of him if it continues but I said 'no way!' Everyone has given me advice - try rubbing around his head and eyes to calm him down - try rubbing his ears putting more pressure towards the end - rub his tummy etc etc etc. But he still won't sit still for long enough to let me do it! I've had to get the hoover out and turn it on as he's afraid of it. This is the only time he'll go to his bed. He sometimes calms down when I give him a treat to chew on but I don't want him to become dependent on the treats. To be honest - he has been like this since we got him but when he was smaller, I think it was more manageable. He currently is on James Wellbeloved so I don't think it's a problem with the food. Obviously he can't be neutered until he is 18 months old so that's over a year away and some people believe it won't make a difference.

I thought that Milo was normal, an energetic puppy but a woman I met the other day in the woods with 6 labs said she never remembered any of hers being so hyper and wriggly. But all pups are different I guess. He's always leaping and bounding everywhere even the vet looks scared! I see lots of people out with their labs and they are well behaved and relaxed. How can I get Milo to be like this. My husband can't take it but I really don't want to get rid of him or keep using the hoover! Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Col x

 

[CharlieBrewer]

Hi Collette

Sounds as though you have a perfectly normal lab puppy to me! :wink:

Maybe he doesnt feel tired when you sit down - have you thought of doing some training with him when you are sat down in an evening, we still do with our dogs - especially now we have learnt to clicker train. If we are sat in an evening we just sit with the dogs and train them to do all sorts - they love it and it tires them out - perfect!

Are you on the go all day? Maybe thats why he isnt sleeping anymore? If I am cleaning and doing odd jobs around the house my 3 follow me around and never sleep, its only if I sit down that they will sleep, maybe try putting him in another room (or his crate if you use one) to see if he would sleep that way in the peace and quiet?

Is there a reason why you cant have him neutered until he is 18months old? My Charlie was done at 9 months, not because he was hyper but because we were not going to breed with him and because he was very affectionate toward his toys so the vets advised we have him done! Maybe it would be worth chatting to your vet to discuss the possibility of having him donw sooner rather than later?

Another thing to try would be to give him a filled kong, or treat ball in the evenings - that way his mind will be focused on that rather than your knees? I think that Milo is just bored with sitting down in the evening, I know that Charlie has only recently sitting down and sleeping in the evening, but on the occasions when sleeping is not on the agenda we simply do some clicker training with him or give him a treat ball or buster cube....

I am sure that you will get there with him, remember at 7 months he has hit the naughty teenager stage - any of us on here who have labs that have been at that age before will all remember the teenage stage!!

In a few weeks you will not remember these times because your little one will be happy with his treat ball or being trained.

Good luck!

Sarah[/quote]

 

[Rebel1]

hi collette
milo sounds very much like max in that he is a very active dog.
max is on the go from aprox.5am till 11pm and he very rarely sleeps during the day. even after a good walk he still wants to play. he can get very excitable and rough and starts jumping up at me. when he does this he is promptly put in the kitchen for 10 mins for a time out.
like charlie max will follow me all over the house when im doing house work. labs are by nature very active dogs both physically and mentally so i again do the same as sarah and do some training in the evening with him .

 

[colette]

Thank you both for the advice. I suspected that he was completely normal until my husband started complaining and he had the encounter with the woman that said she thought it was unusual for him to be so hyper. Milo and I often to training together in the evening and he has a treat ball but he still doesn't get tired - his dad is a champion gun dog so I think it is just his nature to be so active. I will ask the vet about neutering. She said that they could be done earlier but it is inadvisable as it may stunt their growth.

We have crate trained him but recently he has taken to barking in there when we put him in for time out. He does the same when he's in the garden. You may be right about going through his terrible teen stage as when I look back, he never used to do this before. Hopefully, it is a passing phase.

It's reassuring to know that there are others out there like Milo and I have told my husband that he's going to have to get used to it because there is no way that I am getting rid! I love him to bits and he's a good boy really.

Thanks again guys - I will keep you updated and let you know if there is any improvement!

Col x

 

[AlPerez]

Labs are working dogs, and they need to be kept busy. We take our lab out for a walk everyday. At least an hour. We found that they get home tired and they are not as hyper as they usually were. I don't know if you've heard of Cesar Millan, but he comes out on Animal Planet, and on national geographic. He has some helpful hints on how to change your dogs attitude. If your dog is a big dog, you might want to get a back-pack for him. Put some weight in it and take him for a walk, or just play with him at home, this will get hime tired too. But Labs are working dogs and need to be kept busy.

 

[colette]

Helloooo

well, I have a bit of an update. AlPerez thank you so much for the advice. We do take Milo out everyday for an hour and he has a treat ball, kong, we play games etc. But it would still not tire him out at all! Honestly, I am not exaggerating. I often go on about him being extremely hyper to my friends and no one really believed me until I took him round to my friend's house and then she saw with her own eyes. Everbody was shocked, even her father who has had labs in the past.

Anyway - I changed his food a week ago due to him having a mild bout of colitis (recommended by the vet) so I put him on JWB and boy oh boy what a MASSIVE CHANGE! Suddenly, he gets tired after his walks, no more mad biting at the knees, no more barking at us for no apparent reason - he's being lovely. He's been like this for about four days now and is following me everywhere calmy but still highly energetic on his walks. We've been playing tug of war in the garden and it's become a real pleasure. My husband cannot BELIEVE it. It's as if he is a different dog! Now, I don't know if it's the food or the age etc but I just wanted to let you know he's calming down a bit. Still loving to chase cyclists and other dogs which I don't mind at all but at least now I can watch Big Brother at 10 with him sitting beside me! Plus, we took him to Starbucks at the weekend and sat outside and everybody was stroking him without him leaping all over them and scratching the skin off their chin!

AlPerez, I think Milo is a bit too small for the backpack as he's only 7 months. We were out in the woods yesterday and a springer spaniel was leaping by and Milo tried to keep up bless him but he was just too slow. It was quite funny.

But thank you all for the kind advice, I'd like you all to know he is mellowing out a bit and at least we know when we have any other additions to the family, he'll be nice and gentle as I was a bit worried about this. My mum came round yesterday too and couldn't believe the change! Obviously the purina didn't agree with him. I think that is the problem as I am a first time owner and it's all trial and error with me. Poor Milo is the guinea pig.

Well enough babble. Thanks again!

Col x

 

[Kev]

Hi Colette

Glad Milo has calmed down,bet it's nice to have relaxing evenings and give your hoover a rest :lol:

Kev

 

[Tracey]

Hi Colette

Glad to hear that he has calmed down a bit! I bet you're relieved

Maybe the previous food had preservatives or colourings that did not agree with Milo. Which Purina food was it? I use Beta and my Scooby can be very hyper.

I had Scooby castrated at 6 months (not for behaviour reasons) and it didn't change him at all apart from getting a healthy appetite!

Good luck, hope you get some rest now.

 

[colette]

Hi Tracey

yes that was the food! Purina Beta - I never thought it could be the food but maybe it is.

Everyone was saying we should have snipped but deep down I didn't think it would change it that much. He was just constantly wild eyed - I'm still considering having him done but in the meantime I think I'll let him settle into his new role of well behaved dog!

Phew - I can put my feet up....

 

[Tracey]

Just found this on the James Wellbeloved website:

To prevent hyperactivity in your dog
Many owners who feed James Wellbeloved foods tell us that their dogs' hyperactivity problems have dramatically reduced since they switched to our food. We believe this is because our foods have moderate fat and protein levels, often significantly lower than those found in high-protein, high-fat American brands. Plus our foods have no added colours, no added flavours and no added preservatives - all of which are believed to contribute to hyperactive behaviour in dogs.

It looks like I might be changing Scooby's food! He is very excitable and is always jumping up at people and using his claws as hooks! He even knocked over a toddler outside our gate the other day - I was so embarrased but luckily the mother was okay about it :?

 

[colette]

My god Tracey!

That sounds just like Milo. He knocked down two two year old twins on the old food. I was major embarrassed too but the mum was like 'don't worry!!'

JWB is well expensive though but for me to have Milo as he is, it's worth every penny.

I was reading earlier on the forum and the guys were talking about another food that is similar but it's cheaper. I can't remember the name but it begins with an A. I'll find out.....

But for me, I'm sticking with JWB!

 

[colette]

Yeah it's called Autarky and seems to be recommended by a few of the guys here.

 

[shelley]

Hi there

The food you're talking about is Autarky. I dont know much about it but there are quite a few mentions of it in the posts.

In fact after reading about it, and your posts im just beginning to wonder whether changing food might help with our Holly. She is currently on Pedigree Puppy, which my vet when i asked her was quite happy with. However ive read on here some non complementary things about it.

Holly has some very hyper moments which i know all pups have and she is so young really that it is hard to say is this just puppyhood or not?? But im certanly wondering if a change of food wouldnt hurt.. although i dont want to keep changing as it might upset tum??? Im certainly interested in this Autarky too. OH decisions...decisions...

Any thoughts anyone

Shelley

 

[Tracey]

Thanks for that! It does seem expensive and along with my cats who I also need to change diets for tartar reasons then I think I should buy shares in their company!

 

[colette]

Hi Shelley

well Milo was on Skinners to begin with as the breeder started him on this but it was quite hard to get where I am as we had to order it in. Then we put him on Purina Beta and occassionally Milo got the runs and I don't think it agreed with him at all. Now he's on JWB.

SO 7 months old and 3 different foods! Hopefully - this is it!

 

[my4labs]

hi colette

Milo sounds exactly like my riva, she never seems to want to sit still always on the go, I m also having terrible problems putting weight on her too. I found the ideal food for her. Frest tripe straight from the arboitoirs, but cant get it any more due to licencing rules and regulations

Good luck with milo

 

[Karen_theArtist]

Autarky is cheaper because it is especially classed as a working dog food and is therefore VAT free , despite being 100% natural ingredients and almost identical in nutritional breakdown to JWB, although not as easy to obtain in the high street. As mentioned in detail on this post http://www.labradorforums.co.uk/ftopict-443.html#19780

Hope you do find something to de-hyper Holly, but some puppies are more hyper than others.

 

[trumansdad]

My 15 month old lab was exactly the same. A complete nutter!

We had him neutered about 6 weeks ago and we are just starting to notice a difference now, well worth doing in my opinion.

One thing that has helped more than anything is training. We attend the Dukeries gundog club training classes every Wednesday night. The people are fantastic and will show you how to channel your dogs energy in the right way. Even if your not going to work him its great exercise both physically & mentally.

On the subject of food, we used to feed him Autarky puppy. Truman loved it but it was giving him very loose stools so we switched to Chudleys Sensetive. Chudleys is also a working dog food so not subject to VAT. We pay about £16.00 for a 15KG bag. His stools are so firm now they bounce when they hit the ground!! Autarky is also very high in protein which probably isnt helping much.

My wife and I had very similar discussions to the ones you are having with your husband but that has all changed now. He is still exciteable, friendly and loopy at times but now I can control him (most of the time).

Give him another 6 months, he will be a different dog.