Duchess is a 13 month yellow Lab, had her since 8 weeks. Hard dog, but we’ve done ground work and she is doing ok on obedience skills. She is kind, never growls and anyone in our family (five kids) can take her food or toys with no aggression of any kind. Two major problems.

Going ballistic: The problem started at about 9 months, during walks and play time (fetch) she started going ballistic, putting her tail between her legs and running as fast as she could. It lasts for a few minutes then she is back to normal. Nothing specific would set her off, it would just happen. Now, even half-way through a calm walk (on leash) she will go ballistic and run in circles at leash end. I can only walk her with a prong collar in order to settle her down when this happens and it still takes some doing. Some walks go well but I just never know. We cannot figure out the cause. We cannot let her off leash outside or inside anymore. She’s either on leash or in her crate. She’s great getting in and out of her crate, happy, excited to go on a walk, rambunctious but good natured except when some kind of switch kicks in.

Lunging, jumping up and biting: At first, I thought she was just being playful and would correct her. Tail would be wagging and no growling or barking and ears back. She’ll be fine yet something triggers this in a second (Jekyll and Hyde). My son, 13, has taken on the training and done well for how dominant she is. Last few months she has been lunging, jumping up and last week, bit him during a walk. She barely broke the skin but it was enough so that I will not let him walk her on his own. He had to wrestle her to the ground to get her to stop. Still not growling, but acting crazy. She has done this to my wife too, biting, latching onto her arm but not breaking the skin (still tail wagging, ears back and no growling), now I’m the only one that can handle her and stop her from lunging. She has not bitten me, but has tried. She was very mouthy (but gentle) as a puppy, but have dealt with this.

Any input would help!
Thanks, Jeff

#1

How much exercise and training does the dog get per day? (I mean structured -- not just loose in a yard.)

#2

What kind of training do you do?

What exactly do you mean by "hard" and by "dominant"? (Always better to have the same terminology.")

Also, "kind" is a non-dog description, so what does that refer to?


And, welcome to the board!

She is still a pup, and a lab, which means she is really still a pup. Can you maybe play fetch with her for a while before she goes on a walk to get some of the super charged energy out.

One of my dogs does the same thing as yours tucking his tail under his butt and sort of tucking his hind quarters down and running around in circles and talking and basically runnning around like an idiot for anywhere from 30 seconds to a full couple of minutes.

 Quote: jeff bowen

She is kind, never growls and anyone in our family (five kids) can take her food or toys with no aggression of any kind. Two major problems.

I am a bit confused as to why you allow five children and other random people to take food and toys away from a dog you call "dominant" and have "aggression" problems with. I don't recommend messing with dogs as a general rule, whether they are naturally calm and easy going or not. As a precaution, I would stop allowing your children to take food or toys from your dog.

 Quote: jeff bowen

We cannot let her off leash outside or inside anymore. She’s either on leash or in her crate.

Sounds like a dog with a lot of energy and no outlet for that energy. Every dog I have ever owned has done as you described, it's just a moment of joyful doggyness. Do you have a fenced area to exercise her?

 Quote: jeff bowen

My son, 13, has taken on the training and done well for how dominant she is ..... He had to wrestle her to the ground to get her to stop.

How is she dominant? What does she do that says "dominant" to you? Generally speaking, dominant dogs do not allow people to take food and toys and such without so much as a grumble.

What kind of human - dog play time does she get? Has playtime in the past been physical, wrestling, etc?

What methods did you use to "Deal with" the behaviors in the past, when she was a puppy?

How do you have the prong collar fit on her? I have seen prong collars that are not fit properly and have little effect on a dog with a thicker ruff like a lab. Is the collar way down low on the base of the neck? Does it tend to twist when you give a correction? Do you correct in a sideways manner or up, or back?

Does she have chewies/safe items to chew on, and do you play tug games with her?

If you play tug games, perhaps in her foundation of tugging she learned that sleeves/arms/body parts and humans are far more fun than the toys.

Sounds like a typical young dog with a lot of energy and a lack of proper outlet for that energy.

First, thanks so much for your responses, and Happy New Year! I have had great success today following the input from each of you.

She gets 2 walks a day about half hour each. 3-4 training sessions a day of about 10 minutes each. We don't have a fenced yard so all exercise is with me on walks and playtime. She needs more, so I am giving it to her.

After making some mistakes early on, we are following Basic Dog Obedience DVD from Ed. We now have plenty of chew toys. After she chewed up the couches, she is only out of her crate on a leash.

Jennifer M., you are either psychic or you really know dogs, we played tug early on would allow her to play more aggressively than we should have. We have corrected that (in us). When she would nip and bite, we use to grab her snout and say "no" then give her a chew toy and praise her for taking it.

Sorry for conflicting/confusing some term, I'm new to training as well as this forum. I guess it shows!
"Kind" refers to the fact that she is good natured, not aggressive toward people or the kids, does not growl or act in a threatening manor.

By "hard" I mean she requires a level 7-8 correction. I only correct on things she knows but will still refuse. Especially when distracted.

By "dominant" I mean she will pull really hard on leash while walking, jump up, zoom through doors before us, etc. Not so much with me, I have taken over training from my son (13) and things are going much better.

After your advice I am fitting the prong collar correctly (stupid me). Walks are 100% easier!

I have never let the kids bother her food or toys (but we can), just using that as an example of how she has never showed agression toward any of us.

She is also never loose to have access to the kids, only under my supervision and on a lead.

Jennfer L., It is really helpful to know that other dogs do the "crazy butt run". Took your advice and played fetch before walk and it really helped on our afternoon walk today.

She was still lunging, jumping up and trying to bite, but the combination of having the prong collar fit correctly and her already having exercise made it very easy to control her and she calmed right down.

I think you are right, Jen M., just a very excited, playful puppy. Thanks again!

Jeff, glad we could be of some help!

The behaviors you descrieb don't sound like dominance issues to me, just sounds like a young dog with too much energy. I've mt plenty a lab with too much energy for the average family!

The way it sounds like you dealt with the nipping.. almost seems like she has been rewarded for biting/nipping/mouthing. I would keep a leash or a drag line or pull tab on her in the house, play more fetch games if you are able to, so you can drain some energy from her.

When she becomes mouthy tell her "No" firmly and if you need it give a physical correction, but watch the prong collar usage as even non aggressive dogs can get amped up a little by a prong collar correction that is too light, it can seem to encourage play, while too hard of a correction will shut the dog down and is unfair. If you redirect her, wait until she is calm. Do not just immediately shove a chewy in her mouth as you are basically telling her that when she puts her mouth on a human, she gets something tasty. Dogs are remarkably intelligent sometimes and can put 2 and 2 together more than we would like them too.

I don't know that she is necessarily "hard," just that the prong was not fitted high or tight enough to get through the extra skin and fur a lot of labs can have on the ruff of the neck.

Good luck!

My GSD puppy does the "crazy butt run" too. He usually starts it when he's out in the yard and I try to stop him from eating my flowers or digging a hole.