My Crazy Dog

Labrador Problems: Territorial Invasions

The Labrador retriever is essentially a creature that does not suffer from any specific behavioral problems, though as with all breeds there are always certain animals that will show some abnormalities including those related to their health and also behavior. Sometimes, these rather large animals will have problems related to their size including being too aggressive and often diagnosing the exact nature of such Labrador problems can be both confusing as well as difficult. Another common Labrador problem is that of chasing cats and smaller dogs, and this is an instinctive problem that should be addressed through providing adequate Labrador training to your pet at an early stage in his life.

To overcome such problems you may want to check out an expert behaviorist who can suggest possible methods to solve the problem, though if you choose to train your pet on your own be prepared to spend a lot of time in the training him and also exercise patience as well as be determined to teach your pet how he must behave in an appropriate and acceptable manner.
There are certain Labradors that can prove to be a handful and these pets will not easily learn to behave properly unless sent to a behaviorist. This and other Labrador problems such as having a pet that always seems to be dreaming can be reason for you to become worried, though in reality these can be overcome through proper Labrador training. A typical Labrador problem that many pet owners will have to deal with has to do with a pet that chews up everything he can sink his teeth into. Such a problem can arise when the Labrador is too energetic and it also occurs when having someone or something invade his territory frustrates the Labrador.

To overcome these Labrador problems, it would pay to talk to a veterinary behaviorist or provide strict Labrador training and also ensuring that you spend a lot of time with your dog in helping him release his energy in a more productive manner.
Typical of Labrador problems is that of chasing cats and since this is more of an instinctive driven behavioral problem it can best be changed through giving your pet proper Labrador training which may require spending a lot of time and being patient so that he is taught how to stop this instinctive reaction on his part. Another common behavioral problem that your Labrador can show is that of becoming destructive and this in turn is generally due to his becoming anxious about something. Because dogs have advanced hearing capabilities, they can become aware of things even before humans get wind of these things and thus your Labrador may behave in a manner that is incomprehensible to human beings and so, this is another common Labrador problem that pet owners will have to contend with.

It is also always possible to condition your Labrador to not become skittish when he hears various kinds of sounds and a simple Labrador training step you can use is to play recordings of certain sounds at low volumes and then increasing the volume gradually to make your Labrador get accustomed to these sounds. In fact, this is an especially useful way to becalm your Labrador who could otherwise become so nervous that you may even be forced into giving him anti-anxiety medicines to overcome his fears.

Labrador problems are generally not a major concern for pet owners and with timely Labrador training you can easily ensure that your pet behaves in an appropriate manner at all times. Besides consulting dog training books you could also read this article to learn more about common Labrador problems.

Important Tips For Labrador Training

Labrador training starts early, at twelve weeks your dog should already be learning simple things like how to associate with people, other dogs and getting into a car. Labradors are loving dogs and don’t do well with harsh training. The best way to go about Labrador training is to use lots of praise and positive reinforcement. The earlier you start the easier your job will be.

The longer you leave training the longer you are allowing bad behavior to set in and remain a habit. One of the first things you can teach a puppy is how to answer to its name or to calls. This is a very basic command but it’s an important one. Without it you will have unruly dogs that will not obey you. Make training fun and keep it short but consistent. Repeat training every day and this is the best way to make progress.
Practice the same commands everyday with your dog and make sure to have plenty of rewards with you. As Labradors are very loving dogs it’s important to keep up the praise and constant patting every time something is done right. Teaching your dog to walk to heel is important, as Labrador training should work to break the bad habit of straining on the lead. Labradors are very enthusiastic and it can be tough to stop them straining ahead of you to check out everything.

Find a quiet place to start your walking at heel Labrador training. This minimizes distractions and will make training go a lot smoother. Put the lead on and keep it close to you, don’t let the lead out too much. You should make sure that you start walking ahead of your dog. Either pull the dog back when it goes past you or walk faster so it is harder to keep up. Repeat heel the whole time and walk in zigzags and figure of eights to make it interesting.
How do you feel about a full-grown Labrador sharing your bed? Remember that Labradors shed quite a bit. If this is not an inviting prospect then don’t let your puppy sleep with you. This will only encourage your dog to sleep on your bed and cause all sorts of problems once it’s too old to be doing that. Avoiding Labrador problem behaviors means anticipating what your dog will be like, as it grows older. Keep this in mind as you decide what your dog can and cannot do in your home.

If you would not be pleased with your dog breaking the rules then don’t break the rules yourself. Allowing one thing one day and then not allowing it another will confuse your dog. It will not know how to behave or what it should do. Dogs love routine and you can provide that by being consistent and doing the same things at the same time. Remember these basics when you start Labrador training.

Once you are clear and firm, Labrador training is easy. This article summarizes dog training books in an easy to read article.

All About Labrador Potty Training

There are few things cuter than a new Labrador retriever puppy, but that little dog quickly loses his cuteness factor when he is brought home with you and promptly makes a mess on your beautiful living room carpet. Unless you want to spend the rest of your dog’s life cleaning up these not so pleasant messes, you will want to get savvy to the finer points of Labrador potty training as quickly as possible. The good news is that there is some fairly simple techniques that will get you on the road to a housebroken dog that will leave your living room carpet for other things besides bathroom duty.

Labrador potty training will first consist of teaching your pup the appropriate place to potty. This might mean your backyard or a papered corner in the bathroom, depending on your needs and lifestyle. Once your dog has mastered where to go, he can begin to let you know that he needs to potty by barking at you, whining at the back door or simply heading to his appointed spot.
Labrador potty training often involves the use of a crate. Whenever you cannot watch your pup carefully, you can put him in his crate. Since dogs will generally not potty in the area that they eat and sleep, the likelihood is that your puppy will wait until he gets out of his crate to go outside. This will teach him how to hold it long enough to get to his potty spot, which is a good first step in learning to potty in the right place.

Keep in mind that just because your puppy won’t want to eliminate in his crate, that doesn’t mean that he can refrain wait for long periods of time. It will be well into his first year before this little pup will be able to make it as long as eight hours without heading outdoors. This means that you will need to be cognizant of how much time he spends in his crate so you can give him potty breaks as necessary.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your puppy will have the occasional accident. If you catch your dog in the act of going potty on your carpet, offer a firm no and immediately take your pup outside to finish his business. If you find the accident after the fact, it does no good to scold your dog at this point, because he doesn’t remember the act once it’s finished. Simply clean up the spot quickly and thoroughly so your dog can’t remember the location by the smell.

For some dogs, Labrador potty training will take a couple of weeks and the process is complete. For others, the entire process may take quite a bit longer before the dog is completely accident free. Patience and persistence on the part of the owner is always the key, whether your dog catches on immediately or more slowly. No matter how long it takes your puppy to get the hang of Labrador potty training, rest assured that you and your dog will eventually find success.

It is important to arm yourself with plenty of information about the most effective methods of Labrador training, including housebreaking, before you ever bring your puppy home from the breeder. It is very helpful to collect information in articles like this one and in dog training books that will set you on the right path to effectively training your Labrador retriever.

Labrador Obedience Training For The New Dog Owner

If you are looking for the perfect pet for your family, a Labrador retriever just might fit the bill. There are many reasons why this breed has constantly topped lists of the most popular family dog, including their friendliness, playfulness and loyalty to their families. However, Labs that come home from the breeder as cute bundles of fur will quickly grow into dogs that can weigh more than sixty pounds.

If you don’t begin Labrador obedience training early on that big, boisterous pet may be running the show in your household before you know it! This is why it is so important to teach your Lab to respect you and the other members of your household from the first day that he sets his paw into your home. A dog that understands who is in charge will be much more likely to obey the rules of the house and follow your commands. There are a number of methods that you can use to begin Labrador obedience training from day one with your pet, and many will help to instill respect and a willingness to follow your lead.
One of the first steps in effective Labrador obedience training is consistency. Just like small children, a dog needs to know that the rules are the same all the time, and that if he doesn’t follow them, he will get a scolding from you. This means that if you want your Lab to stay off of your bed, you can’t allow him to jump up even once. Any exceptions to the rule will quickly be picked up on by this intelligent creature, and he will continue to push you to the point of exasperation if he thinks his efforts might be successful.

While you are busy enforcing those rules, keep in mind that positive Labrador obedience training that incorporates plenty of praise and rewards will generally be much more effective than sessions that utilize punishment as a form of motivation. Because these dogs are very eager to please their masters, praise will work very well to get these dogs to obey your commands.
Labrador obedience training with a very young dog should be limited to just a few minutes, and should include lots of praise and rewards. When your dog is first learning a command, keep distractions to an absolute minimum to ensure that you have your puppy’s full attention. As your dog begins to be comfortable with a particular instruction, include some distraction to the training session, like tossing treats around him or bouncing a ball as you give the command. This will help to ensure that your dog will obey you in any circumstance, no matter what distractions might be lurking about. Good beginning commands will include sit, fetch and stay, but lie and come should be close behind those. In the beginning Labrador obedience training sessions, make sure to reward your dog even if he sits for only a second or two. As you progress, you can require that he sits for longer periods or stays put even when you walk away or turn your back to him. These training sessions will pay off with a dog that is well behaved and a pleasant addition to your family.

Labrador training is not particularly difficult, but it does take plenty of time and effort on the part of the owner, beginning with learning the best techniques for training Labs. Fortunately for the new dog owner, there are many good Dog training books and articles like this available so you and your Labrador retriever can start off on the right foot.

Suggestions For Training A Labrador Puppy

The Labrador is a very well known and well-liked dog breed. This dog was originally bred in Britain to be a hunting dog, and as such still has the coat and webbed feet for fetching back waterfowl. The Labrador is a people oriented animal; they like to be with their family all the time.

Training your Labrador puppy can take some time and effort, but having a well-trained pet is worth it.

Some Important Steps
When training your Labrador puppy, keep in mind that this is still a baby. There will be accidents and they will chew things up. It is up to you as the owner to teach the Labrador puppy acceptable types of behavior.

Training a Labrador puppy should involve the process of house training your puppy. This step might include training the puppy with a crate. As Labradors love to be with their family, they may become a little insecure when you’re not around. An insecure Labrador is just looking to chew things up to display its’ unhappiness. A crate not only confines the dog, but gives them a feeling of security. The crate is in essence the Labradors own “room”, a safe place.

When in the crate, the Labrador will be unlikely to have accidents. Dogs do not like to mess up the area where they sleep. By taking the Labrador outside immediately before and after they are in the crate, you will create a pattern the puppy will soon adjust too. When not in the crate, paying close attention to your Labrador puppy can assist in the house training process. If the puppy seems ready to go, take them outdoors immediately. Praise the puppy constantly for good potty behavior. Being consistent with toilet training will be a great help when training a Labrador puppy.
For more advice on house training your puppy check out these articles.
how to crate train a dog
House training puppies
puppy potty training

Training your Labrador puppy must when they are small, but no one would like a fully grown Labrador jumping on them. When the puppy jumps up on you, gently put them back down on the floor and say firmly, “No”. This process may require to be repeated many times, as a Labrador is full of energy and so pleased to see their family members.

Make sure when training your Labrador puppy that they learn to socialize properly. Expose them to people, kids and other dogs. A socialized, well-trained dog will be happy and healthy.

Training a Labrador puppy to be a well adjusted and well behaved dog will make both of your lives much more pleasant. The Labrador wants to please you, so ensure they understand what behaviors are acceptable and what aren’t.