Chris_n_Riley

Thanks again for the advice guys. You're all lovely. I appreciate it so much. x

Hi guys, cheers for the responses! I really appreciate it. There's so much info there to digest, so I'll just ramble a little... Riley does have a trainer, she's a behavourist with an excellent reputation locally and she's been with us for six months now. She's been really helpful but readily admits that as she doesn't live with us 24/7 she can't fully assist with some of the things we describe as happening. He is a well behaved dog other than these spurts of biting which can be frustrating. He is desexed and we go on regular walks, at least four or five out of the seven week days. Ideally I'd like to take him every day, but I work two jobs and attend university so my time is limited. Every night we spend two hours with him as a family so he gets quality time with us each and every day. This time is usually spent doing treat-rewarded training, with a sit/stay program, a handful of tricks, and general obedience to keep him mentally stimulated. As for a crate, we do have one. He sleeps in it every night and it gets moved around the house on rainy days when he can't be outside. Riley hasn't progressed to being an inside dog yet because he's too destructive when he comes inside. Even if given a Kong, he's more content with running around the living room chewing and jumping on things! I live on the upper North Shore, btw. Nehkbet said: Aggression? Yup you bet. He's at the age where hormones are going to make him challenge authority and you guys are letting him walk all over you. Unfortunately what you see now is what happens when you dont nip things at the bud early We have been trying to address this issue since the third week we had Riley home. Perhaps as first-time dog owners we did not go down the right avenues? We contacted the breeders asking their advice, and they offered us a consultation at their facilities for $75. The most we got out of that was their dog trainer namedropping celebrities, telling us it was normal puppy behaviour to bite and then giving us a spray bottle for an additional $20 that was supposed to make your hands taste nasty. We used that for two weeks but it had absolutely no effect. After that we found our dog behaviourist who was incredibly generous with her time and knowledge. Unfortunately, it was hard to consolidate the right way to treat the problem when our behaviourist was suggesting ignoring it and/or trying to make him mentally tired, the breeders/trainers told us to say 'NO' firmly and it would stop, and others told us to smack the dog (clearly this was out of the question). As such we have tried anything and everything for a good six months. So please don't think that we have been lazy dog owners, because all three of us have been trying to do what's best for Riley and ourselves with regards to this issue. Thanks for the support guys, it's really appreciated! x

Thanks for the replies, guys. I actually bought Riley from Box Hill and they were very nice, but ran their training from the age of 6 months on. Riley was a bit of a terror from day one and I imagine I would have killed myself by now had we not started our own training! He can sit and stay and do other basic things, it's just this biting which is a nuisance. Would you still recommend the Box Hill training, labs26? I've heard some unpleasant things about their training methods. Lablover - Riley is indeed an outdoors dog! He's too destructive to be inside. My parents both work and I am busy with work and uni, but Riley gets a walk almost every day. We do have an obedience trainer / behaviourist, but she readily admits she doesn't have any other solutions other than what we've tried. She did recommend a Bach flower remedy which some people believe helps dogs immeasurably. I'm not sure it's aggression because he is a very friendly and excitable little boy. I think a lot of it is attention-based and Riley expressing his desire to play. Unfortunately it's just happening all the time and I know labrador puppy periods last 18 months - 2 years, but I wonder whether this is a) a bigger problem and/or b) can be treated before he reaches that age. x

Hello there! First off, let me say how wonderful it is to find a forum like this full of dedicated pet owners and breeders. It's also comforting to see that I'm not the only one having problems with my dog! Every time I go for a walk and see well behaved dogs in other people's yards, I always think 'did I get a broken one?' haha. So it's really good to be here. I'm a 19 year old guy from Sydney and I live with my parents. This year we bought our first dog (our first pet, in fact, for many many years) and he's a beautiful yellow labrador male called Riley. He does all the regular labrador behaviour that we all know and love - digging holes, pulling washing off the line! etc - but he's also a big biter. Since the day we brought him home, he's been very nippy and always bites no matter what you're doing with him. At first we thought it was just 'puppy biting' but our behaviourist has suggested it might be an aggression complex. She has given the number of a dog psychiatrist who charges $450 for the first consultation and whilst we're very grateful for her advice, we're just not in the sort of position where we can spend that much money. The biting is usually accompanied by jumping which he does a lot as well. For months he would do it to all three of us (and still does) but it seems I'm bearing the worst of it at the moment. For the past couple of months, every time I'm with him he'll jump up and bite whatever he can get to. Hands, butt, legs, knees, stomach. I'm starting to become very stressed about it because he bites hard and I can't go outside without him doing it. My father and I can do the exact same things with him, and he'll bite both of us, but as soon as Dad rouses on him he stops. I can't seem to do anything to stop him. I've tried everything that I've read or been advised - saying 'NO' sternly, asking Riley calmly to 'leave it', ignoring the behaviour. Unfortunately he's just relentless. I was just wonderful if anyone had any other advice? He's a lovely dog and we heart him to pieces, but I'm getting really frustrated and upset by this behaviour which seems to be targeting me at the moment. Is this normal 9-month-old labrador behaviour or is it something else? x