7 Month Old Black Labrador - Will He Ever Be Normal?

[NewKid]

You do look back and say to yourself.... "How did I ever cope" but then those big brown eyes look up at you and you automatically know how you coped.

Kimmie

I hope you are right about that...I'm a bit depressed right now because he's had a few days of serious obedience training, plenty of walks etc. I even built him a custom sand/dirt pit today, then he burrowed his way back into the garden tonight - damage extensive & tolerance strained to breaking point. No digging this time, just a general destruction trail! He seems to home in on the pot plants that I can't replace. :rolleyes:

We are going to build a more robust fence - basically a dog run, and keep him in lock down when he is not supervised. It's a shame but I don't know how else to proceed.

BTW, the yard was fertilised about 8 months ago with chook poo and cow manure - I don't know how long it stays smelling yummy though?

[Joan of Arc]

We have 4 Labs: One 3.8yo male, one 2 yo bitch and two of her babies at 16 weeks. Destruction was the main form of entertainment when we had the entire litter of 8 rampaging around teh back yard but not now.

All the suggestions you have already recieved actually work

Save your garden - electric fence

Stop digging - pepper in holes if dog returns to a hole

Boredom - Fill a Kong with meat and stuff the ends with cheese or peanut butter, give this to the pup as you are leaving home and he will busy licking and chewing while you are out.

Boredom - The plactic milk bottle or empty Coke bottle - cut a couple of little holes in the sides, put a small amount of biscuits in it and he will amuse himself getting the biscuits out - you might have to show him how to use it at first.

Make sure he has an area where he can retire too - his own fenced off section with his kennel and when it is quite time he should be put in his own area - labs sleep heaps and if you put him in his area and give him his Kong before you go out he is contained and entertained.

make sure you buy the correct size Kong.

Take heart there is light at the end of the tunnel. I couldn't possibly lie to you adn say he'll grow out of it next week because he wont but by the time he is 12mths he will have improved and at 3 you'll wonder what happened to that destructo puppy.

By 3 -4 you will have teh most loving and faithfull lifelong companion you could wish for.

[ellz]

Define normal. What you're describing sounds perfectly normal to me for many breeds! :D

My dearly departed old Reginald StafFORD was a mass destruction expert. I'm just glad he went across the Bridge before one of the terrorist groups heard about his talents or he could have been in great demand.

He went from juvenile to senile with no obvious transition and was still wrecking things at the age of 9!

[Dogsfevr]

If he was mine i would be buying a crate & crate training & thats where he sleeps each night.His night activities are fun,exciting & peeve you off & like any normal person you most likely tell the dog off in the morning & the dog thinks thats great fun.

I think what people need to remember is just because a dog gets lots of stimulus doesnt mean its respects its position in the house.

Labs can be ferals & the more access the dog has to do these things when not supervised the more it becomes a mission.

I do believe having a run set up is a goo dthing because its provides the dog with a safe area & safe things to play with