Untrained 2 year old - Help needed urgently please!

**Doggie_Mad** · 10-28-2011, 07:38 PM

Hi all,

So my Sister has a 2 year old chocolate Lab that her Husband insisted that they have from a puppy, he then lost interest and she is not trained and facing rehoming

I am trying to help as their 3 kids really love the dog and I feel that it's not her fault that she's untrained, I think she should stay so I'm going to do everything I can to get her trained however I have 2 Cocker Spaniels and have no experience with Labs.

Firstly she's not spayed, not house trained (as she is still weeing and pooing in th house) and pulls like mad on the lead.

The toilet training I thought may have been doen to seperation anxiety? But then again maybe just lack of training. My first Cocker would mess in the house every single time he was left and also chewed everything in sight, I stopped this by crate training him. But since their lab is 2 years old is it too late to crate train? They said they did try it but she messed in her crate, I think she was only in there for a week and they gave up.

The pulling badly on the lead I put down to not being walked on the lead enough, so naturally when she does et to go out shes far too over excited about it, hence the pulling?

Can anyone give me any ideas please?

She is left alone in the hosue with just the 2 cats for company from 9am-3pm, I am currently researching dog walkers on the area as I think it would be good to break her day up as she's obviously not coping Mon-Fri on her own.

Thanks

**Tanya** · 10-28-2011, 07:51 PM

are there any obedience classes nearby you can take? That is really your best option (short of an at home trainer). They will give you tips on how to train the dog.

house training - treat her like a puppy, take her out often, PRAISE HER (treats, toys, praise, whatever reward words) her when she goes outside. limit where she can go in the house at first and watch her like you would a puppy you are training.

NEVER too late to crate train. ANY foster that comes into my house goes in the crate, no ifs and or buts, and some are older than 2. Start by feeding her in the crate, door open. randomly throw in high value treats. I will be honest and say I don't generally have the luxury of time to get them "used" to a crate but if you do that is idea. Then I start closing the door. I try to get in short sessions at first (a few minutes in the crate while I run to put the garbage out). But again, sometimes I don't have the luxury and their first crate session is 4 hours. depending on the dog this is good or bad. Just go with what you have time for, but I ALWAYS throw in high value something in the crate with the dog - which means I often try to schedule their feeding to be when I crate them (throw the kibble in the crate, close the door and then leave) as well as a stuffed kong. I am anal about beds and toys as they can be harmful if chewed and swallowed. the black kong is the only thing I leave in there for most dogs.

get a training collar, either martingale or prong (but I suggest you see the trainer first). when she pulls "be a tree". there are lots of other posts on walking on leash with more tips. this is trainable.

Get her spayed.

What makes you think she is "not coping" being alone from 9-3?

EXERCISE!! what exercise is she getting? she is a young lab, she needs daily exercise, time to run run run. what is your current schedule?

**deidra** · 10-28-2011, 07:55 PM

1.if you can not keep her i would consider asking them about rehoming her or finding a rescue to take her in
2.She needs to be spayed so no unplanned pregnancy's can happen
3.With the house training it will be just like having a puppy in the house put an oversized puppy

So crate when you can't watch her i wouldtake her out atleast every 2 hrs.
4.it may be a little harder to crate train her but make sure she knows the crate is a good place(feed her in there,put toys in there ect..)
5. i would consider obed. classes for this girl. it will help build a bond with you and her. also it will help with ALOT of the problems like pulling on the leash. also she needs to be walked or ran everyday. if there is a closed in feild near by you or someone can take her to that will do a lot for her plus with a walk.

**BigBrownDog** · 10-28-2011, 08:08 PM

You are probably not going to like hearing this but - they sound like bad owners. Even if you invest the significant amount of time and energy (and expense) this dog will need you are not going to be her owner/live with her and she'll still have bad owners. I've been there and done that. I really regretted helping "friends" with a very nice Golden who I trained and who then had an unhappy life with bad owners.

I would vote to find a Lab rescue in the area who can foster her with someone who can get her trained and ready to be re-homed.

**Doggie_Mad** · 10-28-2011, 08:15 PM

I just thought she wasn't coping from 9-3 because she seems to be very destructive (I know that can be boredom) she's had the wooden floor uo and chewed through the plasterboard wall! She has calmed down with the chewing now but she'll have the odd controller thats been left out by mistake.

I don't plan to keep her at my house as much as I would love too, my youngest Cocker is only 10 months old and has only been with me 3 weeks so I'm still trying to train her myself. I feel it would be too much for me with 3 dogs in the house. Fortunately I only live round the corner from my Sisters house so I'm able to help out.

I'm definitely going to try to crate train her as I'm home all day I have the luxury of giving her time and one on one attention she needs to get her sorted. I don't know what she's like off the lead but I'm going to take her to the woods with my 2 Cockers tomorrow for a run and I'll see what her recall is like. I've told she doesn't come back but I'm hoping she'll follow my two around!

How big should the crate be? Big enough for her to lie down in or big enough to lie down and have a water bowl etc as well?

**Tanya** · 10-28-2011, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Doggie_Mad

I just thought she wasn't coping from 9-3 because she seems to be very destructive (I know that can be boredom) she's had the wooden floor uo and chewed through the plasterboard wall! She has calmed down with the chewing now but she'll have the odd controller thats been left out by mistake.

I don't plan to keep her at my house as much as I would love too, my youngest Cocker is only 10 months old and has only been with me 3 weeks so I'm still trying to train her myself. I feel it would be too much for me with 3 dogs in the house. Fortunately I only live round the corner from my Sisters house so I'm able to help out.

I'm definitely going to try to crate train her as I'm home all day I have the luxury of giving her time and one on one attention she needs to get her sorted. I don't know what she's like off the lead but I'm going to take her to the woods with my 2 Cockers tomorrow for a run and I'll see what her recall is like. I've told she doesn't come back but I'm hoping she'll follow my two around!

How big should the crate be? Big enough for her to lie down in or big enough to lie down and have a water bowl etc as well?

Ok wow, I didn,t even consider that you were not living with the dog.

I am sorry but if the dog is not living with the person training and caring for them it isn't going to work. If the parents are not committed to training (and upkeep of the training) and exercising the dog it simple isn't in the best interest of the dog of delaying things - please rehome her (contact rescues).

I would not be leaving this dog off leash in an unfenced area without first training her - too many things can happen - test the recall in a FENCED AND SAFE area. Recalls are TRAINED, they are not just "a given". Please do not rely on her following your two.

Again, unless you are willing to take this dog to training classes, and keep up the training, and to exercise her daily, this isn't going to work. And even at that, the dog is still living with two adults who are not training and caring for her (other than food and water I would guess). YOu mean well but I simply cannot see how this can work.

**Tanya** · 10-28-2011, 08:20 PM

if a dog is spending 6+ hours daily in their crate I like as big as I have room for. I prefer for them to have extra space. I want them to be able to stretch their legs (when laying down) and stand tall. I personally do not leave water in a dog's crate.

**Doggie_Mad** · 10-28-2011, 08:23 PM

I will have her here before I see her rehomed I absolutely will not see it happen. That is a fair comment but they're not friends they are family and although my Sister is as I said not a doggy person she is trying to take over where her Husband left off. The kids are great with her and I have explained to them that she needs walking and they've shown willingness to do this, all 3 of them go out together and walk the dog so I think that's a really good start.

**Tanya** · 10-28-2011, 08:31 PM

she needs more than walking, she is a young lab! she needs an hour of run and play daily! and daily training. you cannot do this without their buy in.

**Doggie_Mad** · 10-28-2011, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Tanya

Ok wow, I didn,t even consider that you were not living with the dog.

I am sorry but if the dog is not living with the person training and caring for them it isn't going to work. If the parents are not committed to training (and upkeep of the training) and exercising the dog it simple isn't in the best interest of the dog of delaying things - please rehome her (contact rescues).

I would not be leaving this dog off leash in an unfenced area without first training her - too many things can happen - test the recall in a FENCED AND SAFE area. Recalls are TRAINED, they are not just "a given". Please do not rely on her following your two.

Again, unless you are willing to take this dog to training classes, and keep up the training, and to exercise her daily, this isn't going to work. And even at that, the dog is still living with two adults who are not training and caring for her (other than food and water I would guess). YOu mean well but I simply cannot see how this can work.

I understand what you're saying, I have given thought to her coming her permanantly and it's not completely out of the question yet. She gets on famously with my oldest Cocker they're the ame age and have grown up around each other but I have yet to introduce my new puppy Holly to her. Holly is a very dainty tiny 10 month old cocker and I am slightly worried that Bella (the lab) may be too boisterous with her but of course I'll be supervising so they won't be left alone. Having said that Holly plays very rough with Benson so I'm hoping she'll think nothing of Bella being around.

I am home all day so it woukd be a very nice environment for Bella, I would need to crate train her ASAP as I do pop out occassionally and wouldn't like to leave her untrained in my rented house even if my landlord is fine about me having dogs!