[Chelsea Martin]

My husband and I got a chocolate lab about 6 months ago.

We walk him 1-2 times a day, depending on the Florida heat, up to 2 miles a day. He goes in our fenced in backyard 3-4 times a day (now that my husband works from home) up to 45 minutes a day for playtime, and gets more than enough structured play time with toys that are enrichment based.

Any advice for first time lab owners? We've had dogs before but we've never owned a lab, especially one like this! He's such a hyper dog, and we're not sure we're doing things right for him (exercising, care, etc.)

He almost acts like he gets NO EXERCISE sometimes. Is this normal? Do labs grow out of this puppy phase? Thank you!

 

[Dukesdad]

Good news he's just a puppy. Bad news he will stay a puppy for lt least three more years. Then he will be just goofy. Perhaps he is getting too much excecise for your life style. Labs will adjust to you, eventually.
Has he been trained? Labs must be trained or they will train you.

 

[catrina3574]

My husband and I got a chocolate lab about 6 months ago.

We walk him 1-2 times a day, depending on the Florida heat, up to 2 miles a day. He goes in our fenced in backyard 3-4 times a day (now that my husband works from home) up to 45 minutes a day for playtime, and gets more than enough structured play time with toys that are enrichment based.

Any advice for first time lab owners? We've had dogs before but we've never owned a lab, especially one like this! He's such a hyper dog, and we're not sure we're doing things right for him (exercising, care, etc.)

He almost acts like he gets NO EXERCISE sometimes. Is this normal? Do labs grow out of this puppy phase? Thank you!

Consider a good day care, even if just for half days. Time spent wrestling and chasing with other dogs will do him a world of good. My three adult labs (4, 5, and 12) get all that your puppy is getting, plus an hour long run through the woods almost every day. But for the first year, we got them to day care quite a lot. That intense play with other dogs burns off a lot of energy, and helps them learn manners with other dogs, too.

 

[LiziWai]

Sounds just like a normal Lab's activity level as they enter this adolescent phase (6-18months). They have energy to burn, can be very mischievous & busy if left to their own devices for any length of time. They need a lot of mental & physical stimulation to be satiated.

They are a working breed and are very intelligent so as such are intended to have the stamina and energy required to work a full day and the intelligence to work in partnership or independently depending on the job so this can result in a dog with seemingly endless energy, even at this young age.

I’ve found providing mental stimulation is even more important as the physical activity is in their first year. Because their skeletal structure and soft tissues is still forming and developing in their first year it’s vital not to over-exercise them, particularly with long or intensive exercise sessions.
The approach I have used with all my Labs and that I've found helps to keep them satisfied and settled is to put a great deal of structured daily effort into training. By starting with short but regular training sessions across each day I begin with the training basics as soon as they are brought home at 8 weeks old. They are little sponges and by increasing the challenge and skill level of the training & commands, in line with their developmental level helps hugely to keep them satisfied and satiate. It keeps them mentally stimulated, helps them learn to focus and increases their concentration, strengthens their bond with you and on the whole helps create a well-rounded, contented, well mannered adult Lab.
This, in addition to incrementally and gradually increasing their physical activity, goes a long way to having a calmer adolescent Lab....having said that they are still teenagers so that energy & goofiness will always remain to a certain extent!

 

[JoP1996]

My husband and I got a chocolate lab about 6 months ago.

We walk him 1-2 times a day, depending on the Florida heat, up to 2 miles a day. He goes in our fenced in backyard 3-4 times a day (now that my husband works from home) up to 45 minutes a day for playtime, and gets more than enough structured play time with toys that are enrichment based.

Any advice for first time lab owners? We've had dogs before but we've never owned a lab, especially one like this! He's such a hyper dog, and we're not sure we're doing things right for him (exercising, care, etc.)

He almost acts like he gets NO EXERCISE sometimes. Is this normal? Do labs grow out of this puppy phase? Thank you!

Labs don't get their full "brains" until they're 2 years old (LOL). They can be pretty rowdy. Is she alone during the day? Maybe doggy daycare?