[Dakota_Dog]

Hi all,
My name is Penny and I am the 'grandma' of a 10 month black lab named Dakota. She is our son's dog; he's had her since she was 8 weeks old, but with a change in jobs and working 12 hours shifts, he just couldn't keep her. We contemplated finding her a new home, but we just couldn't do it. My husband and I have three older dogs, and we never thought we would have a 4th...it is proving to be a HUGE challenge, and I'm hoping that we can find some help here. I'm at my wits end.

 

[sabmgb]

What seems to be the problem. Labs can be a lot of work, but is worth every minute.

 

[Dakota_Dog]

What seems to be the problem. Labs can be a lot of work, but is worth every minute.

Thank you so much for responding. When we got her, she had to spend a lot of time in her kennel. My son's girlfriend of 4 years (at the time) up and just purchased her for him two days before she broke up with him. When she told him that she had got her for him, she promised that they would share the 'parenting'...then, 'poof' she up and left...and left Brayden with an 8-week old puppy. He works long shifts and while he hired someone to come and walk her and play, etc, he had very little time to spend with her. As you know, an untrained lab puppy grows up to be a 60 lb out of control puppy. When we got her, that is where we were. She knew 'sit' and 'stay', but had not be socialized to be around people much, nor around other dogs... did I mention that we have three other dogs? Samantha is a rescue of 17 years old, Peanut is a 12 year old jack Russell, and Benson is a 7 year old Jack mix that is a rescue. Both Sam and Peanut are females, and Peanut is the leader of the dog pack and it took her no time to let Dakota know this...Dakota leaves Peanut alone, leaves Samantha alone, but WILL NOT LEAVE my sweet Benson (male) alone. I don't think she is trying to pick a fight with him...she wants to play, but Benson on the other hand doesn't want to play and drew blood yesterday (got her on the lip), and Dakota just goes back for more. When I go to separate them, Dakota goes totally crazy and jumps at me, nips, etc. I'm at my wits end and do not know what to do. I've been spending HOURS with her.... exercising and training multiple times a day. I have been working on "look at me" while sitting, and "leave it" while staying. She is getting very good at it, but when she is overstimulated, it is a different story. I'm trying to be patient, but I have marks and bruises all over my arms, and I'm in tears at least one time a day. I can handle just about anything that she does except the instigating with Benson because she just gets absolutely crazy, like she can't control herself. HELP???

 

[sabmgb]

Boy you do have a problem. My Sam is only 4.5 months, but that doesn't help you. Labs are very energetic and need lots of release and love. Your pup has missed all the initial socializing a pup needs. Maybe taking him to a professional trainer, they could most likely break her of all these bad habits. Or maybe it time to take him to a shelter, it sounds as though you have done your part in adopting rescue dogs in the past. Neither of these options are good I realize, but I don't have anything else. I have only ever had pups from the beginning and spent lots of time and trained them myself and labs can be a really tough dog, if not over worked, in my opinion. All your other dogs are a lot older and most likely not in the mood play with him.

I just joined this web site as well and don't think it is used much anymore.

I wish you luck, a good lab is the best dog you can ever have.

 

[Suzie]

Hi all,
My name is Penny and I am the 'grandma' of a 10 month black lab named Dakota. She is our son's dog; he's had her since she was 8 weeks old, but with a change in jobs and working 12 hours shifts, he just couldn't keep her. We contemplated finding her a new home, but we just couldn't do it. My husband and I have three older dogs, and we never thought we would have a 4th...it is proving to be a HUGE challenge, and I'm hoping that we can find some help here. I'm at my wits end.

Hope you hung in there! I just became a member of this site and love our chocolate lab. But again had her since she was a puppy. They need lots of exercise for sure! Hope things worked out for you!