Happy to report he is much better this morning and turned back into a bouncy, and somewhat mischevious pup.
, but I guess you will find an alternative defrosting spot now
. If there is food aggression with his bowl another tactic is to walk up while he is feeding and once he accepts your hand in the vicinity drop a more tasty treat into the bowl. We have electronic feeders for the cats (Petsure IIRC) which are activated by their microchip. If you only have one cat you could just leave the food where the dog can't reach it. We also use litter trays that are dog proof as that was a source of irresistable snacks for our lab.
). My calves are covered in scrtach marks at the moment, I'm getting over an injury and still find it easier to wear shorts.
Final thoughts: I saw mention of harnesses and head halters. No idea if this is a problem for you by your lab is going to be a big lad capable of pulling people over. IMO he needs to learn to walk nicely on a regular lead - period! There are plenty of resources available on-line for how to achieve this and if you still struggle talk to your trainer. They are eager to learn and willing to please and getting it right is well worth the effort and patience.
That may not be food aggression. They also do that with toys, sticks etc. Redirection will work (offer something more appropriate and reward when he accepts it). Although finding a better reward than raw meat is trickyNot snapping, maybe a slight snarl. He stole some defrosting meat from the side, ran off and would not "leave it".
He can stay away from the cat's food when being watched/ warned but if he gets to it before we see him he won't stop until he's had it or we pull him away. This is in the kitchen where he's not allowed but we sometimes forget to close the door, other times (when unsupervised) he has banged into the door until it pops open.
He is fine when being given food, he sits and stays until we say yes. It's the illicit gains that are the issue, once he's got it he won't give it up!
![rofl :rofl: :rofl:](/images/smilies/ipb/rofl.gif)
If he's gaining too much weight feed a bit less. Every vet I ever met recommends RC so I'm not going to argue with them. Labs are opportunistic feeders. If there is food available they will eat it, but they won't complain if you reduce portion sizes. I'm not a fan of restricting food for puppies or kittens but labs will usually keep eating far more than they need. I'm actually finding this a bit weird with the shepherd after my last two dogs were labs. When he has had enough he just switches off and walks away. The vet actually suggested he is slightly underweight, which is one of the reasons I am going for food with a higher calorific value and protein content.Which brand are you using now?
We transitioned Charlie onto Royal Canin which we thought had worked well - but the vet said he'd gained weight a little too quickly. The issue might be that the instructions on the pack jump from 2 months to 6 months leaving it vague inbetween, and this brand doesn't correlate to a dog of his (potential) size. Anyway, we've added in a third daily walk for now to try and keep him on track as he grows.
One of the reasons why the puppy classes are so important. Sounds like you are already doing the right things. Something to consider: I have already booked Siri in for play days with 2 local dog carers as soon as he is vaccinated. I know and trust them both (they are also vet nurses) - he will get far more interaction in a single day that way than I can provide, as well as get used to the fact that he needs to listen to other people too.But completely ignores any command while we are out socialising. He is just beside himself with joy and excitement to meet new people and dogs, all the manners get forgotten.
My first response is to turn my back and pretend I'm a tree. As @AdoraBelle Dearheart says they really are like having a baby (yes I had forgotton just how muchWe are having to work really hard at stopping him jumping and biting clothes. I actually thought Gary was exaggerating about the kefflar suits but with an ever increasing pile of clothes in tatters I see he was completely serious!!
Final thoughts: I saw mention of harnesses and head halters. No idea if this is a problem for you by your lab is going to be a big lad capable of pulling people over. IMO he needs to learn to walk nicely on a regular lead - period! There are plenty of resources available on-line for how to achieve this and if you still struggle talk to your trainer. They are eager to learn and willing to please and getting it right is well worth the effort and patience.