I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

when my kids are playing rough and my dog jumps ups and nips my daughters in the arm and does'nt draw blood or anything like that but he also likes to tear up my couch and he loves to run away I NEED HELP

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

If the kids are playing rough, what do you expect the dog to do. You may want to teach the kids not to play so rough with the dog. Does the dog get walked every day for at least 1 hour? He is more than likely bored and needs to be exercised.

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

A dog like that should NEVER be played rough with-it is never ok for their mouth to open and put any part of a person in it. He need obedience training with the family.

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

all this lab German breed need training from a young age

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

There's a lot of training advice you need here. I'd say you would best benefit from getting some obedience training with your dog. It will help your dog to be better manners and a trainer who specializes in behavioral issues can help you address some of your specific needs.

A dog the age of yours will likely need to be untrained for certain behaviors that it has taken on and were not addressed with proper training in the first couple of years. It will take time, patience and persistence to train your dog, but you will be very grateful you did.

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

Yes, you do. First things first, you MUST establish yourself as alpha to him. Undesired behavior will absolutely not be tolerated. Go to your local library, and get at least 6 books on dog training, go home and actually sit down and read them until you understand. Owning a pet is a lot of hard work, and you've definetly got your work cut out for you to get this dog under control.

If you feel as though you need a more hands on approach, contact a dog trainer or a behaviorial expert.

Persistance and consistance are the keys to training a dog.

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

This is a working breed. You have to make sure that it's needs are met so that it doesn't try to do things to entertain itself, as dogs will do.

1. supervise play and NO ROUGH play between dog and children should be allowed

2. house management might need to be thought thru to limit destructive boredom behavior

3. recall is a critical behavior - make sure that you don't "poison" the command by using it and then following it with punishment. The dog will quickly learn that that command "here", "come" isn't safe and that running away is more reinforcing then coming back to you.

You might want a private trainer to come out and help you get on the right foot.

SF/SPCA Library: http://www.sfspca.org/behavior/dog_libra...

SF/SPCA referral:

http://www.sfspca.org/academy/referral.s...

Animal Behavior Associates articles

http://www.animalbehaviorassociates.com/...

Education for Child Safety around Dogs

www.doggonesafe.com

http://www.kidsanddogs.org/

Good luck

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

I had similar issues with our Weimaraner puppy - she liked to chew on furniture, jump all the time, and treat my 6 year-old as a litter mate. We tried to resolve the issue ourselves and were able to see progress in some areas, like the furniture chewing - we used that bitter spray that you can get at pet stores (it's not supposed to hurt your furniture), and a firm "NO" and that worked well. We also used aversion by making sure our pup had plenty of her own toys to chew so she wouldn't be enticed to use our table legs or shoes. With the jumping and nipping, it was a bit more complicated. We actually ended up having to take her to a trainer/behavioral specialist to get that resolved. Four days later, she came back a well behaved dog. It was wonderful, and surprisingly not too expensive.

As far as the running away, I guess you could look into an electronic fence/collar system or try putting your dog on a "run" (a long lead that's connected to a cable suspended b/t trees where they can run back and forth) when outside. We didn't have this issue with ours, so I can't really take from personal experience.

Has your dog been "fixed"? If not, that could be a factor in his behavior.

Hope I was able to help a bit. Good luck.

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

take him on a 45 min.walk every day and watch the dog whisperer.

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

Well, I have a dog that also nips at me when I rough-house around with another person. He's a belgian malinous, but from what I've come to understand, he simply does not like to see me rough-housing, and he thinks I'm hurting someone or someone's hurting me. (Especially if you scream.) He has a tendancy to grab my wrist in his mouth and drag me toward another room - Not hard, but as though he's my father and trying to put me in time-out. We no longer rough house around him, because he worries too much. I recomend not letting your children rough-house around the dog. He's probably just trying to help - or he thinks he is. He thinks your kids are trying to hurt each other and he's trying to stop them from what they're doing.

Tearing things up - Sometimes an odorizer can help, something you spray on areas that your dog tries to chew, like the couch and coffee table. But the best bet for that is to make sure he has PLENTY to do. I.E. Buy a kong! Those things are GREAT!

Kong: It's a strong rubber ball that's hollowed out in the middle. You can put treats in there, or penut butter. This will keep your pets busy for hours - It can be bought at Petsmart and Wal-mart, I think.

Scatter Food: I once had a wolf-dog that dug a lot of holes in the back yard and got very bored very easy. So I began scattering her food around the yard, much like farmers do for chickens. This helps the dogs with their hunting instint, and will keep them busy for long periods of time when outside and keep them from digging and jumping the fence (Maybe).

For the running away, that will require obedience classes. If you don't wish to enroll your dog, or don't have the money, try these easy tips:

First, put your dog on a leash, stuff your pockets (Make sure he doesn't know!) with small treats, or pieces of hotdogs.

Second, take him outside. Make sure the leash is long: a 10 footer would be good, so he has plenty of room to walk away from you.

Third, Allow him to roam, but keep hold of the leash. After a few minutes, call his name. If he does not come, Take a treat in your hand and call his name again. If he still fails to come, Pull the leash in until he is back at your side, WHILE saying his name at the same time and a strong command like (COME.)

Fourth, when you have pulled him back to you, immediately give him the treat and say Good Boy! And prais him so he knows he did good. Do this several times a day, usually every few hours. Eventally, he will come accustomed to coming when you call, and you wont have to use the leash.

Fifth, when you think he's ready, take him into an enclosed area (Like the back yard) and repeat the steps without a leash. If it doesn't work, go back to the leash and train some more.

Hope this helps!

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

Dogs are never too old for training, so get signed up for a basic skills training session. Your dog does not view you, or your children as "master" of the home, so your dog's nervous unspent energy is causing you problems.

Try a daily walk, or even a game of fetch from the sofa to wear down that energy. I watch the morning news with a cup of coffee while throwing a tennis ball to my dogs. They love it, and by the time the news is done, they are wiped out. They need that release, or they will find it by using your sofa for a chew toy.

For the running away, you are going to have to leash him for now. It will take some time, but he will learn that freedom comes with a price. Letting him have free roam of the yard for small doses of time when you are in the yard will show him that his best behavior wins him more yard.

As for the biting, that will only get worse. Try reminding your dog who is boss with some simple steps.

- One is that your dog should not sleep in your bed with any family member. They can see themselves as your equal, not as your pet. If the dog won't stay off the bed, consider a crate. It's not cruel, it estabilshes your dog a bed of his own.

- Don't feed your dog his food till he sits quietly. Lower the bowl to the ground, but do not let him raise his butt off the ground to eat till the bowl is on the floor. If he starts to lift his butt, you raise the bowl. His patience is you reminding him who controls his food.

- When letting your dog outside or inside your home, he must sit and wait for your command to move through the door. Once again, this reminds him who is boss.

You need to show your dog the same firm hand you use to protect and control your children. You have a dog mixed with two breeds that eagerly needs direction because that's their breed, hunting dogs who need a firm directional master. The more you control your dog, set him a good schedule, the better your dog will get. Your dog wants to please you, so give him some directions that he can please you while doing. Good Luck!

I have a 2 yr lab german shrot hair mix?

Biting and niping are how dogs PLAY. Trick is to teach them not with people and that will mean doing the following during some supervised play sessions with the kids.

Running off:

Well, this is breed that MUST have fenced yard -either a real fence or an electric. The leading reason for GSP s landing in GSP Breed Rescue is that they have taken off, gottne lost, were picked up by animal control who handed them to breed rescue. It will take a great deal of the most serious and diligent obedience training to make a GSP stay put in a yard without fencing when it has learned to run.

This is from the GSP National Breed Rescue at http://www.gsprescue.org/protocols.html

"Containment systems are the rule. This means actual fencing, a large kennel run, or invisible electronic fencing. Many of our rescues are strays. That means they have escaped before and know how to get away. Cable runs or tie outs are not recommended because many active dogs suffer ligament injuries on them. The tied dog is captive, while other dogs or people coming onto the property can interfere with the dog at will. Invisible or electronic fencing is not intended for containing a dog while the owner is away from the home. Take some caution that the containment used is humane and effective."

You have 2 immediate solutions:

(1) He NEVER goes outside unless on a leash or longline. (I'll explain how to make them)

(2) Install a physical fence, an underground electric fence or an instant-install electric fence. (You can find these electric fences at http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/Na... Then go to Ebay and find what you want for 1/4-1/2 the cost.)

Now lets take the behavior problems one at a time.

OVER EXUBERANT PLAY AND NIPPING

Now this guy is basically a teeenager - think about a 17 yr old boy, The following is an excerpt from the material I give clients. Just substitute "dog playing too roughly but not meaning to hurt" for "puppy." YOu are going to have be there with the kids and him so you can intervene immediately and correct him. (Notice: "correct" , not "punish" - they are different concepts.)

You will hear some bizarre theories 閳?and they don閳ユ獩 work in the long run.

Spraying stuff on your hands ....uhhuh....well.....and how long do you keep up smelling repulsive? Distract him?? for how many years?? Ignore him....what he is supposed to figure out that you are ignoring him because you are displeased with him and not because you are cleaning the house?????

I've gone out on lot of housecalls to stop the nipping chewing behavior of dogs nearly a year old because their owners did the 'distract them' or 'push them away' or 'just hold their mouth' shut nonsense. After doing all this futile and ineffective things, the dogs didn't quit (thought the people were playing with them) and the owners where pinched and black and blue.

Puppies bite - that is how dogs and puppies play with each other. He thinks he is playing with you by mock fighting. Its a dog's favorite game - watch two good dog buddies ripping tearing rolling - and diving at each other and grabbing and pinching and nipping without puncturing. and chewing on each other.

You have to DO something about it.

Now what is really really neat is your puppy came pre-programmed to understand certain behavior as disapproval and approval. In dog language, behavior is communication.

In a group of dogs, if he nipped the leader and the leader was not amused, they would knock him over, grab the skin on his neck or the side of his face and pinch it without breaking the skin, and growl.

So do what they would do. That is something a dog understands instinctively. Lot of theories out there about yelping in pain and pushing him away (duh...that is what the dog who LOST the mock fight does and the winner is the boss now) or all this other stuff - but your puppy didn't read those books!

Step One: Learn to use your voice. Mot people either let their voice slide up in register or they sound futile and weak. You want to deepen your voice and sound like a drill sergeant. The word NO is basic to doggy manners (and people too.). The deep sound mimics the rumble/growl of the top dog.

Step Two: Do what the leader would does physically (well, mimic it - biting him wouldn't be fun.)

When he nips at you, roar NO in a deep voice, grab him by the collar or back of the neck, push him down and hold him on the ground and as you are doing that and snap your fingers on the end of his nose or slap his nose with your fingers. While you pin him down and get his nose, lean over him and keep saying BAD BAD BAD - do NOT let your voice slide up, make it deep. Make him look at you and keep eye contact 閳?make your face stern and frown as you get after him., (If after several nose taps, he isn't getting it, when he nips in play, jump right in roaring NO, grab him and take his ear tip between your fingernails and pinch - doesn't really hurt as it feels like a too tight earring but it is exactly what the boss dog would do.)

Step Three: when you let him up, you relax your voice and face and say "okay, now be nice" and let him come back over and get petted. (That is the postive part.) The more he settles down and gets petted without nipping, the happier your voice gets.

Get after him about EVERY SINGLE TIME - you must be 100% consistent.

Now when he comes over and snuggles and licks and doesn't nip, he always gets "What a sweetie", rub, pet, cuddle, and use a smile (they do watch your face 閳?more than most people realize). And guess what? That is exactly how dogs express approval of each other!

By the way, many women in particular, but men do it too, have a real problem with voice control, When they get upset or frustrated, their voice go UP. The dog ignores them. In the pack, the boss dog or alpha uses deep tones (rumble in the chest, growl etc) to express displeasure and get compliance from the dogs lower in the pecking order. A dog making a high pitched sound (yapping, yelping - etc) is not only NOT going to get compliance with their wishes as they are percieved as ineffectual and the not-Alpha, not-the-boss but that it is giving an invitation to play. (And that is why when the kids yelp, he isn't fazed - he thinks they are playing as would another dog making the same high sound.)

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THE COUCH

Grabbing him when he starts in on the cushions, holding him down and making him look you in the eye and roaring NO BAD- NO TOUCH usually works. (See above)

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BOLTING AND NOT COMING

We have to have the basics of walking nicely to teach COME.

Step 1: Getting the dog in position

Go get a chain slip collar (nylon doesn't work a 1/4 as well.) Properly fitted, there should be 3 1/2 to 4 fingers of space between the collar and dog. Learn to use it. You SNAP the collar - NEVER pull or drag. It is a fast jerk/release. Put it on your wrist and have someone try pulling and then snapping on you. You do it to someone else. When it feels like a slight whack or bump when the leash is snapped you have the idea. I always put the slip collar on my student's arm to show them the difference in the movement. Gets the point across real fast.

Put the slip collar on the dog so when the junction of the rings is facing you on the side of the dog's neck, the part that slides comes across the back of the dog's neck towards you.

AKC dog shows prohibit those head halters and martinagle things and pinch collars from even being on the show grounds (ie: the dogs are basically out of control) without the gadgets AND AKC obedience competitons only allow flat buckle collars or slip/choke chains. Can't teach "come" in one of those contraptions. Use the slip collar. NO PINCH - those are extremely severe and should only be used under the supervision of a skilled trainer - they work because they are severe so they are popular. You are NOT going to haul in a full grown GSP with a buckle collar - maybe waterski, maybe get pulled on your face - put make her come?? Nope.

Put the slip collar on the dog so when the junction of the rings is facing you on the side of the dog's neck, the part that slides comes across the back of the dog's neck towards you.

Hook the leash on the dog's slip collar. Get the dog on your left side. Take the leash and hold the end of the leash in your right hand. With your left hand, take up the leash so there is some slack between your hand and the dog's collar - maybe a loop of 8-10 inches on each side of the loop. Make the dog stay within 8-10 inches of your left leg with the point where his shoulder and neck join even with your leg. That is the position that a nice well-mannered dog holds while walking with you.

Step 2 Start Come

Put the leash and collar on the dog. Walk off with her at your side in heel position. Go along for a distance - say 20-40 feet - and then you loosen the lead and run backwards saying "come, come" making the dog turn and come to you. Try to keep going about 15-20 feet in reverse. Make her come all the way to you by gathering in the leash. Lots of praise - pets hugs tummy rubs and voice - NOT treats.

Step 3

Go to the hardware store. Get 3 lengths of 褰?inch to 3/8 inch soft nylon line 閳?20 foot, 50 foot and 100 foot. Get 3 snaps. Tie the snaps on one end and make a loop handle on the other.

Start with the 20 foot line.

Hook the line on her collar. Hopefully she knows sit and wait. If not, teach it to her. If she does know sit and wait, put her in a sit, step back 2 or 3 steps and call her. If she doesn閳ユ獩 come, haul her in with the line.

When she comes over a distance of 5-6 feet, move back to 10-12 feet and call her.

Repeat this process until she is working on the 100 foot line.

You can also take her out on the long line and when she is happily distracted, call her and make her come.

ALWAYS ALWAYS use the dog's name " Muffy - come" The name gets their attention that you mean them and you are not just talking to someone and the word that is the command is being used in conversation. Name first - then command.

NEVER TAKE HER OUTSIDE WITHOUT A LEASH (6 ft) OR ONE OF THE LONG LINES. NEVER TURN HER LOOSE OFF LEAD AND CALL HER UNTIL SHE COMES 100% OF THE TIME ON THE 100 FOOT LINE WITH ALL KINDS OF DISTRACTIONS, IE: OTHER DOGS, KIDS PLAYING, TOYS BEING THROWN IN HER PATH AS SHE COMES, ETC.

When you say 閳ユ竷ome閳?and she doesn閳ユ獩, haul her backside into you using the line repeating 閳ユ竷ome閳? 閳ユ竷ome閳? Use a STERN DEEP voice that brooks no argument about the matter if the dog already knows the command 'come' and is choosing to disobey.

Whatever you do , don't let your voice slide upwards into high tones unless you are giving praise. When you give a command, used an authoritative voice and sound like you mean it - and not "would you please 'come'-if you happen to feel like it of course."

When she gets to you 閳?willingly or unwillingly, praise and pet and make a big fuss and tell her that she is such a good girl.

Never ever ever call a dog to you to punish or correct them once they get to you. Ignoring you and not coming makes you growl at them (the stern voice insisting they obey) just like the boss dog would do. Getting to you (no matter whether voluntarily or involuntary) is a good thing and gets rewarded.

Using treats is silly because one day you will start to forget the treats or not have them or something, and the next time you call her, she'll remember not getting the treat and figure "why bother?" And what happens the day the doggy decides it is more fun to chase the rabbit than come for the treat?

Clickers are just flat stupid - they are for people who are too dumb to figure out how to quickly say "GOOD DOG" in a happy, excited voice.

You have to MAKE him come even when he doesn't want to - and give him a very good reason not to disobey you.

Would you ALWAYS obey the speed limits if there was no risk of a ticket?? If you wouldn't get arrested, would you grow pot in the backyard if it made a lot of money for you?

You always have your hands and your voice. Use them

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Now you both need a GOOD obedience class - and that is NOT Petsmart or Petco.

GO here to find contacts in you area that can help you locate and obedience trainer who works with all breeds and who does AKC obedience competitions competing at what they claim to teach 閳?no proof of ability like winning:

http://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cf...

http://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cf... (set on all breeds)

http://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cf...

Even it they are an hour or more away, they will know other people all over the state.