# Hyper Lab?



## TheDogLuver90 (Sep 7, 2008)

We just got this 8 month old chocolate lab and hes soooo hyper! i was wondering how we can settle him down, me and my bf want to take him when we move to our own house. He jumps, loves TO PLAY. specially fetch. Plus, he whines when we go in the house hes like a little ways from my bedroom window. he whines alot but finally quiets, we tell him SHHHH or QUIET EVO! lol Any help for a first time lab owner? my family has labs but they arnt hyper. BTW, how we got him was he was in my yard and we live in the country, he traveled a long ways from the town near us and u can tell someone bent the metal to take his identification tag off, he called the humae society to see if someone lost him but no one called in there. So we have him.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

8 mo. is still very young, labs typically don't slow down and mellow till they're older if ever. Exercise and plenty of it is your best friend. Swimming is ideal for a younger dog. No running with u or joint stress till he's older though.


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## TheDogLuver90 (Sep 7, 2008)

he runs everywere. thats what he does. lol


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## klip (Jul 22, 2008)

Its not clear from your post if you take him for walks? Apart from the exercise, dogs need mental stimulation. Just like you would get pretty antsy if you never left your house and yard, no matter how much you ran around . 

Give him plenty to do - like chewing a kong or big meaty bones will also help him channel his energy. Also, training him.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

You need to allow him to release his energy in a healthy way. That means: walks, swims, training sessions, games.


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## britishbandit (Dec 11, 2006)

I don't know any lab that isn't hyper, or at least VERY energetic, besides the seniors, and sometimes (providing they're in good health) they're pretty spunky even at that age.

Having a high energy breed, you'll need to tire ihim out with exercise, walks, swimming (if you can, cause labs generally love the water), and mental stimulation/training. A tired dog is a happy dog, and won't be quite so pent up and hyper in the house.


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## GreatDaneMom (Sep 21, 2007)

labs are a hyper breed. thats the first thing i let people know when they ask me what they think about them because they are thinking about getting one. they are a lot of work. here are things you need to do...

1. Mental Stimulation- teach him tricks, take him to obedience class, do some puzzle solving with him. this will mentally tire him, and help with behavior. also on the same note, you need to stop the jumping. it might be cute to you, but he is still growing, and not everyone likes a dog to jump on them.

2. Structured Exercise- daily walks (on a leash), playing fetch, tug, etc. these are exercise to help tire him, and bond with you. But during this time you need to decide what you play, and when you want to start and stop playing.

3. Free Playtime- if you have a fenced in yard, or a dog park near by that he could be off-leash in and do what he wants to do, this is his free playtime. this allows him to be an individual, make his own decisions, and just be a dog. let him decide where he wants to go, and what he wants to do. this is very beneficial to him and will make him really happy.


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## TN_LAB (Jul 30, 2008)

Start working on basic obedience drills.

Make him behave. Don't play fetch if he's too hyper (you're telling him that being hyper results in playing fetch...you want to teach him that being calm is rewarded with a game of fetch).

If he likes fetch, then start working on retriver work (field trials, etc.). It's a joy to see a well trained retriever work (it's a ton of fun training them too).


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## blackrose (Oct 7, 2006)

I agree with everyone else. Walks, play time, obedience drills. And when I mean walks, I mean 2+ mile walks, not little around the block walks. When he gets a bit older you can start jogging or biking with him. Blackie would always go jogging for a couple of miles with a neighbor when he was younger and he was STILL hyper. 

Be prepared for a hyper dog until he hits about three, at LEAST. Blackie was a nightmare until then, but he wasn't trained or exercised either. Sadie was a much better dog, but she was intensely trained, was taking EVERYWHERE with us, and got a ton more exercise. Even then she had her moments.


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## pennstatecait (Feb 17, 2012)

I also have an extremely hyper puppy. My dog Bailey is a black lab/ german shepherd mix. Right now she is almost 9 months old and we have been going to puppy training classes at our local SPCA. Apparently, there is not much you can do to control your dog's temperament. Labs, on average, take about 3 years to fully mature. For the first few years of their life they have a large amount of puppy-like energy, which is just something that lab owners have to deal with. That said, they are also very intelligent and relatively easy to train (I say relatively because, at least in my experience, Bailey tends to get very distracted at times, especially when there are other dogs in the class, which can be a bit of challenge in training her.) Many people in this forum suggested exercise. This is the best way to deal with hyper dogs. If you want your dog to be calm, you need to make sure they get their daily walks in, as well as playtime. Some things you could try as a better outlet for their energy might be flyball, agility training, or my favorite, waterfowl. Labs are especially good at water sports because of their webbed paws and love of water! Also if you have any family, friends, or neighbors who have dogs, take your puppy over to play with them! Dogs need to socialize just as much as people. I know on the weekends I try to bring Bailey to my uncle's house to play with their german shepherd, Rocky. This not only tires her out, but also gives me a bit of break, as I have to spend a lot of time each day playing with her and keeping her occupied. I also give her stuffable kong toys along with beefy knuckle bones and ham-hocks. Giving them something to chew on is a great way to keep them calm and relaxed. Good luck!


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## SassyCat (Aug 29, 2011)

You can't settle him, you've got a real good healthy lab there - just play fetch with him, *a lot*. You can also play hide & seek - throw a toy and hide so he has to find you. Also do train him basic obedience stuff, this is important part of the daily exercise.


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