stuart21 Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Hi there, I have a 13 month old labrador, who I have had since he was 8 months old. He was originally kenneled, but now lived in a crate indoors. I have been training him for the last few months and his sit, stay, recall, retrieve and water work is coming on very well. However, my problem is that he will not sit still and is not very well behaved when indoors out of his cage. He has a lot of energy and is exercised a lot, he is also never left in his cage for more than 2 hours apart from at night. He just never sits still for very long and will just pace up and down all the time. Am I expecting too much for basic obedience in the house? Also I have never had a working dog before, is he like this because of the working strain, as my pet lab is happy to sit still and sleep when indoors> Any help appreciated. Thanks Stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 What is your definition of exercised a lot? How much training do you do daily? How long is he out of his crate for and what is the environment like, are you constantly telling him to sit, stay, lie down? Does he associate being let out of his crate only to get out for a walk, toilet etc? He should settle if everything else around him is relaxed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 being presumtious, it sounds like he is in his crate too much- the door to which should be open. If he gets the scampers after this its to be expected Take a chill pill and become more laid back and relaxed. If this rings a bell, do it - if not reduce its protien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tis1979 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 (edited) I've a two year old lab trained him myself and he's at a good level but I'm no expert and a lot of mine was trial and error having to start from scratch with his training more than once and I reckon that is what you should do, right back to basics. sit him up and have him there for a minute then reward with praise keep doing this progressively making some distance between you and the dog but too much to soon won't work and don't let him get bored. This gonna take a while but praise is the key and when he wants to please you he will listen. In and out the house. But remember he's still young some dogs need longer than others too. Good luck with it mate, Tristram Oh and I would have him kennelled Edited July 10, 2012 by Tis1979 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart21 Posted July 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Thanks for your advice. For exercise he gets 2 X 15 minute walks a day, 2 10 X minute training sessions a day and he is out of his cage every 2 hours during the day, whereby he is outside with me retrieving a dummy. I work from home, but I'm in my office, whereas he is in his crate in the kitchen with the other dog. Kent - I think you are right, it sounds like I need to spend a little more time with him in the house, out of his crate, as at the moment,k he only comes out of his crate to go outside or in the evenings to come into the living room with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Thanks for your advice. For exercise he gets 2 X 15 minute walks a day, 2 10 X minute training sessions a day and he is out of his cage every 2 hours during the day, whereby he is outside with me retrieving a dummy. I work from home, but I'm in my office, whereas he is in his crate in the kitchen with the other dog. Kent - I think you are right, it sounds like I need to spend a little more time with him in the house, out of his crate, as at the moment,k he only comes out of his crate to go outside or in the evenings to come into the living room with me. Thats not a lot of exercise mate, my lab gets an 45 min walk early morning then another hour walk in the evening, with training worked in. Rest of the time he is either around the house and garden if anyone is in or kenneled/crated if not. From the above post i assume he is crated all day, but let out every 2 hours. I crate and kennel my lab but if it is for any length of time he goes in the kennel with the run as he can stretch out. Sounds like you need to introduce some play aswell, so that when he comes out the crate it's not just for training or walks. Hope you get it sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 yup thats why he is restless 45 minutes at that age is a minimum if you want a quiet life, mine gets a decent morning walk 2-3 miles usually all off the lead and then a short one in the evening. Then usually sleeps in between unless there is anything more interesting to do like shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 I don't think exercise is the problem, yes he could get more but the 2 x 10 minutes mental stimulation in training (providing you are pushing him on and not boring him) will tire him. I think you just need to let him out of his crate to learn to socialise and relax, you don't train for that, you just ignore the ****** until he lies down! Back to my initial post, he sees getting out of the crate as a chance to "do something" and so won't settle. Take him our for a good run and don't put him straight back into the cage when you come in, leave the cage door open, ignore him and let him find his own bed to settle when he's ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 My springer and collie normally get a quick ten minute walk or play in the garden in the morning then when i get home a good 45mins- to an hour run. Then plus some training time for the springer on top normally. So similar amount to yours. If you can dont lock him in the crate during the day just leave the door open. Assuming he doesn't chew your house to bits you will probably find he does what my two do which is fall asleep in the crate anyway. Probably get up every now and again for a drink or find another place to fall asleep again on the kitchen floor. I am quite lucky my two dont chew anything so dont have to worry about my kitchen at all. I can lock them in the crate if needed and they normally fall asleep again but they are not too excited when they come out at home this is. During the working week my springer goes to my father in laws company and lives in one of the drawing offices, she gets let out every couple of hours same as yours to go to the toilet or for a walk etc and she comes out full speed bouncing off the walls like yours does. She is only in there during the working day from 8-5 and normally is out for a good hour or so playing and training with my father in law. The strange thing is as mentioned above if the crate door is open like in my kitchen at home she will sleep in there for most of the day and only gets excited when your about to take her out. I think all dogs get excited if they realise they are going for a walk or getting attention from people so like my springer she realises if locked in the crate at work and you let her out then something fun is going to happen and being a pup gets quite excited. At home she dont care as getting locked in the crate and let out doesnt mean anything to her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 I don't think exercise is the problem, yes he could get more but the 2 x 10 minutes mental stimulation in training (providing you are pushing him on and not boring him) will tire him. I think you just need to let him out of his crate to learn to socialise and relax, you don't train for that, you just ignore the ****** until he lies down! Back to my initial post, he sees getting out of the crate as a chance to "do something" and so won't settle. Take him our for a good run and don't put him straight back into the cage when you come in, leave the cage door open, ignore him and let him find his own bed to settle when he's ready. like this above that will sort it. Longer walks will just mean a fitter dog, you do need some condition in a dog but walk this one for 1 hr and it will soon need 1 1/2 etc my lab pup is 10mnths now and runs flat out training 3-4 times a day maybee five retrieves between 20-200yds each way, other than that its plodding about doing his buisness etc around the grounds etc hence only needs walks as an excuse for heel / lead work which it gets twice a week tops IMO like said already take a chill pill and ignoor the dog in the house. Crates are a mixed blessing and dogs cant be put back in the cabinet like a gun, i hope that last comment is not too blunt for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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