Labrador question

[yates]

Good Morning 

Hopefully someone may be able to offer a solution to my problem. I have a fantastic Labrador pup, now seven months old. He is very athletic and boisterous, however he will not jump into the back of the car or jump over walls, he observes his brother and sister both jump over walls and in and out of the car but he will not even attempt to do. All efforts to try and encourage him have so far failed. Any ideas on how to cure this will be greatly appreciated 

Tim

[loriusgarrulus]

2 hours ago, yates said:

Good Morning 

Hopefully someone may be able to offer a solution to my problem. I have a fantastic Labrador pup, now seven months old. He is very athletic and boisterous, however he will not jump into the back of the car or jump over walls, he observes his brother and sister both jump over walls and in and out of the car but he will not even attempt to do. All efforts to try and encourage him have so far failed. Any ideas on how to cure this will be greatly appreciated 

Tim

Not sure on gundogs as the jumping is not so intense, but in agility large breed dogs are not encouraged to do tall jumps till 18mths old and small breeds at 12mths old. This gives their joints time to mature without damage.

One reason he might not even try jumping. Is it possible he has attempted a jump and hurt himself in the past, which would put him off trying.

You could try putting something to give him a boost for starters with the car ie like a caravan step and encourage him by breaking the height of the jump for starters.

Edited August 26, 2022 by loriusgarrulus

[Scully]

It’s a pup, the worst thing you can do is try to rush it into something. Give it time. 

[Dave at kelton]

You should not have them jumping walls at this age as the joints are not fully formed. Just lift him over/in until 12 months or so. Jumping obstacles is about confidence. You wouldn’t expect a child to go over a six foot high jump so think what a wall looks like to him. Start with just little logs etc and work up to it after 12 months old.

Confidence in the car will come with time. He might just not like getting in it. Certainly my pup is only just starting to hop into the back of the van at nearly 7 months, not least because he gets car sick and will probably remain so until his ears are fully developed at 12 months.

Hope this helps

[yates]

Thank you for your replies. I’m not going to push or rush him. I lift him into the car and he has no issues travelling. All my other dogs have all jumped in and out it the boot of the car and walls( which are not too high). I’ve tried with steps into the boot but he is not interested. I lift my old lab into and out of the car and was wondering if my pub was following this as learned behaviour?

[ditchman]

feed him in the back of the car when he is ready.........................

[ninjaferret]

Put the back of the car into a little rut at the bottom of a little rise, say up to a hedge or something, so he is just stepping in , encourage him to do it like that a few days then move the car away a few inches, keep doing it, build his confidence....

[MrPhantom]

Mine wasn’t interested in jumping into the boot either. Started gently encouraging her (using the lead) and huge praise / treat reward when she jumped up. It was a gradual process over several days, a few times a day. You’ll get there.

[JohnfromUK]

Mine (also 7 months) isn't allowed (or at least not encouraged) to jump in or out yet.  I have also been told that jumping isn't good until they are 12 months old.  Besides I always prefer them to wait, a d not allowing jumping seems a start on that route.

It will start jumping out of the (estate) car - then jumping in - and the (much higher and old style) Defender will be allowed when she is used to the lower car.

[Walker570]

Yep, nothing happens instantly.   Food in the car ???????????????   I am against treats and he may expect food there every time.  The dog should want to go with you and should not need food or treats , just gentle persuation.  Easy one the jumping for a bit longer because as said the bones and joints are not yet fully formed.

My dogs have always been good at getting into the car and I particularly left my boot open in mornings when shoot members met for the day and other dogs where about. If a fracas started a simple CAR!! would see my dogs leap into the motor without delay and not get involved. I forgot one morning and the Range Rover back was closed and my GSP  Mole took off and hit the back window, slid off and gave me a serious Germanic look.

Patience, firmness and kindness usually works.

Try just sitting on the back yourself and calling your dog in beside you

Edited August 26, 2022 by Walker570

[yates]

Thank you for the replies. Much appreciated 

[Walker570]

To just give you hope, I took this young 10 month old GSP under my wing as it had been illtreated and taught very little if anything. This photograph was take about 6 months later and Mole turned out to be a killing machine and never told me a lie in his short life (6yrs due to fits due to parents being too old to breed..greed again but another story)  He would jump to the moon if I asked him. It just took a steady 6 months of love and persuation. 

[bigbird]

Agree with all above but something worth considering - a friend of mine had a lab pup like this and it turned out that despite his parents’ brilliant hip scores he didn’t take after them and his hips were diabolical 🤔

[12gauge82]

As above, I wouldnt encourage strenuous jumping until older and if he's never been keen, like bigbird suggests I'd get him checked as hip and elbow dysplasia and other joint issues is unfortunately common in labs. 

But to start him jumping you want to build it up in stages, I absolutely would start using whatever drives the dog, be it food or another reward and make it progressively higher, the reward can then be given sometimes and not others, before being withdrawn. All this nonsense about dogs should do things for its handler only and shouldn't need a reward is a very telegraphed way of thinking and what works for one dog, won't necessarily work for all. In my experience, dogs who are only negatively trained will perform, but usually without the drive and instantaneous reactions, of dogs that have been incentivised to do so. 

[yates]

Hi. He has fully checked by our Vet. He is a very healthy boy. As previous posters have pointed out, I will allow him to work it out in his time. The only issue is that he is growing rapidly and my other half cannot lift him

[JohnfromUK]

1 minute ago, yates said:

Hi. He has fully checked by our Vet. He is a very healthy boy. As previous posters have pointed out, I will allow him to work it out in his time. The only issue is that he is growing rapidly and my other half cannot lift him

You can get ramps for the car if need be.

[Oldgun]

I have a 7month old black lab full of beans and is very mischievous,when going for a walk to the beach or the woods we lifted him into the back of my old Rav4,about two months ago i opened the back door of the car and he jumped straight in without any persuasion or effort.I am aware of the stress on the joints of young dogs jumping so should i prevent him doing this or just carry on?, he really does seem to love it.

[Dave at kelton]

1 hour ago, Oldgun said:

I have a 7month old black lab full of beans and is very mischievous,when going for a walk to the beach or the woods we lifted him into the back of my old Rav4,about two months ago i opened the back door of the car and he jumped straight in without any persuasion or effort.I am aware of the stress on the joints of young dogs jumping so should i prevent him doing this or just carry on?, he really does seem to love it.

There comes a point we’re you just can’t stop this. In and out of the back of the car is not too bad just avoid fences and walls.  I have been training labs for decades and have yet to have a problem manifest itself in practice. Had one dog xrayed for scoring and the vet advised against bothering. That dog kicked it’s back leg out slightly but worked without a problem until 12 and then retired for a couple of years. Just kept the wait off and fit.

[ditchman]

this is one of my ex dogs ...she just had to look at the back of the landrover and start hoiking....50 yds up the road and up it would come....she quickly got rid of the problem when she assosiated car with picking up....

 

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by ditchman