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I have a one year old lab mix and she has more problems than I can deal with. She has chewed up my couch my christmas tree and my kids toys. She also pottys in the house getsbin the trash chews everything in sight digs when shes outside and refuses to walk on a leash. She just sits at my feet when I take her outside. If I cant get these problems taken care of im going to have to take her to the shelter. Any advice is welcome. Thanks.
Woah, you've got a lot on your hands! Luckily, there is hope but it will definitely take some time, effort and consistency on the part of all family members.
My own mentor and trainer just answered a very similar question, so I'm going to copy his response here, with my own edits and adjustments for your particular situation:
Your best bet is to hire a professional dog trainer (positive training only of course!) who can come to your home, evaluate the situation and set up a behavior modification program for you. Try Association of Pet Dog Trainers - Dog Training Resources for trainers in your area. Also, type "positive dog training" in your internet search and see what comes up. The dog training profession is like any other in that there is a wide range of competency, so you'll have to vett the people you talk to and ask them what they might do and what methods they would employ. Different people have different meanings for the word 'Positive'! So no choke or prong or shock collars and no jerking.
Basically, three things are necessary:
Management: Only put her in situations where there is little chance his unwanted behavior is triggered. In other words, she shouldn't be able to chase a cat or run to a neighbor's house. You'd have her with you on leash, much like you'd hold a child's hand.
Substitution: Teach her what you want her to do instead. For example, rather than chewing your kids' toys, make sure those are not available to her (management) and then provide lots of very tempting and dog-appropriate chews such as Kongs stuffed with treats, Bully Sticks, reindeer antlers and so forth (substitution). The trainer can show you how to do this.
Counter-conditioning: Getting your dog to think differently about walking can be accomplished by counter conditioning. This method teaches a dog to make a positive association with things that they don’t like to do. You go in baby steps and a trainer can help you set up an effective program.
All that being said, I always recommend books and DVDs by Paul Owens, Patricia McConnell, and Ian Dunbar for examples of positive techniques and training methods.
Hope this helps!
I have a dog of my own that use to have this same problem and i didnt know how to train him until i purchases this... here is the link if you need help getting your dog to be obedient and listen this help him obey you !!
Dog Training, Puppy Training by Dove Cresswell
this system worked for me when i thought there was no hop.. dont get discorage just take on action and follow the rules to being the master in this link below good luck
Dog Training, Puppy Training by Dove Cresswell
Labrador Retriever training is not as difficult as some people may think. It is never too late to change your canine into an obedient dog. The thing you need to know about labs is that they are highly intelligent dogs. Granted, it may be just a bit more challenging to break your older Labrador Retriever from their habits then it would be to train a puppy but the task is not impossible. There are many tricks you can teach your lab as well as to be obedient. Labrador Retrievers are the most popular breed in the United States today and are an excellent addition to any family household. These animals are very talented and have many natural abilities to do many great things. If you take the right approach you will have your lab trained in no time at all.
Tips on Labrador Retriever Training:
1. You are going to want to start out with the smaller commands like sit, down, heel. Then gradually move on to the more difficult ones.
2. Be consistent with your commands and do not let up. Keep saying it and motion for them to do what you are asking until they follow trough with it. Dogs do not understand our commands until they are taught them.
3. Reward their good behavior right away. I you will reward the good behavior you will indeed see this behavior repeated because they know it is going to be rewarded.
4. Keep a watch on your Labrador Retriever so that you are able to correct bad behavior on the spot. Have a firm voice. This will let them know that what they just done was not a good thing. They will eventually understand this concept.
5. It is very important that you keep your cool and have patience with your dog. Nothing is going to change over night. Though, day to day you will gradually see a difference in your Labrador Retriever's behavior.