My lab, Max, is 10 months old. We had him neutered a couple of weeks ago because he was biting and barking at us a lot. Since being neutered, his temper tantrums seem to have gotten worse. Let me explain what I mean by "temper tantrum". Whenever he doesn't get what he wants, which is usually a walk, or is overly upset about something he waits until we leave the house and then destroys whatever he can get ahold of and spreads it all over the house. It seems like he is desperately looking for a daily routine, but my husband recently changed jobs and his schedule is not set from week to week so it is not possible for us to establish a set routine for Max. Is there any chance he will grow out of this behavior or does anyone have any suggestions for eliminating this behavior?
Temper Tantrums
- Thread starter YellowLabMom
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Is he getting enough exercise? Are you skipping his walks or just not doing them at those times? If he wants a walk it is probably because he is full of energy at the time. A dog with pent up energy and nothing to do is going to be a nightmare. You don't have to take him for a walk when he wants it but make sure he is getting them. I agree, crate him or put him in a puppy proof room when you are not home. He is not destroying your stuff because he is angry, he is bored, and there is nothing to do. Your stuff looks like lots of fun though. Make sure he has enough toys to play with and that he is getting plenty of exercise!!!
Does he only do this behavior when you are not home? how often does he do it?
Does he only do this behavior when you are not home? how often does he do it?
I am no expert, but I don't think it is commonly felt that dogs can hold onto anger and resentment for a period of time, then take it out later after their masters leave. It sounds more like separation problems to me. I agree with crating or confining him to a safe spot until he can accept being left alone for short periods of time.
I would also eliminate the element of your emotional response, because it may make things worse or confuse your dog. The key is to remain very calm as often as you can. Even when you're frustrated. (ESPECIALLY when you are.) I don't think they are temper tantrums or revenge, though they feel like it to you. I would make sure to be caring for him in the best, most positive way (walks, exercise, training, bonding, hanging out, etc.) and reading up on crating or confining.
I would also eliminate the element of your emotional response, because it may make things worse or confuse your dog. The key is to remain very calm as often as you can. Even when you're frustrated. (ESPECIALLY when you are.) I don't think they are temper tantrums or revenge, though they feel like it to you. I would make sure to be caring for him in the best, most positive way (walks, exercise, training, bonding, hanging out, etc.) and reading up on crating or confining.
Our Irish Setter ( 1940s ) was this way ..... no crating back then and dogs were inside/outside dogs not fenced . When my Dad went to war , he went nuts . Every time my Mom left him in the house he'd totally destroy something . One day he worked on all curtains and ripped them down . She finally had to rehome him until my Dad came back .... 5 years and he was fine !
This is called seperation anxiety, and the good news is that it can be worked on and fixed!!! Dogs do not have the same cognitive thought patterns that humans have, and do not harbour resentment and plan revenge. Instead it is much more likely that your poor pup is confused because of the upset to his daily routine caused by the new jobs. Your pup can't voice his concerns and is using this destructive behavior as an outlet for his anxieties. You can learn more about seperation anxieties if you just google it. A crate and lots of excercise along with establishing a new routine will help. In the meantime you have to teach your pup that you leaving isn't a bad thing. Most of the destruction with SA occurs within the first few minutes that you leave the house. Begin by planning short trips outside of them home that don't keep you away longer than a few minutes to show your pup you leaving isn't a bad thing. A kong filled with a favorite treat can take your pups mind off of you not being at home. With time your dog will realise being left home along is ok and that you will come home.
I have done my research on separation anxiety and I don't think that is our main problem. Most days he is fine at home by himself. The only times he really acted out were when the routine changed, when I left for work early or after my husband worked 4 consecutive 12 hour shifts. There are also varying levels of behavior. If he is just looking for attention, he will pull pillows off the furniture then leave them alone. He tends to do this when we take a shower and close the bathroom door. He only destroys things when his routine is drastically altered. Also, this 10 month old lab weighs over 100 lbs so it seems cruel to kennel him for 6+ hours when he barely fits in the kennel.
Why not get a bigger crate for him? My dogs were all crated until they were 100% trustworthy and that took almost 4 years for a couple of them. I crate them not only so the house isn't destroyed, but for their own safety as well.
To me it just sounds like pent up energy that he doesn't know how to deal with, and so he takes it out on the house because to him it's lots of fun. It could be a bit of anxiety as well, especially when you're routine changes because it's different from what he's used to.
To me it just sounds like pent up energy that he doesn't know how to deal with, and so he takes it out on the house because to him it's lots of fun. It could be a bit of anxiety as well, especially when you're routine changes because it's different from what he's used to.
We kept him in his kennel when he was younger but no matter what toys we left with him in the kennel, he was always very wound up when I got home. He would mouth and bite a lot and it would take a long time before he would settle down. He only spent 6 hours in there and it wasn't every day so it wasn't an unreasonable amount of time. I'm afraid if we start kennelling him again while we are gone his anxiety will get worse again.
You need to increase his exercise periods before he goes into his crate. A tired dog is a good dog, lol! A 10 month old Lab has a TON of energy, as you've found out and it doesn't sound like he's getting the outlet he needs. This is not a breed that does well with a walk twice a day...they need running and swimming and fetching, all combined with training games to work out his brain.
SA isn't a very consistant issue sometimes...my Aussie had bad SA when I first got him; we got through that, but for about a year or so afterwards, it would crop out at random times. Even now, he will occasionally get antsy when I leave and pull things off the counter.
Work up to kenneling him for long periods of time, start feeding him in his crate and have extra special treats ready just for crate time. Increase his exercise and try to establish a routine. I'm getting back a foster Lab in a week because her new home couldn't set a routine and she just couldn't figure out how to function well without one.
SA isn't a very consistant issue sometimes...my Aussie had bad SA when I first got him; we got through that, but for about a year or so afterwards, it would crop out at random times. Even now, he will occasionally get antsy when I leave and pull things off the counter.
Work up to kenneling him for long periods of time, start feeding him in his crate and have extra special treats ready just for crate time. Increase his exercise and try to establish a routine. I'm getting back a foster Lab in a week because her new home couldn't set a routine and she just couldn't figure out how to function well without one.
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he's wound up when you get home because he's excited he'll get to come out and see you and play.
He's mouthing and biting because he isn't trained not to. You definately need to exercise him more. Swimming is great exercise, and if you have the time, agility or another dog sport (but no jumping for a few more months).
He's mouthing and biting because he isn't trained not to. You definately need to exercise him more. Swimming is great exercise, and if you have the time, agility or another dog sport (but no jumping for a few more months).
Other than the massive size, I can't really see anything else mixed in, even though they're as big as many mastiffs.According to breed standard, you are correct, my purebred lab should not weigh over 100 lbs at 10 months. However, we follow feeding guidelines recommended by Iams and we exercise him daily. He is not overweight and the breeder warned us that the offspring produced by the male lab he used tend to be bigger than normal and we should expect him to weigh well over 100 lbs.
My Rottie is BIG, most people tend to guess that he weighs around 150 lbs. In reality, he weighs 105 lbs. My parent's golden retriever is bigger than him, and in reality he only weighs 70 lbs. I had a St. Bernard that weighed 160 lbs, and looking back, she didn't look any bigger than my Rottie.
It's not about how big your dog is, it's about the problems you're having now. IF your dog is that big, and it's not a visual estimate, it's an actual reading on a scale, then you need to recognize that something is definitely not right with the dog, and you can't consider him "purebred" as far as what the breed standard defines. No insult to you, but I've found that many people overestimate their dog's weight just to make themselves feel better. "I have an 80 lb Rottie" doesn't sound as good as "I have a 190 lb Rottie" does it? Personally, my Rottie is a big tough, wussy, he looks like Arnold Schwartenager, he's built, but ideal for dogs from Germany is 120 lbs, he's short of that weight, but I love him anyway.
Even at his weight, we have a crate for him. We have 5 dogs in this house, and all I have to do is say "anybody want dinner?" and each of those 5 dogs go to their own crate. If we have friends over and it gets to be a little much for him, guess where we'll find him? He goes to his crate. He doesn't feel that the "cage" is punishment, if he did, he'd avoid it. He does seem to feel that it is HIS space, and we make a point of never reaching into his crate, or any of the Min Pin's crates. It's their space, if they're stressed, they go there on their own.
As far as feeding guidelines by Iams, have you looked into feeding a decent food? Thor gets 2 cups a day of Canidae. One cup in the morning, one in the evening, and he's happy. Last time I looked at an Iams bag, I think he should be getting a little over 5 cups a day. Also, he was extremely hyperactive when we fed him 4 cups a day of Eukanuba, and it turned out he couldn't deal with the corn in it.
If my wife wants one of her horses to turn a really good time on barrels, she feeds them straight cracked corn. It's pure energy to them, but she won't feed it on a regular basis. We won't feed our dogs anything containing corn, at any time, regardless of the reason. People will argue whether or not corn is good for dogs, but foods such as Iams, that are based on corn, aren't really addressing the needs of a carnivore, or even an omnivore, but if that corn affects dogs like it does horses, then it's no wonder a dog bounces off the walls.
It's not about how big your dog is, it's about the problems you're having now. IF your dog is that big, and it's not a visual estimate, it's an actual reading on a scale, then you need to recognize that something is definitely not right with the dog, and you can't consider him "purebred" as far as what the breed standard defines. No insult to you, but I've found that many people overestimate their dog's weight just to make themselves feel better. "I have an 80 lb Rottie" doesn't sound as good as "I have a 190 lb Rottie" does it? Personally, my Rottie is a big tough, wussy, he looks like Arnold Schwartenager, he's built, but ideal for dogs from Germany is 120 lbs, he's short of that weight, but I love him anyway.
Even at his weight, we have a crate for him. We have 5 dogs in this house, and all I have to do is say "anybody want dinner?" and each of those 5 dogs go to their own crate. If we have friends over and it gets to be a little much for him, guess where we'll find him? He goes to his crate. He doesn't feel that the "cage" is punishment, if he did, he'd avoid it. He does seem to feel that it is HIS space, and we make a point of never reaching into his crate, or any of the Min Pin's crates. It's their space, if they're stressed, they go there on their own.
As far as feeding guidelines by Iams, have you looked into feeding a decent food? Thor gets 2 cups a day of Canidae. One cup in the morning, one in the evening, and he's happy. Last time I looked at an Iams bag, I think he should be getting a little over 5 cups a day. Also, he was extremely hyperactive when we fed him 4 cups a day of Eukanuba, and it turned out he couldn't deal with the corn in it.
If my wife wants one of her horses to turn a really good time on barrels, she feeds them straight cracked corn. It's pure energy to them, but she won't feed it on a regular basis. We won't feed our dogs anything containing corn, at any time, regardless of the reason. People will argue whether or not corn is good for dogs, but foods such as Iams, that are based on corn, aren't really addressing the needs of a carnivore, or even an omnivore, but if that corn affects dogs like it does horses, then it's no wonder a dog bounces off the walls.