I have a lab that was 8 mths when we brought our first new born home. She is now 11mths and lab is 20mths currently. Duke(lab) has been in love with this baby girl since day one. borderline O.C.D about her. He has never hurt her on purpose or on accident. an occasional tip over here and there. She pulls his ears, flaps open his mouth, can't do any wrong to him. He just lays there and takes it all. He sleeps in her doorway, won't come downstairs til wife or I have put her down for the night. I understand all that to some point. Here is the real question. Toys, clothes, stuff animals,binkys,shoes, bottles, and whatever he finds. He will carry it around all day if you let him. He will not chew it or destory it, but cradle it as if it is motion sensored bomb. He is a stronged jawed retriever when it comes to birds, but drop a baby sock on the way to the laundry room, here comes the wierdo . most nights he will go into he room at some point and check her out(stick his nose into her crib and sniff) and then grab something out of her room.(i have spyed on him doing this) It has gotten to the point where he will be downstairs at 3 am whimpering like he has been beat with a little girl shirt in his mouth. after two months of waking up and looking in the house for him and his new treasure, now i just (quietly) yell,"duke drop". 4 hours later i wake up and there he lays with what he found under his chin in mint condition. again, he has never destoyed anything of hers. I understand he loves her, but the carrying stuff around and constant searching for her items is bugging wife and i on the thought process behind this. i dont want to stray him from retrieving or being strong jawed. can anyone explain this lab? all thoughts welcome. thanks and i truly enjoy this site.
Need a dog whisper's thoughts
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Mr Hyde
New member
Sounds perfectly normal to me, he feels needs to help you with the baby.
We have a 4yr old Curly Coated Ret. that did the same thing when he was 1.5yr old with our baby boy who was 15 months old he started bringing him his dog toys to the boy and would get the dirty diapers out of the garbage and bring them to us that was only thing I hated was to smell that poopy diaper twice.
We have a 4yr old Curly Coated Ret. that did the same thing when he was 1.5yr old with our baby boy who was 15 months old he started bringing him his dog toys to the boy and would get the dirty diapers out of the garbage and bring them to us that was only thing I hated was to smell that poopy diaper twice.
pheasantaddict
New member
I would agree with Mr. Hyde that's pretty normal. You don't want to discourage his retrieving instict. Alot of times when my dogs bring articles of clothing it's a way to get attention and they want to play or receive praise, when they bring the bird back they get praised. Usually its the young dogs that do this. He is probably looking for attention, and is not obsessed with your daughter although I'm sure he loves her.
bobeyerite
New member
I agree with PA, he is trying to attention. He loves your daughter and will guard her with his life. Believe i have had dogs do the same thing. You may want to guard as the baby gets older. He don't get to protective, to where the Grandparents and so forth cannot go near it.---bob
Prairie Bird Hunter
New member
I would agree it is normal behavior but I wouldn't worry about discouraging his retrieving instinct. He is lab after all and since he is almost 2 years old I doubt you are going to loss or gain anything in his desire to retrieve. I would say if you don't want him carrying her stuff around you can try to make sure you clean up her stuff. I know that is easier said than done with a one year old. If you still find him with her toys, shoes, etc you simply replace it with a dog toy or something you deem OK for him to have. Just the same way you deal with a puppy that is chewing something you don't want them chewing. You don't get mad you calmly replace it with a rawhide or chew toy. Kenneling at night would prevent you having to worry about him at night but that might not be a option.
Heck before you know it your 8 month old will be 2 years old and she'll have the lab trained perfectly not to mention Mom and Dad
Heck before you know it your 8 month old will be 2 years old and she'll have the lab trained perfectly not to mention Mom and Dad
FCSpringer
Moderator
OK. Tough one here, I experamented on my dog and wispering in his ear only made him do things to my leg I would not care to share. But You could try some sower apple flavor powder or pepper powder found at some vets, just don't want the kid to get a taste of it though, you put a dab on a few strategicly placed items and after a few sessions of bad tastes they can get the idea of leaving things alone. so this is kinda tough with the kid crawling around. What about a kid gate or somthing keeping him in a certain area? Table training or the force fetch and hold training works well not only to improve delivery issues but to stop unwanted behaviors too maybe you could have that done. The dog should pick up stuff on comand afterwards if It is done right. Thats the only thing I can think of for this. It doesn't sound to bad.But we are not there with ya.
But You could try some sower apple flavor powder or pepper powder found at some vets, just don't want the kid to get a taste of it though, you put a dab on a few strategicly placed items and after a few sessions of bad tastes they can get the idea of leaving things alone. so this is kinda tough with the kid crawling around. What about a kid gate or somthing keeping him in a certain area? Table training or the force fetch and hold training works well not only to improve delivery issues but to stop unwanted behaviors too maybe you could have that done. The dog should pick up stuff on comand afterwards if It is done right. Thats the only thing I can think of for this. It doesn't sound to bad.But we are not there with ya.