Chalk & Cheese – The Tale of Two Black Labs

I am currently working with two black Labs. Both of them are under five months old and you would think at this stage of their development, they would be very similar. Not at all.

I have been working with Lulu’s owners since before she arrived at their home. They invested in pre-puppy training, followed up with virtual lessons. You can read about the owners’ preparation for their new puppy here. I have now also seen her for 1-2-1 lessons. I wouldn’t normally take a residential puppy at this age but as I already know Lulu, I didn’t hesitate. Her foundational training is excellent, with the owners following the Tessleymoor Way in every respect. She is 100% toilet trained and walks to heel on a lead. She has attended lessons with me where she has watched by my side without lunging or chasing. I have even used her to demonstrate an off lead sit and wait while I threw a dummy, which she then retrieved to hand.

Her behaviour is in contrast to the other black lab pup I have seen for virtual lessons. There have been no proper foundations for this young dog. They have been overloved and allowed to get away with everything. As a result, the dog pulls on the lead, has no recall, is biting the owners and barking at everything. The behaviour is so bad, the owners are considering rehoming the dog.

Virtual lessons leading to 1-2-1 practical lessons at this early stage will help get this puppy on the right track. However, this bad behaviour could easily have been avoided by good structure and boundaries from day one. The benefits of virtual puppy training show why these two black labs are like chalk and cheese.

Posted: August 5, 2020