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Old March 7th, 2006, 11:10 AM
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phoenix phoenix is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Peterborough, Ontario
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Yes labs definitely need more exercise than this... mine (lab/boxer) needs at least a 1 h walk/ day PLUS a playtime with other dogs to be completely sane... Plus mine has another puppy to play with for most of the day. If we do this (he is 15 months now), we can relax on the couch with him in the evenings. If we don't, he lets us know. Mind you he has never been destructive, just pesky.
You can't tire him out like other dogs can. Does he know how to fetch? I taught Sam this early on, because a 30 min walk just wasn't good enough. There are tennis ball 'throwers' (mine is called a chuckit) that are awesome. Of course, you need to be sure he'll retrieve and come back 100% of the time. If there is a dog park or off leash area near by, maybe you can find a 'friend' for him to play with daily. This running will wear off some of the energy. A GOOD LAB IS A TIRED LAB hehe. Swimming (in the summer obviously) is another good tiring activity- again helped by a ball if taught how to fetch. Are there socialization classes around you where he could go play?
Don't give up on him... he will eventually lose the puppy energy but not for a while yet. As far as the chewing goes... could you chain the crate to something so he can't jump it across the room? and maybe use something against the wall as a bumper so he can't get right up to it? I have never crated my dogs for long periods of time. I let them have a whole room and gate them in with baby gates. This seems much less stressful to them.

Good luck with the training.
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