English Lab Training.

I have a 4 year old labrador, We finally foot the bill for his in home training because he is not dog freindly, As of why I dont know, He has never been in fights? Any how we did private lessons and he will go to classes soon, Are labs generally hard to train? His attention span is very short and even when he sees a stuffed animals he flips out? I wish hed be calm and suttle like the rest of the dogs on our street? Any ideas?

Labs are known for their biddability, trainability as of course many are service dogs and others compete at the highest level in Field Trials and Working Trials, becoming Champions.

They should also be of a friendly temperament as, bred originally as gundogs, it is an important feature of their personality that 10 or more can pile in together in the back of the keeper's van etc on a shoot.

Perhaps your dog comes from a disadvantaged genetic background?

He came from a family that always had a lot of dogs especially labs, They had 8 at times, and when i picked him up hes a Full breed English lab hes adorable in the face but hes not dog freindly at all? Maybe if i were to introduce him to other dogs it should be on nuetral grounds and not his home?

Have you had him for the full 4 years? maybe start him with low key introductions, is he frightened? Has he been socialised?

Lots of experienced people on here- hope they can help

Unfortunately how a breed should ideally be and how they turn out are two very different things due to poor genetics/breeding and/or poor upbringing/training.

I don't know about Labs in the US but in the UK I have certainly encountered a high number of male labs with a distinctively unfriendly attitude to other dogs which is not how a biddable, soft-mouthed gun dog ought to be.

If this is a strongly established behaviour in a four year old (i.e. mature, adult) dog it may not be easy to change the behaviour and you may need to focus on management, lead control, keeping beyond critical distances, improving handler control and influence by improved basic training for "heel" come" leave" etc, at least in the short term so he cannot continue to practise it, and to give you the necessary tools to try to improve his behaviour longer term with positive association fro calm behaviour around other dogs.

Although a "typical" Lab is friendly and biddable, some Labs can be very highly strung (i.e. mine ).

However, usually Labs are great with other dogs, which makes me think your dog has had some kind of bad experiences in the past, before you met him.

What did the trainer say?

Is your dog actually aggressive towards other dogs - and if yes is that on lead, or off lead, or both?

Sorry, I know people with numerous entire male Labs in the UK, with no attitude problems. It's nothing to do with where he's from, as in lines, it's more likely to do with his breeding and socialisation. And that's nothing to do with which country he was born in.

Yes Ive had him ever since he was 8 weeks. Hope So i know he loves the water Id love to take him to the dog beach

Do you mean a Labrador bred in England or what is known in the US as an English Lab?

its when he sees the other dogs walk by, He goes nuts at the screen door. There are a few people who walk their dogs off leash which im not to fond of.... But when he has met other dogs its been other family members dogs and they have came on his turf?????