A couple of lab questions

Question
Hi there, before I start I want to say that I used this site when we bought our first lab puppy nearly three years ago. We're in the North of England and your advice at the time on puppy training was excellent (Max even won puppy class). So three years on you are the first name I thought of when I needed some more advice. I have a couple of questions (if this is ok) and I will refresh you on the background.

Wife and two kids in the house, cat and my wife is now at home full time. Max: Chocolate ped' male lab, nearly 3, male, not neutered, quite chunky and hard to keep his weight down. Diesel: 11 months, black ped' male lab, not neutered, very lively and active and in perfect shape. He was introduced to the family about a year ago as a pup.

Q1) Max took really well to Diesel's arrival and from the first day was very caring towards him. As Diesel developed he began dominating Max (Max was the last of his litter and was always the last to get milk from his mum I was told). Diesel has never really been agressive towards him but I had to train him not to take Max's food and always fed Max first etc... Diesel is fine and they do get along very well but Max seems to have 'regressed'. He isn't as responsive, has become very clumsy and just seems really slow. He is a very loving dog but do you think he has just given up trying to get our attention, he sighs a lot now too?

Q2) Max has in the last 3-4 months started growling if touched whilst eating. It is a deep growl and he has never shown his teeth or tried to bite. I have removed his food dish without a problem but I am worried that it might escalate. It seems like he is being a little possessive, perhaps because he thinks Diesel may take his food but he does it with all of us. How can I make him feel more relaxed? He is fine with toys, bones, treats, everything - it's just his food bowl and the two dogs eat apart.

Q3) Max has also started doing a similar but quieter growl on some occassions when my 14 year old son goes to stroke him. He can be fine with him for 99% of the time. Again no real aggression and there have been no trigger events to our knowledge. Connor (my son) has grown a lot over the last few years and has become more confident in his control of Max. Could it be a hierarchy thing?

Q4)Max keeps taking socks out of the laundry to play and then every now and again Diesel finds them and eats them. He gets tummy ache for a few days and then out it pops one way or another. I hear tales of dogs needing operations for this kind of thing to remove objects and whilst max just plays, I think Diesel can't help but swallow them (and anything else he chews like stair carpets, sofa's etc). We exercise him like crazy and it's still not enough, he is getting much better and we have stopped with the crate a while ago, but when left alone for an hour or two it seems to be boredom. Do you think we should change our behaviour or will he grow out of it like Max did?

Q5) When walking the dogs together I have two problems. The first is that Max is completely uninterested in retrieving balls, toys, sticks, anything. He just lags behind and sniffs, then catches up and so on. He has always been like this even before Diesel and I have tried everything with treats, encouragement, different walks - he likes to go out and get's excited when we set off but won't respond and when I give him any instructions he has just started ignoring me more and more. Maybe linked to the earlier question - any ideas?

Q6) I have tried everything to stop the dogs pulling when walking them. "Chokers", "Gentle Leaders" "Normal Leads", long and short leads, the lot. They are at their worst when they first go out and as they tire they get much better. I correct them all the time verbally and physically by pulling them back or changing direction but to no avail. I struggle with them both and my wife struggles with one, my kids have no chance. It can make the walks unenjoyable and stressfull particularly road walking during the winter weekday mornings and nights. (Diesel is great off the lead and responds very well to commands but I can only do this in the countryside). Any new ideas for getting them something close to the heel?

Right, that's it. I'm sure I am not alone on these ones and I understand that it is myself and family that first need to be educated before we can help the dogs. If your guidance is half as good as the last time then we will be flying.

Thanks again

James

Answer
These are tough questions, and I may not do as well as getting a new puppy started.

1  Have you talked to the vet about it?  There could be a physical problem.  Otherwise, give him plenty of attention, belly rubs, butt scratches, ear scratches, etc.  Make sure he knows you love him.  

2  Try only putting part of his food in the dish at first, and then adding more as he finishes it.  He will soon welcome you at his food dish.  

3  Yes.  Have your son drill him in his obedience commands.  

4  This could be an attempt to get more attention.  Combine doing whatever you have to to keep the laundry away from him with the attention i suggested in #1.

5  Some dogs are just different.  You may need to accept him as he is.

6  I have never had much luck walking 2 dogs at once on a leash.  You really can't give the one that needs a correction the way you should.  I would suggest more work with one dog at a time.  

Easier dogs will give up their pulling with a few good snaps of the leash combined with a stern "Bad dog!". You can work up to forceful corrections with the leash doubled up in both hands and your whole body behind it. But you don't want to use any more force than you need. One gentle technique I like is to just stop when he pulls. He wants to go. If you move forward when the leash is slack, and stop when he pulls, he should quickly figure out the only way to get to go, is not to pull. This is about teaching him not to pull, not getting somewhere. The man that taught it to me said "If in a half hour you haven't made it out to the front walk, fine, you have taught him a lesson. Pulling the dog backwards is a good technique too.