How do I tire my lab out?

[Mr. B]

I have an interesting problem. I can not get my 3.5 year old lab tired now.

Between a week at a kennel for some brush up training (while I was on vacation)and an hour of retrieving and playing after work every night Maggie is in the best physical conditioning she has ever been in.

After an hour of playing and retrieving ever night she is still way to excited to stop. An hour used to be enough to burn off the excess energy so she was a normal dog and not a freak. Lastnight after we stopped playing, a delivary man stopped and Maggie scared him away because she was so excited.

Any advice? Also how hard can I really push her? Can I make her go non-stop for an hour, long water retrieves, busting through the cattails around the house (only thing that seems to tire her out)?

[Ole #1]

I take my lab for a swim. I paddle the canoe and she swims and follows me. In my opinion, swimming is the best exercise. You could also just play fetch in the water to get her swimming.

[Mr. B]

I should have mentioned that the retrieves that we have been working on are water retrieves. I think that Maggie is actually part Otter. She can not get enough of the lake.

Maybe I need to buy one of those launchers so she can do longer retrieves?

The canoe is an interesting idea but I do not own one yet.

[Gissert]

LOL! I have the same issue with my 2.5 year old female. She swims all summer, every day. THat gets her into great shape. She also jogs along in the winter with my ATV.

Her manners have been getting better as she ages, but she is still tireless.

[fishnhooks]

How do I tire my Lab out? HA HA HA HA HA! If you ever figure it out, be sure to share, because I haven't been able to figure it out either.

"hooks"

[chefjim]

I have been lookin for that since i brought mine home. Last night we hunted she ran all the way out there and layed and patiently waited and the I sent to pick up decoys 18 of them she ran back to the truck slept all the way home and and was jumping at the coat hook trying to get the dummy to play fetch. they are tireless dogs.

[hoggs222]

I take the laser sight out on the deck & let my Blackmouth Cur chase it for about 20 minutes at full speed. That usually seems to do the trick. Once she sees that red dot on the ground, she won't stop until she's finally frustrated by not catching it.

[Bushwacker]

My advice is to wait ten years or so and then think back on how much fun it was when she had all the energy in the world. I took my 2 year old out last night and she sounds the same as yours. It is crazy how long and hard they can go. Thank goodness pheasant season is coming, because at least her energy can be put to good use then.

[Mr. B]

I took Maggie out last night and kept throwing her dummy in to the cattails. I thought at one point that she was not going to find it but she did after about 15 minutes.

It worked great after retrieving in the cattails and long water retrieves the edge had been taken off. Well until the rabbit shot through the yard. Then is was off to the races again.