Case Profile: The Labrador
In this case profile, we explore one of the worlds most popular breeds - and a breed that we know very well! The Labrador. This walking contradiction most commonly suffers with two issues that people would expect the least - a distrust of strangers and a fear of loud noises. We’re going to break down the cases we most commonly see in labs - and what you can do about it.
BREED(S): Working Line Labrador Retriever, Show line Labrador Retriever
Owners most commonly see me for: Distrust of strangers resulting in fear or reactivity towards people. Fear of loud noises, most commonly gunshots, fireworks and crowscarers - typically later in life and resulting in a refusal to walk or leave the house. Oh, and pulling on a lead!
Most Common symptoms include: Balking or flinching away when people try to touch them, barking, lunging other reactivity. Refusal to leave the house, refusal to walk on a lead anywhere near loud noises.
Occasional symptoms include: High Prey drive resulting in livestock worrying or chasing and hunting small game.
Case Breakdown: The Labrador really is a contradiction when it comes to the issues we most commonly see them for - because if you asked most people what a Labrador is, they would probably say “a very confident, friendly gundog” - which makes it seem very odd that these dogs are so commonly antisocial with strangers and fearful.
In reality, these common issues are a reflection of a wider conversation - the difference between a dog bred for show, and one that is bred for work. When we talk about the show line labradors that are used by organisations like the guide dogs association, or the ones we see advertising toilet paper - these dogs have been bred specifically for their friendly temperaments, affinity for poeple, there confidence and trainability. But, as is very common in the breed - health issues such as arthritis, dysplasia and obesity are rife. Many people are now choosing to buy working line labradors, including the increasingly popular Fox Red Labrador - which tend to be much fitter, healthier dogs - slight and athletic in build, with far fewer health issues - and far more working ability. In addition, these dogs have never been bred with friendliness in mind - they’ve been picked for their working performance and health. And in the English countryside, a dog that is a little standoffish makes for a good guard - not a trait that many breeders of working dogs would be deterred by.
The biggest challenge we have with most of the dogs that we work with is that many owners don’t take action quickly to learn how to work through the fear. Which means that instead, the behaviour gets increasingly widespread and problematic, until the dogs are completely paralysed and refuse to leave their homes.
Mistrust of Strangers vs. Fear or Timidity.
In my experience - both personally and professionally with Labradors, there is a no direct link between this very common mistrust that many labradors show, and their overall confidence as an individual. This behaviour is often mistaken for a dog that is naturally very timid or fearful - but in most cases these dogs are typically perfectly confident and happy in their own skin, as well as being highly social with other dogs - but do not like being approached or petted by people they don’t know. This behaviour is all about instincts - what respectful behaviour looks like in the dog world and what the “right” way to greet a dog is, vs. all the bad habits that humans practice, and the liberties that many people take with labradors on the basis of a breed stereotype.
Both our Ambassador Labradors - Théo and Olive, who are both from strong working lines - have a distrust of strangers, but are very confident and friendly dogs once theyre properly introduced. Perhaps a little too confident for their own good sometimes! Would you know it to look at them? of course not - they’re professional dogs that trust their owners, so they present any issues. But this is because we are very strict with people coming in and interacting with our dogs uninvited. Our dogs have a job to do, and we need their trust - which is why we never let them feel pressured to interact with people they don’t want to.
Gundogs that are scared of - Gunshots?
Labradors are the top breed that we work for when it comes to a fear of loud bangs, alongside Border Collies - and a lot of these issues develop later on in life. The biggest challenge we have with most of the dogs that we work with is that many owners don’t take action quickly to learn how to work through the fear. Which means that instead, the behaviour gets increasingly widespread and problematic, until the dogs are completely paralysed and refuse to leave their homes.
Fear is not logical - and labradors have a genetic predisposition to this particular fear. The only thing that needs to happen for a dogs fear to be reinforced is that their reaction - evasive action or flight - results in their survival. That is it, that is all - the bar is incredibly low. So fear builds very quickly if it is not addressed.
The Good news is - it can absolutely be addressed, the sooner the better - and teaching these dogs to make confident decisions can do a huge amount to rebuild freedoms. Building a healthy, positive relationship with the lead and teaching the dogs to trust it as a guide and as a source of calmness is one of the most important skills that we teach.
Castration can also have a significant impact on the likelihood of this fear presenting, which is why it is always worth using a temporary implant rather than a full castration procedure. If your dog is predisposed, it is useful to know if castration will trigger a reaction before committing to an irreversible procedure.
Steps towards resolution:
Learn the right way to introduce people to your dog. Teach people to practice No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact and allow the dogs to come to them, rather than invading their space. Do not move your hands towards any dogs head, but allow them to come to you and sniff, to learn more about you.
Teach your dog an interactive game they can play with people - like fetch or tug - to foster social bonds and build trust. Food will only create curiosity - it will not bridge the gap to social interaction.
Don’t let fear lead you, or your dog. Be the primary source of calmness and safety, and teach your dog to be able to be still without the need for flight, before teaching them to trust and follow you on lead.
Understand the fear triangle of “excited, nervous, calm” and how to work back through fear.
Is your Lab not playing Ball? Let’s talk.
Our own Labrador Théo was a great lesson in re-learning what we thought about the breed. and we’re always happy to pass on that knowledge to others. If you’re local to Yorkshire and the North East, lets have a chat. We think it’s always good to talk to someone who has already been through it!
James was very helpful and knowledgeable I would highly recommend. I took our 2.5 year old Lab as he is constantly wanting to walk in front and pulls on the lead to pee up everything after one session he know longer does this and walks calmly alongside his brother much more enjoyable walking.
We have just had 3 training sessions with James at The Dogs Way and James has transformed our handling and relationship with our 2 year old Labrador. James has given us confidence in how to manage our dog and the environment related to her. Having previously become reluctant to take our dog anywhere because of her anxiety-related reactivity to other dogs, we now feel confident to take her with us, knowing that the methods James has taught us work instantly to calm our dog and give her quiet confidence. In the space of just 5 days and 3 training sessions, we can now walk in busy places with other dogs and our Labrador does not react. We highly recommend James at The Dogs Way.
We can’t recommend James at The Dog’s Way highly enough. From the start, he was patient, understanding, and genuinely committed to helping both our dog Milo and us as owners. Despite being experienced dog owners, we quickly realised that some of our well-intentioned habits were contributing to Milo’s reactivity. James coached us with empathy and clarity, never making us feel judged and always taking the time to explain the “why” behind each approach. His calm, no-pressure style and focus on building trust made all the difference—not just for Milo, but for our confidence as owners. There was no hard sell, just genuine support and tailored advice that delivered results. We couldn’t be happier with the progress Milo has made and are incredibly grateful for James’ guidance. Highly recommended. Thank you James!
Recently had the first assessment of our year old working lab with James. It was so helpful to have his knowledgable observations, explanations and advice about behaviours - rather than the usual focus just on training techniques. Already making good progress and feeling more confident. Thanks James!
These guys are so professional, they knew exactly what was going on in my dog's head after just ten minutes of observing her behaviour & they managed to change her aggressive behaviour towards other dogs there & then with some new techniques...total doggy psychology, second to none
If you’re struggling with your dog then ‘The Dogs Way’ is absolutely the place to go. James is a really friendly, chilled out and non-judgemental guy and what he doesn’t know about dog psychology and training isn’t worth knowing! I have worked with numerous trainers with my anxious, fear-reactive Rhodesian ridgeback without success. James however very quickly recognised and understood the root of the problem. He was then able to explain this to me in a very comprehensive and understandable way, showing me how to help and support my dog to make the changes needed. The improvement has been remarkable in a very short space of time - we are so close to that end goal and I know that we will reach it. Both me and my dog are now so much more relaxed and confident when out on walks, rather than the apprehensive walks of the past. I even brought my sons adolescent, hyperactive Lab to see James and he worked wonders with her as well! James’ love and natural affinity with dogs is so apparent and a real joy to watch. The relationship he has with his own ambassador dogs is truly heartwarming. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend ‘The Dogs Way’ to anyone who needs guidance with their dog (whether their dog has a problem or not) as the sound, evidence based advice will set you up for life. I only wish I’d come across ‘The Dogs Way’ and James sooner as I would’ve saved myself a lot of money and worry!
We recently had a session with James and Steve and we can’t speak highly enough of them. Our boy Otis, a 3yr old lab x golden retriever with a huge amount of energy, wasn’t easy to walk on the lead due to strong pulling and wanting to say hello to everyone. James and Steve didn’t just teach us techniques to manage this, but also spent time helping us understand Otis and his behaviours. We’ve now walked Otis in busy towns, stopped at cafes for lunch, walked on the beach and in the woods with friend’s dogs, and he has done fantastically. Before taking him to these places would have been hard work, but now our walks are an absolute pleasure. We really feel that what James and Steve have done for us is priceless! We honestly didn’t think we’d ever achieve this. We’re looking forward to many walks and trips away this year. Thank you!
All the advice james gave us made so much sense. We’d almost given up on being able to walk Broc in public but after only a month putting James’ methods and tips into practice we have just come home from Tees barrage where we walked past loads of dogs with no lunging and snarling from Broc. We were even able to sit on a bench with a coffee from san seb with Broc sitting down next to us. Unbelievable difference and I’m buzzing. James gave us the confidence and direction to understand Broc’s needs. Thank you so much James
Really brilliant session with James helping us with our 5 month old Labrador puppy, Barney. His calm manner and clear explanations mean it’s easy to put things into practice. Lead walking is now a pleasure for all of us. James has been with us from the start when we had some early issues following getting a puppy during lockdown. His advice saved our sanity! We will definitely return for more training as we move through the challenging teenage phase! Highly recommend and Barney is also a fan. Thank you James.
Shadow. Shadow is a 4 year old rescue collie /lab cross. Right from the off I sensed something wasn’t right, and anxious as a new dog parent called in reinforcements to prevent developing challenging behaviour, aware that I was not going to give up on her. (As she had been rejected before by 2 families). She deserved so much more and in recruiting James, Shadow and I have quickly moved beyond those initial wobbles and anxieties (mostly mine). I was guilty of projecting my anxieties around her being a rescue onto her, and fundamentally misreading the situation and thus mishandling the solution, creating deeper issues and problems. James’s professional, intuitive, pragmatic and clear guidance allowed me to fully appreciate, “see” and “hear” Shadow and in doing so allowed a quicker, more solid, less emotional and trusting relationship to blossom. His non- nonsense and gentle delivery supported and enhanced a purer and more joyful cultivation of my relationship with Shadow. He is dog-centric while being mindful of the “noise” that we as humans can bring and is clear in ensuring that the dog is not subjected to the smorgasbord of our daily thoughts and experiences, but rather forges and cultivates a “living in the now” experience with the dog. I have experienced this, and with his guidance Shadow and I are learning to trust, listen and are learning to enjoy wonderful experiences. I am now developing a relationship with Shadow, which my whole life I has looked for and hoped to have with a dog. This is in no small part to James. He responded quickly, thoroughly and thoughtfully and I would highly and fully recommended his natural ability and skill to anyone having issues with their dog. There are very few genuine people that you meet such as James and should your dog (and you), need any support, you would be well placed to receive excellent and authentic support were you to ask for his guidance.
It’s been over two weeks since my session with James and I can now see a dramatic difference in my dog’s behaviour. I had initially contacted James as I realised that I was walking both my dogs in quiet places to avoid possible confrontations. I had perceived that my dog Billy was anxious after an attack by another dog as he would stalk and charge at some dogs. I was constantly on guard for possible problems and not enjoying walks as much as I should have been. The 3 hour session was invaluable and very enjoyable. James helped me understand my dog and provided insightful recommendations and suggestions. I now have much more confidence in managing situations as I am learning to understand Billy and I no longer avoid meeting other dogs. James has a really lovely calm, patient and informative approach and an amazing, comprehensive understanding of dog behaviour. I would highly recommend his service.
