We had a dog trainer come and show us some tips with our previous dog and the treats in the pocket is a big tip. If he knows that you have them, it should work for you.
Saying that, I have a beagle and a ****er spaniel - took them for a walk today with the pram and I think they walked me!!!! Gotta love dogs that walk with their noses on the ground grrrrrr!
Will try using treats and see if that gets him to behave. It didn't really worry me much before, but now it's just starting to get really annoying and I don't want it to escalate to the point where I can't control him. He can be so well behaved when he wants to...but other times he is just a nutter!
Our little dog is mental on the leash too - not with little dogs but beserko with big black dogs especially. I was very interested to see Dr Harry on BH&G (last week or the week before) had a harness with a self-tightening strap at the front - so works like a choke chain (ie tightens when the dog pulls) but because it sits around their shoulders it restricts movement rather than breath. So a more humane and effective version of the choke chain (and I was sitting there thinking, why didn't someone invent this decades ago???).
Is it possible to go to dog classes? This would help on two fronts. You and your dog will learn the commands and how to enforce them. AND your dog will get socialised properly with other dogs. Getting de-sexed may help the issue. Is there a reason why your DF doesn't want him done? A halti is a fabulous suggestion, my Lab wears one, she is nowhere near as well controlled with just a collar.
If you didn't have the pram with you I would suggest that everytime you are walking in a particular direction and he starts the behaviour, turn him around and walk in a different direction. When he stops the behaviour, you turn back the way you were going and continue, unless the behaviour starts again, in which case you turn around again - this can take several attempts to pas the one obstacle (dog / pedestrian / etc) but does work if you are consistant. Unfortunately that is very hard to do with a pram.
He really does need to be socialised more, because unfortunately, even if your dog is not intending to be agressive, you cann't guarentee how other dogs will react and you may be placed in a position where a dog fight does occurr and your dog gets the blame for starting it. (not fair, but it does happen).
Misty- he did go to puppy classes when we got him. I think what he needs is a playmate, but one dog is more than enough for us at the moment. maybe when DD is a bit older...we don;t even have any friends with dogs!
Kazbah- I've been using his halti, as much as he hates wearing it. He's been really good and doesn't pull at all with it on, but as murphy's law would have it we haven't seen/walked past a single dog when we've been out walking! Lol
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