We have a 2 year old golden retriever, who is very loveable and can be sweet & calm...but he does have idiotic moments (part of being an adolescent I suppose!) and lately his behaviour on the lead when another dog comes close is getting worse and worse. He just wants to meet them and say hello, but he gets very bouncy and excited and makes a deep growling noise (not aggressive at all, but I can imagine that's what the other dog owner thinks), when the dog is walking past he'll try and lunge at it (again not in an aggressive way but it's probably how it looks) even though I always make sure the pram and I are between him and the other dog.

Some owners are good and at least have their pet on a short leash walking next to them, and I find he is worse when the other dog is on a loose lead and the owner just lets it do whatever it wants.

how can I control his behaviour? It's potentially dangerous and is embarrassing to have your dog, who normally walks nicely next to the pram, act like a lunatic. I've tried making him sit while the other dog goes past, but he still tries to leap at them. I've corrected him by pulling the leash sharply to one side to try and distract him but it only works for a few seconds and he focuses on the other dog again. He does wear a choke chain which has helped a bit, and I used to use a halti which also worked a bit but I don't want him always restricted with it around his face (and it's vain I know, but I think it gives the impression that he's a vicious dog because it looks muzzle-like to some people ).

He isn't desexed, so that's probably part of the problem. I want to get him done but DF refuses...