Stopping my dog from being an idiot on the lead?

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 :redface: ).

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

You could try taking some form of treat with a voice command to keep his attention while the other dog goes past and once he gets the idea you may be able to slowly reduce how many times he gets the treat and just use the voice command. If he was sitting but lost focus a treat might help keep it.

our goldie is rotten on the lead...we got a halti and she is improving I dont think she looks vicious with it I think she looks pretty HEHE
sorry I dont have any useful advice...if only we lived close we could have "set" them up on a date :lol:

Have you tried a harness? My rottweiler goes NUTS if i just have a collar but the harness must make her feel more restrained and she wont go too wild!

Having your dog sit while other dogs go past is really good - when i'm training my dog to this I take a pile of treats and just distract her while the dogs pass by feeding her, then when they've passed I give her a huge rub-down and cuddle.

If you can, take her for a couple of walks without the pram, so you have both hands free, and keep a small treat in your left hand while you're walking - she'll soon get in the habit of sniffing your hand as you walk.

good luck

(oh, and the people with dogs on loose leads annoy me too!!)

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!

Good luck

Corelly x

thanks everyone :hug:

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).

Had any luck with anything yet?

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