My 3 year old Golden, Pep is still so full of beans people think he is a puppy!
He prefers people to dogs and will run up to anybody and everybody, given the chance. He runs up and wiggles into them sideways, "talking" to them and tries to take hold of their hand in his mouth. Obviously not everyone likes dogs or even if they do do not want to be greeted by others dogs.
My methods to overcome this tried so far are............I walk where I am less likely to meet anyone as he needs to be off lead as he is so lively and needs to run off his excess energy. I call him to me when someone is coming and keep him at heel. This just winds him up so he either makes a dash for them suddenly taking all of us by suprise or if he stays with me he is like a wind up toy that when released races off madly into the distance. Same with stopping and making him sit by me till they pass. I know I could put him on his lead but I dont think it is actually teaching him a good behaviour. If I dont call him back to me then I firmly command him either "NO" or "LEAVE" and sometimes he will but he is not consistent. I also try asking the approaching person to just ignore him and that works when they do but not everyone does as I ask or he bounces near to them which makes them jump or they put their hand up to stop him and he sees that as an invitation to them.
He is bright and behaves well with most other commands but I have lost him on this one and really dont know what else to try.

Hi Lyndbob

Pep sounds a sweetheart :)

My youngster behaves similarly and TBH is in full 'kevin' swing right now so much of what I try to instill in him is either going right over his head or ignored (I suspect more the latter!)

I'd recommend that you temporarily don't persevere with relying on him staying to heel when leash free - as you've stated it's not very reliable and/or predictable and IMO the more lapses in desired behaviour that occur the more likely the habit is to become instilled in him so verging on impossible to break.

It's lovely to have a dog which is so appreciative of human interaction but of course not all humans are so appreciative of dogs whether they own them or not.  It could be that those who greet him, despite your protestations, have set up the situation whereby he feels it's 'always worth a shot' and this makes our work even harder :(  Also bear in mind that someone may *seriously* not like dogs and could lash out at him - I'm sure you don't want your otherwise lovely boy to end up injured and perhaps scarred temperamentally as the result of something like that :(

Hopefully somebody more experienced in me at overcoming quirks will be along soon but I'm currently keeping monster man leashed up where there are distractions in any form around (people, dogs, vehicles, birds, litter :-D ) so I'll be popping back here for tips too :-p

regards, Teri

I'm still trying to teach Buster manners (wow, he's nearly 2 allready - time flies!!) when metting people.

He loves strangers, this is partly my fault for going OTT with positive association when he was little, I put a lot of effort into teaching him that strangers are great, strangers = lots of treats, unfortunately I neglected to teach him that strangers should be met calmly :(
I've managed to completely stop him standing on his back legs with exitement when a stanger walks past

I'm definately not as experienced as Teri!! but what is working for me is treats, treats and more treats (we've made a LOT of progress, but it's still a work in progress!).
To start with I would get Buster to sit calmly, just before he would get excited at seeing a stranger, he would get a treat & lots of praise for sitting calmly and listening to me. To start with, people would be quite a distance away when he got exited, as he gradually learnt that when he sees people he must sit & look at me (and he'll get LOVELY CHEESE) I found the distance before he would get excited got smaller & smaller.
When he was pretty good with this, I would get him to stand still (I use the word 'wait') when he saw people, he would be out on a long-line and if he didn't 'wait' I would hold him in place & walk to him & get him to sit. He soon decided that standing was better & he started to 'wait' on seeing people without me needing to remind him.
We're still working on actually meeting people, he gets a bit exited and wiggles like a loony, which worries people, but it's starting to sink in that 'if peole are talking to my owner, I must sit calmly, then I'll get a bit of cheese and if I'm really calm the stranger is allowed to stroke me :-D ' LOL.
As I said, Buster is always on-lead/long-line, if he was loose I would put him back on-lead with people around. With self-rewarding behaviour it's much easier to re-direct & train alternative behaviours if you can stop/limit the chance for them to get to perform the behaviour you dont want (greeting people like a loony is self rewarding, even if the person doesn't like dogs, chances are they are acting in a way that is still exciting).

Hi Teri and "Monster Kevin"

Pep is lovely and (unfortunately?) he is oft admired whilst "mugging". The more fuss he gets the more he wants!!
As you say though there are those who really dont like dogs and it is for that reason I wish I could stop the interaction or somehow control it better!
We have upset a few people and I am mortified but I get cross too when they ignore me telling them to ignore him...in my mind they should understand English better than a dog so doesnt it make sense to talk to them....but hey.

At least we can console each other that we are not alone and like you I wait for someone else to come up with some ideas.

Hi mastifflover

We have tried treats but people are even better than treats. I can waft his favourite treat under his nose but he is so focused on the person he looks at it in disdain then ignores it....can you believe it?!
Problem with a long lead last time I tried it we got in a tangle and when I was trying to untangle Pep made a dash and I got pulled over badly hurting myself so it put me off that. Also I walk out in the countryside and he likes to run through and round bushes and trees!!!!?

I think I will have to put him back on lead when I see somone.......one problem there is when you meet people by suprise around corners and its too late!

> in my mind they should understand English better than a dog so doesnt it make sense to talk to them....

Soooooooooooo been there, in fact seem to be a permanent resident at the moment LOL.  Sometimes I think we've got it wrong and the dogs do have a better understanding :-p

> I've managed to completely stop him standing on his back legs with exitement when a stanger walks past

Crumbs, waaaay ahead of me there Mastifflover :-o

> I'm definately not as experienced as Teri!!

erm, I think you're having more success   (Meezgonnashuddupnow :-p )

Oh tell me about it!

> I can waft his favourite treat under his nose but he is so focused on the person he looks at it in disdain then ignores it....can you believe it?!

Try coming at it from a different angle :)
The above suggests to me you're attempting to distract/lure him... so no surprises we could hear the faint strains of 'The Mission Impossible' theme tune playing in the background ;)
     I had this technique recommended to me when I was (of all places!) at our Dog training school.(Not all Police forces in are the dark ages ;)) It's the method I use to teach 'Watch me' but in the article Im going to link you to, it is a technique that's used by a  trainer who trains 'Service' dogs/'Hearing' dogs etc and addresses your situation of 'mugging' strangers.
       Nice to meet you! - Greeting strangers

HTH? Worked for me on my little red love bomb :)
    

> I can waft his favourite treat under his nose but he is so focused on the person he looks at it in disdain then ignores it....can you believe it?!
>

LOL I beleive you!! Despite Buster being a complete 'foodie', treats can not be used to distract him if he is allready excited, I've even rubbed cheese on the end his nose in an attempt to get his attantion, but he'll ignore it if he's exited and it just makes me look like a weirdo!, the trick is to use the treat before they get excited.

Forgot to say : Worked best for me if the 'treat' I used was something she had never had before (I made mackerel cake, used german garlic sausage, Polish sausage, Icelandic dried fish,.... and had to throw out a coat at the end of it all!! :-D)

> erm, I think you're having more success <IMG alt=eek src="/images/eek.gif">

Ahhh, but I only have 1 dog so it's sooooooo much easier for me :)

Hi HuskyGal

Okay. I am going to print that article and read through carefully.
I did try some prawn crackers out on the afternoon walk today. Pep REALLY likes them and I must admit for the first time in ages I had his full attention when a group of people went by. They even stopped and spoke to my partner and the prawn crackers still won!!!!! Result, got it "cracked"! Ha ha.? Might become a problem when the crackers turn to crumbs in the bag?

On a serious note I take on board any advise and work at it. Keep it coming.
Good luck everyone else too.

> and had to throw out a coat at the end of it all!! :-D)

LOL, i know what you mean, ive since bought a treat pouch (like a bumbag) as my pockets were continously full of horrible things....

Our GR was exactly the same when greeting people.  I managed to train her in two ways.  when people come to the house we made her wait until she was approached before saying hello, we did this by getting people to turn their backs until she was sitting.  While on walks if we saw someone coming towards us she was put on a very short lead and again was not allowed to say hello until she was approached.  She is now 4 years old and has got the hang of all this, she is still desperate to say hello but will go up to people and sit so they can say hello.

Yes we have had the same problem and the whistle has really helped in getting their recall more fined tuned !

The one thing that does pose a problem is that they can sniff out a pocket full of treats a mile of and home in on the person and normally ignore the dog ! :-)

For the future, and since the 'boxer experience' is where I and several of my former students have cut their teeth...I have always advised from the start to only pet, stroke, tickle, treat, and in any way praise a dog...is with it's all 4 feet on the ground.
All friends, callers and especially children must go down to the dog from the start and only give positive signals ( touch or treats) when all feet are on the floor.

It is in some way easier to retrain a larger, or full grown dog, because of the height difference as it is natural for dogs to want to get nearer to the 'business end' of the human ie the face. To do this you really have to have everyone onboard and keep away from folk who will encourage ( or just plain don't get what your trying to achieve) jumping up. Keep telling everyone " only touch him/her when feet are on the floor". Loving dogs get this very quickly as they hate to be ignored.
The operant conditioning method works well but in real life, and in all situations, we dont always carry a pocket full of prawn crackers...so teaching the dog that it gets it's ideal  reward ie getting the attention comes from planting its feet  -this is always available to us.
So it's hands off the dog while is jumping, hopping up and down or standing on hind legs
Hands on whilst dog is 'all 4 feet on ground'.....allow 'tap-dancing' to start because we are only working towards perfection :-)

> Keep telling everyone " only touch him/her when feet are on the floor".

Doesn't it make you mad how some people just can't grasp the concept of this and insist on petting your dog while it is boinging all over the place, toddling around on it's back legs and hoisting your arm out of the socket - arghhhhhh. It would be so much easier to teach if people would LISTEN. I'm now quite firm with people who irgnore me and insist 'no, it's OK I'm used to dogs', I am quite forcefull with 'please DO NOT touch him untill he's sat down, he's in training' (if he isn't sat down he'll try to wedge his snout up people bum's/crotch )

> It is in some way easier to retrain a larger, or full grown dog,

There I was, ecstatic, elated, euphoric and screaming 'back of the net'

> you really have to have everyone onboard and keep away from folk who will encourage ( or just plain don't get what your trying to achieve) jumping up.

then crash, wallop, blooter - reality check   OH - major problem.  One of them may have to go.  Decision possibly easier as he's off to the Grantice City as I write (trembling - me, not him, due to above - keep up wummin) and has an overnight bag......  Can I blue tooth a change in the home route onto his sat nav per chance ...

24 hour intensive therapy required - dog, not me, still not getting the drift?  I admit to needing therapy, just 24 hours ain't looking like a workable prospect

Maybe I should through Ollie into the 'ring'...

Now.. you can all sit back and look at your calm, laid back, well trained dogs

Ollie has no interest in bums/crotches.. Ollie insists on wrapping paws around necks and giving full on French kissing..

Ollis is Spawn of Satan .... I'm thinking MadAss is somehow Spawn of Ollie
Refuse to acknowledge that contact with absent father is beneficial

Poor parental guidance -all round- I'd say.

I'd keep ma BIL if I were you sis....we've come so far with these blokes, shame to off-load them now - especially getting so close to the time where we will need someone to change our incontinance pants and smash up our food for us.

I was told a good joke last night about getting old and senile but all I can remember is the punch line ..................... " write it down". :-)

> we will need someone to change our incontinance pants

Splutter - oheck, needed now and he's AWOL :-o 

*****Danger - Danger ****** Tena lady alert in Strathclyde.

toolz

Pepper doesnt jump up, fortunately. He runs in sideways and leans against people and tries to take hold of hands.
At home he is not allowed to greet visitors until invited.well we try. I at least have some control of the visitors who are asked to ignore him until they want to say hello to him, or not. Eventually he settles down, except with my parents who he is desparate to make a fuss of!!?

Sorry to repeat but it nearly always works, Ignore, Distract and Praise for desired behaviour.

Scenario------------

Excited dog, bashing into folk...person ( a trusted friend  in the first instance) ask dog to 'sit'.. gentle praise..(keep it calm)...if dogs starts barging repeat. If, in the sit, he jiggles or leans...hands off, repeat command then praise by touching gently...jiggle/lean , hands off again.
A still dog should be quickly achieved if you only do this with folk you can trust to get the timing right.
Pepper wants the affection and attention - you just need to perfect the 'only get affection when you are still' thing and a clever loving dog should learn this easily.