Hi everyone, Any suggestions please.

Misty is 20 month old Golden Retriever, I have had her since she was 8 weeks old and have taken her to obedience classes from 14 weeks until earlier this year. I am now taking her to agility classes.

She has a lovely nature but acts continuosly like a pup and wants to play with every other dog. If she sees another dog she will go to it and go down on her belly and act like a puppy. She also takes no notice of me when I call her back, when she has gone to other dogs, and this has got us into trouble with people who have their dogs on leads, who have a shouting match with me saying I shouldn't let her off.

I only let her off in safe fields away from roads etc, she is so biddable and I have tried going back to basics with recall and treats. Her general obedience at home and on the lead is brilliant- sits, lie down, stay, wait, stand and recall etc. Suprisingly when off the lead and no dogs around, she does always come back to me eventually! I always praise her for coming back and quite often during a walk will call her back praise and release, so that she doesn't associate recall with the lead being put on. Any ideas would be great.

Thanks Chris

Hi Chris,

My first bitch (different breed) behaved very similarly - I don't know if I'd really done my training correctly with her or not but found her to be totally reliable unless there was another dog around - she was obsessed with playing and occasionally got beaten up by a distant dog for her over zealous approach :(  (incidentally I had another dog, a male, at the same time and he came back first time every time, so she had live-in canine company, just seemed to crave "strange" dogs :D)

I found the easiest way round it was to try and meet up with another dog walker or two who I knew to have friendly and obedient dogs - when she played with them she also came back when they were recalled and she didn't feel the need to go off and pester a strange dog.  I'm afraid that meant she could not be off lead until we were already among dogs she knew and if you truly believe you've tried everything else and that you've "gone back to basics" this may be your best option.

HTH, but no doubt someone will be along soon with another suggestion or more, ;)

Regards, Teri

I know exactly what you both are talking about, i also explain to other owners that our dog not come in contact with many other dogs and if they are happy we let him have a little contact, this seems to have worked as when we got him a week ago it was a total nightmare. However today in the park he met with a labrador that just wasn't interested, he got excited then we just walked on, the other dog was about 10 metres away and he ran off after her. A little embarrassing for us as he didn't come back straight away when we called. So after that we put him back on the lead for a while. At first i was a little worried at his lack of socialisation, but have realised now he will not attack another dog. Tyler is a golden retriever too. I also look after my aunties golden retriever when they go on holiday, she is about the same age as your dog and she was great at recall until there was something to distract her, but i was told at that age they go back over as regards to all the training they have had. Don't know if it's true or not.

Have this currently with a year old BC whose recall has gone out of the window.  We seem to be getting there.  If he buggers off I walk the opposite way and leave him, we use a whistle as that can be heard much better than my voice not only that it doesnt communicate agitation which can be one reason they won't come back, we also take a ball that comes out when we see someone.  Just try making yourself more interesting than another dog.  Hard I know but it does work.  My mate runs around in a circle pretending to be an indian (mad I know but it works for her)!

It seems to make a difference when my partner whistles i can't so maybe investing in a whistle is a good idea. I might try that one myself.

It might be a good idea to have a one to one session out of doors with a trainer; one who already knows your dog would be great. There are all sorts of thigns that can be tried - changing direction on a walk, not waiting for her, a long line; keeping her attention on you with toys so that it becomes second nature, and so on. I expect you feel you have tried many of these, but often someone else with you can be of great help.It may be too that at some stage you called her as she was playing in the first stages of outdoor recall, and often the dogs find it hard to break away from other dogs and so  learn they don't have to obey in that situation. Also some dogs don't know "how" to extricate themselves socially from other dogs.

I expect you will need to go back to basics or at least part way back, implement a few new strategies and be careful when yo call her; i tend to suggest calling a dog back just as it is getting very tired of play, then it can come back for a reward. As time goes on, the dog gets used to this and is far more wiling to come back during or before play... :)

Good luck
LIndsay
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