Five yr old golden has been with us for three yrs. First two yrs with previous owners who regretted getting dog; they kept him caged in their garage when he wasn't outside, didn't groom him or socialize him.  He is absolutely gorgeous now and very happy but there are two behaviors that I can hardly stand anymore: 1)  He insists on wedging between you and any of the other dogs whenever they are shown any attention. He takes his nose, gets it under your arm and whips his head back forcing your arm/hand off of the other animal, meanwhile he forces his way in so that your hand lands on him. If you resist him he just puts his suprisingly powerful body behind his determination and I, for one, am not physically strong enough to hold my ground against him.  We've tried all the logical remedies, (ignoring him, firm voice, squirting w/water bottle - he likes that - separation...etc); nothing registers with this guy.  2) He walks through and rolls in poop!! He loves to roll around on the lawn and he does it every time he goes out - but he doesn't care where he plops he's big butt down; poop means nothing to him. Ditto on the walking through his or any other dogs doo-doo. We can't always, nor do we wish to always, go out with him.    Thoughts?!?

I'm afraid I'd say that both behaviours are very much typical of Goldens, and all mine over 25 years have done it. :) The flipping the arm up bit, only this afteroon one of my Malinois did it to my oldest daughter (she lives with her dad) and she remarked that her Golden does the same -and she's a single dog. Whenever I brush one of mine, the rest will appear, push in and will want the same done to them, it's just the way they are. Rolling in stinky stuff -yep, all 9 Goldens I've had have always done it, very much a Golden thing to roll (my Malinois I find NEVER does it) the only way around it is to get wise to it and spot the places before the dog does so you can stop it.

No kiddin'! OH boy. I was really hoping that someone was going to tell me how to gently reform this beast. The other two dog are so much smaller than him; one a female mutt, although she IS the alpha dog, and for the most part - she barks and he obeys; - and a brand new to us, 4mth old female golden he doesn't like at all; even though he is so agreeable to other people's dogs?!.............So we just continue on??

I have a dalmatian who does exactly the same thing with her head - especially when you have a hot cup of tea in your hand and that arm is suddenly jerked upwards! She has a very intense need to be loved - if she's scolded for anything she gets as close to you as possible to appease. She's 11 years old and we've had her since birth - she's not going to change! :D

Ummm, try having a spanish Water Dog.  If it's not the head knocking your tea out of your hand or even the wine, then it's the paw whacking you one and if that doesn't work then it's the body wash!!  Aggggghhhhhh.  Not much fun the body wash when you are talking to someone and then all of a sudden there's this big tongue in your mouth :d

My Mum and Dads golden does the wedging between you and any other attention receiver. If he spots someone giving another dog, cat or any living being a cuddle, even if he's being petted himself then he's off to interupt the other attention just incase he misses out on something - he is one of the most jealous dogs I have ever met, but adorable with it.  The rolling in pooh isn't just a Golden thing it's a dog thing! :-D

My dog, I could've written that post - it's exactly the same here, except it's my dobe doing the thumping with the foot, or the knocking of tea mugs :D It's strangely reassuring to know it's not just him!

When my dog was a pup he used to get between me and my OH if we were having a cuddle, I had been told that this could lead to problems so we made him sit, wait or stay and had a very short cuddle then rewarded him for not moving, after a few weeks he got the message. Now he just watches us looking very sad(not that we cuddle that much:rolleyes:!!!!)

Sounds just like my golden boy too, although he doesn't roll in the smelly stuff, his mum likes to roll on sticks (scratches her back I think!)

Ours is exactly the same especially if one of us tries to stoke the cat when she's watching.  If given the chance she will also roll in cow or horse poo.  Looks like it's fairly standard Goldie behaviour.