I seem to get an equal number saying it would be beneficial to those who say it would make no difference.
My Goldie (from working lines) is now a year old. He loves people and other dogs and only gets a bit aggressive if the other dog has a go at him, or he runs away from them, and he can get a bit boisterous over smaller dogs. At the moment he has taken to ranging away from me on walks going running off into the distance with his head down as if he is hunting. I can change direction or hide from him but it makes no difference. I end up having to whistle him to let him know that I have gone another way. Then he will come looking for me catches up with me ignoring my proffered treat for coming and ranges off in the new direction. If he sees a dog or person and he is not near me I cannot stop him going off to play. It takes a while calling and whistling as I walk away as he goes off with them but then does then come to me. Sometimes I HAVE to fetch him as he is a pain to the other party but he will not learn a good recall if I have to keep doing that. Treats and games are boring to him after the first offering...he gets bored very quickly.

So would castration help? Or any other ideas?

Personally I don't think castration would help, unless it's bitch scent he's following - and it doesn't sound like it is.  My dobe boy was exactly the same at around 10 months, and I had him neutered to counter it - it did no good whatsoever, and it was too early I think. As a result I had a dog that still wandered off, but also ended up as an adult on the lean side build-wise as he hadn't finished filling out before he was done.  If you do get him done I'd wait a little longer, till he's physically mature.

Now, your pup - I'd have him on a long line TBH.  You say he won't learn a good recall if you have to go and fetch him - well, he's certainly not going to learn a good recall if he gets umpteen opportunities to ignore it (your repeated whistling and calling with no response, even if he comes eventually), and a very good reward for doing so (interacting with other dogs/people)!  I'd say at the moment he's learning quite nicely to do his own thing :p

I'd start retraining it indoors with a new cue (as he's learned to ignore the normal one), use whatever really gets him going - chicken, liver, squeaky toy, etc - and just give the cue and the reward straight after, a couple dozen times a day for a couple of weeks.  Then take it outside - somewhere uninteresting (or the least interesting to him) - and repeat.  Only reward for responses, don't repeat the cue more than once, and don't give it if you think he's going to ignore it.  When he's excellent at that, take it somewhere a little more distracting, and repeat!  Keep it up, building the distraction as he gets good at each stage (always on a lead/long line), and only when you're confident that he'll recall from whatever's distracting him out on your walks, let him off lead again.

Remember to practice his recall throughout his life - don't only use it when you need to, use it when he's just pottering about or your playing so he doesn't only associate it with a tempting distraction - that should make it stronger.  And personally I always reward for recalls - some people do it randomly, but I think that's down to the individual dog.  I find mine recall more strongly if they always get a tasty treat, but some dogs are better if they don't know which recall will be rewarded - that's up to you to work out!  Oh, vary the rewards - the best things can get boring after a while, as you already know :)

Something I also find helps is to have the strong recall on a cue that I don't use too often - apart from emergencies and the odd practice as I've mentioned - I use an acme whistle for it.  In normal walking situations I use their names and I whistle myself for a slightly better recall, but I save the acme for the most part - it makes it more unique (think "background noise" - if they hear something often enough, it can get tuned out) and more special.

i had my GSD castrated at 7 months and  he is still a bossyboots with other dogs, not fighting but definitely wants to be boss, head over their backs, etc.the thing that got me through was a massive amount of training so i can always call him away if need be, if the other dog doesnt like his boisterous manner.
And with a good recall i know i can stop him entering situations where he might cause upset. I wouldnt rush to neuter and if i get another male dog i wont rush to do it at all.but this is my first dog so im not experienced.:rolleyes:

I agree with both posts that I would only castrate if I had a bitch at home and did not want to breed.
I have a male Bernese who was castrated at 2 years old but this was only because I had two bitches and did not want any accident matings!
He was still a the same dog, although he did put on a bit of weight afterwards.
He is now coming up to 8 years old and has slowed down quite alot!  But still shows an interest if he comes across a bitch in heat!!!
Maybe taking your Goldie to a training class will help with his recall, I took my boy to a training class and learnt alot from these classes, as I needed training as well!!!!!!!!

Get in the car and drive off, it works every time with mine

wait until he has fully matured.  getting him castrated is not going to help on jot.  This is down to training and nothing else.  Most dogs go through a teenage stage where they seem to forget what they have learned.  Just go back to basics and start again.  You will get through it believe me.

As he is from working lines I would suggest that you try to make your walks more interesting for him and yourself, so as you are working as a partnership. Working lines have lots of brains and thrive on mental stimulation. Does he like retrieving ? |If so I would carry a dummy with me and drop it as a seen retrieve, walk 100 yds or so with him and send him back for it. I would also recomend that you beg, buy or borrow Michael Twist's book, 'The complete Guide to the Golden Retriever'. In here you will find lots of useful tips for training along with a range of other info.

It sounds as if your boy has become 'self employed' when out and about, if you were to do some mental stimulation things with him I think you will find a marked difference.

In response to all of you. It seems the general opinion is not to castrate, or at least wait a while and consider at a later date?! As I have been undecided anyway I will be waiting and see how things pan out.
We DO go to training classes once a week. Pep is really good in class. We have progressed from second place which moved us up a class to first place in that class so up a class!! We have even been asked to be one of the representatives for the school in a small competition. Not bad for one year old?  So he must have some potential......I know I need more training than him really so I can get the best from him in all situations.
He does retrieve on walks but after a couple of retrieves, and a couple of hide and seeks he gets bored and wants to run off on his own! Or to be "Self Employed" as you say....I like that term.
I will try and find the book for ideas.

Thank you.