Hi,

I have a 10mth old castrated (1mth ago) male who I am finding quite stressful to take on walks and really need some advice. We have completed the puppy training class, done lots of recall training, out and about and around the home. Trouble is whenever we see anyone out he is off and no attempt at getting him back works. I have regularly read other posts and know this is quite common but i really find it hard to deal with. I take him to places that we wont see anyone as much as I can and whenever I see anyone I immediately recall him and he comes back. However like this morning, he spotted some walkers and 3 timid dogs before i did and he was off, causing a real nuisance. I have had so many people having a go at me, I really do not enjoy walking him at the moment. Should I really keep him on a lead all the time? I appreciate having to call him back, thats not a problem, but how will he ever get better if he is always on a lead when we meet people? Is it something that will pass or do I need to do something else now? I have considered a long line but we walk in enclosed areas with bracken, ferns and trees and I just think he will get tangled up all the time.

Any advice and reassurance that this is normal will be much appreciated.

Problems are usually easier to cure when you understand the cause of them. I found it helped to imagine myself living with Martians, who are very nice, very kind, look after me well and give me good food and warmth and love. Then suddenly, when we're out, I see another human being! Hooray - my own species at last! So, being a friendly soul, I badly want to say hello and chat, and get over there as fast as I can. It doesn't mean I don't love my Martian keepers, but here is someone who speaks my language.

Perhaps it would help if you start going for walks with other people and their dogs so that they lose their novelty value for your boy. Would this be possible?

Hi,

Thx for your reply. Good to look at it another way. I go for a walk with a friend every week or 2, and my other friend I used to walk with had an unspayed lab who he just used to mount all the time. I said I would be back walking after he was castrated! Yes, that would help. My kids start school this week so would be easier to arrange more dog walks.

And remember, he's still very much a puppy, who won't be physically mature for some months yet, and probably won't mentally mature for several years! Young animals of social species (and I include human children in this) are playful and need to interact with their own kind if they're to develop normally. I'm sure you'll find half an hour's walking every day in a group of other people and dogs would help him tremendously. Good luck! :D

if it makes you feel better my boy is nearly 2 and he still insists on saying hello to every dog we meet, if its male he usually comes straight back but if its female or castrated - forget it you can shout yourself hoarse and he still wont come back I just have to keep my eyes open and if I see another dog before him then I recall him for lots of fuss and treats and he is put on the lead, sometimes I will let him off again to play if the other owner is willing ;)

I have a 15 month GR male and have found one of those ball launchers to be a wonderful help in keeping his attention on me rather than other possible playmates - of course only works if the GR actually has a strong retrieving instinct. :D  Perhaps need to be careful with overdoing it with a 10 month old though.

That worked really well with my older boy too, he had a thing about jumping up at people when out and we could distract him with a toy, shame my younger one isnt as toy orientated.

I won't offer too much advice, as you've said you've already read posts about this issue but I just wanted to tell you that I've also got a 10 month old golden (girl) and I completely understand - we've had very similar issues to the one's you've described. She's got amazing selective hearing sometimes and I'm told that we should just persevere with the recall training and accept some days will be great days and some won't be. About 3 weeks ago we were having fabulous recall success, but about a week ago the little minx wouldn't come for love nor money (well, cheese) which can be a bit disheartening. People say you can sometimes go one step forward and two steps back so I'm not overly concerned. So we just soldier on and hope that sometime, in the future, she'll come out the other side a well trained dog. :rolleyes:

We're currently trying to whistle train her, as I suspect she's learnt to come when she's ready when we call her. I started by pipping whilst she was close by in the house and giving very high value treats when she came , then we moved on to recalling her from the garden whilst I was inside the house We did that for about a week and this morning was the first time we did it outside in the park. I ensured that no other dogs were around and that she'd definately come (i.e. she was reasonably close by, and looking at me) so I could set her up to succeed and she came back 100% of the time. I'll probably do this in this set up (i.e.no ditractions) for a few days then try and do it with distractions.

I have a 16 month old GR who also suffers from visit the world syndrome. Not just dogs either, if I don't tether him to me when small children appear he'll want to go say hello to them as well. (and pensioners, workmen, shopkeepers, men, women, teenagers... :-D)

Things that have helped me:
1) As Jeangenie suggested, the more he plays with dogs the less obsessed he is with meeting them. Especially if they are more sedate adult dogs. Then mummy and her balls and throw toys starts looking pretty fun.

2) Long lines are heard to use in some places but if you have a playing field with lots of people and dogs nearby they make great practice areas.  I call him 20-30 times. If he comes back he gets a fuss and a treat. If I have to reel him in like a speared fish he gets nowt but a nice pat on the head.

3) Valium and surgery to remove your embarrassment gene ;-) - because as hard as I try he slips one over on me now and then. But then whenever he does get to say hello to anyone, or any dog, it's with a waggy tail, great joy and complete non-aggression. And that makes me proud of him and love him all the more.

Unfortunately dogs that are spayed or neutered too early do take a little longer to grow up mentally. Go back to basics and re-introduce recalls on a short lead without distractions, then with distractions. Progress to a longer lead without distractions and then with, then in garden without lead without distractions and then with. When you think you have cracked it try outside somewhere on lead. eg: on pavement away from the kerb. Then go to the place you would usually go for exercise and do recall training again. He will get lots of brain work this way and benefit from being more tired when you get home instead of just weary from exercise with no training when out. I am not saying you don't train when out as I don't know what you do when out with him, but if he just has exercise and no input from you then he will go off and find his own enjoyment. Good Luck. :-)