# Dog running away to greet dogs



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi my Golden Retriever puppy is 9 months old. She is great on the lead but when i'm on the field she will run off to greet other dogs and people gladly she does come back. How can I stop her doing this?


----------



## Guest (Sep 13, 2012)

I would say keep her on a lead albeit a long training one then if she tries to rush off you can call her and reel her in so she understands she has to have your permission to go greet other dogs and folks. 

Having a dog that is fearful of other dogs especially those that rush up to him this is the sort of thing I find a nightmare, also you darling wee lass might rush upto a dog that isn'nt friendly and get injured. Just my opinion.


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

Modwyn said:


> I would say keep her on a lead albeit a long training one then if she tries to rush off you can call her and reel her in so she understands she has to have your permission to go greet other dogs and folks.
> 
> Having a dog that is fearful of other dogs especially those that rush up to him this is the sort of thing I find a nightmare, also you darling wee lass might rush upto a dog that isn'nt friendly and get injured. Just my opinion.


Ive got a long piece of rope, will try that. She just wants to play, she has been snapped at a few times.


----------



## Guest (Sep 13, 2012)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> Ive got a long piece of rope, will try that. She just wants to play, she has been snapped at a few times.


I'm absolutely sure she does it just worries me either she scares another person or dog and runs the risk of running to greet a dog that is on lead because it's dog agressive. Good luck and keep training she is clever enough to get it.


----------



## GermanShepardOwner (Aug 20, 2012)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> Hi my Golden Retriever puppy is 9 months old. She is great on the lead but when i'm on the field she will run off to greet other dogs and people gladly she does come back. How can I stop her doing this?


Would practice re-call or a wait command, a dog shouldnt really go up to anyone or another dog unless you say it can. The other dog may be aggressive and therefore that would cause problems, also the other person may be scared of dogs etc.

Would use a long line to practice, then she can not go far and you can stop this. Make sure you are using treats or a reward when she comes back, you can let her greet other dogs and people but on your say so.


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

I have been practicing recall, its just other dogs and people, she just can't help her self. What do I do if she tries to pull towards another dog or person when on a long lead?


----------



## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> I have been practicing recall, its just other dogs and people, she just can't help her self. What do I do if she tries to pull towards another dog or person when on a long lead?


Hold her back until you have checked with the person, just a quick call over then a "go on then" sort of command and let her approach but not at full speed lol.
Well, thats what I would do


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

She is great on a lead normal road walking but a hooligan on the field! lol


----------



## totallypets (Dec 30, 2011)

The ideal is for her to see a person or dog, look to you for permission and then only go to say 'hello' when you release her. 

I recall to me and then release with the other persons agreement, much safer if there is a reason not to greet with your dog next to you.


----------



## Luz (Jul 28, 2012)

Have you tried whistle training? My girl will drop anything, stop anything and race back to me if I use the whistle. Then you can control the situation.


----------



## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

When Henrick was younger he would do the same as your girl, when walking off lead I made sure I could see anyone coming and just got used to calling him back before he saw any approaching dogs, that way I could pop him back on the lead, or hold onto his collar until I could check it was ok for him to approach.


----------



## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

Unfortunately dog owners like yourself are the reason I have to carefully pick my walks. 

One of my dogs is scared of strange dogs and another can be aggressive towards rude dogs who bound over. 

If everybody had control over their dog then owners like me could enjoy a more varied walk .....

Not having a pop just want you to see if frm the other side


----------



## 8tansox (Jan 29, 2010)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> Maybe you should have got a hampster instead of a dog


Errr no, perhaps you should keep control of your dog.

You do not have the monopoly on dog walks, whether they're in fields or not. You do however have to have control of your dog in public.


----------



## Luz (Jul 28, 2012)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> good point, but if your dog is scared of other dogs you are doing something wrong yourself


I don't think that is very fair there can be lots of reasons why dogs are scared of other dogs. There are lots of threads which tell of dogs being attacked by other dogs and not getting over it. Lots of people take on rescue dogs who have been traumatised previously. You can't MAKE a dog not be scared of other dogs.


----------



## Catz1 (Sep 19, 2011)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> good point, but if your dog is scared of other dogs you are doing something wrong yourself


Last year my Rio and I were attacked by a strange dog. It had never happened before so I didn't react defensively when it charged across a field towards us. I thought it was just another enthusiastic dog wanting to say hello! 

My dog was left with a few punctures as was I and we were both shaken to the core. Thankfully my girl was left with no lasting damage and still considers every dog her best mate (thank goodness!), I did not bounce back as quickly and am still fearful of dogs running towards us.

So speaking as a person who feels sick to the stomach when ever I see a strange dog bounding around not under control.. leash your dog and change your attitude towards dog ownership.

Its not only dogs that are fearful and although you know your dog is a bouncing puppy others do not. Maybe I shouldn't be so afraid but like Luz said.. you can't MAKE fear go away.


----------



## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

My youngest dog is tiny and could easily be injured by your carelessness. My older dog has been attacked whilst on lead by an off lead dog. Thankfully he isn't scared of other dogs, but could be. You need to think of other people and the reasons why their dog might react and think before you make thoughtless comments when you aren't doing it right yourself.


----------



## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> good point, but if your dog is scared of other dogs you are doing something wrong yourself


Please do not make comments like this, it is a really unhelpful observation which is not only inaccurate but ignorant.

Many people have dogs which have been MADE scared by unwanted and uninvited invasions of their space by dogs such as yours.

Owners who cannot or will not control their dogs are often blissfully unaware of the effects their failures have on others.

Also people have elderly dogs, post operative dogs, disabled dogs, rescue dogs etc etc the list is endless.

So, instead of taking potshots at others, why not take responsibility for your dog and its safety (and that of others) by training the dog to recall.

It is a Golden Retriever after all, thus extremely biddable.

Also, if the biggest fun dogs have is with other dogs, rather than with you, this is the consequence.

If your dog fails to recall that is because you have not done sufficient training.

Perhaps the following will help:

*Why cant I get a reliable recall?*

Come is no harder to train than any other behaviour but in real life it has a huge number of criteria that have to be raised one at a time in order to guarantee success.

Often when puppies are brought home to their new owners this is the first time they have ever been separated from their dam and siblings and so they naturally attach themselves to their new family by following them about everywhere. Owners find this quite attractive and wrongly assume that this trait will continue into adolescence/adulthood, whatever the circumstances. A dangerous trap to fall into

At some point in time, usually from around 6  10 months, depending on the individual, Velcro dog will morph into Bog off dog (this is especially true of a breed that has been developed to exhibit a high degree of initiative). This is the time when owners suddenly realize that their dog will not recall when it sees another dog/person etc. Not only is this inconvenient but potentially dangerous as the dog could be at risk of injury from a car/train/another dog etc.

*How and when do I start with a puppy?*

My advice is to prepare for this inevitability from the day you take your puppy home. If you are lucky the breeder will have started this process whilst still in the nest by conditioning the puppies to a whistle blown immediately before putting the food bowl down during weaning. 
Dogs learn by cause and effect ie sound of whistle = food. If you, the new owner, continue this from the moment your puppy arrives you will lay down strong foundations for the future.

By using the whistle in association with meals/food you need to establish the following criteria:
	Come from across the room. 
	Come from out of sight 
	Come no matter who calls
	Come even if you are busy doing something else
	Come even if you are asleep. 
	Come even if you are playing with something/someone else
	Come even if you are eating

Once this goal has been realized in the house, drop all the criteria to zero and establish the same measures, one at a time, in the garden.

Once this goal has been realized in the garden, drop all the criteria to zero and establish the same measures, one at a time, in the park/field etc.

To train this, or any other behaviour:

1.	Make it easy for the dog to get it right
2.	Provide sufficient reward

Do not expect a dog to come away from distractions in the park until you have trained it to come to you in the park when no diversions are around. Be realistic and manage your expectations; your sphere of influence/control over your dog may be only 20m to begin with, therefore do not hazard a guess that the dog, at this level of training, will successfully recall from 50m or more away. Distance, like every other criterion, must be built up over time.

Some simple rules to follow when training the recall:

	Whistle/signal/call only once (why train the dog to deliberately ignore your first command?)
	Do not reinforce slow responses for the dog coming eventually after it has cocked its leg, sniffed the tree etc (you get what you train!)
	If you know that the dog will not come back to you in a certain situation, go and get him rather than risk teaching him that he can ignore you. (If you have followed the programme correctly you will never put your dog in a position to fail).
	Practise recalling the dog, putting him on the lead for a few seconds, reinforce with food/toy etc and immediately release the dog. Do this several times during a walk etc so that the dog does not associate a recall with going on the lead and ending the walk or being put on the lead with the cessation of fun.
	Eventually, when the behaviour is very strong, alternate rewards ie verbal praise, physical praise, food, toy and also vary the value of the rewards, sometimes a plain piece of biscuit, sometimes a piece of cooked liver etc so that you become a walking slot machine (and we all know how addictive gambling can be)!

In my experience recall training should be consistent and relentless for the first two years of a dogs life before it can be considered truly dependable. You should look on it as a series of incremental steps, rather than a single simple behaviour, and something that will require lifelong maintenance.

*What about an older or rescue dog?*

Follow the same programme as outlined above however for recalcitrant dogs that have received little or no training, I would recommend dispensing with the food bowl and feeding a dog only during recalls to establish a strong behaviour quickly.

Your training should be over several sessions a day, which means you can avoid the risk of bloat. It is essential that the dog learns that there will be consequences for failure as well as success.

Divide the days food ration up into small bags (between10  30), if the dog recalls first time, it gets food, if it does not, you can make a big show of saying too bad and disposing of that portion of food (either throw it away or put aside for the next day).

Again, raise the criteria slowly as outlined in puppy training.

Hunger is very motivating!

For those of you who believe it unfair/unhealthy to deprive a dog of its full daily ration, not having a reliable recall is potentially life threatening for the dog 

*How do I stop my dog chasing joggers/cyclists/skateboarders/rabbits/deer?*
Chasing something that is moving is a management issue. Do not put your dog in a position where it can make a mistake. Again you need to start training from a pup but if you have already allowed your dog to learn and practise this behaviour you may need to rely on a trailing line until your dog is desensitised to these distractions and knows that listening to you results in a great reinforcement. Chasing is a behaviour much better never learned as it is naturally reinforcing to the dog, which makes it hard for you to offer a better reinforcement. If you want to have a bombproof recall while your dog is running away from you then use the following approach:

Your goal is to train so that your dog is totally used to running away from you at top speed, and then turning on a sixpence to run toward you when you give the recall cue.

You need to set up the training situation so that you have total control over the triggers. For this you will need to gain the co-operation of a helper. If you have a toy crazy dog you can practice this exercise by throwing a toy away from the dog towards someone standing 30 or 40 feet away. At the instant the toy is thrown, recall your dog! If the dog turns toward you, back up several steps quickly, creating even more distance between the you and the toy and then throw another toy in the opposite direction (same value as one thrown)..

If the dog ignores you and continues toward the thrown object, your helper simply picks the ball up and ignores dog. When dog eventually returns (which it will because its getting no reinforcement from anyone or anything), praise only. Pretty soon the dog will start to respond to a recall off a thrown toy. You will need to mix in occasions the toy is thrown and the dog is allowed to get it ie you do NOT recall if you want to make sure it does not lose enthusiasm for retrieving.

For the food obsessed dog, you can get your helper to wave a food bowl with something the dog loves in it and then recall the dog as soon as you let it go to run towards the food; again if the dog ignores you and continues to the food, your helper simply ensures the dog cannot access the food and start again. (It is extremely important that the helper does not use your dogs name to call it for obvious reasons).

Gradually increase the difficulty of the recall by letting the dog get closer and closer to the toy/food. Praise the moment the dog turns away from the toy/food in the 
early stages of training. Don't wait until the dog returns to you; the dog must have instant feedback.

Once the dog is fluent at switching directions in the middle of a chase, try setting up the situation so that it is more like real life. Have someone ride a bike/run/skate past. (It is unrealistic to factor in deer/rabbits however if your training is thorough the dog will eventually be conditioned to return to you whatever the temptation in most contexts).

Until your training gets to this level, don't let the dog off-lead in a situation in which you don't have control over the chase triggers. Don't set the dog up to fail, and don't allow it to rehearse the problem behaviour. Remember, every time a dog is able to practise an undesirable behaviour it will get better at it!

Most people do not play with toys correctly and therefore the dog is not interested in them or, if it gets them, fails to bring it back to the owner.

Play the two ball game, once you have a dog ball crazy. Have two balls the same, throw one to the left, when the dog gets it, call him like crazy waving the next ball; as he comes back throw the other ball to the right and keep going left right so that YOU are the centre of the game and the dog gets conditioned to return to you for the toy. Once this behaviour is established you can then introduce the cues for out and then make control part of the game ie the game is contingent on the dog sitting and then progress to a sequence of behaviours.

HTH


----------



## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Here are some other resources which may be of assistance.

*Ultimate Recall: 4 Day Course with John Rogerson*

 Training a reliable, automatic, non-negotiable, reality recall
 Building block and foundation training of the recall
 Relationship/influence building in recall training
 The chasing/emergency recall
 Sit and/or down on recall
 Freeze/stop on recall/running wait
 Distance/direction control
 Calling dogs off of distractions
 Out of sight recall (owner hidden)
 Obedience/competition recall (dog is called from a stationary position)
 Free running recall (dog is called while in motion)
 Type "A" recall (dog re-joins his owner in motion)

JOHN RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ADJUST COURSE CONTENT BASED ON THE ABILITIES OF DOGS AND HANDLERS ENROLLED ON THE COURSE.

Dates for Ultimate Recall Course:

At Nottingham, England
26th  29th October, 2012; 4 days duration 9.30-4.00 pm (Note: New Date!)
To register contact Beverly Smith at [email protected]

http://www.johnrogerson.com/2012coursesschedule.pdf

*Chase Recall Masterclass *

Date: Thursday 1st November 2012 Venue: Windsor, Berkshire Max handler places: 10
9.30am registration, 10.00am - 4pm Refreshments and a light lunch included

Following on from the fabulous Chase Recall Masterclass with Stella Bagshaw earlier this month, we are pleased to announce a date for the Chase Recall Practical Masterclass.

In this Masterclass we will be exploring:
How to tailor your training depending on your dog's scorpion level
How to build your training based on practical, workable exercises
How to move from one training level to the next in the real world
Perfecting the advanced "leave"
How, when and what signals to use
Line handling skills that make all the difference
Getting scent to work for you
Games to play with your dog on line
Dogs attending do not need to have a chase/recall issue, but it's a perfect opportunity if they do! Dogs do need
to be social with people and other dogs.

Please be assured that even if you don't bring a dog you will learn just as much from Stella's unique and innovative training approaches. Please note, the venue has a large hall and outside areas  we will be training in both, so please bring suitable outdoor wear.

Non handler place @ £130 (deposit £65) 
Handler @ £145 (deposit £65)

http://www.apdt.co.uk/documents/Chas...calNov2012.pdf

*Books*

Stop! How to control predatory Chasing in Dogs
by David Ryan

Chase! Managing Your Dog's Predatory Instincts 
By Clarissa Von Reinhardt

*DVD*

REALLY RELIABLE RECALL 
by Leslie Nelson

*Website articles:*

http://www.apdt.co.uk/documents/RECALL.pdf

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/reliable_recall.pdf

Deposits into the Perfect Recall Account

List of Reinforcers

Distractions For Your Recall

How to Create a Motivating Toy

http://www.cleverdogcompany.com/tl_files/factsheets/Training a whistle recall.pdf

Teaching Come « Ahimsa Dog Blog

How do I stop my dog chasing? - David Ryan CCAB


----------



## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> Maybe you should have got a hampster instead of a dog


That is utterly uncalled for. I don't personally know Goodvic but I do know that she works very hard indeed with her dogs.



GoldenRetrieverman said:


> good point, but if your dog is scared of other dogs you are doing something wrong yourself


Really? My dog has dramas with labs. A combination of a much older lab in puppy class taking a dislike to him and constantly bullying, a few that are always loose around here and racing up to him when he's on lead and racing up offlead but ignoring any of his 'slow down', 'give me a break' signals. Coupled with that he was attacked by the same one twice (him onlead, other off). I'm not sure what I have done that is so very wrong by having my dog onlead by the road, daring to walk in the same place as an aggressive out of control animal or daring to walk where some of the labs race up to us . Last time the two chocs raced up to us my dog cowered between my knees, but ended up having a growl and air snap at them as I couldn't fend off both at once and I ended up on the floor. Where was the owner? Still two fields away, oblivious :incazzato:.

Every lab (for us!) that races up undoes my work massively - and each time we have nearly cracked it one does . The owners assume that because my dog is big he must be a robust fella who likes to be jumped on. He does not. Why does this mean that I have done wrong? They also assume that there is something 'wrong' with my dog and not theirs and many sadly find it amusing too - "What? He's scared of those two? They're big soft lumps?"!!

I posted this a while ago; perhaps it will provide a little food for thought? http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/214118-those-who-say-friendly-dogs-can-do-no-harm.html

ETA: I will add that a dog running up to us and owner coming straight over to retrieve the dog or to talk if they are now playing is fine - everyones' dog has raced up to others despite our best efforts.


----------



## GermanShepardOwner (Aug 20, 2012)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> good point, but if your dog is scared of other dogs you are doing something wrong yourself


Really? So do you have the perfect dogs then?

Dogs can be scared of things for all different reasons. My female gsd is scared of biked because a bunch of kids went past her and braked hard and the brakes screeched. So thats my fault is it? Because i fail to see how it is.

Thats a completely un helpful comment and a incorrect one.


----------



## 8tansox (Jan 29, 2010)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> good point, but if your dog is scared of other dogs you are doing something wrong yourself


What utter tripe!


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

No I don't have a perfect dog, but when Goodvic is coming out with comments saying dog owners like me are ruining his walks, when I am seeking advice on a forum on how to stop her doing it. I don't think that is an appropriate comment either!


----------



## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> No I don't have a perfect dog, but when Goodvic is coming out with comments saying dog owners like me are ruining his walks, when I am seeking advice on a forum on how to stop her doing it. I don't think that is an appropriate comment either!


I think she just wanted you to see her side of things, like I did in the link I posted in my reply. Everyone has had their dogs bugger off at some point to see other dogs - and as you say you're doing something about it.

I'm not sure that being offensive towards everyone who has dog who is scared of other dogs was perhaps the way to respond; obviously you are entitled to your opinion but I do very much hope that your dog never has a bad experience or you may well then also realise the frustration and upset of attempting to make all interactions (with a specific breed for us - all dogs for others) positive and controlled to rebuild your dog's confidence. No one likes to see their dog anxious and scared and to know that other owners are blaming you for it whilst letting their dog continue to scare yours really gets you down - I had it the other day with my dog cowering, tail clamped between his legs; politely asked the man to call his dog back so that we could pass (dogs aren't allowed offlead in that area anyway!) and he just told me that he was doing no harm.

It just requires common courtesy on both sides.


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

Yes I can see my comments were uncalled for.


----------



## 8tansox (Jan 29, 2010)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> Yes I can see my comments were uncalled for.


OK then, so would you like to start another thread and see what kind of helpful responses you get? :yesnod:


----------



## sezeelson (Jul 5, 2011)

I live on both sides of this argument! 

I have a young dog who runs off to greet every single dog, I am working on his recall with the whistle but it does take time and patients! I don't mind my dogs going off to greet other dogs and initiate play, I think it's healthy. I also think it is good for him to greet the not do friendly dogs and he has been nipped at and told of on a few occasions. Since these incidences he has become a lot more respectful in his greetings! He has to learn it somewhere so why not from his own kind? But there is a danger when it comes to very aggressive dogs that are not muzzled and very fearful dogs or even people, I have learned to detect these kinds of dogs/people and will recall him before he spots them or gets close enough to think its ok to go over to say hello. 

On the other hand I walk an aggressive dog whos aggression is based on fear of other dogs, he was attacked as a youngun. He is muzzled for obviouse reasons, so no dog can ever get hurt but when I have dogs bound over to me I use it to my advantage. I take full control of the situation using voice and body language to tell the over dog that he is not welcome and my dog has learnt to focus on and trust my actions instead of the rouge dog.

Does your dog have a high prey drive? I have a special toy which he is never allowed, It is only for when we play together. He loves it and I'm currently teaching him to ignore all stimulus around him when we play with training exercises! so far its brilliant and I wish I had the idea from day one! :thumbup1:

Otherwise a really strong recall is your best with this one, also a really strong heal? So when you are passing someone you can get her to heal so you can prevent the behaviour instead of stopping it


----------



## Luz (Jul 28, 2012)

I would say Smokeybear gave you a fully comprehensive answer as to how to stop your dog running after other dogs. I have had great success with whistle recall training. We were advised at puppy training class to use a special treat only for whistle recall. I use tiny pieces of frozen liver. I built up the distance and did it inside and outside. I hide behind trees, bob down - whatever! I wait till she is fully absorbed chasing birds (her favourite!) and then use the whistle- she does literally stop in mid-air and come racing back! I know I have to keep it up as at present she is a bit of a velcro dog but at 6 months she is probably ready to turn into a bogoff dog!


----------



## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> Yes I can see my comments were uncalled for.


I didn't make the comment to upset you, but merely see what having no recall can do. A friendly dog with no recall can have the same effect as an aggressive dog.

All my dogs are rescues, two of them being street dogs from Greece. They have no social skills and have had a troubled life. Ive had them 4 1/2 years and the nervous one Is no better at all. Its difficult to increase the confidence of a fearful dog. She lives with other dogs, but strange dogs she cannot deal with. So a friendly, bouncy retriever would scare her to death.

Please just spare a thought for others when out walking because there are so many reasons why dogs can't deal with off lead dogs.

This kind of says it in a friendly way!
http://www.dogsinneedofspace.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Dinos-Poster.pdf


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

goodvic2 said:


> I didn't make the comment to upset you, but merely see what having no recall can do. A friendly dog with no recall can have the same effect as an aggressive dog.
> 
> All my dogs are rescues, two of them being street dogs from Greece. They have no social skills and have had a troubled life. Ive had them 4 1/2 years and the nervous one Is no better at all. Its difficult to increase the confidence of a fearful dog. She lives with other dogs, but strange dogs she cannot deal with. So a friendly, bouncy retriever would scare her to death.
> 
> ...


Apologies. I had had a few beers when I sent them posts :rolleyes5: Its great you have given your dogs a 2nd chance in life. I think my next dog will be a rescue.


----------



## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

GoldenRetrieverman said:


> Apologies. I had had a few beers when I sent them posts :rolleyes5: Its great you have given your dogs a 2nd chance in life. I think my next dog will be a rescue.


No worries . I have written many things after a drink which I've regretted ! X

Oh yeah and I'm a she...


----------



## GoldenRetrieverman (Sep 7, 2012)

goodvic2 said:


> No worries . I have written many things after a drink which I've regretted ! X
> 
> Oh yeah and I'm a she...


I need some basic training myself


----------

