Does your golden enjoy being petted, or simply being NEAR people so much that he turns into a level 5 tornado at the mere thought of greeting people or other dogs?
Are you so embarassed at his wild antics that you have considered never letting him meet another stranger?
Has your dog bowled over the elderly and made kids cry because of his exuberance?
Have you tried everything but your dog will simply not be calm around strangers?
Then this thread is for you. Professionals who have experience treating this common disorder and golden owners who have successfully overcome excessive greeting disorder are MOST welcome also.
It's when we meet dogs on walks and he tries to practically wrestle them...leads get tangled, poor tiny dogs get scared and I look like I have an uncontrollable dog. The first thing I say when I meet anyone else with a dog is...he's only 10 months old so he's a bit bouncy'....:curtain::doh:
I feel the SAME way! Chloe would choke herself if I let her! She is a very well behaved 8 month old EXCEPT with new people or dogs! Its like she turns into the Tasmanian Devil! When I restrain her she just does that "make your ears bleed" bark at them and thrashes around on the leash! hahaha I feel like the other people are thinking "control your dog!" Not even a piece of hot dog will distract her! Its nuts! I always have to say "haha She's just a puppy". I hope she calms down soon before I have no excuse! LOL
Jaro was good for a time but wow lately he is back to his crazy greetings with everyone but me. I come into the house (he almost always is in the crate when I am gone) and I get a blink or two. Still know he loves me because he is always at my side. Maybe he knows if he jumps on me he will hurt me, or maybe I am so much a part of his environment I am just ole mom.
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes...Cajun definately has this disorder! He does what I call "swimming" anytime we go to a new place or have visitors. He just loves people and other dogs. He just has to get to them and then when he does, the tornado hits.
He is fine once he's had time to greet or explore the new place....but until then, hold on for dear life.
I have terrified multiple people who watched him throw up after pulling so hard on the leash despite my best efforts to have him sit, lay down, or stay.
He has really good attenion....he will sit and stare at me for over a minute if I have a treat once he realizes it, but it is getting him to notice me that is the hard part. I suddenly become invisible when new people are around.
Also...if one more person stops me in the middle of his rants and tells me that I should get a gentle leader or ask if I have done a training class, I'm going to lose it. And I have the problem of "its ok" when he acts like a crazy man.
We did 11 weeks of training since he was 3 months old and he is a Puppy STAR grad....just thankgoodness greetings were not part of the test
We did get a choke to try to use for the first few minutes of new places/ new people....I really do not want to use this, but am going to try it as an aid to get his attention long enough to teach him calm greetings.
After lots and lots of training...his walks are much better now and as long as we keep going and I have a treat in my hand, he is good.
We did get a choke to try to use for the first few minutes of new places/ new people....I really do not want to use this, but am going to try it as an aid to get his attention long enough to teach him calm greetings.
After lots and lots of training...his walks are much better now and as long as we keep going and I have a treat in my hand, he is good.
Hudsen definitely has the disorder! I'm so relieved to see he isn't the only doggie on the forum with this problem! He does well on the leash, but the second someone comes to the house or he is off-leash at the dog park, forget it!! It's hard to train him because he doesn't really jump on us or get overly excited to see us- he usually just gets crazy when strangers or people he doesn't see very often are around. He wags, jumps, licks, runs around like crazy, jumps on furniture, and worst of all grabs an arm or wrist with his teeth- our friends know that he is just a crazy puppy and does this when he is excited, but strangers are startled (totally understandable), and I have to constantly appologize and tell them he isn't biting to be mean, this is just how he says hello!
Worst of all- At the dog park, I can see the look in his eye- he is sooo happy/waggy and runs full speed at person and jumps as hard as he can- when I see it coming I warn, "He's a jumper!!!" The worst is when a person doesn't see him coming and he totally catches him/her off-guard.
Oh, and when he swims/gets wet, he is crazier than ever. He will jump in the streams/ponds at the dog park, zoom around like a wild man, roll in the dirt until he is completely brown, then eye up the closest person he sees, run full blast, and yep, you guessed it- jump all over the person until he/she is as muddy as he is.
Oh hudsensmama you just made me laugh out loud - I can soooo sympathise with you. Cody is 2 now & has calmed somewhat, but I will never forget his first day at obedience (nor will those attending that day!) He was a puppyschool star, but when he got to obedience it was bedlam! I looked up once as I was being dragged accross the field to see people falling over themselves with laughter. He was supposed to heel but was dragging me everywhere jumping on people, jumping on their dogs, sitting on dogs, it was complete & utter chaos. I had people yelling at me and Cody.
When he got like that NOTHING would distract him, not even smoked chicken breast & he's guts on legs.
They finally resolved the issue of his continued training by putting us in the class with ubberdogs, you know those dogs that don't even pee unless they get a command? They distainfully ignored him & he finally stopped the behaviour. That's not to say he doesn't still jump up on unsuspecting people or greet their dogs like they're a long lost sibling, but it is getting to the point where I can actually take him out now
Svan, I'm cracking up! Yep, that is definitely Hudsen! Do you think it was the ignoring that finally helped Cody? Was there something in particular they taught you to do when he jumps? Hudsen has graduated from the beginner and intermediate classes at Petsmart. I never really did get any solutions to his jumping problem. I've tried everything the trainer suggested, but like you mentioned, NOTHING will distract him once he gets the "crazy" excited look in his eye. Any suggestions you have, we'll take!! He LOVES the dog park, but we avoid it sometimes because I usually leave there totally embarassed!!
The ignoring definitely helped. He tried engaging the other dogs a few times but when he got no response he just gave up. With jumping on people we had heaps of thing that we tried, even lifting knees to prevent him from reaching faces etc. But what worked for him (and still works) was putting my hand on his head, pushing down & saying down and no very firmly. I then make him sit whilst holding my hand on top of his head all the time. One of the handlers
suggested this and it has had amazing results. I don't know why though maybe
he doesn't like being pushed down on the head? He used to be a nightmare
around children because of jumping up but he's been ever so good lately.
Have to admit though the other dogs ignoring him hasn't stopped him happily greeting other dogs in the park, not entirely anyway, but he does seem to be more aware of body language and more careful in his approach. He used to terrify me because he would run up to the most viscious dogs without seeming to understand their body language. I once had to run him down & tackle him to the ground in the dogpark as he was running up to a massive rotweiller that was showing every sign of wanting to rip his throat out! I can't believe people bring dogs like that to the dogpark!
Has anyone had success with teaching a "calm" or "that's enough" command and doing the exercise described on the Overstimulate Hyper Dog webpage? I'm gonna try. He has a "that's enough" command but we have not practiced it as much as described on the page.
Has anyone had success with teaching a "calm" or "that's enough" command and doing the exercise described on the Overstimulate Hyper Dog webpage? I'm gonna try. He has a "that's enough" command but we have not practiced it as much as described on the page.
Baby steps today... Took Tobey for a walk, and he got a little excited seeing someone walking across the street, he started hopping a bit, but when I told him to calm down, he calmed down a bit, but kept staring at the guy walking... I still had to tug at him a couple more times, but it's an improvement right?
Then again, this weekend we went to little boutique pet supply store we frequent... Tobey went a bit nuts when he saw the two owners who always shower him with pets, belly rubs and treats. He pulled me up to them, then flopped on his back doing the silly back roll get up lick lick, flop on his back, etc...
Bailey wasn't any better as he likes to lick people on their faces, so he jumped up a couple times...
Weather permitting, I take Holly on two long walks (40 to 60 minutes each) on the trails in our community every day. She is 16 months now so I've been doing routine for a year. She has successfully passed the "Star Puppy" test, Level I obedience classes and a four-week boarding/training session plus "refreshers." We have tried virtually every type of collar or harness with the exception of the prong (she is back on the Gentle Leader right now). However, nothing has stopped the lunging, jumping, mouthing behavior she exhibits when greeting a person with (or without) another dog.
Her latest version is to wait until I have her in a "sit" and then when talking with the other person she will first try to pick up some forest trash from along the trail (she must be part goat). When I tell her to "leave it" she will then charge ME - jumping up and mouthing MY hands, if not the other person's. I thought this part of the golden experience was over (and this never happened with our first two goldens) - somewhat unpleasant when you "puppy" has her full set of adult teeth and weighs 63 pounds.
Over the weekend she almost got away from me to chase a guy on a bicycle (she has been trained, last summer, to leave bicyclists alone) and if she was successful she probably would have been hit by a car. Yesterday after I got her back in my SUV after one of out walks but before I was able to get her traveling harness on she jumped out of the car to visit another dog - I was able to hold on but she almost slipped her flat collar.
Holly's Vet strongly recommended a prong collar and I've been reluctant to go that route so far. Maybe I'll revisit that idea - the Gentle Leader hasn't done much except make her neck extremely strong.:doh:
Weather permitting, I take Holly on two long walks (40 to 60 minutes each) on the trails in our community every day. She is 16 months now so I've been doing routine for a year. She has successfully passed the "Star Puppy" test, Level I obedience classes and a four-week boarding/training session plus "refreshers." We have tried virtually every type of collar or harness with the exception of the prong (she is back on the Gentle Leader right now). However, nothing has stopped the lunging, jumping, mouthing behavior she exhibits when greeting a person with (or without) another dog.
Her latest version is to wait until I have her in a "sit" and then when talking with the other person she will first try to pick up some forest trash from along the trail (she must be part goat). When I tell her to "leave it" she will then charge ME - jumping up and mouthing MY hands, if not the other person's. I thought this part of the golden experience was over (and this never happened with our first two goldens) - somewhat unpleasant when you "puppy" has her full set of adult teeth and weighs 63 pounds.
Over the weekend she almost got away from me to chase a guy on a bicycle (she has been trained, last summer, to leave bicyclists alone) and if she was successful she probably would have been hit by a car. Yesterday after I got her back in my SUV after one of out walks but before I was able to get her traveling harness on she jumped out of the car to visit another dog - I was able to hold on but she almost slipped her flat collar.
Holly's Vet strongly recommended a prong collar and I've been reluctant to go that route so far. Maybe I'll revisit that idea - the Gentle Leader hasn't done much except make her neck extremely strong.:doh:
I can sense you're pretty frustrated. I'm at that point too. And I hear ya with the Gentle Leader. Cosmo wears the Halti and he very quickly learned to counter the action of the halti but bracing just before he gets to the end of the leash...
OMG this thread cracks me up! I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad to hear that Shellie isn't the only tornado out there. I have worked and worked and worked with Shellie, but she's still my little hurrincane. It doesn't matter if it's the daycare attendants (she sees 5 days a week), the Vet (who is also her human grandpa and she sees 5 days a week (I work there), my husband.....ANYONE she just goes bezerk, does this whole body waggle, whines, cries, puts their body parts in her mouth (hands), just goes nutsoid. Has anyone found a cure for this issue? I'd love one....I can't even take her to Petco or Petsmart because she just goes bezerk if the employees or anyone else tries to talk/touch her. She mowed down a little kid her first visit ever to Petco, I felt so bad.
Hi other Cody's mom Yeah I don't know why it works but it does. Maybe he thinks he might hit his head on something if he jumps? I feel the same as you, whatever works. I prefer this method over any others I've heard suggested anyway. Must admit that over time it has worked so well to train him that now I don't need to do it anymore. I just say "down" & hold my hand up as if I was going to put it on his head & he doesn't jump.
Maybe he thinks he might hit his head on something if he jumps?... Must admit that over time it has worked so well to train him that now I don't need to do it anymore. I just say "down" & hold my hand up as if I was going to put it on his head & he doesn't jump.
I was thinking that with a hand on his head and sometimes slowly stroking an ear, Cody feels at least he's getting some attention while 2 legger stands and jabbers at a neighbor. Then he won't lunge or jump to get someone's attention. Even with a hand on his head, he will still seem a little antsy like maybe the person will eventually fuss over him so if I give him a mitten or baseball cap to hold AND keep a hand on his head he'll stand there even more politely.
Glad your system has worked for you.
Connie and Cody
I get to join you all now!!!!! I have a foster that goes NUTS when I get back inside. He barks!!! And jumps! And whines! A wiggles. It's really very sweet (except the barking).
`
This behavior is cured simply by not paying any attention to the Golden when you enter his domain. If they start jumping...fold your arms in front of you...don't speak...walk away from the dog. Once he is calm...then approach the dog and pet him. Don't want to reward bad behavior.....only good.
I wish it was that easy! That method works with me when he gets excited when I come home, but with strangers he doesn't care if they touch him; he gets reinforcement from just being near them/on them/slithering around them/rubbing against their feet that doing nothing doesn't really do anything, the excitement factor is way too high at that moment.
We have been making headway though. Now if he's tired he at least won't jump anymore, just rub, slither and lick.
Admittedly I haven't read this entire thread, too lazy right now. I'm sure it's full of laughs and a bit of common sense help.
My bridge boy Sam used to lose his bladder every time my brother in law would walk in our front door. It became expected after a while. He finally outgrew this 'greeting' by the time he was a year old. He was a very calm boy after this point.
Ike still does the happy dance 'meet and greet', but only with certain people who are NOT dog people. I think he can tell who has no patience for his antics and then clobbers them.
Paula, funny you should say that about the puppy meet and greet who are not dog people. Izzy does the same thing. She innately knows not to jump on someone who is a dog person.
OK, so I am joining a little late, and admit that I have not read ALL ten pages of this thread lol. But once I saw the title I was like THAT is Magnum! Not only does he get excited and hyper when people walk into the door, jumping on them, not leaving them alone even when they sit, he wants to get right up on their lap lol. And then when you tell him to go lay down, he grabs his stuff animal and starts humping it! Talk about embarrassing! Of course he has never use to be like this, he was very shy with stranger hiding in my bedroom anytime somebody came over, but the more he started trusting people again, the more his true loving personality shined through.
Thing that bugs me is when he is jumping on somebody (he is VERY big on hugging) and you are trying to train them not to, and they are like, "Oh, it's OK I don't mind." and I am like, yes but I do lol.
wow I found the perfect thread for us right now! this sums up Bauer! He has to be the center of attention , he loves people but TOO MUCH. its embarrassing sometimes how he is all over them =/
We thought with age Belle was getting better.....at 4 years and 9 months you would think she had passed this.....we admittedly don't have many visitors, but we just had an incident with some visitors at the house when she pretty much hit tornado phase and that reminded us that she has not gotten over the EGD.
I plan to read all the pages on this thread in hopes of getting some ides to finally get her over this annoying habit.
I've been reading through this thread again for some reassuring words. My parents are still watching Flora and they assure me she's a good girl, but when talking on the phone to my brother a few days ago I asked him about Flora and he went, "Oh... Flora is Flora," and kind of chuckled. I KNOW what that means.
So what's the verdict on halti vs. prong collar? She's moving in with me in Chapel Hill in about a month or so and since everything is very pedestrian-accessible here I'm going to make a concentrated effort to get her out in the public more and work on greeting strangers better.
I have sworn by either the Gentle Leader or the Halti for Izzy. I am not a prong collar fan at all. That being said, I know there are members on here who use them properly and swear by them.
I've also joined this thread a bit late. This is probably my #1 problem with Gracie. She has a tendency of jumping a bit and then just slithering and wiggling all over the ground. It's so embarrassing. And it's impossible to get people to cooperate with you, they're just so stubborn. No matter how many times you try to get them to discourage the behavior they just keep reinforcing it.
I join you with my head still hanging low in humiliation. Oh my...
Yesterday I invited a friend and her 7 year old australian shepard Harlee over for the afternoon of nachos and cocktails. This was to be my Brylee's first doggy guest. I expected him to be a whirlwind for a bit, but he was OVER THE TOP!:greenboun there was high pitched barking, zoomies, jumping on my friend, Harlee would low growl and Brylee would charge back to her, she would snap and back he goes, jumping on my friends lap when she sat on the couch, and shoe steeling (hers)! OMG, do I have my work cut out for me!
I truly was embarrassed.
The couch thing is my fault, he has never been given any boundaries there. :doh:
but all the other?!! I know he is still a young pup of 6 months and we live out in the boonies so we do not have visitors that often. Makes it harder to desensitize him. My bridge-boy Bailey never was a calm greeter either.
The one good thing I can report is that after about 45 minutes (I guess Brylee was exhausted!) both dogs were laying down and Brylee did even take a nap.
Let's just say those adult beverages we consumed helped- well, everything!! LOL!
I am going to now go back and read thru this thread for words of wisdom!!!
Not to be a downer but Cosmo has not improved since I started this thread. I don't think he ever will but I'll just accept him for who he is.
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