Overly enthusiatic behavior when greeting people/dogs

[Diane K]

My 7 month old golden doodle(male) is just so high energy when
greeting people and other dogs - hard to control.

We have had private and group obedience lessons which
have helped to some small degree but I had no idea a goldendoodle
would be so boisterous!

With 2 - 30 minute walks a day, several other small ones,
some daycare to socialize, and quite a few lessons - he
is wearing me out! When do you think he will settle down?

[LeAnn & Loki Doodle]

Mine is the same way when he greets people. Loki is 8 months. He has learned not to jump, but as big as he is, he could knock a little person down. It only lasts a few minutes, then he's calm.

[Lynda Kamrath]

My ALD (3 years old) is still "over exuberant".  He has had two obedience lessons (whole course), agility training (which he could do but I could not), and the full attention of two adults.  My other doodles have not been like this.  He is smaller and very high energy.  Wish I could give you some encouragement, but some dogs are just like this.  Age should help, but it did not in my case.

[Adina P]

We have had a lot of discussions on this topic in the Training group on this site.  Worth perusing the past discussions there.

[Diane K]

Thanks - I will check it out on the Forum

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

Meg is a year old labradoodle and we still can not settle her down when meeting people.  If we can get people not to greet her when they come to the house it is better, in public it is harder.  We don't have trainers in our area but I have located a guy that works with search and rescue training and I am going to see if he can give us a hand.  Meg is a big girl and needs to get much better at this.  If you don't have a trainer you can work with Youtube has several videos that might help you out some.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

This is one of those that isn't just going to get better on its own.  You are going to have to train this into her.  Our Lucy is 5 and she is still bad about this when people come to the door.  We were working on this with her and Sophie when she tore her CCL.  Then Sophie got sick and we got soft.  It is now time to get back to work on it because I don't want her teaching AnnaBelle had habits.  As far as out in public they are great.  But that is because we spent the first two years, every single week-end finding somewhere in public to go with them to practice their sit to be petted.  The majority of the time when you are in public people are going to ask if they can pet your dog.  I always just said sure, but only if she will sit.  Then I would give her the sit command and if she complied she got petted. 

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

A strong, strong "sit" is what I have been told.  Quincy has a good sit, but not consistent when too excited.  then after he sits and is good with a new person, gets petted, seems settled in, he THEN jumps!  I am hoping age helps settle him some.  

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

We have the same issue and we have tried all sorts of classes, ongoing training, etc.  This is the only thing that Stanlee can't grasp.  He's a very large dog and he just can't control his excitement when people come over "just to see him".  I've read a number of discussions and tried many things.  We got the mouthing issue taken care of just not the high energy greeting.  He's not so much a jumper any more but he's a leaner and he winds himself around incoming guess and goes between their legs (which is fine if you're tall, my mother, daughter and I are not) and if you don't pay enough attention to him he will head-butt you until he is greeted properly.   A strong sit at our house falls on deaf ears until the proper "Stanlee Greeting" has been completed. 

 

I'm not a novice dog owner, Stanlee is not my first multiple obedience class dog but Stanlee is the first dog I have not been able to teach all manners to.  I agree with Lynda, some dogs......and I got one!

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yes, it really isn't you.  This is our third doodle and we love him to bits, but he is just over exuberant.  Thank goodness he is not as big as our other doodles, but that doesn't help the issue.  When someone comes to the door we put him in the back yard and he stays there.  If they like dogs, they can venture out to meet him.  He doesn't nip anymore (thank goodness) but he is just "over exuberant".  He jumps on me every time I come home, even if I have only been gone for a short time.  I raise my hands and say "ahh, ahh, ahh" and he calms down, but we still need something more with him.  My husband's doctor told him about a "dog whisperer" who lives in this area, so I guess we will give him a try. BTW, Harpo is very well behaved on leash if Groucho is not around.  We have been trying to separate them a little more.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

One thing I love about doodles is their ZEST for life. That said, this is one of the draw backs. A trade-off of a breed which seems to mature slowly and needs daily and consistant training.

[Diane K]

THANKS to everyone for your replies to over exuberant greetings! It is good to know that
there are others having the same problem.

I am willing to spend lots of time working with him and will continue to seek experienced
trainers advice. He does have a "place" (rug) where he should be when people come to door,
and I try to get him to hold a sit.

But one of the reason I got another dog was to meet neighbors and enjoy walks!
So difficult to do when he is squirming/lunging at them as i physically get down to hold him in a sit.

Thanks again for all your input!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Roo at five still needs to be sent to his chair to stay for maybe as long as half hour when people visit the house.  Then if he is quiet on release he can be with us - otherwise back to the chair.  He just loves, needs, wants, attention and swarms, pesters and demands it.  With my grown children and their significant others he is okay, because they know how to respond.

 

Out on a leash, he will finally hold a sit stay for people unless they invite him up.  It took a long determined time.  The stay or wait is the key and you must be persistent, calm and super consistent.  Just keep on training sit stay or down stay with all kinds of distractions.  I found playgrounds particularly helpful, as well as some very patient strangers.