Golden Retriever Jumping Up and Pulling on the Lead: The Two Manners Every Golden Needs

Goldens love people and dogs, and they show it with their whole body. That is lovely at ten kilos and a problem at thirty, especially with children, grandparents and anyone carrying a coffee. Jumping and pulling are the two things Golden owners ask about most, and both have the same root: the dog is rewarded by getting to the person, or the dog, faster.

Jumping up

Every jump that gets attention is paid, and to a Golden 'no, get down' with a hand on the chest is attention. Change what pays.

• Four paws on the floor gets the greeting. Paws in the air gets nothing: no eye contact, no touch, no voice. Turn away. The second the feet are down, greet warmly. Goldens learn the contrast in days.
• Give them something to do instead. A toy to carry to the door: a mouth with a job is a body that doesn't jump. Or a sit on a mat by the door, paid every time.
• Scatter treats on the floor as visitors come in. Nose down means feet down. It buys you the first thirty seconds.
• Brief your visitors before they open the door. One enthusiastic aunt undoes a week. If they can't follow the rule, the dog is behind a gate until the excitement passes.

Pulling on the lead

Pulling works: it gets the dog to the lamppost, or to the spaniel. Stop it working.

• Tight lead, you stop. Slack lead, you go. Boring, and it is the whole method. Start indoors and in the garden where it's easy.
• Pay at your side, often, with kibble from the meal ration. Change direction so the dog has to watch you.
• Give permission to sniff. 'Go sniff' on a slack lead as a reward for walking nicely.
• Equipment. A well-fitted front-clip harness helps while you train. A slip lead, a choke or a prong teaches a soft dog that walks hurt and that you are the reason. Goldens don't need them and don't forgive them.

The over-friendly Golden

Not every dog wants to meet yours. A Golden who drags you to every dog is heading for a bad meeting eventually, and a Golden who has been snapped at by a grumpy dog can become wary for life. Teach a default check-in: dog looks at you, gets paid, then sometimes gets to say hello, on a loose lead, for three seconds, then away. Politeness protects your soft dog as much as the other one.

Rules for children

Goldens and children are the classic pairing, and the dog still needs protecting from the child. No climbing on the dog, no hugging a dog who is eating or sleeping, no taking things from the mouth; that's the adult's job with the swap. Teach children to ask for a sit instead of grabbing, and to read a head-turn or a yawn as 'not now'. The Beginner's Guide to Dog Body Language makes that easy to teach.