Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    Become a member today!
    Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
    Already a member? Sign in
    Petco Pay LogoBecome a credit card member today!

    Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
    when you use Petco Pay!

    APPLY NOW
    Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Can I train my Goldendoodle to behave off-leash around other dogs?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered | 7 months and 3 days old

I have a 7 month old goldendoodle and when I try and walk him off leash in the woods he's usually good at coming back when called, unless there are other dogs, then he gets hyper and super playful and becomes uncontrollable. I want to be able to walk him off leash as he has a lot of energy. Will it improve with training or are there some breeds that just don't outgrow this?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Amber W

Answered By Amber W

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on September 25th, 2017

I would give it some time and training. Ziggy is a young dog and his exuberance on walks around other dogs is to be expected.

It would help for you to start some "learn to earn" training. This means before Ziggy gets anything desirable (like a treat, attention for play, going outside, getting a meal) he has to sit and focus on you for a second. To facilitate this you start in the home where there are minimal distractions. Use a treat to get Ziggy to sit and look at you while saying "focus" or whatever command you want. Continue to do this before Ziggy gets anything fun or desirable.

Eventually you can practice this behavior on walks so Ziggy is less triggered by other distractions. As always with training time and consistency are key. Everyone in the household should practice this with Ziggy. It may take a few months for him to get it down pat. You can always contact a credible trainer to help you out if needed.

I hope this helps and good luck to you and Ziggy! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 27th, 2017

    For puppies we want to limit their activity to around 30 minutes-1 hr daily. And their activity should not be too strenuous on their joints, because puppies are actively growing and should have reduced stress on their growth plates. You are doing the maximum amount of work-out time right now and should not go beyond that. However, kudos to you for keeping your pet active and healthy. This will set the tone for Ziggy to lead a healthy adult lifestyle.
    You should work with a pet trainer to get you to the level of letting him off leash. Right now he is much too young to do so. He is still most likely learning and mastering basic commands, so take it nice and steady for now. As he gets older and more mature, you can slowly introduce off leash training.
    Also he is not neutered, so allowing him to go off leash may be met with resistance from people in your community. Consider having him neutered to help limit aggression issues with other male dogs, and also to prevent any mating attempts from him towards intact female dogs. Intact males are going to have a more dominant attitude and typically will get into more altercations (fights). This is something that a lot of pet owners don't really think about, but check with your local county also to read up on the laws concerning allowing intact male dogs off leash.
    I hope this helps and best of luck with your puppy Ziggy . Take care.

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Training & Behavior
How to train my dog to obey commands around distractions?
What a great question and thought process! The key with training any behavior is that the dog has to be able to generalize the behavior in any situation. That's why some dogs will be wonderfully behaved in a training class, but then may not behave in any other situation. Training Zeus around another dog is a great start, but you will have to continue that trend with multiple other dogs (including ones that he doesn't know) and multiple people. The easiest way to do this will likely be to do your training while you are a distance away from other people or dogs, then slowly decrease that distance as Zeus becomes reliable with his training under those circumstances. Again, the key is to have him generalize his training so he responds under any circumstances. This is not as easy as it sounds and will require some time. If you find yourself getting frustrated, certainly consult with a trainer for additional suggestions. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
New Pet
My dog barks and lunges at other dogs on walks. What can I do?
Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! This is tough! He sure is cute! I recommend using the gentle leader head collar for better control and asking for sedatives like trazadone from your Vet. Do not take him to these places until you train him to look at you (with treats) in social situations. This will take some time. You may want to pay for private training lessons so you can focus on this one behavior. There is no instant fix but being proactive, like you are, is a good step! He is young still. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/petsafe-gentle-leader-dog-headcollar Good luck!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How to stop my dog from lunging and jumping at people passing by?
Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! You should start with one on one training and NO walks until he is trained. Hire a trainer. Use positive reinforcement and train him to "sit, "heal" on a leash, "look," and "leave it." Also get him used to the gentle leader harness that goes on the muzzle, this allows for amazing head control. Once he is used to the harness and is able to listen to you at home, practice outside on a leash. When people approach ask him to "look" at you and sit. When he does this and ignores the person passing by he gets a treat and verbal praise. You can do this with people you know first. This will take A LOT of time and effort on your part but it should help. https://www.petco.com/shop/SearchDisplay?categoryId=&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=24&fromPageValue=search&searchTerm=gentle+leader&omnitureEnabled=false&cm_sp=SearchSuggest-_-gentle+leader-_-Location&searchsuggestion_keyword=gentle+leader I wish you and Bruno the best!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
Why is my dog aggressive with other dogs on leash and around food?
Hazel is adorable! As she is such a big dog and young I recommend you take her to a group obedience class. Then she can learn to behave with you on a leash with other people and dogs around. An experienced dog trainer can help you work with her to have her pay attention to you and ignore other dogs. As she is large and could hurt someone or another dog I would not take her to the dog park at this time. Also when walking make sure you use a no pull harness or pinch collar so you have control. I take many tasty treats and ask her to sit and look at you to get a treat when there are other dogs in the area. Offering her another behavior that you can reward is more effective instead of always saying no or correcting her. I'm sure you want a well socialized companion so please look into some dog training classes in your area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Hazel.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How to stop my dog from barking for attention every morning?
Hi and thank you for posting your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Right now, it seems like he barks and coming downstairs may actually be rewarding the barking behavior. He has learned that barking will bring you downstairs. To combat this behavior, you may want to try the following: When your dog begins to bark in the morning, do not walk downstairs until he is quiet. This may take some patience. Once you are downstairs, reward with praise and a treat he really really likes. Do this several days in a row and he will learn to be quiet in the morning and that barking does not lead to you coming downstairs. As a rule of thumb in training, always reward desired behavior and ignore undesirable behavior. I hope this has helped and best of luck to you and Ziggy.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How to stop my puppy from barking at people, dogs, and kids on walks?
Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Lucci's behavior is common. He is still young and you can still work on this. I would take him to a trainer to have him learn the "leave it" and "look" commands. I would purchase a gentle leader face harness and use that on walks. Do not take him off the leash around other dogs or children until he listens to you perfectly. Little breed dogs are loud and they bark. Some are more pushy with their dominance and you will need to figure out how much Lucci will exhibit these behaviors as he grows up and reaches social/behavioral maturity (up to 3 years of age). I recommend you get aggressive with training and using professionals. Good luck! https://www.petsmart.com/dog/collars-harnesses-and-leashes/training-collars-leashes-and-harnesses/petsafe-gentle-leader-training-dog-collar-8851.html
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
Why does my dog stop walking on leash when dogs bark or in new places?
I recommend a group obedience training class so he will learn to listen to you with other people and dogs around. In the meantime find a friend with an older confident dog that walks well on the leash and plan your dog walks together. That way your dog will learn from the other dog and not be as anxious. Please reward him when he relaxes and goes forward. I would also start with short walks where there are minimal distractions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tucker.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Related Searches

Dog SuppliesDog ToysDog FoodDog Training & Behavior SuppliesDog Collars, Leashes & HarnessesDog Treats & ChewsDog Health & WellnessDog Agility EquipmentDog Potty Training & CleanupCat Training & BehaviorDog Training LeashesTraining Clickers & Whistles for DogsDog Training CollarsDog Repellents & AttractantsDog LeashesTraining Harnesses for DogsDog MuzzlesBark Collars for DogsDog Outdoor & Travel GearMartingale & Head Collars for Dogs
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Share

Styled arrow button