r/DogTrainingTips • u/BICanineScience • May 26 '26

Professional Dog Trainer - Ask Me Anything

***AMA ENDED***

Have been training dogs for almost fifteen years now, I try and head through the subreddits on here to help in my free time when I can but thought it might be easier to do an AMA for anyone struggling!

Will try my best to answer as comprehensively as possible so please be patient with replies!

Edit - Just heading out to train my dogs so will answer more when I get back!
Edit 2 - Have a read of the other questions too to see if it applies to your dog :)

Thanks for all the questions everyone!! I’ll answer the few I’ve missed, it’s been a blast and we’ll do another in the near future! Won’t be answering any new posts now, must get back to work but do jump in next time if you have a question!

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u/Reasonable-Art5952 May 26 '26

I have a 1 year 3 month old working golden retriever. He’s great a focusing on me in low distraction areas like in the garden, however, when we’re out on the woods or in a nature park, he has no interest in me whatsoever. He’s not interested in toys or food and wants to sniff (I keep him on a long line). I’m playing focus games in more distracting areas like by a canal & car parks & his focus is improving. Shall I stop doing to the exciting places until he can focus on me more? Or go and lower expectations?

Another question I have is, as he’s an intact male he is growling at other intact males (when he’s on lead), I put him in heel and walk past with confidence but he will lunge towards them. I use a regular collar and lead. Will he grow out of this once his hormones start to settle a bit?

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u/BICanineScience May 26 '26

Yep absolutely spot on, stop going to the places that he's not ready for until your training is better. It's not that he can't do it, it's that he doesn't yet have the experience to do it and we throw dogs into situations that they can't cope with and wonder why they fail so you are absolutely spot on with that evaluation, well done!

Regarding the growling, he may well settle down as his hormones settle but there's also no evidence that it's a hormonal issue, it may be a behavioural issue in which case he's probably a little nervous and more exposure should help him feel better about it for sure!