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Original poster

Golden Retriever - strange behaviour

65 replies

TheTecknician · 26/09/2025 20:59

Can anyone explain this? This afternoon I saw a young GR - maybe just a few months old - with its owner/walker. It was on a lead on the pavement but it refused to walk. Absolutely would not budge. O/W tried to get it moving by slackening the lead and walking just a few steps but GR wasn't having it. Stayed sitting then eventually just lay down on the pavement! It was happy to stand up and make a considerable fuss of a passing woman who paid it a lot of attention but once that was over the sit-in/lie-in continued.

I was watching this from my home over the road. I looked out again after a few minutes and GR and O/W were gone but I don't know how! I've never seen any dog act like this. Did I witness an animal with behavioural problems or was it just being an awkward bugger?

OP posts:
birchtree23 · 28/09/2025 07:39

So common with Golden retrievers. Very stubborn ha ha. I’m a dog walker and both golden retrievers I walk I have to lift then into my car as they refuse to jump in. And if you have a walk in mind forget it as they decide the route.

CoubousAndTourmaIet · 28/09/2025 08:09

LandSharksAnonymous · 27/09/2025 11:41

I have to say, in forty years of owning or living with Goldies (and being heavily involved in breeding, showing and rescusing), I have never experienced this.

And the only people I know of who have...haven't trained their dogs very well - their dogs trained them.

Really? I have to say I'm surprised.

All our Pyreneans have done this, usually when we turn to head for home and they want to stay out a bit longer. They either start walking at a snails pace or just slam the brakes on altogether and plunk their bum down, but if we turn and head out again, they'll trot along happily.
I'm not sure if training really comes into it or not... with ours, it's just been something they do, and it generally makes us (and passers by) laugh.
Current pup is hilarious because if someone walks past heading in the same direction, it's like magic; she'll immediately cease her protest and march off after them.

LandSharksAnonymous · 28/09/2025 08:29

@CoubousAndTourmaIet possibly a breed thing with yours?! Plus she has lots of character and personality in a way Goldies don’t (given her ‘purpose’)!

But with Goldies I don’t know anyone in the show or breeding world this happens to - and I do think part of it is actually a training/lack of exercise thing! I’ve never seen a slim Goldie do it in the videos I’ve seen…it’s almost always a slightly fat, young one 😒

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AprilinPortugal · 28/09/2025 08:47

It's really quite common with GRs...they can be incredibly stubborn and hard to move!

Peteryourhorseisheree · 28/09/2025 09:05

LandSharksAnonymous · 28/09/2025 08:29

@CoubousAndTourmaIet possibly a breed thing with yours?! Plus she has lots of character and personality in a way Goldies don’t (given her ‘purpose’)!

But with Goldies I don’t know anyone in the show or breeding world this happens to - and I do think part of it is actually a training/lack of exercise thing! I’ve never seen a slim Goldie do it in the videos I’ve seen…it’s almost always a slightly fat, young one 😒

Oh I don’t know, my very lean 18 month old does it on days I don’t have time to clean her after a swim. She will sit at the end of the road, staring at the stream and doing the little grumbly growly thing at me, occasionally stamping a foot to show her displeasure 🤣

A few times now, dh has had to come out to get us in the car and hoist her in, as she won’t be moved and I don’t have time to stand there negotiating with a fluffy terrorist.

She’s well trained and lean - she just bloody loves jumping in and out of that stream, and doesn’t understand why some days I haven’t got half an hour to stand there watching her get covered in all sorts, and then the time to clean her up when we get home. Unfortunately, we have to walk past it to get in and out of the woods.

Most of the time, she will trot past it and home with me if I keep on walking, but occasionally, she will take great offence.

Original poster
TheTecknician · 28/09/2025 09:38

GRs always look so elegant and serene. How disappointing to learn they can be difficult when they feel like it.

OP posts:
Peteryourhorseisheree · 28/09/2025 09:41

TheTecknician · 28/09/2025 09:38

GRs always look so elegant and serene. How disappointing to learn they can be difficult when they feel like it.

None of mine have elegant and serene 😆

They have all been lovable, funny idiots, with a passion for rolling in the stinkiest thing in the grass they can find. Usually the remains of a dead bird or fox shit, which is nice.

ACynicalDad · 28/09/2025 09:42

I have a friend who lives overlooking the river and GR will not walk there, sits down and strikes, so she has to stick him in the car and go elsewhere. She presumes she had a fright once, but no idea.

Barneybagpuss · 28/09/2025 10:25

TheTecknician · 28/09/2025 09:38

GRs always look so elegant and serene. How disappointing to learn they can be difficult when they feel like it.

They’re nobheads, I have two - the female stubborn one and the male who’s just a massive idiot.
Would not part with them for the world ❤️

ExitViaGiftShop · 28/09/2025 11:34

This is standard, stubborn Beagle behaviour! Loads of dogs do this! It’s a protest usually!

LandSharksAnonymous · 28/09/2025 11:55

@Peteryourhorseisheree I don't think that's necessarily the same thing as not walking and laying down! 😁That's just enjoyment. I think OP was talking more about Goldies just absolutely refusing to move on things like pavements etc.

CoubousAndTourmaIet · 28/09/2025 14:31

TheTecknician · 28/09/2025 09:38

GRs always look so elegant and serene. How disappointing to learn they can be difficult when they feel like it.

But why is it disappointing for a dog to have character? It would be so completely boring to have a dog that behaved perfectly all the time. I love that my girl has her own point of view about stuff (though admittedly she is not a GR), it makes life interesting when they have their own funny ways and don't fit into a dog shaped box.

Original poster
TheTecknician · 28/09/2025 16:48

CoubousAndTourmaIet · 28/09/2025 14:31

But why is it disappointing for a dog to have character? It would be so completely boring to have a dog that behaved perfectly all the time. I love that my girl has her own point of view about stuff (though admittedly she is not a GR), it makes life interesting when they have their own funny ways and don't fit into a dog shaped box.

Show quote history

I've no problem with a dog having character, as long as it isn't disruptive or inconvenient for its owner or other people. The GR I saw the other day looked to be a real nuisance, but I concede to seeing the funny side.

OP posts:
Girlwithapple · 28/09/2025 17:09

I've never owned a GR but as a dog walker, I've walked 2. The one I walk now is a youngish dog and has never done this Many years ago I walked an elderly GR, who apparently had done this since he was a puppy. While his owners used to find it funny, it has the potential to be a potentially dangerous. The older GR used to just slam on the brakes, even when crossing a busy road... I also had a real problem getting him to do a detour around hazards such as broken glass or vomit etc on the pavement. I literally had to push him to the side of the path once to move him out of the way of a lady in a wheelchair. He was a lovely dog but an utter nightmare to walk.

Vaxtable · 28/09/2025 17:29

Seems pretty standard for GR is you look on you tobe etc loads of cases of this

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