GSD charging other dogs

BACKGROUND INFO
Yogi is my neutered 3 year old male shepherd. Due to a number of reasons, Yogi wasn't socialised with as many strange (but friendly) dogs as I would have liked when he was a youngster. He is absolutely fine at home (we live very rurally) with the "inside" pack (ie my other dogs) and also with my hubby's working collies that live outside. He is also fine with other dogs when introduced properly to them and we have walked on numerous occasions with friends and their dogs with no probs. He is well trained and has a good recall (in most instances).

THE PROBLEM
I am hoping to take him with me down south to my sister's for a few days holiday next month. She lives in a fairly busy place, where we will no doubt meet loads of other dogs and their owners on a regular basis. Yogi is a s*d for running up to other dogs in quite a threatening manner (usually with a lot of bluster and noise). I therefore tend to recall him if I see other dogs and pop him on the lead until they have passed. Where we live this is no problem, as I don't often see that many other dog walkers and I often have plenty of time to see them and react before Yogi does.

ADVICE NEEDED
What should my strategy be in a much busier place? Would I be best to just keep him on a lead/long line or flexi and take each situation as it comes? How is it possible to re-train and re-socialise a dog if he is on the lead all the time? Just some general advice on how to react would be great.

Obviously I want to be a responsible owner and don't want Yogi charging up to other dogs and frightening them and their owners, but I would like to get to a situation where I can trust him to say hello in a civilised manner without feeling uptight about seeing other dogs.

If he has a recall is there a problem

How's about an instant down?itts hard to gob of and bounce in a down ...this would allow for u to see the other dogs bodylanguage and allow for a calmer greeting maybe?

If his recall is solid, I wouldn`t worry too much.
I walk the mob in a fairly busy place and tbh you don`t really want your dog socialising with strange dogs so I`m quite happy when people recall them.

Sorry, I should have explained that in most instances he will recall ... unless a dog appears unexpectedly and then i have to really bellow (think fishwife! )to get him to come back and it doesn't always work.

Re: the instant down, I will certainly work on that some more. I do put him in a down if his prey drive is getting a bit too high regarding the surrounding sheep and have a wee word with him

So, would you see this as more of a training problem than a behaviour one?

Thanks Claire. As you may have seen from a later post his recall is good for the most part, but if dogs appear from nowhere and I am not quick enough to call him, that is when he is likely to go charging over.

I think I am going to really work on his obedience and his recall for the next few weeks until we go. He is also fairly ball obsessed so I must remember to pack that with us when we go

Then you`ll have to practice your OI!!!!
Or use a whistle?

Haha - I am usually quite good at "oi"! Will try it. I will also try recalling him with a whistle ... as hubby does that with all the dogs when he has the whole pack out together.

Thanks for the ideas.

yogi sounds like xeva (only she was socialised, puppy class, went everywhere with me from the day i got her) she charges up to dogs barking but as soon as she gets to them she say's hello and will then play great. she also does this when she is on lead so i just turn around and walk the other way till she has calmed down and then head back the way we came from. (hope this makes sense) this is working slowly but surely

with yogi id keep him on a long line and when you see another dog put him in a sit or down until the other dog has passed or walk him away from the other dogs until he is calm then he can say hello if and when you say so.

Yogi is a male sadie!

I think it is very typical GSD behaviour if allowed, sadie is the same, has a great recall but if a dog suddenly appears she does charge over. I can recall her fine off other dogs normally, its only when we meet them round corners and there my reaction has to be split second to get her to heel.

I havent actually solved the problem! I just manage it by pulling her in to heel if we are going into places that i cant see very far ahead, does yogi have a good heel offlead? That may be the way to go if you are unsure or cant see far ahead?
Failing that- does he like balls/toys...i havent used this with sadie, but with ripley she was over friendly with other dogs so as she is ball obsessed i gave it a cue "bally" and now that is my emergency recall...she will leave ANYTHING for her "bally".

It might be worth keeping him onlead and using the clicker to reward the second he looks at you when dogs are around....but it would take time and (new) dogs to train it before going maybe (before he gets to the stage of being off lead and looking to you when dogs around...)