Barking/snarling/pulling towards other dogs (but likes them)

[padfoot]

Toby is a little lunatic in the nicest possible way  
He doesn't seem to have had much lead training at all, I have found out about some training classes in the area.
But when we are out, he has a habit of pulling like a thing possessed towards every dog he sees, barking, yapping, snarling. But he doesn't want to fight and when he reaches a dog he just tries to play with it. So the "problem" is basically excitement. The worry is that other dog owners seem to think he is trying to attack their dogs and keep avoiding us  
Will this be a problem at training classes? I don't want to take him and upset other people, but he really does need to learn some manners on the lead. he pulls us all over the place and winds around us, gets himself tangled up in Millie's lead, he has boundless energy.
Shall I just turn up with him?                    

[PennyB]

I'd go to training classes as thats what they're for, and hopefully if the trainer is good enough they'll help sort you out. It might be worth the odd 1-2-1 though if you can afford it. My 2 go to group classes and the odd 1-2-1 if they need it with the same trainer.

You'll probably find there are some dogs the same as yours anyway (or worse) so I wouldn't worry. its only really a probelm if dogs are really aggressive in those classes (and I mean aggressive). In the beginners adult class of the school I go to the owners go without their dogs for the 1st session so that the owners get to know the ground rules 1st and can air any problems.

Misbehaving happens a lot in training in the early days.                    

[Jane S]

It sounds like Toby hasn't received much in the way of socialisation with other dogs so doesn't really know how to react to them - he wants to play & gets excited at the prospect but is also growling/snarling as a kind of defence mechanism as he just doesn't know what to do & how to behave Training classes or as Penny suggests, 1-2-1 training with someone experienced would definitely be a good idea - have a look at http://www.apdt.co.uk to see if there is a trainer in your area.