An older dog might experience orthopedic pain from diseases like arthritis and doesn’t want to walk due to the discomfort it causes him. When we come home it’s the opposite. If it happened in the summer before (maybe even with other occurrences/sounds) and you think it was a drastic change in behavior, you might want to dive into how you can desensitize sounds. Reading your post is very helpful, though I still worry it may be separation anxiety from her former home, maybe, and also fear. To get her to eat full servings, find something that she really likes. Recommended Reading: How to Bond With Your Dog. Fair treatment is important and once she recognizes that there’s no “harsh punishment” but instead just a confident “No!” without anyone being mad at her afterwards, she’ll know what is demanded of her. When your dog runs away once, it’s stressful. Then when he does walk, will just stop and refuse to walk. My dog completely turned when I started feeding her raw while a foster dog I had didn’t touch that stuff (mostly because there needs to be a transition period) but it’s same with your dog, she just doesn’t trust the environment and is probably used to other food. Does she feel uncomfortable due to your presence or is she happily walking with them? He had zero motivation for going outside doing exercise. If you have a friend or neighbour who also has a dog, see if they will come help you get your puppy comfortable walking. He’s very interested in bikes, people, cars etc and seems well “socialized” in that regard in this pandemic era where he hasn’t been able to do any puppy training etc. If you check the end of the article, I’ve covered rescues and the 3-3-3 rule there. Also, his regular route seems to be less of a hassle compared to a new route or the same in reverse. Now, I don’t know if that’s the case with your dog too but the stopping and refusing to walk if nothing is around might have different reasons. If your dog’s nose is bound to be on the ground all the time then buying the Halti Head Collar will provide you with maximum control over your dog’s head. I need help! When we get to busier (louder) areas I notice that his ears are slightly back and his body language is tense. Hello, My 3 year old rescue (possible a Cocker Spaniel mix) loves walks, but is completely obsessed with smelling everything while on walks. We try to take her outside multiple times a day and she will not move from the steps and tries to run back inside. These classes are fantastic options for socialising puppies and teaching them the basic skills they need. Distances will increase and you can soon work on socialization, introducing new places/textures/etc. Also, choose one side that your dog should always be walking on, this will eliminate sudden pulling. I know about the 3-3-3 rules but wondering if this is something to address now or wait and see how things stand after 3 months? Normally, it’s best not to get puppies before week 8 (some breeders even say 10 weeks, depending on the puppy) and you can bring them out immediately in case you’ve had doubts in regards to vaccination (which I know is quite common in the US although there’s loads of research done on that, I’ve linked an article covering that in my socialization guide). If he doesn't go up the downs he won't go home, if he doesn't go in the direction he likes he won't budge. (must have been a sight for the neighbors to see a small girl carrying a 60 lb golden retriever haha) She wants to explore new territory and I don’t blame her, but we just can’t here. I’m currently in a very small southern town where most people in the neighborhood train their dogs for protection and let them outside off leash. She is 5 months old. Even if a rescue seems fine, issues can suddenly turn up after 3 weeks or longer. If their collar is the incorrect size, invest in getting a suitable replacement. Crates are an excellent training tool. About year ago she decided she will not walk more than 100yds from our home with either of my 19 year old sons. He will eventually understand that you are in charge of deciding which direction to go and he will be rewarded for following you. Encourage him but don’t be pushy, your pup will thank you later on. It’s not good at all when breeders don’t walk their dogs, but happens more often than one would think, unfortunately. Many dogs will have a confidence boost from present dogs if they’re well socialized, no matter the age (although it works best with new puppies and adult dogs, of course). if you say your 1-year-old Lab was never particularly fond of walks, what have you tried to make them appealing to him (treats, toys, meeting other dogs, swimming etc.)? Dogs don’t determine the schedule, we do and your dog needs the physical exercise/mental stimulation (picking up all the scents for example). This gives them plenty of time to become comfortable having a collar around their neck. Or if you have any advice for us with a rescue dog? My 8 month Greek rescue will not go on a walk from home! If she’s totally fine with you (paired with her “snubbing” your wife), then it might just be the lack of a bond the other family members have with her. Help! if you have a look at a couple of other comments here (search fr “car”), I’m sure you’ll find an answer that’ll help with that as many people have the same problem as you do. Thanks for the support xx Kate and Bo. If your dog doesn’t stop out of fear or medical reasons, then he just doesn’t want to go the way you want to. Those X-Rays showed up Grade 1 Patella Luxation and an inflamed ankle with a tendon slipping in and out of its groove … Surprisingly the vet said it was unlikely she was getting any real pain from those two things?? Either use a front-clip or a gentle leader, make sure that in his mind leash = awesome. A thorough examination of your dog’s body is the easiest way to make sure there are no wounds and no foreign objects stuck in his paws. I’ve also fostered a rescue that seemingly didn’t know how to play with toys but they figure it out almost always – just try a variety of toys and different textures. Let the dog come to you. Since the 4th of Juky…yes she is sensitive to the fireworks, she has refuse to go for normal walkfrom our home to the park. I actually have articles on all these topics from teaching tricks, obedience commands, bonding, etc. When you have a puppy,you have to be patient! My puppy is 10 weeks. If you are able to get them past the fence, or past their normal stopping point, they should be comfortable continuing on. Feel free to check out the steps above and try luring her on walks to make them really fun and exciting. Thank you so much for these ideas! If he knows what he is doing, he will quickly gain confidence and be more excited during walks. It may take a few walks but give it time. Try not to get frustrated. Not to step on any toes, but if your mother forgets to feed him sometimes (depends how often really) and he chases bikes/joggers and even nips them, somebody should step in or at least help with taking care of Harry. He’s wise to all the tricks and my elderly mother just can’t be bothered with training, she drags him until he does his business and then goes home. A ball will get her to block out any dogs surrounding her. She’s very needy indoors, constantly wanting our attention by trying to climb on us. I don’t know your exact situation but based on what you’re telling me, it doesn’t sound like your vet went through every possible option before recommending meds (I suppose you meant Fluvoxamine?). Before you start worrying about any dog training or behavioral issues, get him checked by a vet. if i say, ‘no’ she will not eat or move all day and she will not look in my direction. Depending on how long you’re trying to get rid of that behavior, the best way is to stay patient and keep going with the training. We want him to have a happy life again, even with the skin issues? No sharing dinner with your dogs! Set a timer for five minutes. We want to associate walking with something positive. If it’s both, that may just be the way she learned it if you did a lot of walks together (which is normally very good). Maybe the new collar is too wide, and they don’t find it comfortable compared to their old collar? I did buy Bo a super cosy coat and that’s not made any difference. Maybe she met a scary dog, was extremely startled by a noise or something? Dogs are much more sensitive to all the different environmental stimuli, including sounds, smells, people, places and movement. The thing about your friend’s dog: If she’s motherly, it might be that Bo just needs confirmation that she’s safe and this dog gives it to her. Is there anything we can do to help him? However, you should guide your dog through socialization (especially if he has is a nervous character) and be an overall great, calm leader for him. The owner of the dog said her dog only wanted to lick and say hello to our dog. She is fine when either me or husband walks her, with our kids, any combination so long as there is at least two people. As we have been walking on our own it’s got much worse. You might see that your dog stops in the exact same spot every time because he is frightened of a certain sight or smell. Always evaluate your dog’s body language and don’t overwhelm him with new places/many new dogs. If a dog is easily distracted on a walk, a quicker pace can reduce unwanted behavior by giving them less time to notice new things that could lead to pulling. Any additional suggestions would be very much appreciated Kathy. Exposing her to triggers (if you can find out which that are) should happen slowly and gradually. first of all, I always recommend to make sure it’s not a health-related problem and no fear issue – did something happen to your bulldog while you were walking her? When new experiences are put in front of your puppy, some may take more time than others to become comfortable. Upon saying that she will not walk directly from the house, but from further around the block when she feels the distance back home is short enough for her. She doesn’t respond to treat or encouragement when out. If she’s not taking them, just walk. Boost his confidence by integrating some bonding time into the day. All of these happy feelings can change suddenly when your puppy goes on a walk for the first time. If she goes into a down position, you can go through a couple of obedience commands with her and distract her because that doesn’t really sound like an extremely fearful dog (assuming that the body language is normal). A dog lover almost always has a friend ready to go for a walk to jump-start the day or wind down after work. We really want to be able to walk her on our own (not have to wait for other members of the family to be ready). When we put the harness on he seems fine but then won’t move to go for a walk. He rarely plunked down unless it was because he wanted to people watch or was a little warm. Due to COVID, I am living with my parents until further notice. She is a great wee dog and bonded with my husband and I very quickly but she will only go for short walks then wants to go home and she doesn’t know how to play with toys, she hardly ever barks ( although that’s ok for me) we have tried every thing to her to play even take her to my daughters garden to play with her dog, she is very interested but will make no attempt to join in the fun. with rescues it’s really important to repeat the mantra of the 3-3-3 rule. She gets the treat when she walks with me, but then will stop again after she gets her treat. A Lack of Freedom. The situation you described with the Pit Bull could definitely be a trigger, due to the puppy’s fear period. You will shortly receive an email from me with your download link. We feel that she needs to be walked to burn off some energy but just won’t go. We’ve had our Romanian rescue dog just over a week. Keep in mind not to force your dog and let them just experience their environment in their own time, most issues will resolve with the right/calm guidance. She is definetly “my” dog I guess since if in house she always rests near me and puts her head on my feet. You could create that same relationship through bonding even closer to your dog so she’ll feel even safer with you than with any other dog – more on that in this post. Eventually, with treats and positive reinforcement I can get him going. My Shar Pei has no problem that I know of, just back from vet and runs about in the house and out the back but soon as we go for a walk he just goes to sniff at a post or walk then walks away and just stops to look up in the air at birds or looks down the road and if u get him to move within 3/5 meters same again. If this isn’t a new problem, then some of these methods may be beneficial for you. The more fearful she is, the more time she might need to come down, even if that means waiting 10 minutes. Since you’re three weeks in, your Saluki is still figuring things out but slowly recognises that this may be her forever home. Just last month she would run 2 miles with me. You’re patient, sticking to the same route, and utilizing your other dog for confidence. Here are the steps: Decide what you want your dog to eat and offer him a small quantity in a bowl. how long is your Bulldog with you? Make sure that you practice crossing the street often and don’t let it get to the point that he stops. Keep improving your bond with her (separate as well as together) but include walks alone and just go through the steps above to avoid it becoming a habit. although it may seem annoying, it’s nothing to worry about if that’s the only way he expresses this fear of being separated from one of you :). treats do not help. first of all, we have to discern whether your dog doesn’t want to walk due to the cold or sound. It’s likely that your dog’s fearfulness will be evident in other situations as well, like meeting new people and encountering different sounds, so his unease while leashed probably won’t come as a surprise. It could be due to negative experiences on walks near the house or a feeling of uncertainty (most common with puppies – they want to get back to the house/safe-haven but once it’s out of sight, it’s not on their mind anymore). There is a part of me that feels she has a strange mixture of fear and stubborness .., If thats at all possible?? Dogs thrive with clear guidelines and easy-to-follow routines. Try providing your dog with an outlet for his mental needs and make sure his curiosity is satisfied with lots of puzzle/snuffle games, etc. I would like to say one more thing, and that is before the injury, she was the type of dog that liked to dictate the route of her walk, and “sometimes” I let her have her own way, plus sometimes she wouldnt be interested in a walk at all, just to go to the to the end of the road, go to the toilet and demand I take her home. He will try hard to adjust to the new place but leaving home too early might be daunting to him. He doesn’t fight us when the harness goes on and seems keen to walk but only gets a few steps out of the house and he sits. You can read more about that in my article about bonding. Choosing the right gear can also have a big impact. Depending on your dog’s age and breed, lengthy walks are definitely needed. If you’ve got a problem and think your dog doesn’t like going for walks, maybe you’ll find an answer in the comments. You may have to walk them separately if you notice that one gets the other extremely riled up when he’s startled by or reacting to something. We ended up turning around to go home, which she was happy to do. Just gradually expose them to walking again and keep going with treats or toys. You’re using new puppy gear. I have a 2 year old Kelpie who loves going for walks but will only stick to our regular route. Any new puppy is going to have growing pains and learning curves. In many situations, sudden behavioural changes can be linked with some form of an underlying medical problem. You’re definitely doing good with keeping him on-leash. As always, maybe something happened to your dog while you walked her (this can be as much as a dog attack or as little as an extremely startling noise). Priority for you is to be more interesting than her environment. congrats on the new addition to your home! Same goes for the enthusiasm and lots of sleeping. If your puppy is still a puppy, you may have the option of attending puppy preschool classes. I’m really sorry about your current circumstances, no at-home protection-trained dog should be let off-leash on the streets but that’s we gotta deal with for now. Use that time to bond with him, leash-train and you should be good. Since your dog is still a puppy, I’d say let him explore more instead of walking. Puppies don’t need extensive walks, rather expose them to the outdoors, people, dogs, etc. first of all, awesome that you’re putting so much thought into how you can improve your dog’s life and observing his body language – it’s sad that the previous owners gave him away just because they had to move though. The meanwhile you can work wonders already applied from the house fear seems to jump out the! 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