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Issue With Going For A Walk


giraffez
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I have a problem with my 4yo boy. He never used to have an issue going for a walk. Since last year, he stops very often and refuses to move. He is excited when I get the lead out so I think he does not fear going out, but once we are out, he refuses to walk. Most often stops at the same spots. Doesn't make a difference going the same route or taking a different one. He hasn't had any bad experiences at those spots. When we turn around towards home direction, he doesn't have any issues walking back.

How can I encourage him to walk? He is food oriented however, even with treats, it doesn't work during the walks.

He is a mini schnauzer

Edited by giraffez
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Id be thinking about pain - early arthritis hips, spine

Doesn't seem to be a problem inside the house or in the backyard. Runs around no problems, no limping no trouble getting up. Also doesn't explain why he doesn't stop on the way home, only on the way out. At times i notice his tail between his legs when we are passing the train station - I know he is afraid of loud noises so he doesn't like the train passing by. Places away from the train station where he stops, his tail isn't between his legs but I see him looking around to assess the surroundings. But he hasn't had a bad experience in those places.

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Is your dog ball/toy motivated?

Go to a quiet park, instead of walking, engage in play, make it fun fun fun! distract with ball or toys etc?

Less about "going for a walk" but more like a sit under a tree and engage in some play time, run around and make a party, just thinking of something else that he might find fun to incorporate into your time together.

Do you attend an obedience club? They will be able to help you I am sure.

Does sound like it could be fear based, so if pups is interested in toys and food reward, you could start with all those elements.

Sounds like a fear of something to me.

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Without seeing the issues and being there to say what the problem actually is, remember, you are the leader, you are the one the dog should trust and look to for guidance, how you deal with that is very important, dogs can sense if you are not in control and will try and take the lead if you do not.

I would say this if you are not part of an obedience club, this would be a very good time to join and work through the problems that are occurring, no one is expected to get it right all the time, and yes some dogs are more difficult and have their own set of issues that need working through, we are not expected to know everything, this is where good training and help and support is invaluable.

Ray

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Id be thinking about pain - early arthritis hips, spine

Doesn't seem to be a problem inside the house or in the backyard. Runs around no problems, no limping no trouble getting up. Also doesn't explain why he doesn't stop on the way home, only on the way out. At times i notice his tail between his legs when we are passing the train station - I know he is afraid of loud noises so he doesn't like the train passing by. Places away from the train station where he stops, his tail isn't between his legs but I see him looking around to assess the surroundings. But he hasn't had a bad experience in those places.

how close is the normal walk from the train station and the tracks?...it might be that the vibrations (you might not feel it) triggers some fear; if you have the option to drive with him further away from trains and tracks to a nice park ... beach etc. you could verify whether it is just the area...

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That's interesting. My dog is fast on the way to the park walking, but slow on the way back.

Even tho she's had quite a few bad experiences at the park. Sigh.

She gets a bit sticky around the home like she's bumped into something and it fell on her head (tho I've not seen any sign that it actually happened ie she's most sticky where I have a folded crate leaning against the wall and it hasn't fallen over.

I sometimes wonder if her eye sight is not as good as it used to be in darker conditions.

Dogs have a lot of senses that work better or differently to ours so those spots you think are ordinary and unchanged - probably - at the very least smell different and perhaps look different from your dog's perspective.

Have you tried playing games with treats on the edge of where he starts to get uncomfortable to see if you can get a different association going for him?

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OMG...this is the same dilemma I have! very now and then she will stop and sit down. no bad experiences around the walk area, no health issue. Walk all the way on pavement. Exactly as giraffez's...she would be wagging with happiness when I mention going for walk...then walk nicely. half way or 1/4 way...she will just stop and sit. Using treat to entice her to walk is hit and miss...sometimes she will follow..sometimes not.

as soon as we turn to our house's street corner..she will walk nicely again. and yes, she is in obedient school every sunday...now how to heel etc.

I am so puzzled with new attitude. she will sit down and then looking left-right...just like us human checking on our surrounding casually. eg just looking at the cars that pass by or people pass by on the opposite street or even next to us.then after she decides enough looking...then she will gladly continue her walk again. so strange!

sorry giraffze, don't want to hijack your thread..

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omg, can't believe a couple of us has this problem.

The funny thing is with the train, he is only fearful when going out for a walk, when coming home, we walk the same route and he is happy as larry. He is on alert but tail is wagging and happily walking. Even when a train approaches doesn't startle him.

Train station is quite far from the walk, its not only at the train station he stops, subsequent to leaving the area and when we are far away from the station, as long as we are walking further out from our home, he will stop and refuse to walk. Coming home the other way he is fine.

When he sits and refuses to walk, a small nudge on the bum will startle him also. I tried using a spray bottle but he doesn't care about getting wet. Tried treats, he will walk to the treat and then stop walking again. His beloved squeakers - he won't even budge.

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i don't worry too much about nutting out what's going on in their heads - rather just work with the behaviour. I would approach the known scary spot...dog takes a step towards/looks in that direction, reward, then move away from the scary spot - reduce the pressure. Rinse and repeat. If the dog can't take a treat increase the distance to decrease arousal.

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Please don't spray your dog with water. If it's a fear response, doing that could have the opposite of your intended effect and make him more afraid. If a person was afraid of something you wouldn't squirt them water to help them get over it. I agree with TSD, if the reason isn't apparent then just work with the behaviour that's being offered. Whilst I can usually figure out what has my boy spooked, I don't treat the situation any differently from when I don't know what the cause is. I listen to what he's telling me and move him in a direction that he's comfortable with and either try again shortly with positive reinforcement the whole way or leave and try again another day, depending on how frightened he is. Some days he won't have a bar of working on the issue and it's better to just remove him from the situation completely.

agree with this !!

poor boy is anxious already ..prodding and squirting him just reinforces that it is indeed a nasty spot to be ;)

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i don't worry too much about nutting out what's going on in their heads - rather just work with the behaviour. I would approach the known scary spot...dog takes a step towards/looks in that direction, reward, then move away from the scary spot - reduce the pressure. Rinse and repeat. If the dog can't take a treat increase the distance to decrease arousal.

This.

And take really really good treats - the stuff your dog goes nuts for. Eg for my dog - that would be vegemite on toast... if she does what I want - she gets the treat, tho I think the reason she gets so excited about toast, is if she doesn't do what I want; I eat the treat!

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