Puppy refuses to walk, (fear?)

Chris_Heilong · 22-02-2011 12:03am #1

my Malamute is now 12 weeks and seems to have developed a problem when out walking, sometimes he is fine but others he will just sit himself down on the path and refuse to move, that is unless I am heading in the opposite direction then there is no problem, I have tried distracting him during walks with a stick he carries in his mouth but this only works for a few minutes. I have come to th conclusion he is afraid, I noticed he was afraid of buses at first so tried to ignore them and walk on passed, also any dog he meets he turns submissive, is on his back and peeing himself, he does this for every dog(except when he meets a dog indoors then its just play play play) even puppies smaller than himself, I know this is normal puppy behavior but last time I was walking him in st annes he heard a distant dog barking and just wanted to run the other way, I know there is a fear period and I thought I was being careful not to let him experience anything frightening except the bus, but recently he seems to have over come that.
So any advice about encouraging him to walk?

speedy1976 · 22-02-2011 12:17am

Can I suggest you bring your pup to a socialising class with other dogs. It sounds like he's afraid alright, the creature. Socialising classes are great for introducing dogs to one an other. Get used to the meet and great, without being afraid or some dogs get aggressive. I'm in Galway and they have classes every Sunday..

Also an option out walking is to have a hot dog in your hand, they are great for training pups and older dogs to get them to do what you want. They get rewarded for doing something done.. Hope I'm of some help.

Chris_Heilong · 22-02-2011 12:26am

Thanks, I was considering bringing a treat out on walks dont know why I haven't so far. I think to sound of traffic, planes and construction work are whats scaring him, as I said sometimes he is fine. I have had to carry him twice and he is getting heavy, 11kg at the moment.

speedy1976 · 22-02-2011 12:31am

Yeh I can imagine, he'd be getting too big for carrying... The hot dogs work a treat.. He's probably afraid of noise alright, it can happen. He'l get use to it tho, the more more you bring him out and reward him for walking with him.

I saw a dog like that in a sanctuary before, and he use to sit down everytime you'd try bring him for a walk, the same lad hated men, wouldn't let anyone of them near him..

Doggie DayDay · 22-02-2011 12:50am

Hi agree hot dogs work a treat if you treat him when he gets scared by a bark or a loud noise he'll associate it with being something good and not scary it takes time and patience but worth it in the end...for puppy classes check out dog training ireland www.dogtrainingireland.ie i brought mine when they were pups and LOVED it.... gives you basic obedience training too

Whispered · 22-02-2011 6:40am

My experience with a fearful walker;

He is with us since a pup, so the fear is not based on some awful experience he had, it is more likely something small and subtle we missed along the way. He would hide when he'd see the lead, shake and whine if he saw us putting our coat on and cower away from us as if we were hitting him. He hates the car and I think this may have been the source - he got travel sick once. He refuses to walk on the main road (I mean this dog finds his strength to pull me to where he wants, and on one occasion brought me back into the kennels to the laughs of the manager).

He's 2 now, and getting better.

I would advise not treating him WHILE he is acting scared. If you do he could come to associate your treats with feeling scared. So if he acts scared, he gets a treat. I would say the same for picking him up. Try avoid doing this, rather gently keep him walking, even if it takes a bit of pulling.

I found that ignoring the behaviour and giving him something he has to focus on worked well for us. So when he dropped and refused to walk, I pretended not to notice and started to jog. I would get him up to a good pace and he seemed to forget what it was he was nervous about.

Another thing which worked wonders for us was; we would stick on our coat, have a lead hidden, but ready, and act as if all is normal until he stopped reacting to the coat. Then like two fools, we'd get all excited, jumping around the kitchen and encouraging him to do the same. Until he was almost frensied with excited happiness. Then clip on the lead, charge out the door and race up the road. We wouldn't correct for pulling, or slow down. Just out, race around the block and back. Ok, so it's not very productive, but we wanted him to have some outdoor time where he didn't get a chance to be scared.

BUT the thing which has worked best - our foster dog. He loves his walk and gets so happy when it's time. It seems to have rubbed off, and now harley will come to you when you have the lead and seems happy to be getting out. Maybe if you have a friend who lives nearby with a dog, socialise the dogs where your pup is comfortable and then walk them together.

For me the most important things were to stay positive with the dog, and don't pander to his fear, or else it reinforces the fact that there is something worth being scared of.

The Sweeper · 22-02-2011 9:29am

I have one of those too.

When the pup sits, stop, and ignore him. Don't reassure him, or coddle him. Don't try tugging him. Stand, and wait him out.

Gus has been a prime 'sit and stop' dog since he was a pup. I just stand and wait him out. Sometimes I'll start back the way we came, and when he gets up with me and walks I'll go a few steps and then change direction so we continue on our walk.

The one time he was truly scared, we were walking through a service station (which is scary in fairness if you're a young dog). I waited for 5 minutes but he really was scared, so I just sat down beside him and ignored him. I got up 10 minutes later and so did he, and on we trotted.

I also praise him during the walk - good boy, who's a good boy, come on, good boy, here we go, let me tell you about my day, good boy, blah blah blah.

Folks think I'm mental.

Chris_Heilong · 22-02-2011 12:34pm

Thanks all, alot of what people told me I see in my pup, I have tried alot of these techniques but wasn't sure I was on to anything but now you have affirmed what I should do, I will bring treats but only give it to him when he is walking without fear, I will also praise him for doing the same, when he stops he sometimes lays down so a gentle tug is not going to work, I have tried. He never whimpers and does get excited when he sees his lead. Sometimes letting him bite his lead seems to work and he will pick up pace.

Thanks for letting me know Im not alone, I will try everything and see what works.

Kali_Kalika · 22-02-2011 1:13pm

My pup Kali (now 13 weeks) had this issue at first aswell, we live in a busy enough neighbourbood in Dublin and she'd sit down and shake every time a car went past (approx every minute!) and if 2 cars happened to pass (especially in opposite directions) she'd try and scoot backwards to 'escape' the situation. I tried bringing treats (would take them out of my hand and then spit them out - basically ignored them completely, wouldn't eat any of them) and the tugging/praising thing didn't work either. Was beginning to be at a loss of what to do with her as everything that I read or was advised had no effect on her or the situation. One day I brought her to the huge park that was by our house - and because it was a saturday and so much happening in the park - she found most of it fun - she began overcoming her fear of noise and things happening. We didn't walk far in the park - just around the carpark and into the busiest part of the park by the playground and we'd just go from bench to bench - sit and let her watch, see and smell all the goings on. She was nearly 70% better and over her issues from that moment on. We also live near 2 schools, so I'd leash her up and when the kids were being collected after school, I'd take her out to the front garden and we'd walk the perimeter of the garden as all the cars were coming and going and lots and lots of kids running around, yelling, being kids and all that. After 3 days of that - she was totally fixed - she now goes on walks everywhere and the only thing that she'll stop at these days (but not sit down/freak out at) is boy racer cars (ya know the crazy exhaust ones) - but hey - those make me a bit nervous too in fairness! And even those she's getting better and better with every time we meet them.

So, maybe - just take your dog to a busy place (park, bench, maybe bus stop) and just hang out - let them take it all in - constant reassurance, maybe some treats - and just let them see that things aren't as scary as they first thought - and by staying there - they just sort of have to accept things.

All cases are different - I just know that this worked for me and Kali.

Good luck!!

Chris_Heilong · 22-02-2011 6:22pm

Well the carrying the treat seemed to have work...em...a treat.:D
I had very smelly hotdog which I carried, he walked fine and didnt even pay attention to the world around him, I have to see if this is just a quick fix or if it will fix the problem.

tk123 · 22-02-2011 7:17pm

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Well the carrying the treat seemed to have work...em...a treat.:D
I had very smelly hotdog which I carried, he walked fine and didnt even pay attention to the world around him, I have to see if this is just a quick fix or if it will fix the problem.

Good work you've learned a valuable lesson here - the power of hotdogs and smelly treats!!! :pac:He'll get used to it to the traffic and noise in time. My guy was the same - he was afriad of busses etc but it was never really an issue until Decemeber just gone. Last year I'd walk him in park in the morning so no traffic/sounds to worry about and then by the time he was old enough to need a second walk in the evening again the park was open so no probs. He had an operation in Nov and walking in the park was just too dangerous - he was trying to play with his friends etc so I had to walk him on the path with the all the noises of the traffic. He was really scared at first and would lie down like your guy. The best thing I found was walking him early/later for a few weeks when there wasn't much traffic around so he wasn't bombarded with busses and trucks etc. When he did get scared I let him stop then once the bus or whatever has passed "up up up!!!" or "quick!quick!" and when he carried on I'd give him praise and a treat. He got more confident each day so he went from jumping back/lying down to sitting to stopping and after a couple of weeks doesn't really care whats passing him now. He also seems to prefer walking facing the traffic - if we walk in the same direction as the traffic he tends to look over his shoulder every now and again..it suits our route better to walk against the traffic anyways so no big deal

Puppy refuses to walk, (fear?)

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