Pup Hates Walking

Whispered

My pup hates walking, he seems terrified and hasn't had a traumatic experience.

He wont walk out the front door, no amount of food or coaxing will help he will just sit there refusing to come out. It's gotten to the stage when I put his halter on he tries to hide under the table. I don't want to push him too hard but I need to start walking him properly. He's getting bigger and needs some decent exercise.

I thought it might be the cold, but he will happily go out the back with me and run around on the frosty grass so that can't be it.

So far his walks have been to the local shop, 5 min there and back.

Once he's out of the house, he's usually fine and seems to enjoy being out, but I have to carry him to the end of the garden. Then if a car passes he acts terrified again. I was trying to deal with it by continuing to walk but he would jump around so much I was worried he would slip out of the halter, so I started stopping, to allow him watch the car pass us. But he'd still go ape. He wont respond to me calling him or touching him, he just tries to run away.

Up until last night, that only happened when a car passed, but yesterdays walk was a disaster, from the second I put the halter on him, he hid, would not come out even for ham. He just did not want to go. So I carried him out (I know I shouldn't feed the behaviour but I figured if I can get him to enjoy a walk he will grow out of it) but the whole way up the road he was doing his squirm, despite no cars.

I was getting frustrated so had to turn back, bad idea I know, but I don't want him to associate walking with me getting frustrated.

So my main 2 issues are how to build up the sort of trust with him that he feels if I act relaxed, then he can too, and how do I get him to enjoy his walks.

Basq

Actually was about to make a thread on this exact same topic so hope you don't mind me somewhat butting into yours.

Have a 4 month old Yorkshire Terrier who we've been taking out on short walks for the last 2 weeks or so (as he only got the last of his shots a month ago).

The first time we took him out.. he walked a fair bit with us but since he only walks a certain distance (we live in an estate and as soon as we get to the main road, he refuses to go any further - sits down and won't budge. Possibly hears the traffic.) and yesterday he wouldn't even go outside the front door - we blamed it on the cold but it seems odd to me that a pup would mind the cold. But it was very cold.

Regarding your situation helena.. would your pup hear the traffic and become scared? You said he was fine out the back of your house so maybe he's intimidated and scared by the traffic.

giddybootz

we have a cairn terrier pup and although she is absolutley fearless (not even fireworks affect her - she just wants to attack them!) she acts terrified of her halter when we go to put it on although as soon as she is ot the door she is completely happy again. we also have a grown dog that she goes on all her walks with.

would it be possible to go on walks with a friend who has a grown dog (after they have gotton to know each other) ?? it might help her get used to all the crazy stuff out in the Big Bad World!

Whispered

basquille wrote: »

Actually was about to make a thread on this exact same topic so hope you don't mind me somewhat butting into yours.

:mad: Grrrr

basquille wrote: »

The first time we took him out.. he walked a fair bit with us but since he only walks a certain distance (we live in an estate and as soon as we get to the main road, he refuses to go any further - sits down and won't budge. Possibly hears the traffic.) and yesterday he wouldn't even go outside the front door - we blamed it on the cold but it seems odd to me that a pup would mind the cold. But it was very cold.

Regarding your situation helena.. would your pup hear the traffic and become scared? You said he was fine out the back of your house so maybe he's intimidated and scared by the traffic.

I was wondering about the cold too, but he looked to go out the back as soon as we got back in. I don't know if pups do fret about the cold. I know my boy is a frosty thing at the best of times and loves sitting under the rad but would the cold be enough to put him off walking, I thought he would be excited

With regards to the road, he probably associates walking with meeting cars and thats why he's scared. Although he's only getting worse. I'm not sure what to do as I assumed it would get better as he got used to it but it's only getting worse.

Whispered

giddybootz wrote: »

would it be possible to go on walks with a friend who has a grown dog (after they have gotton to know each other) ?? it might help her get used to all the crazy stuff out in the Big Bad World!

Fab idea, but unfortunately, I don't know any doggy people in my area.

giddybootz

do you drive? if so perhaps you could bring your fella out to the car and drive her to a park, thus eliminating the raod/traffic issue. plus being in the car looking at traffic out of the window might help.

also you could start on day one in the paths in the park centre and as days go by walk on paths closer and closer to the road?

if you dont drive perhaps you could spend some time just sitting and playing in your front garden each day. you could just totally ignore any cars that pass regardless of how your pup acts. it might help?

zillmere

Can you try walking him in your back garden on the lead? Or take him in the car to a quiet area and get him used to the lead there & then introduce distractions like traffic.

I think walking with another dog would help. There are many dog rescues & kennels around. If you called them they would probably let you tag along on a group walk.

You could also go to a puppy class.

personaltrainer

My beagle puppy did the same thing didnt want to go out and every time a car passed she lay down and started whinging. I then started bringing her out with a friends two dogs who are both very forward going. she was so keen on keeping up with them she forgot she was scared and now shes perfect and loves it when she sees me with her lead...:rolleyes:

olaola

My parent's dog sometimes will refuse to go out. I just carry her most of the way to the park and then she's fine.

Dyr

ummm... one thing that worked for someone i know is (if they're the sociable type) to bring them out with another dog, they're so busy hangin out with the new buddy they don't notice the big bad world as much

S.I.R

helena.ryan wrote: »

My pup hates walking, he seems terrified and hasn't had a traumatic experience.

He wont walk out the front door, no amount of food or coaxing will help he will just sit there refusing to come out. It's gotten to the stage when I put his halter on he tries to hide under the table. I don't want to push him too hard but I need to start walking him properly. He's getting bigger and needs some decent exercise.

I thought it might be the cold, but he will happily go out the back with me and run around on the frosty grass so that can't be it.

So far his walks have been to the local shop, 5 min there and back.

Once he's out of the house, he's usually fine and seems to enjoy being out, but I have to carry him to the end of the garden. Then if a car passes he acts terrified again. I was trying to deal with it by continuing to walk but he would jump around so much I was worried he would slip out of the halter, so I started stopping, to allow him watch the car pass us. But he'd still go ape. He wont respond to me calling him or touching him, he just tries to run away.

Up until last night, that only happened when a car passed, but yesterdays walk was a disaster, from the second I put the halter on him, he hid, would not come out even for ham. He just did not want to go. So I carried him out (I know I shouldn't feed the behaviour but I figured if I can get him to enjoy a walk he will grow out of it) but the whole way up the road he was doing his squirm, despite no cars.

I was getting frustrated so had to turn back, bad idea I know, but I don't want him to associate walking with me getting frustrated.

So my main 2 issues are how to build up the sort of trust with him that he feels if I act relaxed, then he can too, and how do I get him to enjoy his walks.

keep pushing him, he will get the nack for it, id the same problem with my dog when i got him, after 2 weeks of psuhing he caught on, now i have to walk him twice a day ( he's helping me lose the christmas weight !! )

stevoman

okay so think of it from the pups point of view. your small new to the world and everything outside of your enviroment (house and garden) is completly alien. so how do you think you would feel about having a leash put around you and then brought out into the big bad world with gaint motor cars passing by and new big people and remember you have not the slightest idea what a car is or what it can do to you. the pup will be terriefied espeocally if its night time and the lights make it worse. but dont woory the dog will come around. time is the key nothing else.

Ticktactoe

stevoman wrote: »

okay so think of it from the pups point of view. your small new to the world and everything outside of your enviroment (house and garden) is completly alien. so how do you think you would feel about having a leash put around you and then brought out into the big bad world with gaint motor cars passing by and new big people and remember you have not the slightest idea what a car is or what it can do to you. the pup will be terriefied espeocally if its night time and the lights make it worse. but dont woory the dog will come around. time is the key nothing else.

+1
Persistence is the key. After a while he will be bringing you for the walk!

Killiwee

I just posted about this, i had a guy train my dog and he was brilliant.Mine was nt about walking though, but my friend that recommnended him too me had problems with her boxer dog.She could nt bring him for a walk, hed drag her around and try to eat everything that moved.This guy went with her on a few walks and basicaly trained her and the dog.As you said trust is important to build up. I have details if your interested.

Whispered

Thanks everyone. We just had a fantastic first proper walk.

It's cold and wet here but he was bursting with energy so we said we'd try again. So we got his flexi lead and headed to the curragh.

He was nervous in the car, and a bit aprehensive getting out. We overcame that with a bit of a sausage. Walked for a while in the woods, chasing leaves, investigating sheep droppings, finding sticks. He loved it. Then we walked/ran across one of the open areas, passing joggers, other dogs, sheep etc then sat on one of the big concrete shelters (I think they're like bullet shelters or something). We had a rest and a coffee and he had a bit more sausage, surrounded by sheep. He was so tired and relaxed he tried to jump into the jeep (too small to make it), he's usually too afraid to even look at it, and slept the whole way home.

He's still asleep beside me on the couch.

Sorry for the loooooong story, but I'm delighted. We're going to contiune to do that, have him associate the lead and walking with the curragh, then when he's relaxed doing that, we will start again with the estate and cars.

Thanks again for all the advice.

leadinglady

Hi Helena,
I was wondering what age is your puppy, because they get a second faze of 'fear'/learning at around four to six months. This is when they are mature enough to become aware of things that they previously were blissfully ignorant about! ie they realise there are monsters everywhere like hoovers, washing machines and cars with big noises. This time is vital for socalisation in a pups life. So bear with it, help the puppy feel confident by being confident as assertive and he/she will realise that if her leader is ok then she is.;)

Whispered

Yep he was born on near the end of the sept, so he's about 4 months. Good spot.

I think he's starting to realise that if he's a bit bold, the worse that will happen is a sharp "NO" little brat has taken to chasing the cats now! I think I'm learing just as much if not more than the pup.