NO I don't want to go for a walk!

tk123

What to do here guys?!

I'm having problems for the last few months since it's gotten colder and darker getting Bailey out of his crate to go for a walk during the week - at weekends no probs. If I close the crate he hides under the table which is dangerous because he's too big and gets trapped :rolleyes: so its safest to leave the crate open.. Once he's got his harness and lead on he's fine but we've gotten to the stage where I have to clip a lead on him and pull him out of the crate - and if I drop the lead he runs back in!!! Another trick is to go out as far as the gate with Lucy and open and close it so he'll hear it inside and he's usually in the hall when I come back in. No treat will coax him out either - before it was a case that he'd hide until he got something but now he just turns away...but when he's eventually dragged out he expects whatever was offered to him earlier.

We have an early start during the week and usually leave around 6:50-7:00am for a 5-10 min walk down to the park and then they're off lead for a good 30-40 mins. In the evenings I'm usually home just before 6:00pm, get changed and take them for a 45min walk on lead.
At the weekend we'd leave a little later say 9:00-9:30 (earlier in the summer to avoid the heat) after they've been fed (during the week I feed them when we come home) and head out in the car to the dunes/beach/nicer park for a long walk with my friend and her dog for a good 60-90mins of off lead time.

Lucy is so chilled out I don't think she cares either way! When I come home for example she lies down as I open the gate, park and doesn't stand up until I walk in the door lol!

Before I religiously took the both for 2 walks a day...but now say if it's raining or very windy (we walk under trees so dangerous with branches falling down) I give them a kong/chew or do some training with them instead and they're just as happy to stay in relaxing. We have no problems with unspent energy needing to be burned off btw - they're not climbing up the walls if they don't get out.

Here he is on one of the colder evenings the other week looking like I'm about to kill him - I took his harness out and he ran inside to the bed!:o

Arbiter of Good Taste

I feel your pain. I have to carry Lola out to where she likes to play, otherwise we get nowhere

tk123

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

I feel your pain. I have to carry Lola out to where she likes to play, otherwise we get nowhere

Well there's almost 70kgs between the two of them so unless I get a cart that's not an option lol :pac:

odckdo

What is Bailey like off lead at the beach on the w/e? Running around no problem?

Your post reminded me of my older dog a few years ago. Everytime I toke the harness out he hid. Walking on lead he started to trail behind whereas before he was up front. Got him checked and found he had a heart murmur.

If Bailey is running around normally though it probably is just the cold weather.

tk123

He's fine running around and fine on lead too - he doesn't pull but would normally be beside me or might take go out ahead for a sniff. He was in the vets before xmas for his check-up where she examined him from head to toe so she would have spotted anything like that I think? He's due in for his 6 month check at the end of feb. I think it's just the cold tbh. Not sure what to do this evening as it's 2 degrees atm and getting colder - he won't want to go out!

Pretzill

Sounds like he's fearful of something - is there a big palava going on with trying to bring him out in the morning?

I only ask because my little guy has taken a dislike of grooming time and I reckon it's because he has gotten so dirty over the winter and so knotted -that initially I may have been a little too busy with the brush ( think 4 year old girl getting knots out and bobbins in!)

Now when he sees the brush or hears me filling the basin with water he runs into another room and hides! I didn't hurt him but I certainly put him off and he won't let me forget - the more gentler I am with him, coaxing, cooing the worse he gets - so I have to trick him by ignoring him until he comes to me -

We are getting back to normal slowly.

So maybe it's about not mentioning walks, changing the routine or even his leash, something is putting him off.

Btw I love his bed.

DBB

Does he only give trouble when it's dark?
I'm just wondering if it's shadows, or headlights, something like that, stuff that doesn't really happen in daylight?

snoman

My one-eyed cataract mastiff doesn't like 'shadowtime' as it makes her feel vulnerable, I think. Sort of like it's pitch black. I've been known to shine a torch for her.....

tk123

DBB wrote: »

Does he only give trouble when it's dark?
I'm just wondering if it's shadows, or headlights, something like that, stuff that doesn't really happen in daylight?

I don't know tbh - it's that long since we had a weekday walk in daylight lol!!! He is a bit jumpy of traffic outside of the park in the mornings - normally when it's bright he wouldn't be that bothered with it unless it was a truck or something huge passing but he stops every morning looking out onto the avenue and listening. Thinking back a few months ago a truck passed us on the way to the park and he stopped, closed his eyes and lifted his paw(!) which he's never done before - normally he'd just stop until it passed. So maybe that's done it!?

It's only happened with this dark "season" - we've never had a problem before going out on a dark morning or evening for a walk BUT this is the first winter that I've gone into the park in the mornings rather than just have a walk around the area. We did have a run it with a guy in the park that I posted about in another thread and I was definitely freaked out by it for a week or so which I know was transferring to him but he's been like this since before that happened. We actually walked right past that tool this morning outside the park on the way home so closer than he'd be in the park and Bailey didn't give him a second glance. We saw a fox last week - once he ran after it and it went into the bushes he had a run/play with Lucy for the first time in weeks and seemed way more relaxed than he's been in ages.

The only change I can think of is that I've putting vests on them in the mornings to be lazy and not have to dry/clean them up when we get home but he's never been bothered with coats so I don't think it's that. Same harness and lead as always. I do have flashing collars for them in the mornings but I don't think that's it - I don't turn them on until we're inside the park and he's happy to run around with it on?

His thyroid levels are fine BUT having had thyroid disease myself and having normal levels myself I'm always frozen so he could be feeling the cold more than he used to?...But then again he'll happily jump through ice and roll around in frosty grass and even swim when it's freezing cold - I don't think he'd do that if he was that iffy about being cold?

angeldaisy

Well neither of mine have wanted to go for a walk this week. They've been happy exploring the gardens. Not sure if it's the weather, or if they've been happier scenting around the garden.
Either way they've not been bugging me for a walk!

bluejelly

Could it be the harness itself? Is it catching him anywhere? My lab who never had a problem putting her harness on for 3 yrs has recently started moving her head around when I try to put it on and takes a few steps back. Now she is a timid dog so that's the extent of it but my previous lab would spend ages running around the island to avoid it and only when I would leave and close the door behind me would she let me put it on. Can you try getting him to go for a walk without seeing the harness and see his reaction?

tk123

bluejelly wrote: »

Could it be the harness itself? Is it catching him anywhere? My lab who never had a problem putting her harness on for 3 yrs has recently started moving her head around when I try to put it on and takes a few steps back. Now she is a timid dog so that's the extent of it but my previous lab would spend ages running around the island to avoid it and only when I would leave and close the door behind me would she let me put it on. Can you try getting him to go for a walk without seeing the harness and see his reaction?

I don't think it's the harness - I use one in the morning and a different one in the evening and he's the same with both. He's straight into the crate - normally if I call him and give him a treat he'll be out but he won't budge unless I pull him out. I skipped the walk this evening and they didn't care! Gave them both a pizzle instead and they chewed away on them for ages, had a game with each other and went asleep!!

ABajaninCork

If he's anything like my boy, it's the cold! His Highness doesn't do cold, and I'd be willing to bet your boy's the same...

AryaStark

Are you sure that it is not to do with the guy in the park that you were having problems with. Maybe he is picking up that you feel a bit worried about meeting him again in the mornings.

tk123

AryaStark wrote: »

Are you sure that it is not to do with the guy in the park that you were having problems with. Maybe he is picking up that you feel a bit worried about meeting him again in the mornings.

No it's been happing for at least a month if not two so long before that happened. He seemed much happier this morning having not had a walk yesterday evening - he stood by the back door to go out to the garden instead of hiding in the crate like he's been doing most mornings. When we were ready to go I offered him some of their mince that I had out thawing and he jumped out no probs and had a great time in the park running and playing with Lucy.

ihatewinter

TK123 I could be wrong but didn't Bailey have a few operations on his back legs.

Could he be feeling the cold in his back legs and could be a reason why he doesn't want to go for a walk

tk123

ihatewinter wrote: »

TK123 I could be wrong but didn't Bailey have a few operations on his back legs.

Could he be feeling the cold in his back legs and could be a reason why he doesn't want to go for a walk

Yep he's had operations but he's not showing any signs of lameness etc so don't know if that's it? I'm going to skip our second walk until Monday and see how he is then.

Starting to wonder if I should bring him to the vet anyways for peace of mind!? He's due in at the end of Feb and don't think she'd have a problem bringing it forward.

tk123

Ok so an update to this as I could use some opinions. It's been hit and miss - sometimes he willingly comes out of the crate or off his bed if we've closed/blocked his other hiding places and other times I have to clip on the lead and pull him out! If I leave him behind and just take Lucy he cries at the door the whole time we're gone :rolleyes: I was going to take him to the vets 2 weeks ago but she was on hols so ended up taking him for his checkup on Thursday evening. He'd been limping a month ago (I didn't realise it was that long!!) on one of his front legs and I rested him and gave him metacam for a few days then built back up to normal exercise. The limping stopped but on and off something hasn't looked right with his gait so I told the vet about the reluctance to walk and limping. She examined him from head to toe and sure enough the leg I thought was sore IS sore - he growled when he was being examined and tried to pull away.

So now I'm left with the conundrum of resting him properly which I wasn't doing and seeing what happens or just getting the X-rays. He hates being left in the vets and there's the risk of ANOTHER anaesthetic etc etc BUT i'll have no cover for 2 weeks in work from Monday..So what if I rest him and he's the same?!

fiounnalbe

If it were one of my dogs I would rest him up properly first and see what happens, it has been going on for over a month so even if it doesnt improve (hopefully he will) another 2 weeks until you get cover back in work probably won't make any difference before investigating further, especially now that you are more aware of the issue and can make sure he is not in any pain.

I wouldn't worry about the anesthetic, x-raying a front limb take less maneuvering than hind limb/hips (where sometimes they have to get them on their back in a cradle for images), so a really really low dose of Domitor would be all that is needed - it is also reversible so he would only need to be under for 5/10 mins or so.

tk123

I think we might go mad on short walks for 3 weeks though lol!

Ashbx

Poor Bailey! Do you mean you don't have cover from yesterday or from next Monday? If its next Monday, could you rest him for a week and see how he is then? And if you feel he's not improving, get the x-rays then. Hope he recovers soon either way!

tk123

Ashbx wrote: »

Poor Bailey! Do you mean you don't have cover from yesterday or from next Monday? If its next Monday, could you rest him for a week and see how he is then? And if you feel he's not improving, get the x-rays then. Hope he recovers soon either way!

If I don't get them done this week we'll have to wait until the week of the 23rd

tk123

Well the update is that there's been no change so he's going in for the xrays tomorrow morning - for my peace of mind if nothing else!!! I tried recording him walking yesterday to show the vet and he ran around playing with Lucy so I'll have to do some editing later lol!!The short clips I did manage to get he IS imo limping or just not walking right so we'll see what the x-rays say.

Trying to decide if I can let him off lead in the park tomorrow morning where he'll most likely run around again to help wear him out and relax him in the vets or play it safe in case he's actually damaging something!

fiounnalbe

What did the xrays reveal Tk? Hope it all went well

tk123

No signs of anything degenerative (or worse) thank god and one xray sent off for a second opinion but looks like we just need to rest him a bit longer. I was bold though and let him off yesterday in case it was something really bad and could see him getting a bit sore so put him back on!! If there was just him I'd probably not walk him at all but if I leave him and take Lucy he sits crying in the hall lol so easier for everyone to take him with us for a very short walk then come back and do some training to tire them out. The second I came into the vets yesterday afternoon he started barking and didn't stop until he was sent out into the waiting room - stood beside wagging his tail then and not a sound out of him. In the morning while we were waiting he jumped up and tried to open the front door to leave which he's never done before - the brat!

fiounnalbe

tk123 wrote: »

No signs of anything degenerative (or worse) thank god and one xray sent off for a second opinion but looks like we just need to rest him a bit longer. I was bold though and let him off yesterday in case it was something really bad and could see him getting a bit sore so put him back on!! If there was just him I'd probably not walk him at all but if I leave him and take Lucy he sits crying in the hall lol so easier for everyone to take him with us for a very short walk then come back and do some training to tire them out. The second I came into the vets yesterday afternoon he started barking and didn't stop until he was sent out into the waiting room - stood beside wagging his tail then and not a sound out of him. In the morning while we were waiting he jumped up and tried to open the front door to leave which he's never done before - the brat!

Thats great, glad its nothing serious, poor boys been through enough already