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Long shot, but as STW is the font of all knowledge…
Some may have spotted we recently got a rescue greyhound.
For the first 2 weeks walking was awesome, he’d stride out, seemed to have a good time and all was well.
Then 2 days ago he suddenly got scared. No incident that caused it, he’s just got scared.
He’s fine around the garden, fine walking round the house but as soon as he gets on the drive his tail is between his legs and he won’t move far.
Have tried bribing with treats, we’ve tried almost dragging him and have tried giving him time before trying to get him moving.
Any ideas as to how to rekindle his love of walks and outside?
Is it too hot?
I don't own a dog.
that sounds stressful stressful.
HE could just be settling in still after a few weeks still not being sure about stuff. Lot's of encouragement etc. HAve you tried walking him from the garden rather than immediately from the door? IT has been hot aswell.
Ours has got a bit more barky at other dogs which is a bit worrying i'll admit. She wags her tail throughout so am pretty hopeful its a phase or she just doesn't know how to socialise properly.
What's it like in the car? If its OK, could you take it a short trip to a park or something?
I used to have a Lurcher who would get like that, she would suddenly just stop and not move, had to carry her home more than once.
She was an oddball though.
Maybe try a reset by change of scene by taking him off somewhere totally different in the car and walking from there ? Have heard this has worked well in similar situations.
Had this problem with puppies leaving the house. As above reset the scene, ply with treats and drive somewhere else. If that works, drive somewhere close and walk back home.
I used to have a Lurcher who would get like that, she would suddenly just stop and not move, had to carry her home more than once.
She was an oddball though.
Did you use to own my dog?!
Sorry OP, not got anything useful to add.
Good shout. Although you're not aware of him having a bad experience whilst on a walk he may well be seeing something that he doesn't like which is upsetting him. Could be as silly as the neighbours car on the drive or the bins being there, or a bush swaying. Which he perceives as a threat.
Dogs do things that seem odd to us but obviously make sense to them. For a while ours didn't like going out through the hall. So took him out the back door. Very odd and will now go out through the hall. 🤔
Dogs do things that seem odd to us but obviously make sense to them
They do but on the other hand I can totally understand grabbing 500g of cheddar and sneaking into the bedroom to eat in secret.
The world can be very troubling for rescued racers. It may just have been spooked by a noise.
The resetting advice sounds good. Building confidence somewhere quieter will likely have a positive impact.
They are quirky wee beggars !
We arrived at a lovely holiday cottage in Lucker (Northumberland) about 4 hours ago, after an easy 2 and a bit hour drive from home. Ollie has ran around the place about 20 times, been out for 5k of walks, done numerous peees on anything he can possbly mark, 2 huge craps and has just settled down 🤪
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I had a whippet that had a spell of doing that. I was completely unaware of whatever spooked her, but something obviously had. I'd agree with a change of scene to reset things.
Saying that there were other times where she would do her business in the garden and steadfastly refuse to go for a walk if she didn't fancy it.
We have a lovely 9 year old Lab. Had him since a pup.
Occasionally he does a refusal to go somewhere. No idea why. Random. Used to sometimes be up our road (but the same place as we'd walked 2000 times before).
In fact even this weekend, not the same as a walk refusal, but he's off his food, as we're in a holiday let in the Lakes for a few days. A Lab not eating !! Happened the same on a trip to the Cairngorms last year. He's OK otherwise though. Changes can defo disturb them / throw them off kilter - even changes we humans wouldn't really realise. (Even though he loves jumping into the car at any opportunity, so it's not the travel itself).
The one thing I'd say is to not make a big fuss about it in front of them - be nonchalant instead. Otherwise it can reinforce the behaviour- "hmmm there IS something to be bothered about because I see dad is bothered too").
Hope it all comes good.
Our rescue GSP is full of random behaviours and responses whose causes appear unknown to me as a mere human dog entertainment manager. I just let her get on with it knowing it will change tomorrow. Me and the OG GSP regard her as a weirdo.
Are you sure you haven't got a cat? Sounds like cat behaviour
I would stop all walks for a month or something like that.
Build your relationship with him. Do training. Let him know you are his leader and if he comes across anything outside that worries him, you're going to deal with it for him.
We have this idea that all dogs love their walks and need them twice a day, every day but I have come to think of walks for dogs as a little like alcohol for humans - good in moderation.
Mine gets walked twice a day now and loves it but we sometimes do quite short walks and she's just as happy doing that.
We also do lots of stopping and staring into the distance. She's a lurcher type and I think it's a sighthound thing. And she loves sitting in the park on a sunny just watching what is going on. I sit down with her and massage her or play ball with us both sitting down and rolling it towards her.
When she first came (Rommie rescue) I was told not to take her out for two weeks. It was really good advice. We just went out to the garden while she got her bearings. When we did go out, there was a lot of looking around so she could see the lay of the land so to speak. She's got her confidence now but is still like that if we go somewhere new.
When I got my first dog, I was told the day she arrived that she needed a good walk. If I'd have known then what I do now, I would have ignored that instruction.
With yours, after a week or so I'd also go through the whole walk routine thing but just walk round the garden then back in the house for a treat or a play or a massage or something.
Then eventually try a really short, calm walk and build from there.
If that doesn't work, I'd try a behaviourist.
Good luck!
Two walks a day? Depends how long and their age I suppose, my Small Munsterlander needed 4 walks a day in her heyday, at least 2 hours total but now she's 13 2 walks work.
She also needed reassurance when somewhere new, showing bravado to start with (new smells, sights taking over) but then wanting to follow when she calmed down.
Sounds can be important, they can hear something once and are then spooked for a long time.
Every dog is different and has different needs for sure but I think we can get stuck thinking we need to walk them and sometimes it's not the best thing to do.
As is the case with the OP and their dog at the moment at least imo.
Walks with dogs are great and we just got back from ours but we were out for a while and then she found a dog to play with in the park and now she's overly tired so it's short walks for a few days now and more enrichment activities.
I think this woman makes a good point:
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/expert-dog-trainer-warns-you-23580910
Our whippet recently developed an unholy fear of having her lead attached.
Not having the lead on. Not going for a walk. Not going through the door. As soon as the lead is on the fear goes and all is well again. Ridiculous creature.
Our Parsons terrier does this from time to time, she is a nervous little dog. She'll just stop and wouldn't go any further for whatever reason. Even early in the mornings when no one is around. When see does, I just do the walk in the opposite direction or take a different route and she's fine. I don't force her if she doesn't want to go that way.
We've had her from a puppy and she was the last to go, when we got her we had another dog who she followed around like a little sheep and when that dog passed she lost her guardian I suppose. She follows me around when I'm at home. In fact she's sat under my desk while I'm typing this.
+1 for sighthound behaviour.
I'll copy'n'paste...
I used to have a Lurcher Saluki who would get like that, she would suddenly just stop and not move, had to carry her home more than once.
Our other dog is a saluki cross.
Refuses to jump up into a car boot... could just be her being lazy and obstinate, mind.
So a bit of an update.
We took him out for a walk yesterday with another greyhound and he had a great time, chasing, sniffing, all of the good stuff. Seems like being with another dog really upped his confidence.
Took him out solo this morning and he was OK, not as good as the night before, but not bad.
We're just going to take it slow and give him lots of time to get used to his world.
Sounds like good progress.
Dogs be loving company. Always seems to help.