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Bella Won't Walk


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Guest AGirlNamedMe
Posted

We've had our sweet Bella for two days and we're totally in love. Pictures soon!

 

There's only one thing that makes us feel like we're in cRaZyToWn: Bella the Statue.

 

When we go out for a walk, she freezes. Sometimes because she get distracted by something. Sometimes, just because. It makes sense - new scents, new sights. I understand that it's perfectly normal. Blah, blah, blah.

 

Here's what we've tried....

 

Treats - she's seriously not food-motivated

Squeaky Toy - works for a few steps

Happy Voices while moving

Brisk Walk

Slow Walk

Encouragement while Frozen (at her side and at full length of the leash)

 

 

I'm partially being selfish - there's a limit to the amount of time I want to spend out there trying to coax Bella (who is nearly five and raced, not sure that matters) along, but I am also concerned about her - she is not getting nearly the activity she is used to getting (she was at a great rescue for months before we got her) and I don't want her to get bored and end up with other behavioral issues.

 

One thing that seems to work - if she freezes and another person comes along, she will unfreeze and walk toward that person. Nice if our house is in the same direction!

 

So...what is the best way to turn this around?

Posted

you've only had her for two days, everything is new and scary or interesting :lol When Sunshine freezes, I stand quietly and focus on my relaxed breathing for maybe 2 minutes. Then give a happy "Lets Go" and off we march. Sunshine does have some fear issues and I would rather she stop and confront them than trying to run away. Sometimes she's ready to go after a few minutes and sometimes she's not. I don't stress about it. The more time that goes by the less it happens. Sometimes they just need a quiet moment w/o and pressure to get their heads on straight.

------

 

Jessica

Guest onlygreys4me
Posted

yeah, I agree, I wouldnt stress not yet anyway, You have only had her a few days. she will adjust. When I brough Unique home she was also skiddish about going for a walk, she wouldnt walk out on the road only on the grass for a few weeks and then when a car went by or kids playing on bikes she would get scared and hide behind me and stop as well. So it just took time, patience and continual walks until she was excited about going out for walks. You'll do fine. And she will get used to things around her. She has been crated (I take it) for sometime and she has to get adjusted to a new way of life. Hang in there. :goodluck

Guest PreciousMom
Posted

Preicous used to freeze like that when I first adopted him. I would try all the things you mentioned and they only worked part of the time. I would stand there and relax don't stress over it. I kept walks close to home in the beginning. Sometimes standing next to him and just petting him would help. It does get better with time.

 

Congratulations on your new pup.

 

Sue

Guest gecko_foot
Posted (edited)

I've only had Tumnus for a week, and I had your problem too. Tumnus was especially prone to freezing when it was cold and/or raining, when people or other animals were present, or when he just didn't want to go the way I did. I thought it was fear at first, but when I looked at his tail and his posture, he didn't show any signs of being afraid. His tail was at a neutral position, and his mouth was relaxed (no pursed lips). He just wanted to see what I would let him get away with. I started gently tugging him in the direction I wanted to go. As soon as he moved, I relaxed the tension and praised him. He still tries to stall sometimes, but now it takes a tenth of the time to get him moving. We've encountered some scary things on our walks - four year-olds are absolutely terrifying :lol - but this method has helped him keep his focus on me and not on what he's scared of. Tumnus is very outgoing and confident with people, so if your dog is nervous, this probably won't help. Tumnus is my first greyhound, and I'm still learning too.

 

Good luck with Bella!

Edited by gecko_foot
Guest AGirlNamedMe
Posted

Thank you for the comments and suggestions.

 

This really is the only issue we are having with her. She's such a sweet girl.

 

I think part of the problem is that she's easily distracted and it's just so darned cold out there. Last night, she froze before we even got out the door. I'm going to be looking for a warmer coat for her today.

 

Thank you again.

xo

Posted

Thank you for the comments and suggestions.

 

This really is the only issue we are having with her. She's such a sweet girl.

 

I think part of the problem is that she's easily distracted and it's just so darned cold out there. Last night, she froze before we even got out the door. I'm going to be looking for a warmer coat for her today.

 

Thank you again.

xo

 

We had a foster like that once. The first time I tried to take him for a walk - we got "stuck" in the middle of my neighbor's yard - and I had to CARRY him home! :eek

 

I'd suggest - walking 10 feet out into your yard - let her do her business. Give a treat, and go back inside. Continue that for a few days. Then walk 20 feet. Give a treat, And back home. Every few days - go a bit farther. Never "push" her comfort level. It only took me a week to get our foster to walk out and about anywhere. Once he'd had a week of NOT being PUSHED past his comfort level --- he trusted me to take him farther.

 

You have a VERY VERY new dog. She's acclimating to A LOT right now. Don't push long walks. Yes, exercise is important - but it IS NOT the most important thing right now. Her stability, and comfort level are. Take it slow. Don't push.

Guest AGirlNamedMe
Posted

Update on Bella.....

 

I had been taking her out the front door. Too many distractions.

 

Yesterday, I took her (and some cheese) out the back door. There were still distractions, but not as many.

 

Turns out, Ms. Bella loves her some cheese!

 

So...we walk, we nibble, we walk, we praise, we walk, we nibble. Goooood girl!

 

Only problem? Silly girl is so into the walking and praising and (especially!) nibbling, she totally skips that part about doing her business out there. Yesterday, she went TWELVE hours without a tinkle or poo. I had her out there every 90 minutes or so for about 15 minutes at a time - or until my pockets were empty. (They were teeeeny tiny pieces of cheese.)

 

It was funnnnny. Once, I was standing there, waiting for tinkle, and she started walking. Then she stopped before we turned around and looked up at me with those sweet sweet eyes. Yes, Bella, you may have a treat.

 

I'm not sure which of us is trained! But I am sure that it helped. This morning, we went out the front door, walked nicely for a few minutes, had a good tinkle, and alllllllmost made it home before she froze for a few minutes. So. Much. Better.

 

Go Bella!

 

Thank you again for all of the suggestions.

Guest Bang_o_rama
Posted

When we first got Bang she was fine on the leash, then about two weeks in she went through a statueing phase. Very frustrating! Coaxing her with treats was usually effective, but eventually we got to the point of nudging her backside to get her going again. That seemed to work fine, got her past the "error reading drive A" moment and she'd then trot along without a problem.

 

Gina

Guest Jubilee251
Posted

Molly was/is the same way. We've had her for two weeks, and I find her statue-ing has gotten better slowly as she's adjusted to the neighborhood. The best part of my Saturday morning walk this weekend was when she decided to freeze a couple of feet from an alley where a homeless man was peeing. Thanks, dog. :rolleyes:

 

Rather than stopping to give her treats when she walks nicely, I will lean down and stroke her neck/pat her side and say "Good girl!" when she walks after stopping. Good luck with Bella!

Guest LindsaySF
Posted

Sorry to hear you're having trouble. (Though I had to giggle at your last post. :D)

 

Some Greys are just stubborn and will freeze in place if you're heading in a direction they don't want to go.

 

As for pottying, keep in mind that most of her life (at the farm and the track) she was used to pottying in a fenced area, not on a leash walk. Sometimes it takes them a while to get used to going potty on a leash. Tying two leashes together to give her more space might help.

 

Good luck!

Guest AGirlNamedMe
Posted

An update on Bella....

 

She's doing better most of the time. Tuesday was such a good day for us. We went out, walked, came in. Good girrrrrl.

 

She's still statuing, but it's not as frequent and when it does happen, I can usually get her attention and bring her out of it. Usually.

 

So...we're adjusting well to life together. Yaay!! :yay

 

xo

Guest TBSFlame
Posted

An update on Bella....

 

She's doing better most of the time. Tuesday was such a good day for us. We went out, walked, came in. Good girrrrrl.

 

She's still statuing, but it's not as frequent and when it does happen, I can usually get her attention and bring her out of it. Usually.

 

So...we're adjusting well to life together. Yaay!! yay.gif

 

xo

You have had great progress in a short time. This will go away in time. Most problems just need time.

Posted

The harness was my savior. Stormy would freeze at a breeze. Garbage trucks,motorcycles,roofers,ice maker,dishwasher,you name it.Anything sudden and unfamiliar would send him into helicopter mode. This was scarey for him and me .Just crossing a street or a parking lot for a M&G was a challenge.At least with the Wags,wiggles harness I could pick him up like a suitcase and go forward. We got better after 3-4 months. Be firm,be the boss and face the fears! Walking with a foster is helpfull also

Posted

you are making big strides very quickly, so you and Bella will be just fine! I just wanted to assure you that it took us about 6 months before Kingsley would walk with any regularity, and he would be thrown off by noises or-the-like which might happen while we were out. So know this might always be a battle for her to be totally comfortable out-and-about.

 

We also found he walked away-from-the-house better than having to leave from the front door, so for a period of time we would drive him (just down the street) and then get out and walk. Who knows!

Amy and Tim in Beverly, MA, with Chase and Always missing Kingsley (Drama King) and Ruby (KB's Bee Bopper).

Guest AGirlNamedMe
Posted

Tooooo funny, SPD!

 

So...today, we're out walking and standing. And walking. And standing. And saying hi to the neighbors (all of them). And watching squirrels. And not peeing. We did for about 30 minutes.

 

Whatever. Don't go. I'm flexible like that.

 

We make it back inside (with the promise of cheese once there).

 

Annnnnnd Bella starts doing the pee dance. Walking back and forth, standing at the back door, whining.

 

So. Out we go again so Bella can make puddles. (And scam more cheese once she's inside.)

 

Silly girl.

 

I loves her.

Posted

Peace has been with us for two years and always freezes when she walks..most of the time though if I just give in and follow her lead she just wants to smell something and mark off the path, she'll go the way I want her to walk in a bit..never fails though, when I am running late for work because I chose to stay in bed a bit longer and try to shorten her 45 minute walk to a half hour, its instant statue game..gotta love these greys!

Posted

...So. Out we go again so Bella can make puddles. (And scam more cheese once she's inside.)...

 

Sounds like you're making wonderful progress! Since she's doing so well, I might suggest it's time for a two-tiered treat-ment. Take some slightly less high-value treats with you that you give her to disrupt the statue-ing and only give the cheese when she actually pees/poops.

Guest cwalsh156
Posted

Eddie was doing this for a while with me... after about a week he was fine. I would turn around and go back the way we came for a little bit then turn around and try to jog with him past the point where he would freeze. She will overcome this it will just take a little bit.

Posted

Your last post had me giggling, too. Sometimes it's as easy as crossing the street...heading the way she wants to go (back toward home), but making it last longer to get there. Sometimes you can just do bigger and bigger circles until she finally goes potty...then really play up the 'good girl' praises and bring her inside right away...she'll get the idea of what you want her to do out there.

gallery_2175_3047_5054.jpg

 

Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05

Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell

Wag more, bark less :-)

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