Statueing - Major Vent

[Guest Frankendog]

Good info here, I am going to try some with Frankie. He is great when we go through the quieter trail, but if I take him for a walk around my neighbourhood he starts to do this about a half a block from our house...and I've had him for 5 months! Maybe he is a bit more stubborn than any of the above mentioned dogs...if I give more than one sharp tug on his leash I inevitably get the GSOD.... I am afraid the neighbours are going to hear this and call animal control.

[Guest greytbuds]

II

[Guest PiagetsMom]

Good info here, I am going to try some with Frankie. He is great when we go through the quieter trail, but if I take him for a walk around my neighbourhood he starts to do this about a half a block from our house...and I've had him for 5 months! Maybe he is a bit more stubborn than any of the above mentioned dogs...if I give more than one sharp tug on his leash I inevitably get the GSOD.... I am afraid the neighbours are going to hear this and call animal control.

 

Really tasty treats can help with this, too! Piaget is a shy, reserved girl, and when we were just getting started, anything out of the ordinary scared her on walks. I started carrying a fanny pack with me full of treats, and they were great bribes when we needed them. She's moved past most of this (her 4th gotcha day is coming up this summer), but I hate to say it - there are times she's still stubborn as a mule! A tug with a stern, "No maam, let's go" usually works

[Guest greytbuds]

I will offer that a 2Hounds Design harness worked wonders for my spook. Sometimes in the beginning, the harness was the only way I could get him moving. I use the harness and his martingale collar and leash. He was afraid of the traffic, people and other dogs, flags, leaves and yes even yard signs. Instead of pulling on his collar/neck when he froze, I would simply move him along with the harness. Like you, I have a certain amount of time to get the walk done and do not have a fenced yard to use as a back up. It took a number of weeks, but now he is much more confident on walks. I use the harness now as a "backup" when something startles him to be sure he does not get away should he slip his collar.

 

Good luck and I hope you find something to help Molly enjoy her walks soon!

 

Greytbuds

 

(PS - sorry about the earlier "post" - I had to work on my settings since this is my first post in the new format)

[Guest Snazzy_Chloe]

How about if you go in a circle - will she walk in the opposite direction - to go around the block the other way??? I wouldn't go far from home until you get this figured out...the what she is seeing or hearing or if it happens at a certain place? Smells? Sounds? or sights? By going around the block in the opposite direction to see if the trigger is still there coming from a different direction..

[rschultz]

i agree with always face in the direction your walking and try to keep walking..then "come and a quick tug. gl..if not..maybe carry her...rofl (j/k)

[Guest Jubilee251]

How about if you go in a circle - will she walk in the opposite direction - to go around the block the other way??? I wouldn't go far from home until you get this figured out...the what she is seeing or hearing or if it happens at a certain place? Smells? Sounds? or sights? By going around the block in the opposite direction to see if the trigger is still there coming from a different direction..

 

Oh, I've tried. For example, to go home we can either walk north or east, so I tried taking her in both those directions. Nope, she wanted to go west.

 

In the city, it can be pretty challenging to figure out what her triggers are, since there are so many things going on (buses, people, other dogs, sirens, flags, etc.). She likes to stare down alleys. Certain people will catch her attention sometime, like a homeless guy peeing at a dumpster.

[Guest gecko_foot]

I will try walking toward her into her space. I've tried the tug, but maybe I'm not tugging hard enough or fast enough to really startle her and get her attention, or maybe I just need to keep tugging until she moves. I've tried "Let's go!" and other variations in a chipper voice...that definitely does not work yet!

 

I was also recommended one of those "gentle leader" collars by a friend whose dog is part greyhound. Not sure if they would good or advisable...

 

Here's what worked for me with Tumnus when he tried to test me with freezing:

 

1. When you tug, exert gentle, steady pressure (just to the point where the dog has to plant his/her feet to offset your pulling) until the dog takes the slightest step forward and then immediately release and have a praise party.

 

2. Even if the dog tries to fight or yelp, don't let up (provided that you are pulling gently and aren't hurting your dog. Don't pull too hard, or you can choke them). Tumnus tried to yelp to get me to release him, and it worked until I figured out that he was testing me. When we went to the park, he started pulling MUCH harder on me (with no yelping) so that he could see other dogs and people.

 

3. I also accompany the tugging with a verbal command "this way!" and only say that once or twice. I've also used this method on walks when Tumnus wants to fixate on something - squirrels, children, etc. - and it has worked wonders. Now, he knows he can't buffalo me and generally walkes with me regardless of the situation. Some things are still scary for him, but since he's learned that freezing won't work with me, he rarely does it anymore. Our walks are much more enjoyable.

 

Everyone has different methods that they like, and some people might not like my method. Personally, I would try anything that works without harming my dog, and I hope this post helps you.

Edited February 5, 2010 by gecko_foot

[Guest alphiesdad]

We live in the burbs, and also got our new girl from G.O.

Almost the same problem, but Cheeky has a strong prey instinct, so she stops, pulls, wimpers and gets crazy when she sees a squirrel or rabbit.

For the most part, I think it's just a learning curve, they need to fall into "retirement mode"

Be patient, and good luck.

[Guest Plygreygirl]

Ok here goes now I know some people will think this is crazy but here's what I did for my frozen statue of a dog! I reach around her like a hug just behind the front legs and just lift her off the ground a couple of inches and plant a kiss on her head. And say come on OK lets go!!! This worked every time and there where many in the first year!!! There where a couple of times where we would be in a crowd and one day a this guy saw what were were doing and say he move too for a hug and a kiss. Now I just take her head in my hands and tilt her head up and again say come on lets go! Good news is she does not do it any where near as much as in the beginning. So hang in there it mostly likely is temporary.

[JAJ2010]

Ok here goes now I know some people will think this is crazy but here's what I did for my frozen statue of a dog! I reach around her like a hug just behind the front legs and just lift her off the ground a couple of inches and plant a kiss on her head. And say come on OK lets go!!! This worked every time and there where many in the first year!!! There where a couple of times where we would be in a crowd and one day a this guy saw what were were doing and say he move too for a hug and a kiss. Now I just take her head in my hands and tilt her head up and again say come on lets go! Good news is she does not do it any where near as much as in the beginning. So hang in there it mostly likely is temporary.

 

I am so going to try that! Sunshine already likes mommy kisses That just might be enough to make her feel safe and ready to move on again. Thanks for the idea!

[Guest Jubilee251]

Well, here's what worked with Molly today: PIZZA. Husband and I walked her to the pizza place to pick up a pizza, and she walked/ran fantastically on the way back as she followed the smell of the pizza daddy was holding!

 

Maybe not a practical solution for all walks...

[Guest LindsaySF]

Well, here's what worked with Molly today: PIZZA. Husband and I walked her to the pizza place to pick up a pizza, and she walked/ran fantastically on the way back as she followed the smell of the pizza daddy was holding!

 

Maybe not a practical solution for all walks...

[Guest AGirlNamedMe]

Well, here's what worked with Molly today: PIZZA. Husband and I walked her to the pizza place to pick up a pizza, and she walked/ran fantastically on the way back as she followed the smell of the pizza daddy was holding!

 

Maybe not a practical solution for all walks...

 

 

I'd be glad to carry pizza (or anything else for that matter!) if Bella would walk pretty!

 

xo

[Guest sheila]

Well, here's what worked with Molly today: PIZZA. Husband and I walked her to the pizza place to pick up a pizza, and she walked/ran fantastically on the way back as she followed the smell of the pizza daddy was holding!

 

Maybe not a practical solution for all walks...

If you had a pizza......I would follow you anywhere!

Seriously though, what about rolling up a napkin with a bit of pizza topping in it and carrying it in your hand while you walk for a week or so and see if she is more attentive. If that works maybe over time you can ween her off this addiction.

[Guest johnandheidi]

but realize that your hound will pick up on your "vibe" and may be shutting down if you get frustrated. Another thing to try is to not allow her to stop and sniff things (if this is the way you walk now). Keep a very short hold on the leash (1') and keep her head up and walking. This may help with the balking.

 

Chad

 

 

Yup.

 

And by keeping the walk to a fast paced walk in the middle of the street where she is not going to stop and smell- it will tire her out more. (make sure you do this only after she pees and poops!)

 

 

I have 2 hounds that statue from time to time and it seems as if they really do it a lot when you have someplace you have to be. Which confirms with what Chad said- they feel the frustration and simply shut down.

 

This is true for us with our 2 greys, Walter & Jeff. If I don't maintain a fast paced walk, Walter totally zones out. When I do maintain a quicker pace for the entirety of the walk, he totally keeps pace without any freezing up. Jeff does this from time to time, as well, but with Jeff it's more that he slows down to what I call "the world's slowest greyhound" pace.

 

When I do find them zoning out, I shorten up on the leash and start walking. This usually rouses them out of their trance.

 

We have noticed that they zone out in exactly the same places every time we take a walk. I'm guessing there is some scent in that spot that's hypnotic. In the past, I used to try walking around it, even though I didn't exactly know what "it" was. That doesn't work. I just realized that "hey, I'm in charge here, not you" and that's when I actually did take charge. I started walking through the trances and picked up the pace of the walks.

 

It'll get better. It just takes time. And, to be honest, it's getting past these trying moments that make you love your greyhound all the more.

[Guest NeverSayNever]

Does she willingly walk to the park with no stopping? Does this only happen on the way home? And if so, what happens when you get home (i.e. do you leave for work, is she fed, etc.)?

[GreytHurleyDawg]

Petra freezes from time to time on walks but we don't take daily ones like many of you do so she has not been on a whole lot of walks since we got her in October and then good ole winter came around to stay. She does MUCH better when we have the other hounds along....she is more interested in keeping up. When alone on a walk, she will be the most troublesome.

We have also had a few instances of her staying in the car once we return home. We would have to grab hold and carry her out, sometimes she would drag her feet since you can't lift her too high in our car. Then we took the three of them with us to pick up some Topper's pizza and that girl LEAPED out of the car and ran up the stairs into the house. So, pizza worked for us, too!! Lol. I'm pretty sure when Petra gets more excited about living here, her problems will be conquered. Best of luck to all of you!! Actually, I forgot 8-0 that she had huge statuing problems going into our fenced-in backyard...meaning her housetraining was extremely difficult. She still refuses to go out a few times a day (because the boys run out there every few hours whereas she will go out only ~3 X a day) but we don't care because she does her all of her business outside. During that period, I was completely shocked at the incredible power of the statue: she was determined not to be agreeable, I thought, but it just took some time working with her calmly and the frustration I felt was not helpful but I vented quite frequently too....it was the only way to cope with the feeling of failure I had.

[Guest Jubilee251]

Does she willingly walk to the park with no stopping? Does this only happen on the way home? And if so, what happens when you get home (i.e. do you leave for work, is she fed, etc.)?

 

There's not a lot of consistency in her statue-ing, actually. Sometimes she will walk toward home just fine, sometimes she will statue at a stoplight when she walked across it fine just the other day. So I think the problem isn't what happens when we get home (on the weekdays, I feed her, hang out with her a bit before I leave for work; on the weekends, we're usually home), it's that she gets distracted and overwhelmed with sights/smells.

 

We're actually making progress with this. We've been working on leash recall - I take her to the fenced "yard" next to our condo, wait until she's staring at something, and then I will loosen the leash and walk away until I'm at the very end. Then I say "Come 'ere!" and reward with cheese when she comes to me (rather than luring her with cheese in my hand). We've been working on this from me being in all different directions.

 

This morning on our walk, whenever she statued and stared off, I would walk to the end of the leash, call out to her, and she always came to me. Of course, I had to repeat it sometimes, but I didn't get frustrated, she didn't shut down, and we had a very successful outing!

Edited February 8, 2010 by Jubilee251

[SPDoggie]

Sounds like you are making great strides.

 

Just so you know you are not alone, it took our shy/scared boy about 6 months to consistently leave the property and walk with us. Then he would still have week to month-long periods of fear when something would happen outside (like construction noise or a blowing garbage can) And after 4.5 years in our home he still has his off moments, and we have learned when we can "push" it and when it is best to let him stay in the comfort of his own yard.

So in less than a month, you are doing great!

[Guest longdoglady]

Sometimes they are not scared just incredibly curious, Anna operates on a need to know basis, she needs to know everything If she really wants to check something new out I let her knowing that she just needs to tick it off her "need to know list", next time she will walk right past.

 

I started out with frequent short walks giving her the opportunity to sniff and inspect her new surroundings, she soon became bored and was keen to walk further and faster. We sat on a bench near a busy road until she became used to the traffic, sat in the park to watch children play, walked through fields of cows and sheep. As she became confident with one challenge we moved onto the next. Because I helped her to gently become used to the new world away from the kennel she soon looked to me for reassurance and trusts me when I say it's okay.

 

They are all so different but patience, empathy and confident leadership work wonders.

[Guest spider9174]

I haven't read all the replies...but this is my take.

 

A dog (or other animals you lead) will mirror what you're doing. This has worked for me with horses and dogs:

 

1) never look at them while trying to get them to go forward. This tends to be intimidating and they will want to go stop, lean back or go backwards.

2) If they won't move forward, try moving them off their shoulder, meaning step towards them, lean in and get them to move to the right (if you're on the left). They will naturally move away from you. If they don't, I nudge with my leg to get them to move over.

3) I use a command called "up up" (probably similar to heal). When I took obedience classes, my trainer said it is important for the handler to set the pace. (This goes for leading horses too). You need to be the boss: if you speed up, the dog should speed up with you and vice versa. If he doesn't, I use a short quick tug on the lease and say up up. This usually works well with my dogs (and horses for that matter.)

4) If I have difficulties with the above, I carry treats in one hand. So as I'm walking, with the dog on my left, I carry the leash in my right hand (with the leash across my body). I carry treats in my left hand. As I walk, the dog should walk with me. If not, I say "up, up" and hold a treat out. So, the dog gets a treat every few steps.

5) If the above doesn't work...I go to a double leash. Both leashes are connected to the same ring on the collar. I have one leash that goes in front of me, one behind me. The dog has no choice but to keep up. This too was recommended by a trainer. It is awkward, but I have never had a problem with this one. Try using this a few minutes a day and do figure '8s'. This will help keep the dog at your side as well as teach them to regulate speed.

 

The most important thing is to be authoritative. No Miss Nice guy. You are the handler, they go where you go. Period. If you want to go forward, you go forward. Change directions, they follow.

 

Natasha

[Guest johnandheidi]

I haven't read all the replies...but this is my take.

 

A dog (or other animals you lead) will mirror what you're doing. This has worked for me with horses and dogs:

 

1) never look at them while trying to get them to go forward. This tends to be intimidating and they will want to go stop, lean back or go backwards.

2) If they won't move forward, try moving them off their shoulder, meaning step towards them, lean in and get them to move to the right (if you're on the left). They will naturally move away from you. If they don't, I nudge with my leg to get them to move over.

3) I use a command called "up up" (probably similar to heal). When I took obedience classes, my trainer said it is important for the handler to set the pace. (This goes for leading horses too). You need to be the boss: if you speed up, the dog should speed up with you and vice versa. If he doesn't, I use a short quick tug on the lease and say up up. This usually works well with my dogs (and horses for that matter.)

4) If I have difficulties with the above, I carry treats in one hand. So as I'm walking, with the dog on my left, I carry the leash in my right hand (with the leash across my body). I carry treats in my left hand. As I walk, the dog should walk with me. If not, I say "up, up" and hold a treat out. So, the dog gets a treat every few steps.

5) If the above doesn't work...I go to a double leash. Both leashes are connected to the same ring on the collar. I have one leash that goes in front of me, one behind me. The dog has no choice but to keep up. This too was recommended by a trainer. It is awkward, but I have never had a problem with this one. Try using this a few minutes a day and do figure '8s'. This will help keep the dog at your side as well as teach them to regulate speed.

 

The most important thing is to be authoritative. No Miss Nice guy. You are the handler, they go where you go. Period. If you want to go forward, you go forward. Change directions, they follow.

 

Natasha

 

Ew, these are all great suggestions, especially #5! I'm printing this post out for inspiration.

Thanks!

heidi

[Guest AGirlNamedMe]

Bella is famous for her poses while we're out walking. Here is what has helped....

 

* cut back a tiny bit on meals so there is more room for treats (we previously didn't think she was food-motivated, but then read something here about "if she's alive, she's food-motivated"). Hungry dog is a dog that is eager to please.

 

* limit her world. I am now taking her to our little backyard area only....we walk back and forth....when we reach a certain point...treat, turn around, go in the other direction....lots of practice

 

 

And...one that I'm not happy about, but seems to be working....a quick *snap* of her collar. I hate doing it. I don't think it's hurting her, but it is getting her attention back to where it belongs and gets her moving again. It just doesn't sound like the kind, loving, gentle, understanding way. If I have to have tough love guilt for a few days or a week to get her to be a more reliable walker so we can all be more happy - that's what I'll do. But I won't like it.

 

So..that is what has helped around here. At least this week.

 

xo

[Guest krey1025]

These are all really great suggestions - I have had my new grey for a little over a week and he has just started doing this as well. The first few days were great and he walked like a dream - now he is getting progressively worse and I'm getting frustrated. I'm going to try some of the suggestions and hope that something will do the trick for him. We live in an urban environment and I do think he gets very distracted and nervous about all the activity going on around him.