Chance Never Wants To Go For A Walk

[Guest secondchance]

My grey strikes the statue pose every time I take him out for a walk or run. Then I am forced to drag him (which looks rather abusive to onlookers). I eventually give up thinking that he just doesn't want to go. I don't want to give in to him because we could both use the exercise, plus I don't want him to think that he is the leader of the pack.

Does anyone else have this issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Guest gecko_foot]

My grey strikes the statue pose every time I take him out for a walk or run. Then I am forced to drag him (which looks rather abusive to onlookers). I eventually give up thinking that he just doesn't want to go. I don't want to give in to him because we could both use the exercise, plus I don't want him to think that he is the leader of the pack.

Does anyone else have this issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Tumnus did that when I first got him, and it took about a week to get him to follow me consistently. Now, though, he will walk beside of me without any hesitation. I agree that you shouldn't give into him, but I wouldn't give up. I've found that training these guys requires a lot of patience and a gentle, but firm, hand. I often have trouble distinguishing which behaviors are fear-based and which are just him testing me. Either way, if you give into the dog, he will learn how to manipulate you (mine knows how to to that anyway).

 

I'm still a newbie, but here's what worked for me (I like lists btw):

 

1. If the dog statues, say "this way" (or some other command) and pull gently (don't jerk) until you feel the dog pulling against you.

2. Keep the leash tight until the dog takes one step then immediately give him slack. The dog may whine or yelp, but as long as you aren't cutting off air or jerking the leash, it should be fine. Just be careful not to put too much pressure on the lead.

 

3. Praise like crazy - pets, hugs, kisses, pool party

4. Repeat as needed

 

It took a while for Tumnus to catch on, and it took ME while to figure out that he was testing me. Try to give yourself a lot of extra time to work on this. If your dog is new, he's probably still adjusting and hasn't quite figured things out yet. My group told me that rules and routines work best when a new retired racer is acclimating to life as a pet. Some of them are shell-shocked while others are more well-adjusted. I have always had herding breeds before I got Tumnus - my first greyhound - and it has been a learning experience with him. It takes more effort to motivate and teach him things, but he's very smart and remembers everything - even when I don't think he's paying attention.

 

You might want to consider using treats to give the dog a positive association with the leash. I personally don't advocate using treats when training on lead, but if your dog hasn't had much leash-training or is very fearful about being outdoors, it might be good to look into using that method.

 

I hope this helps. Good luck with your greyhound.

[Guest AGirlNamedMe]

The statue thing is the only real problem we had with Bella. She's been with us just over month and she has gotten so much better.

 

Here's what worked (I also like lists)....

 

1. Limiting her world. Some of her issues seemed to be fear. Too many sounds, sights, and smells. I started taking her to the most private area around and take her there every time we go out.

 

2. Treats. Bella loves her some cheese. Walk ten feet. Treat. Turn around. Walk ten feet. Treat. Turn around. (It was so important to me to not get too far from home - she froze one day a couple of blocks away and it was just awful.)

 

3. Getting assertive. When she would freeze, I would walk back to her, give the collar a quick "snap" and then start walking again. I hated it because it does seem mean. I've only had to do it 4-5 times.

 

We're now walking (back and forth and back and forth) about 60 feet and Bella is very reliable. She has occasionally become distracted by a fluttering flag, a sound, or a squirrel, but I have been able to give her a gentle tug and say, "This way," and she comes right along.

 

This is a terrible problem to have. It does get better with time. Hang in there.

[Guest BellesDad]

Is there a lot of traffic or people or Garbage cans/bags. This is all stuff Dreamer statued on. She got over the garbage and traffic. She only statues now on people standing still. If he statues walk two steps in the other direction turn back and then move quickly forward. I feel for you it really is stressful when they statue.

[Guest secondchance]

Thanks for the information. He used to go on walks before. I'm not sure what has changed his mind, but we have to fix it.

By the way, is your dog named after the character in "The Chronicles of Narnia"?

[Batmom]

Do you have a fenced yard?

 

What's the weather like where you are?

 

What kind of condition is he in? (General health, musculature, pads of his feet .....)

 

How long have you had him?

 

If he doesn't want to go, I wouldn't force him.

[Guest gecko_foot]

Thanks for the information. He used to go on walks before. I'm not sure what has changed his mind, but we have to fix it.

By the way, is your dog named after the character in "The Chronicles of Narnia"?

 

Yes he is. Most people don't get that. I've had so many people who couldn't even pronounce his name - let alone remember where it came from. I'm kind of a dork...he's a fawn greyhound named after a faun...I don't get out much....

 

Just to clarify - Tumnus is a very confident dog, so his statuing was not fear based. He was just being stubborn. I have no experience with fearful dogs.

[Guest secondchance]

Well, I guess that makes me a dork too since I even knew who Mr. Tumnus was. Very unique by the way!

[Guest secondchance]

Do you have a fenced yard?

 

What's the weather like where you are?

 

What kind of condition is he in? (General health, musculature, pads of his feet .....)

 

How long have you had him?

 

If he doesn't want to go, I wouldn't force him.

 

I do have a fenced yard, but it is all rock except for the sidewalk that leads to the gate. He is so spoiled that I have dug little pathways in the rocks to his potty areas. The weather is nice, mostly sunny. We rarely get rain or snow. His health is good. He is very strong. He just came off the track about 2-3 months ago(this is also the amount of time we have has him). We have had issues with one of his feet, but took him to the vet for treatment and it is all better now.

I almost wonder if he remembers that he will have to walk across rocks in the front yard and that is why we barely make it out the back door and down the sidewalk. I will not go so far as to dig him a pathway in the front yard. As it is, we live in a rental and our landlord lives next door. She will think I have lost my mind!

[Guest Jubilee251]

I had the same problem with Molly. Chad, one of the regulars on here and volunteers with Molly's adoption organization, suggested slipping your fingers through the extra "flap" on her martingale and pulling her. It doesn't hurt her, it's very different from dragging her on the leash (which we tried as well, to no avail), and it basically just asserts "Yes, we are going this way."

 

We felt SO helpless before - she would plant her feet HARD when we tugged on her leash and I'm sure it looked totally abusive dragging the dog across the street. Coaxing didn't work either, nor did any of the other suggestions people gave (going in a circle, leash snap, etc.). Grabbing her collar worked GREAT - she didn't have any room to resist, and we were "guiding" her.

 

It's been about a week - after a few days, she realized that we were not going to let her get away with freezing. She now walks FANTASTICALLY on a leash. She will hesitate and slow down if unsure, but she doesn't statue anymore at all. I was exactly the same way before - scared to take her far from home, and wasting a lot of time on walks. Now, we love and enjoy our walks together, and I get to take her to new routes and new places.

[Trihounds]

When you say 'rocks' what do you mean (size, etc). I only ask because mine HATE walking on crushed stone 3/4" stuff, the kind sometimes used in rough grade parkinglots, etc. The kind they had to cross at a particular campground to get to the little dog run. They were not fans of that at all. Don't forget, he's been racing on sand for x period of time, so off the track, their pads are soft and supple. They toughen up with time, but that may be your issue right there: rocks and "tender" (relatively speaking) feet.

[Batmom]

Yeah, could be the rocks, could be "deer in the headlights" syndrome . Joseph is not a fearful dog for the most part but first two months he was here, he did not want to go for a walk. He wanted to stay in the house where it was safe. His brain was just too full to contemplate the neighborhood at large.