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Regressing To Leash-Walking Stubbornness?


Guest SuperiorItaly

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Guest SuperiorItaly

Hi all -

 

I've had Italy (the most perfect hound in the world) for going on 9 months and she's been a God-send. Over the last week or so, she's gotten kind of stubborn when we go for a walk. When I take her out we go down the stairs of my condo, out the front door, and take a left to head to the park. Lately, as soon we take a left out of the front door, she freezes. Most of the time I can get her to walk around the back through the alley, but don't prefer to make that the normal route. Once we get out to the park, she's fine and she comes back in like normal. Anyone have any guesses as to what's going on? Nothing's happened that might have spooked her and I've been working from home for the last couple of weeks and have been the main one taking her out. And she still gets excited and jumps around when I ask her if she wants to go out.

 

Thanks!

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Guest Drumhellergrey

Could it be that she is getting bored going the same route? I know mine will act that way, and a change of direction seems to work for him. :) I don't let him dictate the route every time though, after all, I am the alpha dog.

Edited by Drumhellergrey
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Guest Bang_o_rama

One guess: something scared her at that point and she remembers it. Greys have AMAZING recall for scary or startling things.

 

And you might never know what it was; what startled Italy might not even have been noticed by you. Twice now I have had a door hit my foot and rebound toward Bang as we exited our condo; once it even came back and tapped her on the head (HUGE G.S.O.D. for that one...). Both times, for the next few days she shied away from the door like it was a very inefficient guillotine. Last week the management company vacuumed and carpet-shampooed the hallway and for several days getting her down the stairs was like a bad prison movie (dead dog walkin'!).

 

Yet she will come up and calmly sniff a running vacuum cleaner.

 

Strange and mystical creatures are greyhounds.

 

~D~

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Guest SuperiorItaly

One guess: something scared her at that point and she remembers it. Greys have AMAZING recall for scary or startling things.

 

And you might never know what it was; what startled Italy might not even have been noticed by you. Twice now I have had a door hit my foot and rebound toward Bang as we exited our condo; once it even came back and tapped her on the head (HUGE G.S.O.D. for that one...). Both times, for the next few days she shied away from the door like it was a very inefficient guillotine. Last week the management company vacuumed and carpet-shampooed the hallway and for several days getting her down the stairs was like a bad prison movie (dead dog walkin'!).

 

Yet she will come up and calmly sniff a running vacuum cleaner.

 

Strange and mystical creatures are greyhounds.

 

~D~

 

Thank you, both. I just took her on a different route around the block and she did fine for the most part. The whole way there she trotted along and sniffed whatever she could. Only on the way back did she do her starting and stopping. I just get scared because I have to pull pretty hard to get her going again. Maybe she just has Spring fever and doesn't want to come back in.

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Sounds like preference is setting in!!

 

Seriously - I think Drumheller was right. I say that because my Bumper will do the same thing if we turn around on a walk. a) I have to super coax him to actually turn and B) when he does, he mopes about it for at least 10 mins and sometimes all the way home. We live in a country subdivision with only a few streets so it's not like there are lot's of options. Further evidence? The dogs walk to the bus stop to drop DD off and pick her up. When heading down the driveway, turning right means a short walk to the bus. Turning left generally means the longer walk. I don't even think Bumper is all that bright but he seems to have a keen preference for turning left (no track jokes please :rolleyes: ).

 

Do try and switch things up some more if you think boredom is at play. Have fun!

Doe's Bruciebaby Doe's Bumper

Derek

Follow my Ironman journeys and life with dogs, cats and busy kids: A long road

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Guest Drumhellergrey

One guess: something scared her at that point and she remembers it. Greys have AMAZING recall for scary or startling things.

 

And you might never know what it was; what startled Italy might not even have been noticed by you. Twice now I have had a door hit my foot and rebound toward Bang as we exited our condo; once it even came back and tapped her on the head (HUGE G.S.O.D. for that one...). Both times, for the next few days she shied away from the door like it was a very inefficient guillotine. Last week the management company vacuumed and carpet-shampooed the hallway and for several days getting her down the stairs was like a bad prison movie (dead dog walkin'!).

 

Yet she will come up and calmly sniff a running vacuum cleaner.

 

Strange and mystical creatures are greyhounds.

 

~D~

 

Thank you, both. I just took her on a different route around the block and she did fine for the most part. The whole way there she trotted along and sniffed whatever she could. Only on the way back did she do her starting and stopping. I just get scared because I have to pull pretty hard to get her going again. Maybe she just has Spring fever and doesn't want to come back in.

 

Now I'm not saying that I understand your whole routine that you have for exercise ... but your saying :Quote "Maybe she just has Spring fever and doesn't want to come back in", also struck a cord with me. If I start a walk with Ted, and discover that I have forgotten something at home, he will do the "statue pose" if I turn him around to go back to the house early.

 

Perhaps, when you have lots of spare time, do some longer routes with her. Once she see's that her walk routes are going to be varied, each walk then becomes an adventure on her part, as to where you are going to take her. This equals FUN on her part.

 

I hopes this help you out. :)

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Guest greytmiles

 

Strange and mystical creatures are greyhounds.

 

~D~

 

LMAO 'mystical creatures'.... love that. :lol

 

Miles does it too. We'll be at a corner and he'll want to go straight, I'll want to go right. If it's a weekend afternoon or some other non-scheduled time I'll let him have his choice. If it's a work day or I've got somewhere to be, I'll either wait him out or suitcase him bit by bit in the right direction until he gives in and goes that way.

 

I'm happy to say that after many sessions of me 'waiting him out'... not letting him go the direction he wants for however long it takes (sometimes >5min.!) he's definitely giving in sooner and sooner.

 

Erin

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Molly will statue when she doesn't want to go home - so I try to vary the route so that we don't go the same way back to the house every walk. Sometimes it's as simple as walking on the other side of the street, and crossing to our house in the middle of the block. If she is being particularly stubborn, instead of tugging I will sort of run in place and give her a quick tug. She almost always forgets and starts jogging with me, and then gives me a look when she realizes she's been tricked. :lol

 

 

Jennifer, Mike and the menagerie ---

Molly (Blue Sky Dreamin), Tinker (BT My Lil Girl) and their feline brothers Miles and Lewis

Visit Molly's Photo Album

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Guest SuperiorItaly

Molly will statue when she doesn't want to go home - so I try to vary the route so that we don't go the same way back to the house every walk. Sometimes it's as simple as walking on the other side of the street, and crossing to our house in the middle of the block. If she is being particularly stubborn, instead of tugging I will sort of run in place and give her a quick tug. She almost always forgets and starts jogging with me, and then gives me a look when she realizes she's been tricked. :lol

 

 

Thanks. This is exactly the case. I think she has a built in GPS where she can tell that if we take a turn that is towards my place she gets it and she stops. Though she gets really hot easily so in the summer she may be ready to come in a lot more quickly.

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Just thought of something else we are doing to prevent the "freezing". In addition to adding 10 minutes to her walk - we started to give Molly a really yummy/special treat when we get home from a walk the last few days. That seemed to help a lot - now she has a reason to want to get indoors quickly!

 

 

Jennifer, Mike and the menagerie ---

Molly (Blue Sky Dreamin), Tinker (BT My Lil Girl) and their feline brothers Miles and Lewis

Visit Molly's Photo Album

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Guest Zelsdad

This all sounds soooo familiar. With Zelda, I call it "Mule Mode." What gets me is that it is mostly random. At times there are certain spots which make her freeze, so waiting or crossing the street seems to work. My personal favorite spot - the entrance to the gas station on the busy corner! There we are - me pulling and coaxing, her digging in and looking the victim! Then, ten seconds later, trotting along like nothing ever happened. Never a dull moment!!

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Guest duckbilled

Ike stops all the time on walks and it really frustrates my wife to the point that she doesn't like to walk him much. There is no rhyme or reason to when he stops and we take different routes all the time.

 

I think he sees something interesting and he has to check it out before he will go any further.

 

I have three strategies.

 

1. Lately I have been trying to keep a close eye on him to see if something is starting to get his attention. As soon as I see his eyes move from straight ahead, a give the leash a light tug to break his concentration.

 

2. If he does stop, I try to get him moving in the opposite direction and them walk him in a little circle back in the direction I was to go.

 

3. If all else fails, I will tug. I find myself tugging a lot in mid step which works but tugging from a dead stop is almost impossible.

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