Greyhound Refusing To End Walks?

[Guest GHinLex]

Hi there! My boyfriend and I have had Denver (5yo male) since May 2018. We have not had any behavioral issues, although we have started to notice more of his personality come out the longer we have had him. Lately (I'd say the past week or so) he has been very reluctant to end walks. As soon as we turn around or it looks like we are heading back, he will do the greyhound "freeze" and refuse to move. His tail is tucked and it looks like he is anxious, but if we go the way he wants to go, he looks happy as can be. Pushing on his shoulder and butt does not seem to help, treats have helped but only for a few feet. We have a few routes to get back home and he freezes for all of them. But, he doesn't seem reluctant once at our building, and same in the elevator, he acts like normal. The only thing that seems to get him going is retracing our steps a bit, then running the same route--but even then he will stop and need a gentle pull to get going. I really really do not want to pull on his leash and would love any other suggestions. We can carry him but would not be preferable.

 

This can be especially tricky in the morning because he will refuse to do his business until we have gone a sufficient distance.

 

The only changes I can think of is that it is getting colder, and he trained for a 5k a few weeks ago--I am thinking he doesn't want to go back home because he wants to stay out longer? But even when we were training, the long walks weren't every day.

[Time4ANap]

I always walked in a couple of circles when Rocket did this. Usually a circle or two and he would just follow.

[greysmom]

Up your treat value significantly and use them to lure him to walk. And every time you get back to your building have a little "Yeah!! We're done with our walk!" party with loads of praise and more yummy treats. Vary the location for the party between outside and inside and by the elevator or else he'll start freezing there for his party.

[Guest good_coffee]

I've found out that when they are anxious petting them with long slow pets and saying "it's OK" will ease them out of a stressful situation slowly.

Edited October 17, 2018 by good_coffee

[fastpointydoge]

Is it possible at all to walk a loop rather than go back the same way you came? Even if it's just walking on the other side of the street. Rogue is sometimes reluctant to turn back, but I have no problem if I take him around the block or half block (cut through alley) if I'm pressed for time.

[Guest GHinLex]

Thank you all for the great replies! We will try the circling, better treats, and the "done with the walk party". I am hoping he is not actually anxious...he does have his tail tucked in and seems anxious when he is refusing to move, but I feel like that is more because he doesn't want to go back/doesn't want to challenge me (he's very much a momma's boy and I think he can tell I get frustrated when he refuses to move. I try to hide it but I know grey's are so sensitive!). And, he seems fine when we go the way he wants to go...but I will try petting him more and really focusing on not getting frustrated.

 

We typically do a loop, but now he knows all the different ways we could take for the final part, and he is not a fan! He knows the way to start our longer walks and always wants to head that direction. I have been taking him for longer walks in the evening and he seems to love that, it's mainly an issue in the morning when we are pressed for time and I can't tell him there will be a longer walk later. Hopefully with time he'll realize there will be more outdoor time later?

 

Again, thank you for all the advice! Would love any other suggestions as well

[jetcitywoman]

I think it will take time (in addition to using the other advice you got here). I found that the first entire year and sometimes longer depending on the dog, is all about building a relationship with the dog. Specifically he's learning who you are just as much as you're learning who he is. And you're also learning how to communicate with each other. Over time and going through the same thing you are with my greys, I learned that it helps to let them occasionally decide the walking route. Of course you know things they don't, like if you have time for a longer walk or longer route, or if somewhere isn't safe to go, etc. so you do get final say. And that's part of the relationship-building, too. He needs to learn that you're a nice owner who occasionally lets him go where he wants, but when you don't, then he needs to accept that.

 

Over time, mostly with my beloved Capri who is our first, I learned to read their body language. It took me a long time to realize that she wasn't just being stubborn or stupid, she was actually trying to express an opinion. What I learned was this: if she turns her head to look at something, she's mildly interested or curious in it, thinking about turning the corner down THAT side street but doesn't feel strongly about it. If she turns the front half of her body, she REALLY wants to go that way. If she turns her entire body, like the time I tried to walk her in a mild snowstorm but she wasn't having any of it, she's saying "TAKE ME HOME THIS INSTANT DAMMIT!"

[cgs]

 

We typically do a loop, but now he knows all the different ways we could take for the final part, and he is not a fan! He knows the way to start our longer walks and always wants to head that direction. I have been taking him for longer walks in the evening and he seems to love that, it's mainly an issue in the morning when we are pressed for time and I can't tell him there will be a longer walk later. Hopefully with time he'll realize there will be more outdoor time later?

 

 

I wonder if it would help to do the shorter loop you want to do and do that every single morning without variation, with the help of the extra treats and advice from others. If you never vary the morning route, I would think he'd come to know what to expect and he'll stop hoping for something more.

[jetcitywoman]

That's a good suggestion, too. I know that when I get lazy and do the same route for a week or so, my dogs start to anticipate where we're going so that when I change the route, they're like "oh, we're doing something different today, ok!" LOL It's kind of adorable that they learn the route and anticipate where they're going next as if they would just walk that route all by themselves if you weren't there.

[cgs]

I do the same route in the morning, usually only varied due to time or seeing a dog up ahead I don't want to deal with. But usually the same. The dogs could walk it themselves. In the afternoon I go different ways and they definitely get opinionated as to where they want to go.

[Remolacha]

I had to smile reading this. Conner loves his walks, but at 13.6 with mobility issues, he can’t go as far as he would like. Sometimes when we make the turn to head back home he will go along with just a deep sigh, but sometimes he pulls the opposite way, like he is saying, no not yet! Just a little more If I think he can go a little more I’ll give in, but if I think he needs to head home, I insist. If he still pulls, I just stop and plant my feet. I don’t tug, but I keep a steady pressure on the leash in the direction I want to go. I learned this with another grey I had, who was young and strong and weighed 90 lbs. when we had a disagreement, I told him, you may be stronger, but I outweigh you, I will win in the end

 

In the beginning, with both dogs, I did do the circling thing, it helps break their concentration.