Dog doesnt like to walk no more!

Hi all any ideas on the following, we have had our 3yo male staff for about 3 months now, all is going on but recently he doesnt like to walk... he flys down the stairs... gagging to walk.. we get to veriouse points and he stops and if you try and pull him / get him to move he just pulls back in the direction of home.. SOMETIMES we can make a big fuss to come on and he will get excited and move on.. then hes fine for the rest of the walk.. other times we have to go back then past the house and in another direction. other times we cant get him past the gate... i keep saying its the cold but its just very odd... he seems better in the day but nights hes worse...

anything i can do?

Thanks

Scott

Tip taken from a previous post, try tempting him along with a treat or two. Make going for walk exciting for him by taking a favourite toy.

Agree with the treat. It could also be the cold because Suki really seems to hate it. Do you have a sweater for him?

a sweater?

Something for him to wear to keep him warm. Suki doesn't like to go out in the cold espically if it is raining. She is okay during the day but not so much at night. She is more willing to go out if we put a sweater on her so she isn't as cold.

Ah no though its something ive been thinking of getting. shall grab one at the weekend an see if it helps

Yes a sweater, something like the link below. Have a look on Amazon they have loads to choose from.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Danish-Design-Tartan-Fleece-Lined/dp/B000UGHR0A/ref=sr_1_217?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1321909287&sr=1-217

I'd try taking a squeeky toy or some treats with you, and when you get near to the place he normally stops, offer the treat/toy & try to keep his attention on you until you're past that point.

If it were the cold, I would have thought that he'd do it every time, not just get to a certain point & want to go back. Could he have had a nasty experience at that place?

He hasnt with us... and he lived no place near here before we re homed him..as i said in the day he has no problem on the same rout... we thought before it was night time because of fireworks but that was weeks ago now

Some dogs do react differently at night. My own boy is far more protective, and when I take him out for his last walk at night he's constantly on the lookout for anything he doesn't like. If someone walks past & is a bit merry, Dempsey turns round & wants to head for home!

Maybes hes just a wuss ill keep on with it and see if he just snaps out of it

What is your "getting home" routine? does he get fed or treats as soon as he gets home? If so, he will be itching to get home to get this. So maby try mixing up his routine.

Ah i did think this but in the day i walk him mid day so hes eaten already and then he wont eat till 6pm so hes eaten again by the time his night walk comes... and we dont feed him / treat him after 7pm really as we dont want him going loo in the night. i think its the cold as when he wee's out front when we just let him out on the lead he wee's then rockets back in yet when its sunny he wants to stay in the garden

Kay, well try the coat thing and i hope it works

A little off this topic but is play fighting ok? it wont make him a mad angry dog will he? he knows when to stop and when i dont want to play no more and he doesnt bite bite / hurt at all? he just rolls about on his back trying to get my hand etc and we mess about for a few mins.

it could also be the dark try taking a torch to light your way as well as getting a coat

mr2essions wrote:A little off this topic but is play fighting ok? it wont make him a mad angry dog will he? he knows when to stop and when i dont want to play no more and he doesnt bite bite / hurt at all? he just rolls about on his back trying to get my hand etc and we mess about for a few mins.

In my opinion this is fine as long as you are the one that starts and stops the play. I wouldn't worry about it making him aggressive.

What jstaff said. Play fighting is totally natual and fun for dogs. Just make sure they stop when you want them too and if they ever DO accidently play too hard let them know it isnt okay by doing a high sharp yelp (as in...THAT HURTS DONT DO THAT). try not to do a low growling NO as this can be taken as aggresion.

Just echoing what others have said Ledger once or twice has been really odd and just kept trying to loop back on himself then walk in the direction of home he obviously had something he wanted at home as I found out the other day when I treated him to a kong tennis ball and although the initial reaction to 'walk' was the same his leg was cocked as soon as we got to the park (only two houses away) and he was pulling to go home.

On the weather front if it's cold and wet I get a 'do you expect me to go out in that!' look and as soon as I put a coat on him he is fine

I think it may be something to do with fireworks night, has he been like this ever since? Remember dogs dont understand why one night they go outside and there are scary bangs and flashes, they associate the noises with a the place they heard them and when they reach this place they think it is going to happen again.