Poodle Refusing To Walk

[Chloe08]

Hello

I hope it's ok to post as I have received some great help here before. I have a 2 year old standard poodle. She comes from a great breeder and we worked hard on socialisation. Took her out often to different environments, made sure she wasn't overwhelmed but she got to meet people etc.. anyway despite this she is an anxious dog and I have worked very hard to reduce leash reactivity and develop confidence. Just recently she has stopped walking on walks. Just sits there and refuses to move. She doesn't look scared. As far as I am aware she hasn't had a fright. I can generally get her to keep walking with high value treats. I only use positive reward based training. Could anyone help me to understand what is happening and how to best overcome it please? I am wondering whether she is now sitting as she knows she will get a treat for starting to walk. I am not sure what to do. Thank you in advance.

[BarbedWire]

My dog has just started doing this too and I have found it is because she has picked up a burr between her pads or some sort of plant material is stuck in her coat and she feels uncomfortable. Once I remove whatever is upsetting her she is happy to continue walking. You have probably already tried this but just thought I would mention.

[Chloe08]

Thank you for the reply. I didn't think of this, she is clipped short but I will check next time. I think it's more psychological because she will run at the fenced park and will walk without stopping when our cavalier comes along.

[JulesP]

It's warming up, are her paws getting hot on the pavement?

[Loving my Oldies]

I have a little dog who will stop walking if a leaf, or stick, or some other matter attaches to her - the worst are Tibouchina leaves as they are like velcro underneath.

If one of the dogs stops or limps, I check between all paw pads to see if there is a prickle or suchlike.

Maybe your Standard just like to have her mate with her and thinks it isn’t right not to have her along :laugh: . Dogs have lots of idiosyncrasies which we can only guess at and scratch our heads.

[Papillon Kisses]

It's hard to know without seeing the rest of your dog's body language and knowing more about her.

Some anxious dogs when shut down or avoidant can look relaxed or super obedient to some people. Or she could be hot, sore or tired. Or simply less motivated (aka lazy) without her Cavalier friend.

Does it often happen in the same spot/s? It could be that she had a fright in that spot in the past or is hearing/seeing/smelling something you're missing. Dogs experience the world quite a bit differently to us.

Since you seem concerned about her being anxious generally, perhaps you could run it by a behavioural trainer. They can join you for a walk and see it in person. Of course choose your trainer wisely!

Also take a video of her on walks and when she's stopped. You may pick up on things that you previously missed. For example I have watched recordings of my anxious dog and he was a lot more anxious than I realised at the time.

Some links that may be of interest:

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/why-does-my-dog-freeze-during-our-walk#0_mm2m3rfj

http://www.petful.com/behaviors/dog-keeps-sitting-down-during-walks/

http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/what-do-outdated-dog-training-and-a-pit-of-spiders-have-in-common (scroll down to the relaxed and calm or shut down infographic)

https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/dog-bite-prevention-week-poster-on-the-body-language-of-fear-and-aggression/

Edited December 8, 2016 by Papillon Kisses

[persephone]

Just recently she has stopped walking ..

.

Ok ..

have you changed routes?

Are you walking the same route each day ?

has there been any work done on footpaths/roads?

Do you walk from home , or drive to an area?

What is a 'normal' walk plan /length of time for you both ?

:)

[Chloe08]

Thanks again for your replies. Yes it is hard to explain without seeing it unfortunately. We generally walk around the local busy streets on the footpaths. We live inner city and she has been exposed to lots of noise,people, bikes etc.. Nearly everyday we also drive to the fenced park and she plays fetch or runs around.We walk about 45min at a time. We haven't changed our routes. I don't always go with our cavalier as I find it hard walking a sometimes reactive dog with another dog but if my teenage daughter comes we walk both together.

[persephone]

Ok ..just a suggestion . maybe Something HAS made her unwilling to walk .. it may have been a smell/squirt of exhaust/rattly inspection hole cover/wind blown branch or curtain ..any one of a number of things .

What does she do when you drive to another area , get out and walk along ?

is she happier with another dog present?

[Misconceived_paws]

My advice would be to contact an experienced dog trainer/behaviourist PERIOD. Do not seek advice online as someone earlier stated it is hard to diagnose let alone repair without directly seeing her body language, her triggers, her response, the stimuli etc etc. All of these factors determine and influence training methods and results. If you're stuck on how to find a good behaviourist I've listed some tips.

Before choosing a trainer research extensively! Stay away from large training facilities that claim to board and train your dog. Aside from the obvious, you don't know how they're training your dog essentially it is pointless to have her trained without you first and foremost being equipped with the skills to manage and maintain said behaviour because at the end of the day it's your dog and you will need to learn these skills. Some of the larger boarding establishments also don't give a training guarantee like some of the smaller independent trainers do should any issues arise down the track. Don't necessarily go with the "bigger franchise companies" as these trainers are usually given a time frame to complete your training i.e 2 hour long session and one remaining session there after which can not only be really pricey but MOST dogs especially owners need a minimum of four weeks preferrably more of regular individualised training to have any chance of success, these larger franchizes often paint with a broad brush. I am NOT saying all and there are a few larger franchise trainers who are AMAZING! Don't be afraid to ask for references from your trainer whether it be online or through contact to ensure they have worked with dogs similar to yours and have successfully completed the end result. Speak to the trainer first and ask as many relevant questions as you can a good trainer is approachable and a good communicator if you feel uncomfortable ask questions. Don't be afraid to shop around. More importantly make sure you understand the trainer and have good communication because you as well as pooch are getting trained. Look for a trainer who incorporates ALL aspects of training which includes but isn't limited to diet, (yes a dogs diet can play a huge role in behaviour), genetics (a good trainer will always take into account a dogs contributing genetics), environment, family members, exercise,enrichment etc etc. A good trainer should bring out the best in you and your dog good luck!! ????

[Verve]

I have a 3.5 year old standard who is super smart (as the breed is) and there are times when we are out walking he will just stop and sit - I have found with him it's he just wants to soak up the atmosphere. As others have mentioned I would consult a trainer/behaviouralist who focus on positive reinforcement and go back to basics with the obedience training - as I have also discovered when a friend walks him he will try to renegotiate terms because she lacks confidence. Poodles are very in tune with the emotions coming through the lead!!

[Chloe08]

Thank you. I will look into a behaviourist. Yes you are very right Verve about them being super smart. She notices everything.

[mita]

You said she'll walk fine when your cavalier comes along. I'd just keep taking the cavalier along.

We had a tibbie girl who refused to walk, going on walks. She'd sit & turn into a block of concrete. When I'd bring the tibbie boy next door, who loved going for walks, she still wouldn't walk. The tibbie boy would even try to encourage her... he'd go back & lick her face. No move. Eventually he gave up, too. So I tried just dropping her leash & walking on with him. Nope....not even us disappearing into the distance could encourage her to move.

BUT, as soon as we turned around to go back home, she'd walk like a champion. I'd try to fool her by zig-zagging routes... but she must've had an inner compass. She could always tell when we were going away from home, so no walking, & when we were going back home, then walked like an angel (which also happened to be her name!).

Another BUT, if the walking involved something social, like going to a coffee shop or visiting or to a dogs' day out ... she'd happily walk, no problem. She just didn't believe in going out for walks for walking sake.

Edited December 13, 2016 by mita