Dog doesn't want to go for walks

RubyK

Is it unusual for a dog not to want to go out for a walk? Lately, I'm have great trouble with getting our one out for a walk. She'll get as far as the drive, and then sit down, and not budge. She's a 7 1/2 yo terrier. Could it be that she's just slowing down?

westies4ever

that sounds strange - 7 and a half isnt all that old for a terrier. Any other issues? Not off their food, lethargic or anything like that?

Had the same thing once with my dog but it was after she was attacked by a much larger dog - took a few months for her to get her confidence back but you don't seem to have a similar trigger?

RubyK

Thanks for your reply

She's definitely not off her food. She just seems to have gotten very lazy over the past while.

westies4ever

maybe a little change of scenery? I have two and my eldest girl (shes the one from the above post) never really liked walking around the town, all the noise and cars etc. But put her in the car and take her off to the woods etc. and she'll walk forever. Not sure if thats an option for you.

RubyK

I agree with you, she doesn't like traffic, so we only take her along quietish routes, although she really doesn't like hills, so we are limited in where we can go. I'd love to bring her to the beach, but she's not fond of other dogs, so it's impossible to walk her with any comfort.
She loves going in the car :pac: There is a wooded area I bring her in the mornings, just to get her out, but it's not very large, so 15 mins, and we are back at the car.

I just feel guilty sometimes, and would hate to think she's not getting the required exercise. But, she's a very content dog though, she just seems to be happier at home, looking out the window, rather than getting out on the lead.

westies4ever

if shes content then i really wouldnt worry - you know your dog and if she's happy let it go. 15 mins exercise isnt bad for a dog of that age - and sure if she's happy to run after a ball in the back garden that counts as exercise as well.

when I can't get them out for a walk (rare - only if the weather is terrible), i stand at the bottom of the stairs with them and throw a ball up on to the landing - they run up the stairs to fetch it and run back down to me. Once they've done that a few times they are well tired!!

RubyK

westies4ever wrote: »

15 mins exercise isnt bad for a dog of that age

That's good to know, thanks!

westies4ever wrote: »

when I can't get them out for a walk (rare - only if the weather is terrible), i stand at the bottom of the stairs with them and throw a ball up on to the landing - they run up the stairs to fetch it and run back down to me. Once they've done that a few times they are well tired!!

I do this too! I suppose it all counts doesn't it

westies4ever

yeah it definitely does, with the weather we get here there are just some days it really is impossible to get them out - no point beating yourself up over it either!

Zapperzy

RubyK wrote: »

Thanks for your reply

She's definitely not off her food. She just seems to have gotten very lazy over the past while.

When she is exercising is she coughing, lagging behind, gasping for breath or breathing excessively? Is it only recently that she has started becoming lazy and refusing to walk out your driveway? The last time she was at the vet did they check his heart?

7 and a half years is only really middle aged for a terrier, most live well into their teens and only slow down noticably in their teens. My terrier is about 6 and showing no signs of slowing or calming down. I used to know a man with 2 terriers who at 20 were still going for short strolls, one of those was put to sleep because of health issues but as far as I know the other is still pottering along at her own pace! So I wouldn't just pass off any abnormal behaviour as slowing down at only 7 years old.

I would first rule out any medical problem by bring her to the vet for a check up. If you get the all clear then at least you know it's behavioural. Has she ever been allowed out the front on her own? Could something have happened out there that you are unaware of such as a dog attacking her or somebody kicking her? Has anything changed out there like a new set of gates, cattle grid, different colour wall, anything that you may not pass any heed of but she might notice?

piperh

If it has become a recent problem then i would have her checked for an underlying problem. Not wanting to scare you and its probably nothing serious but from personal experience our terrier started not wanting to go for walks but seemed otherwise ok jumping up and down off the sofa and at the windows as usual so i took no notice. Turned out she had a problem with one of her discs in the back and it eventually moved out off place and left her paralysed:(. A quick vets check will put your mind at rest.

ppink

RubyK I would take her to the vet to be sure if this is just a sudden thing. We had one who started like this, sometimes fine other times not wanting to move and I could not see anything wrong with her really. Took her to the vet and she was in heart failure.....my point is I suppose that although she slowed down I could see no other signs. Always better to be safe than sorry!

kylith

My first thought would be that she might be bored if ye walk the same route all the time, one of mine used to flat out refuse to walk with my ex because he always walked the same route (at least, that's the only reason I can come up with).

I'd be kind of worried at a 7 year old terrier only wanting 15 minutes of exercise; my eldest is about 12 and will take an hour standing on her head, we occasionally will go up to 3 hours. It's only in the last 3/4 months that I've noticed her slowing down.

How is your dog's weight? If she's carrying any extra weight then that could be affecting her. As always, if you're worried go to the vet.

planetX

I'd get a check-up at the vets. Not all terriers live into their teens, mine died at 8 and slowed down considerably a few months before that, didn't want to go on walks. I'd take it as a sign she doesn't feel well.

RubyK

Thanks for all the advice. She's due a vet check soon, so I'll ask the him what he thinks. Funny thing is, she's been much more enthusiastic since I posted here, and we've had no issues going out in the morning, or evening. Maybe she's just a bit lazy

kylith

RubyK wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice. She's due a vet check soon, so I'll ask the him what he thinks. Funny thing is, she's been much more enthusiastic since I posted here, and we've had no issues going out in the morning, or evening. Maybe she's just a bit lazy

Glad to hear she's perked up. Some dogs just don't like bad weather, she might just not have wanted to go out in the rain.

Queen-Mise

About 15 years ago I had a lurcher who would not walk in the rain. Point blank refuse to move. If it started raining on the walk - he would be like a rocket back to the house.

If the dog likes the wooded area - then keep bringing her there, hopefully it isn't too far from the house.

RubyK

She won't ever go out in the rain. Or if it's windy. No wonder she's not been too eager to walk lately :pac:

I got her out early this morning, but after 10 mins she wanted to go back home. I'll see how she is over the weekend, and will get her a check-up with the vet next week.

Thanks for all the replies :-)

mystika121

Hi, I had a similar problem with my Yorkie. She still showed great enthusiasm to go on a walk but when she was out she would sit down and refuse to move.

I had a few times where I had to pick her up and carry her home! Thankfully she is the size than can be picked up. She wasn't scared or anything she just seemed to be stubborn.

Anyway, I just started to take her for tiny walks, going home while she still showed enthusiasm. The walks may only have been a few yards to start with. I would go back home, wait awhile and then go out again. Over a couple of weeks I started to increase the distance and now she is back to normal.

I don't know what changed but I had tried new locations etc but it was like she was deciding where she wanted to go and if I wanted to go in a different direction then she would sit down.

The only other thing I changed was moving from a flexi lead to a normal one. Perhaps she though she was free on the flexi and then put the brakes on when she realised she wasn't!

getz

RubyK wrote: »

Is it unusual for a dog not to want to go out for a walk? Lately, I'm have great trouble with getting our one out for a walk. She'll get as far as the drive, and then sit down, and not budge. She's a 7 1/2 yo terrier. Could it be that she's just slowing down?

this is a thing that happens lots of times with dogs,they get lazy and are not motivated enough to walk,the thing that always works with these dogs,is what is called ,;a pack walk; you need a friend or friends with other dogs,to walk with you,after the first 50 yards or so,their instinct will kick in, problem solved

Gremlin

RubyK, one more take on this issue. A few years ago we had a cavalier king charles with exactly the same issue after he was attacked. At first he just refused to walk past the house the offending dog lived in then he just simply refused to walk. We ended up hiring a doggie shrink and she immediately pinpointed the problem. As soon as the problem began we started tempting the dog to walk normally past the offending dogs house with treats. The dog quickly learned that if he sat down and refused to move he got treats. So naturally he decided to do it all the time. The initial solution was a little harsh, we had to literally force (drag) the dog (we did put him in a harness to do this). Within an hour he was walking normally again, even past the attackers house.

HTH

Dave.