Help Please, when I take my dog (Max - Golden Retriever) out for a walk he is great apart from recently, when returning to the house, he lies down and refuses to budge or get up and walk, my brother and I end up having to lift him and carry him to the house.   How can I try and stop this happening.

Sounds like he doesn't want his walk to end. Is he getting a good, tiring walk? LOL. Have you tried luring him with treats? How about varying the route home? How is his obedience training going? Does he know what "lets go" means? Practice those things when he's not refusing just to reinforce that he needs to come along whether he wants to or not.

When I was teaching Lyric "lets go," and if he was distracted by a bush or something, if I said, "lets go," he needed to come along at once or he'd get a little leash pop to bring his attention to my command...right away. Now he is very obedient to that. (but he wasn't flat out refusing like you describe....you wouldn't want to drag or make his walk unpleasant) There are other times when we walk where he gets to sniff and check things out and I don't give any command. But when I do, he needs to respect that. So, he has learned the contrast between times of more lax freedom and attentiveness to my voice. So, I guess I would suggest practicing his coming along at other times, just in the yard and on the part of your walk where he's not refusing. Lots and lots of fun, games and praise for his obedience.

Just be sure to reward enthusiastically for even the slightest improvement...a few steps that your dog takes when you're luring or whatever should be rewarded. Good luck.

Carrie

Hi Carrie,

Obediencewise Max is great everything you tell him he does.   Just recently the last week or so, he's decided he doesn't want to come in, it's like he's going through a rebel stage (hope not for long).

Thanks for your advice, I'll try a few of your ideas tonight and let you know how I go.

How old is he, and how long do his walks last?

Max is now 8 months old, If a Bitch is on heat nearby could this be the problem as he's not been castrated yet.  His walks vary from 20 mins to an hour depending on the time of day.

Otherwise Max is a great, loving dog.  (but he's driving me mad lol)

I've noticed too sometimes a reluctance or a prolonging tendancy (not refusal) to return home from a fun walk with my Dobe. He'll tend to walk a little slowly, lagging along instead of hurrying so much as he does in the beginning. That happens only when the walk wasn't long enough for his fancy. If he's good and tuckered out, he's more than happy to go toward home where he can take a much needed nap. Don't know what your situation is exactly though. Just thought of that though.

Carrie

Hi Carrie
Just to let you know, my dog has Hip Displacia, we took him to the vet and he has been put on Anti Inflammatory Tablets and we have to take him back in a weeks time to see if he is getting better.   So far he only lies down occasionally whereas before it was every time you took him out.

I take it this has only just been diagnosed? I hope the medication helps :)

Lindsay
X

My Cairn went through a phase of sitting or laying down on his way home so I lengthened and varied his walks. One way I found of dealing with it was by extending his lead and walking off saying 'ok, I'll go without you then, bye, bye' he immediately got up and followed me and was soon trotting along beside me again not wanting to be left behind. Funny little dog. He doesn't do it anymore.
I hope the medication is working.
Andi

Please be VERY careful using a technique like this near a road - a dog on an extending lead can quickly end up in the road, espcially when he's behind you.  Additionally it's worrying for drivers to see a dog walking beside a road apparently not under control.

Digger please..............give me some credit for common sense. We live in the heart of the countryside and get about one car an hour which can be heard from miles away. I would never do this near a busy road or anywhere where my dog or anybody would be at risk.
Andi

Andi, I have no doubt YOU are sensible about the use of an extending lead - but others who read your message may not consider the dangers (and judging from the number of people I DO see using extending leads near roads around here - there are more of them than is safe for the contuation of the species ;))

Hi,

One of my male Goldies went through a dredful stage glad to say he came out the other end an angel:-)

From 8 months he just decided to get it into his head if my partner took him for a walk (short) he would just get out of the gate and lie down and refuse to move be it pavement or road.When he saw me he would get up and happily go on for the walk so long as it was with me.Despite both us walking him.
In the showring at a CH.show he stood lovely started to move in the triangle then just lay down and refued to move ,my face was beetroot no titbits would get him back up the judge walked calmly up to us and said "my dear I don't think your going to get alot out of him today and was laughing "He was wagging his tail rolling
all over being as stubbourn as hell,I looked around the ring for my partner as ithought we would have to carry him off .Suddenly he got up and carried on behaved fine we even got a place.
We had him in town on a school run after picking up the children my partner poped into the council offices Gudo behaved fine sat down in reception everyone admiring him
until it was time to go he refused to move 15 mins later he walked out no problem,
Now suddenly he doesn't do it anymore he an absolute angel everywhere he goes,hes now 17 months (maybe it was a Kevin stage)Some Goldies can be stubborn.

Briony:-)

Hi,

Just read your post again,about your dogs hips has your dog been x-rayed then???
Hipscoring cannot be done until 12 months of age to tell you prescisely the degree of any hip dysplaysia.It is possible for your dog to have obviously general xray of  hips.
It is not uncommon for young dogs betwwen 16 wks -8 months (varies) to go lame in the backend due to rapid growth.
My own boy did this,the key is watch the protein no, long walks,jumping and avoid climbing stairs until 9-12 months,no rough play with other dogs or too much free running.His hips are fine with a good hipscore.
Some vets( not all) are very quick to say oh dog got hip problems and start talking abot medicines and operations way before time.
My first Goldie the vet was all for operating asap until I took advice  from my breeder and several others and got a second opinion.She is now 6yrs very fit and active no hip problems.

This may not be the case with your dog and your vets are very good and have diagnosed hip dysplaysia at this stage.
I just wanted you to be aware about some general vets.
Please don't be in a hurry about castrating your dog either if at all unless your circumstances forces you to just my opinion:-)

Briony:-)

Hi,

Please don't wear any 8 month Golden out on a long walk:-( they should be having no more than 40 mins even this may be a littel excessive 15min there and 15 min back is more than enough each day plus whatever exercise in the garden.
Your dogs hips will be at risk if exercise is not retricted in the 1st
year.

Briony:-)