Hiya,
my  1 and a half year old fcr has recently started to refuse to go for walks with my dad. Its not all the time, it tends to be when everyone else is at home, although it does happen at other times as well, and also after dark. Particually if he thinks he may be going for a run rather than a walk he will refuse. He is fine with my dad and loves him to pieces and is happy to go for a wlk with him sometimes, and always if there is more than one person walking him. we have tried to force him to go but have never gotten further than the edge of the frount garden before giving up as he just lyes on his back and bites his lead, or slips his collar. The same goes for trying to bribe him - and he loves his food. im getting a bit worried as i dont know how to sort this out and it is starting to happen more frequently, say every couple of days. Gratefull for any advice!

My dog started this recently too !. First of all we worried that something was wrong but after a while we realised that he just wanted his own way !. We'd get all coated and booted, put his lead on and he'd dig his heels in. We even started to carry him up the drive, wondering if something had scared him, but as soon as we put him down, if we turned right instead of his favourite left he wouldn't move !.
In the end, if he refused to walk we just ignored him, didn't say a word to him, just walked back in the house and left him sitting in the hall - totally confused as to why he was back indoors. It didn't take long for him to change his mind and find out that it was our way or no way. He hated missing his walks !.

As long as you are sure he isn't in any discomfort and isn't finding walking awkward then maybe try ignoring him.

Good luck.

I know this might sound silly but perhaps the dog simply doesn't want to go for a walk! Particularly after dark. My cocker spaniel didn't see any need to be walked after dark and would simply get to the end of the drive and sit down as if his bottom had been concreted to it. I couldn't see the point of taking an unwilling dog anywhere since he'd already had plenty of exercise in the day so just let him out into the garden instead.

We've also had dogs who would prefer to be walked by particular members of the family despite loving everyone and actually, if I'm in the house, Nips can be a tad silly about going far down the lane with the OH. Not because he's isn't very fond of him but because in his mind walks should always include me. Being a small dog who is easily persuaded that there's a weasel lurking a few yards further on, he tends to forget my absence fairly quickly.

Sparky races to the door if we tell him he's going in the car, but tries to run upstairs and hide under my bed if the W word is mentioned. We've always put it down to the fact he hates traffic. He gets more spooked in winter when the dark nights come - it seems to amplify the traffic noise and he hates the lights on the cars. He'd much rather stay at home and play "find it" or tidy up his box of toys.:rolleyes:

We found he improved a bit when we went right back to the start - letting him sit at the open door and just watch the world go by, then go back in - then next walk was to the bottom of the drive and again sit and watch the traffic, have a few treats etc. and so on until he was coping with walking to the bottom of the road. I don't think he's ever going to enjoy it though.

It may be because of fireworks... lots of dogs, if scared by one at a certain time, aren't happy to go out.

Mine won't go into the garden at dusk unless i'm with her, as several times she's been scared by bangers at that time!

I always say, listen to what your dog is trying to tell you ;)

If a dog has a change of behaviour as an adult, and the reason isn't obvious, a vet check up is warranted.

Lindsay
x

Our old dog used to refuse to go for a walk with my dad and we couldn't work out why until one day i went out with them and discovered that my dads idea of a walk was a high speed march around the village and Dakko was old with sore legs and wanted to go for a stroll :-) not a route march. I eventually managed to persuade my dad that the dog was too old for walking at that pace and he should ease up a bit, my dad would walk along practically dragging the dog behind him, not even stopping to let him wee, watching everything except the dog.  He wouldn't accept that he did this until he took out our baby bernese and actually pulled her over on her side and was going to keep walking until I told him that he had pulled her over - he hadn't noticed . After that he got a bit better until eventually his own legs got sore and now his pace is much more relaxed :D .

one of mine goes through phases like this, particularly if its raining (yet she's happy to fling herself in the nearest mud river :rolleyes:) or if theres been thunder / bangs / fireworks going off-loud noises can upskittle her for weeks sometimes. I just find time, patience and encouragement do the trick. Or i take her out in the car to somewhere she loves-normally the beach. 

thanks for all your advice, very much appreciated!