Chow refuses to go for walks

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Thomas72
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Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Thomas72 »

Thomas the Chow has always been quite lazy and never liked very long walks but for the last month or so it has been almost impossible to get him to go anywhere. He doesn't like the dark and I am trying to acclimatise him to dark walks gradually as it now starts getting dark very early, but he also refuses to go in the morning even when he is with other dogs, who normally give him a bit of energy.

He seems better when we take him somewhere new and he shows more interest but when we go to his old favourite parks he just sits down and wont budge.
Could he be getting bored? I can't take him to new places every day so I need to get him out of this habit quickly. I'm worried about him getting unfit over the winter and want to take him for two walks a day as we did over the summer.

He doesn't like toys or treats so it is very difficult to reward him with anything other than a hug.

Thomas is a rescue - he has had three homes, his first one was not good, then he was rescued by my brother and really taken care of and loved but then he had to move and Thomas came to me where he has lots of company and love. We haven't had any problems with him until now. He is very good with other dogs and quite shy with people but not aggressive in the least, he is a treasure but has a lot of issues and phobias. Other than walking he seems very happy at the moment, and there have been no changes in his routine since he moved in with us although we did leave him at his old home for a weekend two weeks ago - he was happy to come back with us though.

Any tips would be gratefully tried out!

Thank you
Rory's Dad
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Re: Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Rory's Dad »

Sad to hear about Thomas, this is not something i have run into before. My two previous Chows both loved to get out and walk. They really weren't great leash dogs and would pull me along for the ride. Working on that 'loose leash' theory with my new pup.

You dont mention his age or condition so i would ask about possible hip pain or overgrown nails. Just a thought.

If possible, have a 2nd family member walk ahead. My boys have always tried to 'find' my daughter, she ignores them most of the time, so they seek her out. He may try to catch up.

Toy interest is variable in my experience, have one that loves them, one that showed moderate interest, and one that couldn't be bothered. Treats however, i think you just need to try different things. I am using small, soft training treats that Rory loves and wont bother with anything else. My late Teddee thought he deserved any sort of treat (even the dreaded Milk Bone), whenever I did something good (like walking in the door).

My other thought is that he just doesnt like being led. The leash signifies control to the people person. All my dogs have done maybe a 10 minute walk on the leash and then they were done. This was trained into them...on the leash, do business and head back inside. However, we have a trolley run in the backyard with about 50 feet of run and a 20 foot lead. They will stay out on that and explore the yard for an hour or so before heading back to the steps.

Not sure if any of this will help, but just a few ideas.
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Ursa's daddy
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Re: Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Ursa's daddy »

No real ideas at the moment. I use a harness, which allows me to put an upward force on my dogs should they want to sit down. When Ursa gets hot or tired, she will lay down. I can usually tell, so I try to be headed for home or the van before she finally gives out. My guess is that you are somewhere north of me (Gulfport, MS, on the Gulf of Mexico) so Thomas is not getting overheated. Chows are not high energy dogs, so they typically are not after the romp in the park like a collie. There are two possible issues here (1. Thomas has some physical problem, and walking is as issue for him. Since you did not mention a limp or other indication of physical problems, this probably isn't it, although you should be aware that there are joint and other issues with chows. (2. Thomas has some behavioral issues around walking. This is probably it, and you are going to have to figure out a way around this. My philosophy is to get the dog to walk period. My wife and I disagree about this. When Ursa was a few months old, my wife would take Ursa out with her Yorkie. She expected Ursa to follow along and go where she wanted her to go. My view was to put the harness on, and have Ursa walk. This involved a lot of smelling everything that was in the neighborhood and limited direction. The wife's point was this was the dog walking the person. My point was that this was getting the dog used to the leash, being beside me, and feeling secure in the situation. Once the dog was used to the process, then the idea of the person being the leader could be developed. What I am suggesting is that if the objective is simply to have Thomas to walk for exercise, then the direction is not the significant point at this time. You might get a long lead and see if Thomas will just walk anywhere. From a psychological point of view, you want to find something Thomas likes that approximately matches the desired behavior (walking on command). Once you get the approximating (operate) behavior developed, then you work on modifications to the behavior. That is the theory in a nutshell. It sounds like Thomas has a lot of insecurity issues, so you will have to take that into consideration. You will probably spend a lot of time hugging and reassuring him. It is not going to be quick or easy.

I hope this helps a little. Please keep us posted on your progress with Thomas.
Thomas72
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Re: Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Thomas72 »

Thank you! We live in the UK and it's currently cold, which he normally likes (he absolutely loves the snow). We have always used a harness and long leash, and he is fine when I take him to new places. He has always been very good off the lead, but I have to keep him on more often now otherwise he just heads home whether there is a road in the way or not. It seems that he has just got bored of the Parks we normally go to (I always try to vary his walks but always take him to the closer parks in the morning so that I can work.) I work at home so he has company most of the day

It certainly seems to be a behaviour issue rather than illness, I just need to get him back in the habit of visiting the Parks close to us that he used to love until very recently.

We'll see how he gets on. It's very hard to change his behaviour in the normal ways as he doesn't like treats or toys so I can't bribe him!

Best wishes

Catherine
Rory's Dad
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Re: Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Rory's Dad »

i tried to post a reply yesterday, but it didnt go through, so i dont know what i did wrong...i agree with Ursa, first check the physical indications...something as simple as a curled nail, or a foreign object between his paw pads could make Thomas not want to walk. Hip discomfort could also be a problem. Also check to see his paw alignment...lots of posts on Lily's issue with a torn ligament.

Ursa also makes a great point about having a 'lead walker'. Our Rory will follow my daughter anywhere. Try a family member walking ahead of the pack and see if Thomas will try to catch up.

My too older chows have now passed, but neither of them were great on a leash. We have a trolley run in the yard and they both preferred the freedom that gave them. Working hard with Rory to get him to walk with a loose leash, and so far so good, but he still pulls towards whatever interests him. We spend a lot of time rewarding him for walking...a nice pat on the head, an emotional good boy, and a training treat when he does well.

Thomas may not be interested in toys, we have had mixed responses to the toys, some care, some do not. Treats however, I would keep trying to find something he likes. Of our now passed pals, Kodi only cared for something he could sit down and chew on for a few hours. Teddee loved all treats, including the dreaded Milk Bones and Busy Bones (regretting ever giving him those things). Rory gets a really small soft Train-Me Reward Treat which he really is willing to work for (looks like a 1/4 inch slice of Slim Jim. Considering what that dog eats for the day, its amazing what he will do for them.

Thomas may also have had a bad experience walking. Try a short trip and make it enjoyable. Get him on the lead and really enforce how good he is doing. Lots of hugs and 'good boys'. I always pet Rory on the head when we get back and reward him verbally and with his treat. He's still young, so I pick him up at the end of the walk to go indoors, so this also helps with handling.

Let us know how its going. Its going to be some trial and error to figure out the exact issue.
Thomas72
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Re: Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Thomas72 »

Thanks! We found some burrs in a very uncomfortable spot for him yesterday and he seems a lot happier now that they have gone - no idea how he picked them up or when so it's possible that was the problem. He is still not keen on going out in the dark or going to his old favourite parks so we'll have to keep working at that.

He is a lot better and happier when the two of us can take him out but due to work issues it's usually just me who takes him during the week so I have to get him to come out on my own.

Anyway, we seem to have made a bit of progress in the last couple of days so hopefully we can keep it up

Thanks for your help!

Cat and Thomas
Rory's Dad
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Re: Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Rory's Dad »

Glad to hear on the progress. Even with the burrs gone, it may take a few days for the irritation to settle. Hope that was the source of Thomas's issue.
Thomas
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Re: Chow refuses to go for walks

Post by Thomas »

I know this is very late in the discussion but you might want to check around the anus for any pooh stuck to the fur. Teddie had a little piece stuck to her butt once and wouldn't move for anything. Just sat there looking unhappy. Had to force her to stand up and take a look. Got the scissors out and snipped away and she was back to normal after that.
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