# Walks



## Pooch (Nov 23, 2010)

Fionn is 8 months old now and he's doing great. I just love him! He's really well socialized, friendly, good natured, well behaved, and has no separation anxiety (thankfully....). 

One challenge I am having with him is with walking. Here's the thing..... When we leave my house to go for a walk he starts out great but about 2-3 minutes in he begins to stop, hestitate, and look over his shoulder. This continues on and off the whole time we are walking in a direction AWAY from my house (to clarify, the walks aren't on on my street...there are turns along the way that take us on different streets so he can't actually SEE my house yet he continues to stop and look back). It drives me crazy! It doesn't matter if we walk for 10 minutes or 40 minutes in a direction away from my house, the outcome is the same. I've tried changing our route and it doesn't make a difference. What's interesting though, is as soon as we turn around and start walking back toward my house he goes gang busters and happily trots along never stopping or looking over his shoulder (who says these guys aren't smart!!!). Last weeekend I drove him to a friends house and we walked from there - in a new neighbourhood - we went about 40 minutes in one direction then looped around back to her house. He was fine. No hesitation, no stopping, no looking over his shoulder. So, it seems pretty clear he as some sort of hang up about walking away from home. 

Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on how to work with him on this?

Any ideas on what's going through his mind??? Is this adolescence?

thanks for your help....


----------



## sashamom (Jan 12, 2009)

Sounds to me like feels like he has to guard his home and feels like he is not able to while he is out of sight. They are very smart little guys/girls! LOL I would try breaking his pattern, I am not a trainer by any means but here is an idea. Make a big deal of getting ready for his walk, i.e., put his toys away, happy happy talk, maybe even put his dish away. then lots of treats along the way to keep him focused on you. Good luck.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Possibly something in the past walks spooked him a bit.


----------



## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

I seem to remember Augie doing something similar when he was a pup. He wasn't real nuts about walking away from the house at first, but it just got better with time. Going toward the house was no problem. 

Finn is Fionn's age and he has started something weird too (maybe it is just the age??). We will be going along for two to three blocks, and then he just drops to the ground and won't budge. So, after a minute, I sing 'let's go' and kind of run and he comes trotting along, for about a block, maybe a bit less, and he drops again. This is a new development.


----------



## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Do you have Augie with you, too? If so, how does Augie behave after Finn goes on strike?


----------



## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

StarrLhasa said:


> Do you have Augie with you, too? If so, how does Augie behave after Finn goes on strike?


Oh, Good Grief, NO! ound: I will wait until Finn settles down a bit before I try THAT. He still terrorizes Augie quite a bit, although Augie is learning how to fight back, but after awhile, he has had enough and needs to remove himself from Finn's area. 'Goes on strike' - good term. :biggrin1: He just spreads himself out and looks around. He is one weird little dude. Right now, he is downstairs howling. They both haven't gotten a lot of attention today - been busy cooking and cleaning. Ick, ick, ick! So Finn had to spend some time in the crate so I wouldn't have to worry about him. Or trip over him in the kitchen.


----------

