There comes that time of day when you want to enjoy a nice, quiet walk with your dog, but when you're about to go out, you suddenly decide not to walk anymore and avoid the walk.
Does this situation sound familiar? If so, we warn you that it's a fairly common situation, especially in Spain where dogs continue to be the most popular pet ahead of cats. And that's because, although dogs generally like to go out to channel their energy, your dog may not be enthusiastic about a range of specific causes that make him uncomfortable.
Why doesn't my dog want to go out for a walk?
We know that dogs love walks in the open air, not least so they can exercise and discharge all that pent-up energy with their human companion, but this isn't always the case. In cases where your dog doesn't want to walk in the street, we can find several possible factors that may be at the root of the problem. If this is the case, your dog may stop in the middle of the street, so it's best to observe his behavior closely in case you can identify the reason at first glance. If you still can't identify it, here are some possible causes:
- Your dog is just starting to walk and is still afraid of the unknown because he's still learning.
- You are stressed or have experienced a traumatic event in the past that you fear will happen again.
- He is afraid of other people, dogs, bicycles, noises, cars…
- He suffers from some kind of illness.
- He's uncomfortable on a leash.
- He's an old or elderly dog.
- You're not making the breaks or stops the dog needs.
- He has pain in the pads of his feet.
Tips and guidelines to help your dog walk
If after reading these possible causes or even going to the vet to detect any pain or discomfort, it's time to see the best way to deal with this problem when walking with your furry.
In the event that your attitude is due to something that frightens you, such as environments or outside elements, it will be time to start avoiding them so that you feel more at ease on walks. Another option is that, with the help of an ethologist, you can gradually familiarize yourself with situations, objects or places that make them uncomfortable.
The following tips can also help you improve this situation:
- Offer him other spaces and exercises: not all dog breeds feel comfortable walking around town, so if this is the case with your dog, it's best that you offer him alternatives to exercise in other quieter or less noisy spaces. You can also help with olfactory stimulation exercises, mental games or physical routines at home.
- Understand their life stage: Age in dogs influences their coexistence more than you might imagine, so it's important that you know how to identify the stage they're in and understand their new needs or limitations. If it's a puppy, he'll need to gradually familiarize himself with his environment, but if it's an older dog, his limitations or ailments may prevent him from enjoying his walks as he used to. In such cases, it's best to go for walks in the same places, to avoid disorientation and adapt to his pace.
- Make sure you walk him properly: A proper walk also depends very much on the type of breed or mood of the dog. Ideally, you should have some sort of dog park or area where he can move freely to explore, or where you can offer him a walk without pulling.
- A pain or illness: If after a check-up at the vet's it's detected that your dog is suffering from some kind of pain in the pads, a health problem or illness, it's best that you respect the new limits of your fur and always rely on expert advice with the appropriate treatment and guidelines for your situation.
