My dog refuses to walk.. help!

[sazidoll182]

Hi guys,
I have a female border collie called Holly, she is 1yr + 9months old. She refuses to go on walks lately. I have a harness for her because she tends to get too excited on walks and runs off, and now the opposite has started to happen.

The first incident was a couple of weeks ago, 15minutes into a half hour walk, she would stop dead on the pavement. After a while, I would be able to coax her out of it with praise. Now its been happening more often and in less distance. For example, I am just back from a walk with her and we got 4 houses down the road and she stopped dead and refused to go anywhere, i stood there for 10minutes trying to get her to move with treats, praise and playing. She digs her nails into the ground when i try to drag her so that method doesnt work.

I try to walk her everyday but lately, she doesnt seem to want to go out at all! Any help or suggestions will be much appreciated, thanks alot

[Erica]

Does she want to do other activities? If she's overall slowing down/not wanting to move, it might be that she's in pain. You'll want to get her checked out by the vet to make sure it's not a health issue.

Also, depending on where you walk her, the pavement might be too hot for her paws. I'd keep this in mind, if it's a possibility, and get her to the vet. Best of luck!

[emmabeth]

Check her all over in case the harness is rubbing somewhere (I had one once, it rubbed but NOT where I thought it would, under the 'armpits', in fact it was rubbing over my dogs ribs at their widest point and not a place I had thought to check!).

If that doesn't bring up an answer, vet check.

After that I would make a point of NOT forcing walks, but rewarding her for harness on, lead on, out the door, then back in again.... and then a couple of hours later do the same. Maybe go a few paces down the road, reward, go back - anything that means you end the 'walk' experience BEFORE she decides shes quitting first, and lots of rewards so you are going to leave her wanting more rather than what is currently happening, her saying 'no'.