Another 6month pup thread but...

[Avago]

...complaining that my one is too unadventurous this time!

That's it really, can it be normal?

He's never been keen on walking, hates the car (have had great advice here and made progress before heat wave meant car was an oven and I couldn't bare to be in there let alone him. Starting over again now) and the life I imagined walking along beaches and across the hills I just can't see any more.

He's fab in the house and (large) garden hurtling around with my boys full of fun and will go to the park a few streets away ok but carry on into the adjoining wood? nope. Beach? just sits or mooches round my feet looking longingly back towards home. He cheers up if there's dogs around, he loves playing with them but otherwise its like dragging a sulking toddler round a supermarket.

People laugh when I complain he doesn't want to walk but I'm really not finding it funny any more. Will he grow out of it ? Visit to vets? (whole car thing has put me off doing the 1/2 hour journey there so far but he needs to go for a kennel cough vaccine this week so could mention then).

Could it be he doesn't know how to play by himself? Have you tried taking a toy with you; a ball to throw or a tug-of-war toy to play with - this'll teach him that the woods/beach/wherever are fun places and he might come out of his shell a bit.

It'll help a lot if you're sort of over-enthusiastic about everything; making out like it's the most exciting thing ever to be going into the woods. You'll feel like a fool and it'll be a bit embarrassing (so maybe start somewhere you don't plan on frequenting) but it'll give him cues on how to react.

If he's eating and drinking alright and behaving normally in the home then I wouldn't go to the vets; it just sounds to me like he's not sure how to behave, maybe something outdoors has spooked him, or he's just low on confidence...

What does he actually do when you're walking him? Is he actively fighting the lead/sitting down?

Could be Frettchen. Our last 2 dogs were so busy sniffing and chasing birds that I've never got in habit of taking a ball. He will (sort of ) fetch one so I'll try that. I think its is a confidence thing but just don't know how to increase it. His 'best friends' are 2 huge German Shepherd dogs (he's a cocker); they have a great time together and I'm pretty sure it would be different if we could walk with them but it's not practical for various reasons.
VivaLeBeaver I only really walk to the local park and that's fine (though pulls to go home on the way home). All other walks are reached by car (5-10min and more manageable if on my son's lap though that will stop when school starts next week). He's off the lead normally and really reluctant to walk at my speed always hanging back sometimes sitting, sometimes looking at the car park. On occasion he's decided he's had enough and started heading back to the car/home before the walk has properly begun (has come to me when called, rewarded and continued on walk).

Get another dog to keep him company?

Seriously though I'm not sure. My dog was six months old when I got him and was initially like this but only for the first week and then he decided walks were fun. He walks fine off the lead but if we were someone like a beach he will just sit by me and not run about, I think he's still a bit unconfident.