dog stopping on walk

[bunnybuggs]

I have recently taken on a lovely spaniel cross who is nearly perfect in every way but she will freeze in certain situations - when we leave the house, when she has to cross a wide road (she is fine with narrow streets) when we return home from a walk (she is reluctant to go back in), occasionally when we are on the walk.
I have tried the obvious things - coaxing with treats and rewarding with bright chat when she does move eventually after making her point.
Twice she has stopped mid-road and I have had to pick her up (fortunately she is not a huge dog) and keep her safe. This has only come on lately - first few walks we did she was fine.
I have varied the walks, tried quiet traffic free times early in the morning but it is very wearing not knowing when she will refuse to move. I walk her on a loose lead to enable her to do spanielly sniff things.
She is a lovely dog and I don't understand it as I have never had this problem with any of my previous dogs

just to add she is 5 yearsold (so it is not puppy wilfulness)

does anyone have any tips or suggestions? - thanks

Scared?
Pain?

What is her posture like when she stops? Are there signs of fear?

Oh and lead type? Some are used to slip leads only. Some prefer a harness.

@wolfiefan - good point - she came with a slip lead but had taken to having a soft collar and a long lead. She does not pull on the lead and she enjoys the 'sniffing' spaniel stuff with the long lead. I do not force her along. I have considered a harness but not sure it will make a differance.

She runs uninhibited in the garden and I mhave checked her paws for stones or any pain. She jumps on furniture and conquers the stairs with no trouble.
I had always assumed slip leads were for short distances when speed of removal was necessary. They are also short so that would preven her 'roaming' when we are out.
thanks for prompting further thoughts.

@gcacademic - she will either stop 4 square on all her paws or a bit of a crouch if it is a bit of the walk she does not want to go on (crossing a wide road ) stopping in the middle till I pick her up and carry her to the pavement - then off she goes. I did wonder if she had a near miss/accident on a wide road in her past to explain that.

Oh, bless her, it does sound like she may be scared. Maybe persist with the positive reinforcement - any high value treats you've discovered that she really can't resist?

I positively reinforce her as much as possible but unfortunately she is not very food orientated so a training treat does not do the trick - will keep trying. When she stops 4 square on the driveway if I let the lead go slack and wait her out she will reluctantly get going after a few minutes - and enjoys the walk between the 'stops'
It is the mid-road stops that worry me most - will work on what is obviously her fear of 'something'

We have a cocker spaniel/ collie cross who does this at least once a day. He'll stop and refuse to go any further. We do get warning signs that it's going to happen though, he'll walk in front of us,turn around and look us in the eye. Then you know that he wants to go home. He doesn't do it if we walk him off lead on our own land,only when going out in the village,on his lead. If you persist and can get him going again, he'll enjoy his walk. It's very odd.

My 4 year old spaniel has always done this. We've figured out it's a combination of being overwhelmed by people/bikes on narrow country paths (oddly enough fine in a big city), sometimes massively stubborn and just wants to go the other way, sometimes scared of something random. Different things on different walks and fairly unpredictable. Will walk fine with all the family or a group on or off lead anywhere. Is more tricky when it's just one of us. Point blank refuses to walk with just the kids!

And I should add yes enjoys the walk in between when he gets going again!

thank you for the messages that 'I am not alone' - will try not to let it stress me as she may be picking up on my wariness that she will suddenly stop. First encounter with a 'spaniel' so not quite like my previous dogs who were alway up for a walk and so food orientated.
@back at school' - sounds just like her - spooked by something unusual.

I don’t use a slip lead. Just seen many gundog types with them.

On wide roads dogs experience loads of different smells , petrol diesel, rubber tarmac etc which can upset some dogs.

They feel the vibrations from the vehicles passing and also in the distance,also the whoosh of air which can freak out dogs big time.

I possible I would avoid busy roads for a while.

Freezing and crouching could easily be indicating fear.

@pollyroulson - indeed I don't like busy roads either so we walk before 6 in the morning - mainly using alleyways and local footpaths but unfortunately have one wider road to cross to get home which is in a quiet area. Being home all day it is relatively easy to do early mornings/ later evenings when hardly anyone is about.
thank you all for your suggestions. Took her for a walk just now and she was very good - just a bit of a pause as we left the house. Whistling her and saying 'come on' seem to work to chivy her along.

Just a thought. If you could get someone to video it you could post on FB Dog training advice and support. They are awesome!