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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Dog hates walking

26 replies

Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 13:48

I have an English bull terrier, we rehomed her at 9 months old around a year ago. She is reluctant to walk further than she needs to do a poo/wee, as soon as she's done her business she pulls to go home or lies down and won't walk any further! I thought all dogs loved going for a walk? The only time she wants to go is if I have her ball, so that she knows she is going somewhere she can chase her ball. I can't make every walk a ball throwing one, but if I don't its more like a drag than a walk.

She has always been a bit like this, I think I posted on here about it when I first had her, but recently she was in season (her second season), so had to be kept in - luckily it coincided with the heatwave so she wouldn't have been going out for a walk in the heat anyway, but since finishing her season she's been even lazier and more reluctant to go for a walk.

She is booked in for a spay in November as we wanted her to have two seasons first, and the vet has said ideally she should be 25kg, as it makes the operation better for their recovery if they are not overweight - she currently weights 28kg. She is on Bella and Duke raw food diet, 500g a day which is what is recommended for her weight. She doesn't have many treats, perhaps two or three gravy bones a day. I don't think she is overeating, the problem is lack of exercise.

Do some dogs just not like going for a walk? Should I just be persistent and drag her along - due to her weight it's hard work so more often than not I will turn around and take her home once she puts the brakes on.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 27/08/2022 13:57

If she’s overweight she’s getting more food than she needs.
Has the vet checked for pain etc? Is she finding walks boring?

AlwaysCocaColaz · 27/08/2022 14:00

Mine arebon B&D too and go SO fat on the recommended amount!

I would definitely cut down to say 400g a day and quit the treats.

And just try and do a small ball walk a day.

Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 14:04

Wolfiefan · 27/08/2022 13:57

If she’s overweight she’s getting more food than she needs.
Has the vet checked for pain etc? Is she finding walks boring?

I will cut down the food to 400g and see how she goes. I don’t think she finds walks boring, I try to take her on different routes with lots of sniffs, some grassy walks, down to the beach which she does like and goes in for a swim, although she drags her heels until she is there and then again on the way back. You would think she’s a really old dog the speed she walks!

She has been seen by the vet as she had a pre-neutering check - she has a very small hernia which will be fixed when spayed. The vet couldn’t see any signs of pain which would prevent her walking.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 14:07

AlwaysCocaColaz · 27/08/2022 14:00

Mine arebon B&D too and go SO fat on the recommended amount!

I would definitely cut down to say 400g a day and quit the treats.

And just try and do a small ball walk a day.

The B and D amount doesn’t seem a lot; she is very food focused so I was worried she wasn’t getting enough and had queried it with B and D!

OP posts:
DorchaAndLouis · 27/08/2022 14:39

Why can't you take the ball with you on every walk? He won't know whether you're going to throw it or not.

EpicMugs · 27/08/2022 14:46

Why can't every walk involve a ball? At least for a while?

Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 15:43

If I am taking her for a quick walk before I start work or during my break (work from home) I simply don’t have time to do ball and we don’t go anywhere it is safe to let her off the lead to throw it - she does not settle if she has been out with the ball and she hasn’t had a few throws of it - she gets really adrenalised when the ball appears and literally has tunnel vision on the ball, we have to take two balls as she won’t let it go so we have to throw the other one and she will drop the one in her mouth to go after it. If I take her out with the ball and come back without throwing it she mithers me all morning - holding the ball and pushing it into my leg constantly when I sitting down to work, which then leads to accidental nipping. If I take the ball away she barks at where I’ve put it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 15:46

Although this can happen with two balls sometimes …. 😂

Dog hates walking
OP posts:
Dontfuckingsaycheese · 27/08/2022 15:53

Oh love her!! She really does love those balls! How about letting her see you have a ball with you - we also do the two ball thing as he never lets me have it back. Then on the long walk get the ball out. On together shorter one save some time at the end for ball throwing in the garden??

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 27/08/2022 15:54

On the shorter one!

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 27/08/2022 15:55

Blow. Sorry! I forgot it did that!

Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 18:02

I can give that a try, I was just wondering if it’s normal for dogs not to want to go for a walk - all the dogs I’ve had before loved their walks.

OP posts:
forumsempronii · 27/08/2022 18:04

You have an overweight dog that you have been doing ball throwing with.

ball throwing is the worst thing to do with any dog but an overweight dog it will cause injury. The adrenalin of the chase will allow your dog to do it but it will be casing pain.

Then go for a walk which is less adrenalin driven and your dog feels all the pain of the walk.

You need to cut down on food - exercise will not get rid of the weight.
Take your dog back to the vet for a detailed check over including bloods and joins - not just a hand touch over .

Dogs like to walk and the reason your dog is not walking is worrying. Your dog is not being stubborn there will be (usually) a physical reason.

Your dog is 12% overweight which for a dog is a lot!

DorchaAndLouis · 27/08/2022 18:08

Lockdownlard
Do some dogs just not like going for a walk? Should I just be persistent and drag her along - due to her weight it's hard work so more often than not I will turn around and take her home once she puts the brakes on.

There's no point in forcing her to walk, there's no enjoyment or benefit for her or you in that.
I think most dogs, given the choice, would prefer to be off lead.

English bull terriers are known to be strong willed so it seems she's making her feelings known, whereas other more passive dogs would just put up with it.

Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 19:08

forumsempronii · 27/08/2022 18:04

You have an overweight dog that you have been doing ball throwing with.

ball throwing is the worst thing to do with any dog but an overweight dog it will cause injury. The adrenalin of the chase will allow your dog to do it but it will be casing pain.

Then go for a walk which is less adrenalin driven and your dog feels all the pain of the walk.

You need to cut down on food - exercise will not get rid of the weight.
Take your dog back to the vet for a detailed check over including bloods and joins - not just a hand touch over .

Dogs like to walk and the reason your dog is not walking is worrying. Your dog is not being stubborn there will be (usually) a physical reason.

Your dog is 12% overweight which for a dog is a lot!

The vet said the weight range should be between 20-40kg for a female bull terrier and didn’t say she was overweight just that it would be good for her to get to 25 before her spay. Where did you find the 12% from. She actually hasn’t had any ball time for weeks due to being in season and not allowed off the lead and then because it’s too hot, but I can get her checked out.

OP posts:
PAW326 · 27/08/2022 19:22

I have had three bull terriers and none of them have enjoyed going for a walk unless it's really exciting and fun. Our last one would do the same as yours, walk a few metres, have a wee and turn to come home. He was 35kg and there was no way you could move him once he decided he wasn't going any further. He loved going out with another dog or if it was somewhere new but a quick round the block or somewhere he had been a few times before he would rather stay on the sofa.
As long as she seems fit and active I wouldn't worry, they are a very peculiar breed and they definitely know their own mind.

Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 19:25

PAW326 · 27/08/2022 19:22

I have had three bull terriers and none of them have enjoyed going for a walk unless it's really exciting and fun. Our last one would do the same as yours, walk a few metres, have a wee and turn to come home. He was 35kg and there was no way you could move him once he decided he wasn't going any further. He loved going out with another dog or if it was somewhere new but a quick round the block or somewhere he had been a few times before he would rather stay on the sofa.
As long as she seems fit and active I wouldn't worry, they are a very peculiar breed and they definitely know their own mind.

They are peculiar 😂she’s so loving and funny, but she’s not like any other dog I’ve had lol I was surprised she likes a swim as other EBT people had said they don’t swim.

OP posts:
PAW326 · 27/08/2022 19:34

I think most bullies don't like swimming but some really enjoy it. They can tend to get obsessed so I think the ones who do swim absolutely love it, same with balls they can become fixated. Swimming is brilliant excercise if she will do it, maybe do that as often as you can instead of walks. She looks fab, a madam who knows her own mind. I think they are more akin to toddlers than dogs, I often have to negotiate with mine.

forumsempronii · 27/08/2022 20:56

OP you said "the vet has said ideally she should be 25kg... but she is 28kg.

She is overweight and your vet was telling you politely.

My bitch bull terriers have never been over 20kg so even 25 kg is a larger bitch.

28kg is a lot for a bull terrier.

Original poster
Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 22:05

forumsempronii · 27/08/2022 20:56

OP you said "the vet has said ideally she should be 25kg... but she is 28kg.

She is overweight and your vet was telling you politely.

My bitch bull terriers have never been over 20kg so even 25 kg is a larger bitch.

28kg is a lot for a bull terrier.

I didn’t mean to sound negative re your info as I appreciate all advice - I wondered where the 12% came from as when I’ve looked up weight ranges she is about average - she is muscular and has a hip shape so wasn’t sure whether she was overweight - the vet said that once over 25kg the anaesthetic changes and would cost more, but also a slimmer dog would aid recovery and make the op easier. I will cut her food down by 100g a day and see how that goes, I just thought more walks would also help.

OP posts:
AlwaysCocaColaz · 27/08/2022 22:08

Lockdownlard · 27/08/2022 14:07

The B and D amount doesn’t seem a lot; she is very food focused so I was worried she wasn’t getting enough and had queried it with B and D!

Show quote history

It doesn't seem like a lot but it is

Kibble if full of fillers so it looks like alot. Rawnis just pure bulky food for them so a small amount is alot

It's like a human eating a steak vs a loads of quavers. You might eat loads of bags of quavers and not feel full but half a steak does! Because its pure protein, no carbs and filler

mountainsunsets · 27/08/2022 22:09

Personally I would not throw balls at all for a dog that's overweight and reluctant to walk. Ball throwing puts far too much pressure on the joints and, as you've seen, leads to obsessive behaviours.

In fact, I think her inability to calm down after a ball throwing walk means she shouldn't have balls thrown for her even when you've managed to get her weight under control. Use them in other ways instead - get her to swim for them, hide them in grass or behind trees and get her to sniff them out etc.

Diet wise, you need to reduce her food and take ALL treats out of her daily calorie allowance of food. That means weighing everything and not going over that amount no matter how much she pleads and begs. Once her weight is where it should be you may be able to increase her food slightly so her weight stays steady.

Good luck!

mushforbrain · 28/08/2022 18:05

This is so funny I saw the thread title and thought ‘I bet it’s an EBT’ we also have one who is 12 months and me and DH were so puzzled initially to have a dog that apparently doesn’t like walks! I found it quite upsetting as it was the bit of having a dog that I was really looking forward to!
We found it was the actual walk TO the park she didn’t like - then she would have a great time once we dragged her in! If we took her out in the car to another site she would be the same getting out of the car, we had to lift her out and then she’d have a great time, but would never jump out by herself. But we did find it easier than trying to drag her up the road - I was mortified to find myself driving her to our local park one day - 5 minutes walk away.
However she has improved massively over the last few months which has made life easier. So give it more time. We also have to have two balls for ours as she won’t let go of the first! 😁
However although ours is now much happier to walk, if she’s had enough, she’ll let you know! The neighbours find it hilarious to see her just lying down in the middle of the pavement (meanwhile I’m on my lunch break desperate to get back home to work)
Sorry not to be much help, but offering EBT solidarity to you

takemetomars · 28/08/2022 18:09

forumsempronii · 27/08/2022 18:04

You have an overweight dog that you have been doing ball throwing with.

ball throwing is the worst thing to do with any dog but an overweight dog it will cause injury. The adrenalin of the chase will allow your dog to do it but it will be casing pain.

Then go for a walk which is less adrenalin driven and your dog feels all the pain of the walk.

You need to cut down on food - exercise will not get rid of the weight.
Take your dog back to the vet for a detailed check over including bloods and joins - not just a hand touch over .

Dogs like to walk and the reason your dog is not walking is worrying. Your dog is not being stubborn there will be (usually) a physical reason.

Your dog is 12% overweight which for a dog is a lot!

Some sense for once!

jazzandh · 31/08/2022 21:44

I've got no answers for you, but I have a Toy Poodle who will race like a mad thing round the garden and not sit still, but refuses to walk out of the front door!

He doesn't like his harness from what I can tell, he's much better away from home, and isn't at all overweight - just does not want to go "on a walk"!

You have to drag him/carry him a fair distance from home and then he will walk.....but his energy is boundless in the right setting!

So I wouldn't assume it's a weight thing!