Dog stopping on walks

[PrettyPuss]

Hello

I have a rescue dog. She was less than 1 year old when I acquired her and the charity she came from did not know anything about her past. She arrived in the UK via lorry and ferry.

She has come a long way since she has been with me. At first she seemed traumatised by the journey here (afraid of lorries, bright lights and ferry-type noises). She has overcome much of this but now I have problem with her just suddenly stopping on walks. She will be walking along, enjoying her walk, when all of a sudden she just... stops. Sometimes she just stops and sits down and sometimes she lays down. She will refuse to continue to walk in the direction we'd be happily heading and will only turn back to head back the way we came (back to home or the car). Sometimes it is obvious that something has scared her (last month it was crow-scarers in the fields) but sometimes there is no obvious reason. She has done so well and I would love to help her overcome this.

Any advise?

You need a trainer behaviourist. No one can help you on the basis of a post. You may get advice but id question credentials of people who can "advise" without seeing the dog

I'd echo finding a good positive behaviouralist. But I would also take her to the vets just to rule our any pain or other issues - the behaviouralist might ask for this anyway.

Just in case - my lovely staffie suddenly began to stop dead and not want to walk another step in the middle of walks ( having been running normally 5 mins before). After a rest of 5 mins or so, she obviously felt better and would continue and even run again on the same walk, obviously feeling fine.. I did go to the vets a couple of times about other matters and reported this. Both times they listened to her heart and said all sounded normal. About 2 months later (she was still doing it sometimes), I had to go away for 10 days and left her with my lovely dog boarder. 3 days later she had a massive stroke/heart attack and was rushed to another vet, who had to put her to sleep as her heart was irreversibly damaged. Given the history, he said she had probably had an intermittent heart arrhythmia and this caused clots to form. You probably ought to take her for a vet check and mention this. If all OK at the check but it still happens, I believe they can refer for a prolonged ECG to be done (as humans have) to try to catch an arrhythmia or at least consider medication if that diagnosis seems likely. I hope she does not have that though. Fingers crossed for you both.

My knobheaded mutt is famous for throwing a wobbler, sitting down, then throwing herself to the ground as if she has had a fit. Extra points for in a place with plenty of spectators or the middle of the road! Sometimes it's because I've gone the wrong way, other times..just because. I've had a behaviouralist and trainers. She gives no fucks. Her breed combination is made up of famously/ notoriously 'difficult' breeds.

Oh , did a vet check too. Nothing amiss, just an arsehole dog. 😂

I’d get her checked over by a vet to rule out any kind of pain or injury before doing anything else.

Crow-scarers? Never heard a scarecrow called that before

I think I'd just mak her feel safe and walk back the way she wants to go. If she feels secure that you're going to look after her and not force her to feel scared, then she will start to gain confidence.

I assume they mean the ones that make a gun noise

They’re like guns that go off randomly to frighten the birds.

You want a trainer experienced with foreign rescues - it’s a real common thing with them, if you google rommie plant you’ll see people talking about it.

@mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork so sorry, that must have been heartbreaking.

Lots to consider here. Thank you, all!

Maybe she is worried about being too far from home and feels emotionally unsafe or insecure. There's nothing to be gained in forcing her to carry on so maybe just let her set the pace on how far you walk.