How to get dog to exercise on walks

[silv]

3 months ago I took on a lovely dog, NZ huntaway/farm dog x type, he is a year old and had not had much time spent with him, prior to me taking him on. He was on a free dog local FB page, (I know I shouldn't look). Anyway, he has adapted well to living in a house, gets on well with all my other animals and seems really happy. I have one issue that is not improving. When I take him out for walks he will not run around, he just walks behind me the entire time. He has obviously been trained this way, I have tried every NZ farming/working dog command I can think of and still cannot get him to go off and run. My other two dogs have a great time and he gets on well with them but still will not leave my side. I have managed to get him to swim in the river and retrieve bits of driftwood which he loves but then it is straight back to walking behind me. It is a training thing as he not insecure or anything, just at my wits end, he is missing out on lots of lovely running around which as a young dog he needs. Any ideas welcomed as to how I can get him to be more active.


This is him, he is called Cuthbert, which is better than the name he came with of "Cage"!!

 

[skinnydipper]

Does Cuthbert like to use his nose? If so, could you ask him to sit while you hide something and then ask him to find it.

ETA. As he relaxes and settles in his new home you may find that he will play more.

 

[AmyMay]

Daisy always walks beside me when we’re out and about. She runs around after a ball occasionally (but prefers it if I sit down to check the ball ??‍).

 

[stangs]

I've seen trainers use a 'go fetch' type thing with treats quite successfully. You throw a treat a metre or so in front of you, dog rushes to go get it, and over time you increase the distance of the throw. Mostly used to encourage dogs to sniff and interact with their environment, but could work for him too.

 

[CorvusCorax]

As a herding breed, he will naturally be in energy saving mode and only exert himself when he really has to.
One of mine is like that, not training, just genetically quite laid back, he gives about 5% or as much as he can get away with and then occasional bursts of energy.
When I needed him fit for competitions I went running with him and he loves swimming. His previous owner also biked him.
As mentioned, brain training will tire him out too.

 

[BeansNsausages]

Take him out riding with the horse? Or cycling?

 

[Clodagh]

Problems we’d all like to have? ?.
I wonder if he’d like football or something? (Trying to think what herding animals can herd without buying sheep or runner ducks).

eta he is very lovely.

 

[skinnydipper]

Problems we’d all like to have? ?.
I wonder if he’d like football or something? (Trying to think what herding animals can herd without buying sheep or runner ducks).

eta he is very lovely.

Treiball?

 

[Clodagh]

Treiball?

I was thinking what you could do on a walk. I landed TheresaW with a retired working collie who is completely fixated on pretty well everything and he is ball mad.
Is Trieball the big balls?

 

[skinnydipper]

I was thinking what you could do on a walk. I landed TheresaW with a retired working collie who is completely fixated on pretty well everything and he is ball mad.
Is Trieball the big balls?

Yes, like giant footballs for them to push around. No good for a walk but could get him exercising in a field or attend a class.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/sports/treibball-this-sport-isnt-just-for-herding-breeds/

 

[TheresaW]

I was thinking what you could do on a walk. I landed TheresaW with a retired working collie who is completely fixated on pretty well everything and he is ball mad.
Is Trieball the big balls?

He didn’t do balls at all when we got him, didn’t get it. It was a case of re-directing his fixation. Still nothing beats the hosepipe mind.

 

[Mynstrel]

He certainly doesn't look short of exercise! Some dogs are just wired to stay close and if he's happy doing that and not stressing then I'd leave him be, if you're walking at a good lick he'll certainly he fit enough.

 

[CorvusCorax]

He certainly doesn't look short of exercise! Some dogs are just wired to stay close and if he's happy doing that and not stressing then I'd leave him be, if you're walking at a good lick he'll certainly he fit enough.

I'd take it ?

 

[Umbongo]

I live in NZ and have met many huntaways, I think most herding breeds behave like this tbh. It's not necessarily their training, it's behavioural traits of the breed.

My border collie would always stick by my side. Only times he would run were if I threw a ball, and he would bring it straight back to me. He was never trained as a sheepdog, we had him since a puppy. He also used to love "finding" me during hide and seek games. I also used to make him sit at one end of the field, give myself a head start then let him race me to the other end of the field. He would never just go off and run about by himself, he needed to interact with the human on the walk a lot more than some other breeds I know.

It's not a problem I would worry about! Would much rather that than a dog with no recall

He will run if he wants to run. Otherwise could you try running or cycling with the dogs? Agility? Ball games?

 

[Pinkvboots]

My JRT doesn't run about either she just walks next to me she always has done, she will very occasionally play run with my friends dogs but it's not for long and never too far.

 

[silv]

Thanks for all the replies, some great ideas also. Will see how it goes might just have to accept that it is just him and the type of dog he is. He runs beside my quad bike on my property and goes like a rocket along the fence line chasing cars so maybe that is what he prefers. Just in my 50 years of dog ownership I have never had one like this before!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Bear doesn’t do running round unless I really make him. He watches me and expects to train/retrieve. It took me a wee while to persuade him he is allowed to run after years of focus (to keep Zak safe) and he’ll only do it in the woods. Can you change where you go? Will he hack with you?

Really weird, but there’s a Huntaway lookalike in the park called Cuthbert! He’s darker than yours, apparently a German shepherd/Jack Russel x. Spitting image of my farrier’s Huntaway.

 

[Moobli]

Would he swim?
Or maybe play with another dog if you know of any safe, social dogs to meet up with.

 

[silv]

He does swim, and I would love to take him hacking, but have nowhere suitable that would allow dogs, NZ isn't that dog friendly unfortuantely.
I had one of my ex fosters here over Christmas whilst her adopters were away on holiday she was a failed farm dog, they ran each other ragged and had a blast. I have walked with friends with more active dogs but he still walks behind me.

 

[Moobli]

He does swim, and I would love to take him hacking, but have nowhere suitable that would allow dogs, NZ isn't that dog friendly unfortuantely.
I had one of my ex fosters here over Christmas whilst her adopters were away on holiday she was a failed farm dog, they ran each other ragged and had a blast. I have walked with friends with more active dogs but he still walks behind me.

I had a border collie like this. He came to me as an adult when his shepherd owner died, leaving 8 sheepdogs looking for homes. I couldn’t decide if it came naturally to him or whether it had been trained. It made him very easy to take everywhere as he was constantly just behind my heel but he loved swimming and working so got his exercise that way.

 

[silv]

I had a border collie like this. He came to me as an adult when his shepherd owner died, leaving 8 sheepdogs looking for homes. I couldn’t decide if it came naturally to him or whether it had been trained. It made him very easy to take everywhere as he was constantly just behind my heel but he loved swimming and working so got his exercise that way.

I always get the impression he has been trained and is a little sad that he has to stay behind me with his nose almost touching my leg.

 

[Moobli]

I always get the impression he has been trained and is a little sad that he has to stay behind me with his nose almost touching my leg.

If that’s the case hopefully he might learn to relax once he’s been with you for longer.

 

[silv]

Just thought an update was in order. I have been walking him with my friend and and her 4 border collies, they are young and active and he has been having a whale of a time! So nice to see, his recall is still perfect thankfully. So pleased with him.

 

[Clodagh]

Just thought an update was in order. I have been walking him with my friend and and her 4 border collies, they are young and active and he has been having a whale of a time! So nice to see, his recall is still perfect thankfully. So pleased with him.

That’s really great news.