Solo Walking - help needed

[Clodagh]

Thinking more of you than her, do you manage to think all good vibes while setting out? Or are you waiting for the plant?
Thinking of her like an overwhelmed and therefore nappy horse, can you sing at her? The neighbours might worry though ?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Can you drive her off the street for a month or so, while walking without planting becomes a habit?

I can definitely do more of this. A little scuppered on that this week as have a problem with my car but hopefully by the weekend it will be sorted and we can get back on the road. We've got a booking at a secure field coming up too and I find that refreshing for both of us!

Thinking more of you than her, do you manage to think all good vibes while setting out? Or are you waiting for the plant?
Thinking of her like an overwhelmed and therefore nappy horse, can you sing at her? The neighbours might worry though ?

Good question! I had got quite negative but then found once I let go of any expectation either way she seemed more up for going. I probably am expecting her to stop at the moment, although she has taken me by complete surprise and walked me all the way to the park last week. I wish I could ask her what makes the difference.

Neighbours already wondering what I'm doing walking back and forward along the street, singing might be a bit much. I do talk to her. Not sure it helps her much but talking low and calm helps me. When we do get on the move she gets lots of praise and told what a brave girl she is!

 

[Ratface]

I have found that singing helps me, if I have a fit of the nerves. I think it's because I have to breathe deeply and slowly ( which I believe is a generally accepted way of calming oneself) and also because the Old Loon horse also stops/reduces his daft tricks because he can't believe the tuneless caterwauling coming from 'er up there/alongside!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

No singing today but more chatting. We got off to a more positive start this morning and made it to the next street over before the stop. Managed to get going again just around the block then home. This evening felt like we both need a break from it so just got straight in the car to drive to her favourite local green spot for a long line walk.

I've started working through the Total Recall book exercises. Not sure it will help with the on lead walking so much but the whistle training seems achievable (for the pre-recall exercises) and then I thought it gives us something else we can do at home as the basic recall exercises are all indoors to start with.

I had a look at Absolute dogs and found it a bit confusing/overwhelming where to start. Although I do like the idea of making training into games. We're trying 'middle' which is mostly just following a lure treat around each of my legs at the moment but it gets her brain working!

 

[Caol Ila]

It's not a dog, but chatting bollox or singing (seem to be on a Les Miserables kick... sorry, Mugdock Park) helps settle my nervous horse when hacking alone. Don't know if it's because it shifts my focus from, "Oh, God, please don't have a meltdown" to figuring out which one-sided conversation sounds really interesting, and that's what helps the horse, or if it reminds him that I'm still there and in charge, even if I am on his back and not in front of his nose. Don't care, because it works.

I have ridden along repeating, "I am happy and I am having a good time." He is a sensitive horse who responds well to intent and riding with your mind, and if you are happy and having a good time, or at least lying about it well enough to be believable, he becomes a lot more confident. Would your dog notice if you tried walking a little further, repeating, "We are having fun. This is a nice walk," rather than anticipating her stopping?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Further step back. Can't get out the front door today so I'm sitting on the door step with some treats trying to persuade her to hang out with me just here. I've been feeling a bit poorly today so maybe she has picked up on that. We can usually at least get in the front garden but she's saying no so I'm just rolling with it.

ETA: ooh scrap that! We went to the pocket park on our block. Turns out a slice of ham was needed for a bit more motivation! She had little bits of it on the way there then big jackpot ham when we got to the park. Just a few minutes to practice some 'watch me' and 'here'. A little challenging with the sights and sounds around but I hope she had enough treats there for it to feel like a reasonably positive experience. She had a bit of a sniff around too.

 

[AmyMay]

I rarely walk from my house. They’re country lanes, and nice little walks - but Daisy flat refuses to walk more than 100 yards (unless we turn left to go to the woods ?). I’m not too bothered as we have some stunning walks a short drive away.

I guess what I’m saying is, is walking from home 100% necessary (apart from convenience)?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I rarely walk from my house. They’re country lanes, and nice little walks - but Daisy flat refuses to walk more than 100 yards (unless we turn left to go to the woods ?). I’m not too bothered as we have some stunning walks a short drive away.

I guess what I’m saying is, is walking from home 100% necessary (apart from convenience)?

At the moment not so much as we can drive to quieter/green spots which I am doing in between our from home attempts. I'm just thinking ahead to winter when those places will be dark pre and post work.

When we first had her (and lived elsewhere) she had some phases like this. She had a phase of refusing to walk round the corner from the car to the front door but we got through that one. Another was refusing to walk on the pavement past a few shops and a cafe, or go in to the pub. It took time but eventually we got to her being able to go in the cafe, she'd put her paws up on the cafe doorstep if we walked past when it was closed, and she would try to divert us in to the pub! We don't need for her to be able to do all those things and I think it will take longer as where we live now is a bit busier, although we pick our routes to stick to the quieter streets. We don't need to be able to go absolutely anywhere with her but I guess I feel hopeful we can get some of that confidence back.

She started off so well after we moved but it seemed to unravel so quickly. I just hope we can undo it.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Another pupdate! She's doing quite well, confidence seems to be growing but we're keeping it just to either our walk just round the block, or to our local green space that she likes. Sometimes we divert by one street but mainly taking her lead on the route. Also parking the car a bit further away as she likes trips out in the car so a bit of motivation to leave the house. I do think her association with going out is getting more positive so we'll try to keep it that way for a good while before we try and add anything else/change routes.

We've met a few new hound friends this week so again hoping that builds more positive associations for her and definitely nice for me to have some company walking too when OH is not around.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Whistle training is going well too. Maybe a bit too well...she loves the whistle so much she won't got away. That's my foot she's snoozing on!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Positive pupdate ? we're well on the right track again. We have two walks from home we can now do reliably - one round the block to the pocket park (providing it's empty) and one longer one to a nice big green space which is usually relaxing for both of us. I've started to vary the routes a tiny bit, just by one street different here and there. Sometimes we have a little debate about it and she just needs a minute to 'buffer' (process things) and then we're on our way. Other times she really says no and then we take the easier route. Can always try again another day. Plus still getting out in the car to quieter spaces so she has a break from the more urban routes.

 

[splashgirl45]

Sounding much more positive, you are getting there ?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

It's so nice seeing her toodling along with her ears bobbing about, she just looks happier It's lovely ?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Thought I'd do another Ivy update. She is doing really well! There's some 'sticky' spots in the neighbourhood but generally we can walk most streets now. Often it's more of a 'please can we go my favourite green space' difference of opinion rather than so much her being worried. I still avoid some of the busier bits but given her overall level of 'nope' has reduced I think we can slowly introduce some more challenging sections (mainly because they lead us to other nicer bits of walk we can do). We're also very slowly introducing a couple of shops/cafe/pub. This took some time when we first had her but we did get to the stage where she would start taking us to the pub and into the cafe she initially wouldn't walk on the same side of the road as, so we have hope she'll get confident again with the new places. It helps that so many places seem to have dog treats to hand!

 

[CrazyMare]

One of our greyhounds went through a phase of refusing to get out of the car to go for walks. It passed as soon as it started.

Greyhounds really are funny little creatures

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

One of our greyhounds went through a phase of refusing to get out of the car to go for walks. It passed as soon as it started.

Greyhounds really are funny little creatures

They really are! Now that she's more settled in the new house her character is coming through again, it's lovely. Most of the time. Sometimes quite sassy