Whining on walk...thoughts?

P3LH

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 January 2017
Messages
1,024
Visit site
A strange one. I don’t necessarily expect anyone to have an answer but thought I’d ask.

Rough collie. Well smooth collie but came out rough. Breed, not type of border collie. Nearing 8 years. Male. Intact. Generally quite skittish over weird things (e.g flies/butterflies for example) with no rhyme nor reason. Not out of character for either breed. Always been the same. Well socialised as a puppy, quite bombproof until entered that second fear stage as a juvenile and then just became a bit obsessive about certain things. Nothing significant as such, and generally a happy dog. Fairly easy going with most things, reacts weirdly to weird stuff that leaves me scratching my head as to why. Not things he’s had a bad experience with, just weird things or situations. Imagine a very tetchy thoroughbred, and that’s him.

Since young he’s never liked to stop on walks. He would whine. Always a thing. So he’s not one I would take out for a social walk with friends for example. He’s a very much ‘down to business’ chap, a walk is for walking or gallivanting and then home to sleep—no time for messing. That’s fine.

Lately I have noticed he will sometimes (it’s not every walk) whine obsessively when on lead. Fine off lead but if on lead he whines just as he would have once done when we’d stopped. He has done it this afternoon and got quite stressed out, over nothing. Nothing new had happened. Nothing unusual. But he whined the whole way and then had a pop at the other rough (I would say redirecting his stress as both of them do from time to time whilst corgi Sherman tank looks at me in a way that I’m sure is her version of rolling her eyes in disgust)

In fine health as recently gave the three of them an MOT at the vets just because the eldest one was a bit stiff and grizzly so killed three birds with one stone.

Checked collar. Checked feet. Nothing obvious that’s sparked it. Nothing obvious lately that’s preceded it becoming a thing.

My gut says it’s him just being his usual weird self (all roughs are sensitive but he is the most sensitive dog I’ve ever met)....but wondered if anyone else had encountered anything similar
 
Last edited:

paisley

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 August 2005
Messages
910
Visit site
Possibly boredom? I only say as mine whinges if we stop and chat, and has been a bit quiet for walks, but as soon as we do a new route/see dog friends on chance he perks up. We also have stopped driving to new places for obvious reasons, Plus he hates mud, and theres no getting away from it!
Maybe theres on lead training you can do, as a distraction/reassurance? Possibly it might disappear once we can all go out to new spots?
 
Top