As hard as it is to believe, some dogs don’t like to go for a daily stroll. Here’s what to do when your dog doesn’t like to go for walks.
The fastest way to generate excitement in my household is to head to the kitchen drawer where I keep the poop bags. Just opening the drawer sends my two dogs into a frantic tizzy as we both anticipate a nice long walk with poop-filled bags. As I reach for their harnesses and strap them in, they can barely contain their excitement which includes silly wriggles and wagging tails. We step onto the porch and they sit on command – panting excitedly.
Yet about 50 feet in, they lose both steam and interest and I find myself walking with two dogs who are dawdling well behind, barely interested in keeping up. If they were kids, I’ve no doubt I’d be listening to the classic “are we there yet”?
Now, I know its not down to age, hot temperatures, icy sidewalks, or joints that ache from too much weight because this doesn’t happen at a leash-free park. In fact, when they see another dog while we’re out walking, they perk right up and trot along like show ponies. My frustration is that when we walk at a snail’s pace, it doesn’t feel like they’re getting the right measure of exercise from our outings. Nor are they engaging in a lot of the interesting sights and scents around them. They’re simply indulging me.
So, what’s the solution to keeping my dogs enthused about our walks – at least to the extent that they’ll actually motor along beside me? It seems to be down to keeping these excursions interesting for Rover. And switching it up to keep your dog on his toes is actually easier than you might think. Here are a few ideas:
