What to do if the puppy is afraid to walk outside

Disease

Domestic dogs are completely dependent on the daily routine and pace of life of the owner. Thanks to the ability to adapt, within a short period of time, the dog’s body begins to work at a “comfortable” pace for it. It is thanks to this feature that adult pets tolerate going to the toilet and do not feel acute hunger between feedings.

Most owners whose dogs suddenly refuse to go for walks immediately suspect illness. There is some truth in these suspicions, especially if the dog has suddenly become apathetic.

The first thing to do if the dog refuses to go for a walk is:

• Superficial inspection - we check the condition of the fur, skin, paws, claws, eyes, ears, mouth.
• We examine the mucous membranes.
• We check the temperature of the mucous membranes and body.
• We monitor your appetite and drinking regime.
• We palpate the joints and abdominal area of ​​the dog.

Seasonal allergies

Almost all owners are well aware of the dangers of food allergies, but the dog's body can react sharply to dust, pollen and other bloom products. If your dog is allergic, during the flowering season of the grass he may feel ill when walking. You may not notice this visually, but allergy symptoms will make themselves felt:

• Swelling of the mucous membranes.
• Non-localized itching.
• Decreased appetite.
• Copious discharge from the eyes and nose.
• Cough, shortness of breath and other breathing problems.
• Skin irritation, even urticaria.
• Rarely and only in severe forms of allergies - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases

Joint inflammation is a common ailment in dogs, especially in older dogs. The following symptoms are observed with arthritis:

• The dog tries to move less.
• Weight gain occurs due to decreased activity.
• The pet is reluctant to walk on stairs.
• There is lameness, whining and other signs of discomfort when the dog gets up after sleeping.

Dysplasia of the elbow and hip joints. The problem is that most dogs are prone to dysplasia from birth. Symptoms:

• It is difficult for the dog to get up after sleep.
• Until the pet moves away, he has a wobbly gait. With hip dysplasia, a rabbit gait may be observed.
• If left untreated, the condition slowly but steadily worsens.
• At the slightest weight gain, the dog begins to avoid any activity.
• It is difficult for a pet to jump, maneuver while running, or walk up stairs.

The main problem with dysplasia is that it cannot be treated.

Methods of influence

So, what to do if your dog is afraid to go outside for a walk? First of all, the owner must establish a strong and trusting relationship with his dog. Until she sees him as her protector and “leader,” there is nothing to hope for any serious changes in the correction of her behavior. The next stage will be the systematic application of the recommendations of animal psychologists, which include:

1. If the puppy is afraid to go for a walk, then be sure to purchase a tray for him, where he can relieve his natural needs at home. Over time, with its help you can successfully train your puppy to leave the apartment. This procedure is carried out extremely simply - the owner just needs to move the tray to the front door every day until it is outside it. The animal, accordingly, will follow him, which will facilitate the process of overcoming the phobia.
2. If your dog is afraid of walking due to inconvenient accessories, buy him a long leash and a comfortable leather collar. Make sure that it fits snugly around your pet's neck and does not choke him. Discomfort can also arise due to a leash that is too short, preventing the dog from calmly exploring the space.
3. Dog handlers are convinced that with the help of games and affectionate treatment it is extremely easy to get an animal to go out into the yard. Address your dog in a cheerful and joyful voice: “Let's go for a walk” or “Do you want to play?” While doing this, pet your pet or give him some of his favorite treat. Motivate your furry friend to go for a walk and his fears will quickly disappear.
4. An excellent option for a timid pet is hunger. Don't feed your animal before going on a walk and then lure it out with treats. The instinct to satisfy hunger is inherent in a dog by nature itself, and it is stronger than any phobia. The only disadvantage of the method is that it is customary to walk with your four-legged friend after lunch, and not before it.
5. Dogs that are afraid of loud noises need to be walked for the first time away from intense stimuli. Choose a quiet park or vacant lot where your pet will gradually learn to be tolerant of the squeals and horns of passing cars. If a young animal is afraid of noise, then take it out to the balcony more often, let it get used to the “sound accompaniment” of a big city.
6. Experts advise owners to take a closer look at the personal preferences of their animals. It happens that a dog calmly walks in the dark and puts on a “concert” as soon as the owner takes the leash during the day. Take this aspect into account when ridding your pet of the fear of walking.
7. Another good method is to wait until the moment when the dog itself wants to go out into the yard. The owner can ask a friend who has a dog to come with him to his house, and then go outside together. The pet must be left at home, but given the opportunity to see that its owner will have fun and play with someone else's animal. Animal psychologists are confident that the feeling of jealousy is inherent in dogs no less than in humans, and if you skillfully play on it, then the fear of going for a walk will disappear forever.

Finally, I would like to say that a dog that is afraid of walking loses a lot in life. Such animals are not physically developed, are deprived of the joy of playing with the “leader”, shun their fellow tribesmen and have an unbalanced disposition. You need to accustom your pet to walks from a very early age, when his psyche has the necessary degree of flexibility to assimilate everything that the owner is trying to instill in him. If you miss this favorable time, then retraining the dog will be much more difficult.

Negative experience

If you are sure that your dog is physically healthy, but he still refuses to go for walks, think about what negative emotions might influence your pet’s decision.

Experience shows that a dog’s moral fear of the street can have the following reasons:

• The owner's behavior is too rude or strict.
• Recently experienced stress - a fight with another dog, fear, punishment.
• Decreased vision – As many dogs age, they develop retinal atrophy, which leads to partial blindness at dusk. If your dog refuses to go for an evening walk, we recommend that you contact your veterinarian and have your pet's eyes examined.
• Phobias - many dogs are afraid of loud noises, cars, larger relatives, and strangers.
• Bad weather – many dogs, especially furry ones, do not like to walk in rainy or windy weather. If your pet gets cold or feels uncomfortable in bad weather, you should consider buying a raincoat or other clothing.
• Hot weather - in the summer, walking for a pet can become torture, especially in the evening, when the asphalt is very hot. Make it a habit to check the temperature of the road surface before taking your dog for a walk.

The main reasons why a dog may be afraid to go outside for a walk

Most often, the reason for refusing daily walks is a certain fear of the dog due to the fact that it is not sufficiently socialized or adapted to the street. This condition can be observed in puppies that have been adopted and sheltered. In most cases, pets are kept in cages and this manifests itself when the owner tries to take the pet for a walk, he, in turn, begins to tremble, whine and hide in a corner.

Many experts insist that if the owner forces the dog to go outside with him, despite persistent refusal, then this causes very strong stress, which can significantly affect the general condition of the dog. Such training without desire is not the approach that will help the dog make contact with its breadwinner.

If a person begins to force an animal that does not want to obey to go for a walk, then the pet may begin to actively show aggressiveness and begin to defend itself, which, as it grows older, may manifest itself in the pet’s failure to make contact with its owner.

If you do not know the basic methods of training pets and cannot cope with your pet’s unstable psyche on your own, then in this case you need to seek help from specialists who will teach your pet to go for walks and the animal will no longer run and hide from you. Also, in some cases, the help of a zoopsychologist is required, and after this the pet usually simply makes contact.

As for the main reasons for this condition, which can occur in many puppies, they are mostly the following:

• fear of loud sounds or noises;
• The pet is very afraid of very bright light. This condition may indicate that the dog has some pathological disease;
• fear of the dark;
• previous injuries that the puppy had;
• the dog was beaten in the street;
• fear of people;
• fear of other pets that may have previously bitten the puppy.

Thus, this psychological problem should be solved as effectively as possible with the help of specialists, since it is not always possible to find a way out of the situation on your own.

There are also situations when a pet has been very cold outside in the past, therefore, you need to walk only in warm clothes or even reduce trips outside in winter.