Behavioural Change

[Blowin]

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Our well trained Lab/German Shepherd neutered 4-year-old has begun over the last few months to seem afraid to proceed with walks he knows well.   He never goes on the lead for walks.

The symptoms are that we'll set off on one of our regular routes (deep country, little or no traffic, field walks included) which he seems enthusiastic for, but he'll suddenly sit down, ears back, and refuse to go any further.  Even the early morning (0530) 3-mile one he always does got the same treatment this morning.  A general uncertainty seems to surround him and he keeps looking back at us for reassurance every few yards.  The only fixed event we know of was a few weeks back he took a hit off an electric fence.  At home he's pretty normal and will play energetically.  It's just when he's out.

Unfortunately, because of our ultra-rural location, veterinary practices aren't the most sophisticated and anything like scans etc. are referred to our main centre 50 miles away so does anyone have any suggestions as to what the trouble might be?  We're semi-prepared for the brain tumour verdict, but obviously hope not.

 

[JoanneF]

Did the behaviour start before the electric fence incident? If so it's not likely to be related. If the fence preceded the behaviour it might trigger the behaviour. Dogs make strange associations, I read once about a dog sleeping under a coffee table who woke and banged his head on the table but 'blamed' the ceiling fan and growled at it every time he saw it after.

Is it every walk? Every time of day? As soon as you leave or at a particular stage in the walk? Could it be a pain? Sorry for all the questions. One thing that might be encouraging is that if it were a brain tumour I don't think you would see symptoms only on walks.

 

[Blowin]

We certainly only noticed it after the fence incident.  For a while it only happened when I took him out, not with my wife, and the place where he sat and refused to go any further wasn't always the same one.  No limp or other sign of pain.  He's now started doing it with my wife.  One strange phenomenon is that, when he stops, if we put him on the lead, he'll trot along quite happily and even pull strongly.  This morning, with my wife unwell in bed with shingles, I took him out for his normal 3 mile walk.  We got just outside the gate and he stopped.  I put the lead on, he pulled, so I let him off.  50 yards further on he stopped again.  Lead on again, he pulled, so again I let him off.  300 yards further on, another stop and process repeated.  50 yards, same again, but the rest of the walk passed without incident.

The only possible explanation we can come up with is that the lead represents security in some way and restores his confidence - but why the sudden change?  He's as soft as they come, but will charge up to any and everybody normally.

 

[JoanneF]

My dog is more confident on the lead sometimes, I'd suggest continuing to use it until his confidence returns.

 

[Blowin]

Thanks for that.  I had more or less the same performance this morning - lead on and off for the first quarter mile, then perfectly OK.  If no-one else comes up with info on an underlying condition, I'll do as you say.  Although I'm native Brit, I now live in Co Cork Ireland where dogs come under the same laws as pests.  It doesn't give one much confidence!!