explain this dog behaviour

[tigersaw]

1: Following a shower and doggy shampoo (which she doesn't mind) and a blow dry, she'll immediately find a patch of carpet and push herself around on it sideways snorting and growling, followed by running around point to point barking deleriously happy.
I figure this might be a scent kind of thing?

2: Towards the end of a walk either short or long and on the lead, she'll just slam on the brakes, then stare at you, not wanting a sniff or poo or anything. She wont move for 30 seconds and even then grumpily. This may happen several times. Neithe good cop or bad cop makes any difference. Once the estate gets close its back to full power.
This ones got me stumped.

[BigBaddad]

Who knows, all dogs are stupid except Pudsey.

[savage86]

and lassie

[dizzyblonde]

First ones easy, they all do it.

You washed off her stink, she wants it back! You want to be lucky your dog doesn't run outside and plunge into the nearest flower bed! Our bathroom is downstairs, and having a small horse for a dog means I have to carefully manoeuvre him under a towel, open the back door and release.......before the house gets soaked.

I tried a hairdryer once. It didn't end positively. He thought it was the vacuum cleaner and launched himself over all the,sofas to escape.

[minimorecambe]

My dog used to do the second one.
He just doesn't like walks as he is lazy. He even started hiding when you got his lead out.
There was many a time I would have to pull him along the floor on his side because he threw himself to the ground in protest.

[Bluepete]

For number two, take a few treats out with you. When he stops, get him moving again and give him a treat. Don't use the treat to get him going, only when he's been a good dog and set off again. Lots of praise each time too.

Pete ;)

[NTECUK]

1. Yes Mums youngest samoyed does that . Might be smell or maybe a drying thing.
Only does it on carpets .
2 Jester would stop . Look at you and not won't to budge .
If you turned around and went back the route you were going he was happy.
I guess he had been far enough.
He dint figure out it was shorter to keep going round the village though lol.

[Von Teese]

1. Feeling all clean and fluffy and lighter after a bath is an unnatural feeling for dogs and makes them go all silly rushing around and rubbing over things.
It does also does have to do with the fact that they don't smell like themselves anymore but more to do with they way their skin and coat feels and also a bit of the fact that the 'confinement period' is over and they are 'free' again.

2. This one depends on a lot of factors and you haven't given me enough information to make my mind up about it so:
- does she enjoy her walks?
- does this happen in the same spot each time?
- what type of collar do you use?
- what motivates her ie: treats, attention or toys?
- what breed is she?
- what do you do when she does this?
- is there anything of attention around this area (or anything smelly)?

[tigersaw]

2. This one depends on a lot of factors and you haven't given me enough information to make my mind up about it so:
- does she enjoy her walks?
- does this happen in the same spot each time?
- what type of collar do you use?
- what motivates her ie: treats, attention or toys?
- what breed is she?
- what do you do when she does this?
- is there anything of attention around this area (or anything smelly)?


She's a Cairn terrier, and she loves her walks. They tend to be varied, some last an hour, some just a 20 minute walk round the block so I figured its not due to being tired. Its not in the same place as the walks are different, but does tend to be towards the end.
She does not like treats, wont even look at them on a walk, though she is given one as a reward after eating her dinner, where she will play with it and expect you to play hide and seek around the house - the game is over when she eats it.
Collars vary too, ones a traditional leather with holes, one is a adjustable one that clicks, and she has several leads too. She is off the lead when not near roads, tends to stay close unless chasing squirrels.
I've tried a few things, just waiting with her; she moves on after a short while but does it again after a short time, Dragging her; she resists with all her might then gives up, going the other way; no real difference, dropping the lead and walking on; she stands there, finds something to sniff then follows slowly. I've tried just sitting down on the pavement next to her and making a fuss, she just stands there and looks at me like I'm the idiot.
The only thing that works is her ball - fetch that out and she goes crackers for it, but I like to keep that for reward for coming when called.
Shes not my dog, I look after her now and then, but I know shes does the same for her owner. She's now 6 and was never 'trained' as such, but is well behaved and never agressive.

[Fallout]

Possibly she knows she's heading home and it's a protest stop. Duke has a good cry when he finally gets home and realises the walk is over. Also perhaps it's a protest at the route being taken. What happens if you go back the other way?

[tigersaw]

Possibly she knows she's heading home and it's a protest stop. Duke has a good cry when he finally gets home and realises the walk is over. Also perhaps it's a protest at the route being taken. What happens if you go back the other way?

Tried that, seems to work sometimes, as if its a new walk, but she'll do it again if in the mood.
You might be right, but after an hour and a few miles you'd think all she wanted would be to get home for a big drink and a snooze.

[missyburd]

Possibly she knows she's heading home and it's a protest stop.

That's what I would have said. Then when she gets on the home straight brain switches from "WALK" mode to associate home with "FOOD" mode and she goes back to full power.

The Malamute I'm walking for a mate atm made me laugh while out the other day, we took a right when we'd come to a fork in the road. She gives me a questioning growl to which I say (in front of a very amused group of 4 people) "What, didn't you want to go this way?" Lol. Funny dog.

[punyXpress]

Tried that, seems to work sometimes, as if its a new walk, but she'll do it again if in the mood.
You might be right, but after an hour and a few miles you'd think all she wanted would be to get home for a big drink and a snooze.

Answered your own question - the female ( any species ) is ALWAYS contrary!

[Fallout]

The Malamute I'm walking for a mate atm made me laugh while out the other day, we took a right when we'd come to a fork in the road. She gives me a questioning growl to which I say (in front of a very amused group of 4 people) "What, didn't you want to go this way?" Lol. Funny dog.

Where I walk our pup it's full of different paths snaking off each other. Every 50 metres there's an alternative route. I make a point of always changing direction whenever he chooses the route. If I want to go the direction he's gone I stop, call him back, pretend to go another way, wait for him to sprint offthat way, then carry on the original route. Yeah I'm mean, but he knows who's leading the walk! :D

[missyburd]

Where I walk our pup it's full of different paths snaking off each other.
I'm exactly the same. But this isn't my dog, and the one time I took her up a street she's used to going up nearly every day with her actual owners and I break the trend, madam wasn't impressed ;)

[dizzyblonde]

Best ones when we confuse Bob. One of us walks off over the road, whilst the other carries on with him. He gets so upset and confused and bounces around telling you to come back.

He never stops on a walk, he just keeps going like a Duracell bunny!

[Von Teese]

She's a Cairn terrier
Terriers are notoriously stubborn and resistant to change. I agree with the others and tend to think that she is not keen on returning home yet once she passes her 'point of no return' she will accept that you are returning home and offer no further passive resistance.

What does her owner do when she does this?
she is given one as a reward after eating her dinner
Is this by her owner...a reward for eating her dinner? Wow, my dogs will move straight in with you right this second. I am guessing that she is perhaps a little spoiled then and used to getting her own way?

I've tried a few things, just waiting with her; she moves on after a short while but does it again after a short time, Dragging her; she resists with all her might then gives up, going the other way; no real difference, dropping the lead and walking on; she stands there, finds something to sniff then follows slowly. I've tried just sitting down on the pavement next to her and making a fuss, she just stands there and looks at me like I'm the idiot.
Hee hee sounds like she has you well trained.
I would recommend a lupi harness which fits around the body. It will tighten with resistance. What you want to achieve is for her to walk home without this battle of wills so you need to pretend that according to you everything is going smoothly and that her stopping hasn't been noticed. With the Lupi it will tighten around her if she resists. Carry on walking at the same pace and do not turn around, look at her or touch her, do not make any eye contact. Just keep walking, when the lupi tightens keep going. She should feel pressure around her which will encourage her to move forward (but terriers can be very stubborn as I said). Once you keep her moving on for a minute or what you deem to be a reasonable amount of time since she stopped, stop yourself, get her to sit and give her a fuss to drive the message home that if a stop is initiated it is on your terms not hers.
With dog behaviour there are so many ways to tackle problems, you can only try different methods as you have done until you hit upon what the problem is. I think that she has learned that stopping is a way for her to extend her time outside on the walk, a way of controlling you and also getting attention (whether it be negative or positive).
If this doesn't work let me know and we can try a few other things.
It is also important to assess how she is treated and behaves at home, it may be that she thinks she is the pack leader and is doing a 'meerkat' type check to make sure the family 'territory' is safe before returning home.

I like to keep that for reward for coming when called.
Good, recall is the most important of the commands so a 'high value' reward in her mind for coming when she is called is an excellent training aid. If she enjoys attention you can use this as a lesser value reward for slightly less important training.

Good luck x

[_Stretchie_]

I tried a hairdryer once. It didn't end positively. He thought it was the vacuum cleaner and launched himself over all the,sofas to escape.

Ha haa, only slightly related but I've pointed the air blow gun from the compressor at Stig, he goes bannannanna's trying to get it

[daveyrach]

My Bischon Frise does the second thing and my Yorkie does the face wiping thing.

With the stopping thing if you coax her with treats then once the house is out of sight she is fine.

The Yorkie I think is drying his face coz he does it after drinking aswell.

[missyburd]

Hmm...a recurring theme...is this just a stubborn small dog thing? Maybe they don't like the cold? :-P

[minimorecambe]

Best ones when we confuse Bob. One of us walks off over the road, whilst the other carries on with him. He gets so upset and confused and bounces around telling you to come back.

He never stops on a walk, he just keeps going like a Duracell bunny!

Me and Gav do this with Max but he will try and run to me if I am not next to him.

If I have Max on the lead he will just come with me and not care where anyone else is, if he is off the lead and I call him while Gav is calling him, he will come to me.

When Gav has him on the lead he will not walk if I am not walking next to him, I find it quite amusing going in front and shouting Max as he wants to get to me ASAP so Gav gets his arm yanked off.

[tigersaw]

Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Tried a couple of things, I missed out the bit where she hits the brakes, but she found another. Tried letting her carry her ball the last 1/4 mile, made her happy but she still did it.
I'm not overly fussed as its often a chance to relight my rolley, but I find it unusual.