My Spaniel

[welshlibranr]

My spaniel bitch is lovely and friendly, very curious and a bit of a coward where larger dogs are concerned, she has decided that we have to go the way she decides when out for our walks, she's so stubborn and sits down and won't move, if I try to make her walk the I want to go she then lies down and I cannot move her!......does anyone understand this behaviour, and more to the point , know how I can correct it, I must add that she has always been very stubborn, she's 2 years and 7 months old and is spayed.......it's embarrassing when she decides she doesn't want to go the way I do, and passers by think it funny!...I don't find it funny at all, and don't understand why she does it, when my husband takes her out she never does this!...........

[FredPuli43]

Curious. I had a Yorkie that did this , but only when she thought she had walked far enough and wanted to go back. Yours sounds just perverse. And she's winning. What happens if you immediately go back the way you came? Does she still stay fixed or does she follow? And if you pick her up, walk a few yards. and put her down, does she still do it ? If you try that, she may get the idea that she can't win.

[Ratty2E]

Has she just started doing this? If it's one particular place (or somewhere that looks similar to it) she doesn't want to go then maybe something has spooked her and getting her confidence back could be a long haul and maybe the place is best avoided. If she's just started doing this just to be a little madam and you are sure its not because of pain or fear then you need to get Alpha and show her it's you that decides not her. I wouldn't pick her up as that could encourage her to do it more as she gets a free ride and a cuddle on demand, the last thing you want to do is reward her. You might look a bit of a looney but when you are walking keep turning and going back on yourself or zig zagging anything so that she has no idea where you are going. I would also suggest she wears a halti or a harness so that she is easier to control, just remember you are in control not her but don't forget to reward her too when she is complying.

[divegirl]

Totally agree with Ratty here.

Here's a really simple training game/exercise to do with her.

Find a road that is quiet but has lots of parked cars. Get a handful of a much loved treat [liver cake always works with mine]. Have her on a slack lead and in sit. Call her name and walk off, weave in and out of the cars and repeat a command, I use 'With me!' Every so often... Good Girl.. and treat but do not stop moving.
The idea of this is she has to anticipate your move and she will do this by watching you and wanting the next treat.
Yes you will get looked at but I promise a good few repeats of this over a week or so will have her walking much better.

If you have the manual dexterity you can do this as part of clicker training. But holding the dog, the treats and the clicker can get confusing if you don't know what you're doing lol

Good luck.

Lisa x

[welshlibranr]

thanks all for your advice!......know that she needs to know that I am alpha and not her!...........have given in to her I fear for a quiet life!...........it's about to change!.......

[divegirl]

haha.. nice one, at least you know where to start.

Let us know how you get on.

Lisa x

[welshlibranr]

We seem to be doing a little better now, I am refusing to dance to Callie's tune, and have taken your advice Lisa, we are zig zagging and going back on ourselves, the neighbours are now convinced that I'm losing it by the way!..but hey ho!...I don't care, it's helping!..

[welshlibranr]

quick update!....Callie did so much better today, she came the way I wanted to go mostly, and when she didn't I turned around and went back, she then came with me, she's getting the message slowly, she's a stubborn girl, but feel like I'm winning now!........