Walkies!

Fi1805 · #1 25-10-11, 09:35 AM

Isla is now fully vaccinated and we are able to go out on walks - yippee!

So we went for our first walk last night, walking home from daycare after work. It was light when I started, but it got dark pretty quickly and she was a bit skittish with the headlights of passing cars. Stupidly, it hadn't really occured to me that it was going to get dark so fast so it was totally my fault.

Taking into acccount that it was her first walk (outside of the house and garden) she did brilliantly! But the car thing worried me a little, mostly because instead of running away, she tried to run after the cars. I resorted to putting her in a sit when some cars passed, or turning around and walking in the other direction to try to distract her. She was still accepting treats so I dont think she was overly stressed.

Do you think that she'll just get used to cars, or is this something that I should work on?

Incidentally, we went for another little walk this morning when it was light and she only went after one car and ignored all the rest so I do think the dark and headlights was a bit too much for her. She walked along beautifully this morning, considering how young she is

LindaM · #2 25-10-11, 09:49 AM

Hello

Nice to hear things have settled. Don't really know what to say to help but headlights coming in the dark and the noise of the traffic and not being able to see where the noise is what the lights are must be very scarey when first experienced.

Hope someone can help you and your lovely pup.

Linda

Broxi Bear · #3 25-10-11, 09:52 AM

If you have a local Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, etc you could try taking her there and if they have seats outside, just sit down and watch the world go by

. This way she will get used to lots of people (who will come up and make a fuss of her

) but it will also get her used to lots of different sounds, as well as traffic but in a safe and controlled environment.

BB

claire_88 · #4 25-10-11, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fi1805

Isla is now fully vaccinated and we are able to go out on walks - yippee!

So we went for our first walk last night, walking home from daycare after work. It was light when I started, but it got dark pretty quickly and she was a bit skittish with the headlights of passing cars. Stupidly, it hadn't really occured to me that it was going to get dark so fast so it was totally my fault.

Taking into acccount that it was her first walk (outside of the house and garden) she did brilliantly! But the car thing worried me a little, mostly because instead of running away, she tried to run after the cars. I resorted to putting her in a sit when some cars passed, or turning around and walking in the other direction to try to distract her. She was still accepting treats so I dont think she was overly stressed.

Do you think that she'll just get used to cars, or is this something that I should work on?

Incidentally, we went for another little walk this morning when it was light and she only went after one car and ignored all the rest so I do think the dark and headlights was a bit too much for her. She walked along beautifully this morning, considering how young she is

The first walk is so exciting! I don't think the cars are anything to worry about as long as you don't show Isla any uncertainty towards them.
Keep walking even change direction if you can to prompt her to concentrate on you instead of the big scary noisy machines beaming two very bright lights towards her eyes

Enjoy your walking today i'm off out with my two in a minute!

Fi1805 · #5 25-10-11, 10:24 AM

I was so proud of her walking along, bless her!

I used to carry her around so that she'd be used to traffic and people etc. After 3 weeks of that I was feeling every gram of weight that she'd put on - phew!

Maybe because she hadn't been at ground level with the cars, I think it must have been quite scary for her but she didnt seem scared, I was confused as to why she thought it was a good idea to run after the cars - maybe she was trying to chase them away because she didnt like them.

I guess just gentle and frequent exposure will get her used to it all.

I am so excited that we are finally able to go out and about!

sams mum · #6 25-10-11, 10:44 AM

ahhh lovely when your able to get them out for first walk... many more fun ones..

LOVEGSD · #7 25-10-11, 11:18 AM

Great to hear the first walk went well, all things are new and scary for a pup so try to ensure you don't react to scary things, praise her for any good and calm behaviour and perhaps when you go out in the dark again take lots of tasty high value treats so when you see a car coming towards you you can distract her with something nice and praise her for ignoring the headlights etc.

claire_88 · #8 25-10-11, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fi1805

I was so proud of her walking along, bless her!

I used to carry her around so that she'd be used to traffic and people etc. After 3 weeks of that I was feeling every gram of weight that she'd put on - phew!

Maybe because she hadn't been at ground level with the cars, I think it must have been quite scary for her but she didnt seem scared, I was confused as to why she thought it was a good idea to run after the cars - maybe she was trying to chase them away because she didnt like them.

there's a drive if i ever heard one

I guess just gentle and frequent exposure will get her used to it all.

I am so excited that we are finally able to go out and about!

Keep doing what your doing she will soon be beaming along without a care in the world

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOVEGSD

Great to hear the first walk went well, all things are new and scary for a pup so try to ensure you don't react to scary things, praise her for any good and calm behaviour and perhaps when you go out in the dark again take lots of tasty high value treats so when you see a car coming towards you you can distract her with something nice and praise her for ignoring the headlights etc.

very good advice.

Fi1805 · #9 26-10-11, 04:11 PM

We went out again this morning in the light and I took some hotdog to distract her from the cars.

If I ask her to sit, she does and she glances at the cars but doesnt react to them. Sometimes she will actually walk along and ignore the cars if I literally stick the hotdog in front of her nose.

But if we are walking along and I havent given a command, she chases after the cars! I'm a bit worried now that she's got such a high drive that she's going to run after cars, joggers, cyclists, not to mention animals large and small!

Am I blowing things out of proportion? I really don't want this to become an established behaviour.

Stuart · #10 26-10-11, 04:36 PM

She is so young, that it is understandable that the big scary cars worry her a little,..I think if you continue doing what you are doing now, and never let her chase the car, just keep talking to her, distracting her, and praising her when she has not reacted, I am sure she will grow out of it very soon,.... but remember you have to be consistant,.. and from what you said, you havent been as consistant as you should be,.. you have done right, and got a good reaction at times, and you have said she has chased at other time