Bella is 16 weeks, and she hates going for walks.
Is this normal and just due to her age and her still getting used to the big wide world? I've looked through the forum boards for similar threads, but haven't come across any.
Before she was fully vaccinated, I carried her everywhere in a bag so she'd be well socialised. In the last few weeks of that she would whimper more and more, and seem to want to get down and explore. But since she's been able to safely go on the ground, she doesn't seem to enjoy it in the slightest. I started with just short walks - around ten minutes - to daughter's school and back. All the way there she whimpers, keeps stopping and sitting down, and wants to be picked up. On the way back she pulls like a train. I'm following 'the perfect puppy' method of standing still every time she pulls. I say 'ah' as she reaches the extent of the lead, and don't move again until there's some slack. This means that it takes about 20 mins to get down our (very short) cul de sac!
If I run with her, to avoid her pulling, then she just runs absolutely full pelt to home.
Soooooo.... I figured if the on lead wasn't working, I'd try to make walks pleasant with off lead exercise. We've been taking her to nice safe locations and walking her for around 20 minutes. Again, as we walk out there's lots of whimpering and jumping up to be picked up, and on the way back she picks up our scent and just takes off when we get near to the car. I have to put her on the lead on the way back now because on one occasion she took off and ran full pelt back to the car - in a car park by a road - I was terrified! Her recall is good otherwise, but obviously that's useless if she doesn't recall in a dangerous situation!
She isn't interested in games when we're out, and has very little interest in treats - when we're at home, she's very motivated by both. If my OH carries her whilst we're out, she gets very obviously cross and is determined that I should carry her instead (the whimpering takes on a very cross tone and she mouths us both). If I carry her she settles down completely. If we stop and settle in one place, she doesn't whimper and explores quite happily - it's the actual walking that she doesn't like. She was very scared of other dogs to start with, but that's improved a lot and she's cautiously interested and friendly now.
Should I be concerned about this and get her checked out by the vet for any discomfort she may be experiencing that could mean she doesn't want to walk? She runs around in the house and garden like a lunatic. Or should I just keep on with the short walks and trying to make them a nice experience for her?
