Yorkie stops during walk - YorkieTalk.com Forums

OliverMylo · 08-03-2012, 03:57 AM

Hi, new member here with an issue during walks. I have 3 dogs, a 3 and 6 year old yorkie and an 1.5 year affenpinscher. Within the last 1-2 months the oldest yorkie has taken to stopping during walks and refusing to go anywhere, this usually happens during the first few minutes of the walk, but occasionally happens after 10 minutes or so.

When I try to pull him, he resists and will not move, many times he sits down. Sometimes after kneeling with him, rubbing his head and telling him he is a good boy he will continue the walk with no issues, but most of the time he seems to want to go home. The other 2 dogs are completely normal and the three of them get along great.

He was recently at the vet for a normal checkup with no issues, and seems to be very healthy. The only thing we have noticed it that he snores during sleep occasionally and snorts when he initially lies down, sometimes he does this after lying for bit, its not something that he continually does. He also tends to get overexcited when playing and pants a lot if he is warm, I do not let him overdo it, escpecially if it is warm. I'm really not quite sure how to get him to walk again, or if it might be health related.

Any suggestions?

gracielove · 08-03-2012, 04:31 AM

You are using a harness right? Are they where you can see them at all times? Could one of them maybe be tripping up the one that does not want to walk? Has he always liked to walk up until now?

Maybe the heat bothers him? If he is having an issue in the trachea area he could be having a breathing problem when he walks. He could have some constriction of the airway as he walks. Maybe try walking him by himself a couple of times so you can observe how he acts. You can then see if the speed you are walking at has anything to do with how he does also.

BLowry · 08-03-2012, 04:42 AM

Sadie will do this but it's because she has to poop! once she does her business we are off and walking again...if this isn't the case with your little one, maybe the pavement is too hot for his feet? sore knee? or just plain doesn't want to go!

OliverMylo · 08-03-2012, 04:58 AM

I was actually thinking about trying to take him for a walk alone tonight after it cools down and see how it goes. I know that he does not like the heat, so I walk them early in the morning and late at night, or not at all if it is too hot. When it is hot he is lethargic and pants when warm, as do most dogs. And yes I am walking him with a harness which is not too tight, the three of them are usually slightly in front of me, and the others are not tripping him, they are all usually right next to each other.

I don't think he has any kind of joint pain, as last night he did this on our walk, and about an hour later I took them outside to play ball and he was tearing around the yard having a blast.

The only thing I can think of is he might have a bit of trouble breathing in the heat/humidity, thankfully for him the weather should start to cool down soon as he has always loved fall walks, hopefully this is just a phase.

yavenay · 08-03-2012, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OliverMylo

Hi, new member here with an issue during walks. I have 3 dogs, a 3 and 6 year old yorkie and an 1.5 year affenpinscher. Within the last 1-2 months the oldest yorkie has taken to stopping during walks and refusing to go anywhere, this usually happens during the first few minutes of the walk, but occasionally happens after 10 minutes or so.

When I try to pull him, he resists and will not move, many times he sits down. Sometimes after kneeling with him, rubbing his head and telling him he is a good boy he will continue the walk with no issues, but most of the time he seems to want to go home. The other 2 dogs are completely normal and the three of them get along great.

He was recently at the vet for a normal checkup with no issues, and seems to be very healthy. The only thing we have noticed it that he snores during sleep occasionally and snorts when he initially lies down, sometimes he does this after lying for bit, its not something that he continually does. He also tends to get overexcited when playing and pants a lot if he is warm, I do not let him overdo it, escpecially if it is warm. I'm really not quite sure how to get him to walk again, or if it might be health related.

Any suggestions?

Brandi does this but usually going in the opposite direction.....heading back home. She will just stop and no amount of begging will get her to walk again. I usually have to pick her up and walk a few steps. When I put her back down she will walk again.
I think in my case Brandi just isn't ready to go home yet and want's to stay outside.

gracielove · 08-03-2012, 06:18 AM

Since you mentioned the sounds he is making when he lies down and when he sleeps I guess I would suspect some kind of breathing issue. I'm sure the humidity bothers them all to some extent but one with an airway issue may be bothered a bit more. Hopefully, it is not something serious but since Yorkies are prone to degenerative issues in the trachea area that just may be something to watch for especially with the weather changes. Delicate airways can be reactive to small changes. I hope he gets feeling better soon.

OliverMylo · 08-03-2012, 07:59 AM

When he was when he was a puppy he regularly made a honking sound, as if he had a collapsing trachea, although he outgrew it by the time he was 8ish months old.

I'm gonna try to take him for walks on his own all weekend when its cool, and bring some water along and see what happens, if there is no improvement I think another vet visit might be in order. I'll report back.

OliverMylo · 08-13-2012, 07:19 AM

So over the last week I have been experimenting with this.

I had him groomed so that I knew that his nails were not bothering him, I took him for a walk on his own, where he stopped once, but after that he was fine, it was about a 20 minute walk that he really enjoyed.

I took him either alone or with the others on cool mornings so that heat was not an issue, and he continued to stop, most of the time he seemed to want to go home, although when I turned around with him he headed away from the house, so maybe is wanting some new scenery, although we have lots of routes that we normally take. He seemed to do this more with the other dogs than alone, although they all get along amazingly well.
Yesterday was cool outside, we made it about 5 minutes from the house where he would not go any further, I turned around and he still would not move, he kept giving me the sad puppy dog eyes. I carried him for a bit and put him down and he seemed fine. I got him home, took him in the backyard on his own and had a very high energy game of fetch, he was tearing around the yard having a blast, so definitely no health issue that is visible.
The only thing I can think of is that he is now 6, and is becoming stubborn, he is the pack leader and likes to get his own way. I'll keep experimenting and see how it goes.

cory · 08-13-2012, 08:39 AM

One of our previous yorkies used to do this all of the time. She would only walk so far from the house and then wanted to turn around and head back to the house. She wouldn't move. If we walked back to the house I'd walk her in the other direction and the same thing would happen, after walking so far she'd freeze up and want to walk back home.

I mentioned this to our vet and she said that lots of dog's have a phobia of being too far from the house and that this was quite common. I'm pretty sure with her anyway that this was the problem. She was so OCD about this and it drove me nuts. LOL

luvlee · 08-13-2012, 01:21 PM

Lucy stops all the time. I think you should put him in a BUDDY BELT harness. When Lucy stops (and sits) she is gently lifted back to her feet and we get going again.

Sometimes, the dog is just tired. We have picked her up and walked her back. Or picked her up and walked for a little bit, then put her down again.

Your yorkie may not be able to keep up with the other pups in the family. Even my 5.6 lb puppy gets heavy on the arm. If you're taking a long walk, maybe you can bring a sling or something to carry him in if he tires.

I also found that (especially in the heat) carrying a doggie water bottle helps - even on short walks. When Lucy seems to start breathing through her mouth as we walk, then I stop and give her a drink. It works.

Good luck. Our babies are supposed to be a little bit stubborn too - so there's that.

Tracey

08-03-2012, 03:57 AM	#1
OliverMylo YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: fort erie Posts: 4	Yorkie stops during walk Hi, new member here with an issue during walks. I have 3 dogs, a 3 and 6 year old yorkie and an 1.5 year affenpinscher. Within the last 1-2 months the oldest yorkie has taken to stopping during walks and refusing to go anywhere, this usually happens during the first few minutes of the walk, but occasionally happens after 10 minutes or so. When I try to pull him, he resists and will not move, many times he sits down. Sometimes after kneeling with him, rubbing his head and telling him he is a good boy he will continue the walk with no issues, but most of the time he seems to want to go home. The other 2 dogs are completely normal and the three of them get along great. He was recently at the vet for a normal checkup with no issues, and seems to be very healthy. The only thing we have noticed it that he snores during sleep occasionally and snorts when he initially lies down, sometimes he does this after lying for bit, its not something that he continually does. He also tends to get overexcited when playing and pants a lot if he is warm, I do not let him overdo it, escpecially if it is warm. I'm really not quite sure how to get him to walk again, or if it might be health related. Any suggestions?

08-03-2012, 04:42 AM	#3
BLowry My furkids Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 4,625 Blog Entries: 1	Sadie will do this but it's because she has to poop! once she does her business we are off and walking again...if this isn't the case with your little one, maybe the pavement is too hot for his feet? sore knee? or just plain doesn't want to go! __________________ Brenda

08-03-2012, 04:31 AM	#2
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	You are using a harness right? Are they where you can see them at all times? Could one of them maybe be tripping up the one that does not want to walk? Has he always liked to walk up until now? Maybe the heat bothers him? If he is having an issue in the trachea area he could be having a breathing problem when he walks. He could have some constriction of the airway as he walks. Maybe try walking him by himself a couple of times so you can observe how he acts. You can then see if the speed you are walking at has anything to do with how he does also.

08-03-2012, 04:58 AM	#4
OliverMylo YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: fort erie Posts: 4	I was actually thinking about trying to take him for a walk alone tonight after it cools down and see how it goes. I know that he does not like the heat, so I walk them early in the morning and late at night, or not at all if it is too hot. When it is hot he is lethargic and pants when warm, as do most dogs. And yes I am walking him with a harness which is not too tight, the three of them are usually slightly in front of me, and the others are not tripping him, they are all usually right next to each other. I don't think he has any kind of joint pain, as last night he did this on our walk, and about an hour later I took them outside to play ball and he was tearing around the yard having a blast. The only thing I can think of is he might have a bit of trouble breathing in the heat/humidity, thankfully for him the weather should start to cool down soon as he has always loved fall walks, hopefully this is just a phase.

08-03-2012, 06:18 AM	#6
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	Since you mentioned the sounds he is making when he lies down and when he sleeps I guess I would suspect some kind of breathing issue. I'm sure the humidity bothers them all to some extent but one with an airway issue may be bothered a bit more. Hopefully, it is not something serious but since Yorkies are prone to degenerative issues in the trachea area that just may be something to watch for especially with the weather changes. Delicate airways can be reactive to small changes. I hope he gets feeling better soon.

08-03-2012, 07:59 AM	#7
OliverMylo YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: fort erie Posts: 4	When he was when he was a puppy he regularly made a honking sound, as if he had a collapsing trachea, although he outgrew it by the time he was 8ish months old. I'm gonna try to take him for walks on his own all weekend when its cool, and bring some water along and see what happens, if there is no improvement I think another vet visit might be in order. I'll report back.

08-13-2012, 07:19 AM	#8
OliverMylo YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: fort erie Posts: 4	So over the last week I have been experimenting with this. I had him groomed so that I knew that his nails were not bothering him, I took him for a walk on his own, where he stopped once, but after that he was fine, it was about a 20 minute walk that he really enjoyed. I took him either alone or with the others on cool mornings so that heat was not an issue, and he continued to stop, most of the time he seemed to want to go home, although when I turned around with him he headed away from the house, so maybe is wanting some new scenery, although we have lots of routes that we normally take. He seemed to do this more with the other dogs than alone, although they all get along amazingly well. Yesterday was cool outside, we made it about 5 minutes from the house where he would not go any further, I turned around and he still would not move, he kept giving me the sad puppy dog eyes. I carried him for a bit and put him down and he seemed fine. I got him home, took him in the backyard on his own and had a very high energy game of fetch, he was tearing around the yard having a blast, so definitely no health issue that is visible. The only thing I can think of is that he is now 6, and is becoming stubborn, he is the pack leader and likes to get his own way. I'll keep experimenting and see how it goes.

08-13-2012, 08:39 AM	#9
cory BANNED! Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Canada Posts: 471	One of our previous yorkies used to do this all of the time. She would only walk so far from the house and then wanted to turn around and head back to the house. She wouldn't move. If we walked back to the house I'd walk her in the other direction and the same thing would happen, after walking so far she'd freeze up and want to walk back home. I mentioned this to our vet and she said that lots of dog's have a phobia of being too far from the house and that this was quite common. I'm pretty sure with her anyway that this was the problem. She was so OCD about this and it drove me nuts. LOL

08-13-2012, 01:21 PM	#10
luvlee YT Addict Join Date: May 2012 Location: secaucus, nj Posts: 483	Lucy stops all the time. I think you should put him in a BUDDY BELT harness. When Lucy stops (and sits) she is gently lifted back to her feet and we get going again. Sometimes, the dog is just tired. We have picked her up and walked her back. Or picked her up and walked for a little bit, then put her down again. Your yorkie may not be able to keep up with the other pups in the family. Even my 5.6 lb puppy gets heavy on the arm. If you're taking a long walk, maybe you can bring a sling or something to carry him in if he tires. I also found that (especially in the heat) carrying a doggie water bottle helps - even on short walks. When Lucy seems to start breathing through her mouth as we walk, then I stop and give her a drink. It works. Good luck. Our babies are supposed to be a little bit stubborn too - so there's that. Tracey