[yorkietalkjilly]

Nothing that you know has happened of to traumatize her happened but some sound you can't hear, smell you can't pick up or the sight of something she's worried about - say of a new dog in a yard or a new structure being erected(a carport), a new big truck parked in a driveway, new lawn furniture, a new sprinkler system or pool being dug in a yard, unearthing smells and things from underground or things like that can cause a dog to become uncomfortable or feeling unsafe on their usual walk. Often, we never know what worries out dogs but it is our job to help them work through it w/out becoming neurotic or nervous.

Try walking her when she's very, very hungry and using nothing but freshly boiled chicken in your fist, taken out and held before her nose once she balks, to bait her into walking on. Hold it near her nose and urge her forward to get it or toss it ahead on the sidewalk, only eventually giving it to her if she's walked another few feet.

If this doesn't work, try using her prey drive - whirling and squeaking a squeaky toy or favorite tugowar or ball all around her head and face to bait her and work her up into wanting it - and then tossing it ahead on the sidewalk so she will move forward to get her prey, amped up by her instincts and not her anxiety. Encourage another two episodes of that moving forward per walking session and then take her home so that you show her whatever she's afraid of, the time of exposure to it is kept short and food or toys will help her face the problem in the back of her mind as she focuses on them and not her fears or worries. She will begin to see that nothing bad happens to her on her walk and besides that, good food and toys are now offered up to help her along.

As she begins to walk on, you can gradually increase her walking sessions into more and more time but never move forward to longer walks as long as she's acting anxious or balking. Taking her up to the various houses and yards and the dogs in them to allow her to sniff them more closely while she's fed treats could also help her feel less anxious - help familiarize her with the scents and sights and things that could be worrying her.

I'd also change up the walk, moving to the opposite side of the street, walking the opposite way on the block, and even changing her collar/harness, lead so that she's got nothing but new, less worrisome things that she associates with the old walk that worried her. Anytime she balks, you could try immediately turning and walking in the opposite direction or a tight, fast circle for a while and then turning right around and walking back again just to see if the change-up will help redirect her mind.