Hi my lab came into season/heat the day before she turned 6 months old. She turns 7 months old in just over a week. we think we are just at the end of it now as it was three weeks yesterday since the season started. we have noticed some behaviour changes when walking her. At first we thought she had become scared of the main road, where she would freak out at the sound of any cars or motorbikes speeding and would become restless when trying to cross the road through stand still traffic. We put this down to her being in season and walked her around the estate where we live only, to keep her away from the main road and also avoid any male dogs. now we have noticed that she will flat out refuse to walk in certain directions. She will sit/lie down and not budge. We’re unsure whether it’s to avoid the main road or to go in the opposite direction, which is the park. Luring her with treats rarely works, and if it does, it gets us a few steps before she stops again. if we do give in, she will pull to the direction she wants to walk in, nearly pulling us to the floor in the process. Any advice or ideas where this could have come from? Her lead walking was doing really well right up until her season. We’re unsure whether it could be her season that has changed things or some kind of teenage behaviour change? I am currently pregnant and feel unable to walk her at the moment through fear of her pulling me over
It sounds like she might not be getting enough exercise in general. Does she have a walk off the lead where she can move around sniffing her way along at her pace and run. Could you break the cycle by going out in the car to somewhere completely different? I have never had a bitch so I don’t know if this could be the reason but maybe others can help. A walk to the park sound much more exciting than a walk round the estate so maybe she is just stating a preference!They can be very stubborn dogs with long memories.
Hillary (4.5 years) was speyed around two months ago. Frankly, there has been no discernible change in her behaviour. She gets a 30 minute run off lead daily and seems totally satisfied with that and a sniff-a-thon!
