Printable View
Our 12 month old puggle has a severe aversion to being walked on the street next to a curbside storm drain. As we approach a drain, she drags me to the other side of the street; we end up walking in a zig-zag pattern. We have had her since she was eight weeks old; we know of no incidents with her involving storm drains that may have caused this behavior. Has anybody every seen such an odd behavior? The cause? Thanks.
Zig-zagging in Virginia
Because she's such a small dog, I'd bet at some point one of her paws may have been caught for a second in a storm drain - briefly enough for you not to notice, but to scare her.
Whatever the case, you CAN desensitize her, so you don't end up zig-zagging all. When she starts to pull away, stop in your tracks. Make her sit if you have to, and wait, then walk toward the drain another few steps, stop and refuse to budge whenever she begins to pull away. Reward her with treats and praise when she walks straight, and continue over the drain. You may feel like you look silly to passers-by, but your arm socket will thank you in the long run! I know pugs are small, but they are like little tanks when they want to be!
Quote:
Originally Posted by docsok
My dog Smokey used to have an adversion to the fire hygrant we
passed ever day on a part of our walk. He would pull me to cross the
street every time. He very much had the zig zag behavior on walks
to avoid things or (people) he didn't like.
I tried everything to correct this, but nothing worked. Smokey eventually
loss his fear by himself, when I stopped making such a big deal out of it.:)
That is exactly what my toy poodle mix, Molli, does. She hates storm drains and will not go near them. I've worked on it with her by treating her and walking her past it. She still tenses up when we walk past a storm drain, but she will keep going and try to ignore it.
I think it's just how they're dark and big and just look scary to such a small pup.