# Fearful of Daily Exercise Routine after "incident"



## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

Need advice on best approach to get Sadie back into our several times per day walk and run on a loop around our property. 

About a week ago we were headed down the hill as usual on our normal loop where both our dogs run and play. A large jackrabbit came full speed around a blind corner and nearly knocked Sadie over. Normally a rabbit would of course run from her, so the whole incident surprised and scared her and she ran back to the house. 

Since then, with only a couple of exceptions, she refuses to go with us on the long walk and run but will go outside near the house, if she sees we are going further she will run back inside, so she is getting some exercise, just not "enough" running.

I can (literally) drag her in a harness for the first couple of hundred feet from the house, and then she will walk on leash to a midpoint on our loop and then she seems fine to run around and eventually home.

So, after all that, my question is: Should we just let her decide on her own when she will be OK with the old routine, or should we "force her" or what ? thanks


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

Don't force!! Encourage. Does she have an outdoor toy (ball, Frisbee)? Use it to play with her, moving farther away, little by little and going no farther than she wants to. Treats also - make going on that long walk the best thing ever,


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## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

Well she is back to running the full loop again. Had some minor success with treats, but mainly she just decided that she wanted to go back to her routine. Spent about an hour this morning running full loops.

Of course now she has invented another challenge and decided she hates the television. Not all shows, but most. As soon as a show she does not like comes on, she will slink out of the house and sit on the concrete pad in front of the garage staring at a tree and won't come back in the house until we turn the TV off. Oh well, we watch too much TV anyway.


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

NutterButter said:


> ... she will slink out of the house and sit on the concrete pad in front of the garage staring at a tree and won't come back in the house until we turn the TV off. ...


That's so funny.

She is conditioning you. You know those dog training books that you have laying around - she's been reading them when you're gone.


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## NutterButter (Mar 5, 2016)

Bob Engelhardt said:


> That's so funny.
> 
> She is conditioning you. You know those dog training books that you have laying around - she's been reading them when you're gone.


Funniest thing happened with a dog training book we have. Our Beagle mix pulled it off the bookshelf and chewed a corner off of it. Only time she ever touched a book ! Other than that she stuck to her chew toys.

Yes, I agree on the conditioning. Sadie has trained us well over the last couple of years, and keeps throwing new challenges our way just to keep us on our toes. :wink


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