FYI: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!

Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Home

Aussie Mix Crazy On Walks (But Only When I Least Suspect It)

by Alexandra
(Florida)

Hello! I recently adopted a 1 year old Aussie Mix from local rescue group. I live in an apartment and he is doing great; being a mix he's only around 35# and energy wise seems to settle right in and is up and ready to go during walks and play time and then content to sleep when everyone else is busy. The only problem I'm really having (outside from just some occasional puppy nipping) is his walks!

Being that I live in an apartment I really try to make sure his mental/physical needs are meet so food puzzles and at least 1hr and 1/2 walks throughout the day not counting short relief walks. During some of his evening walks however he seems to get in my opinion so excited or so nervous depending on the situation that he just talks off and sprints circles around me like a psycho. Being that he's new I am terrified of him slipping his collar and taking off or injuring himself so the only thing I can really do is restrain him until he calms down and then attempt to continue the walk again. The freak outs while not consistent are happening enough that its beginning to get very frustrating and I really don't know the best way to handle it. His recall as of right now outside is pretty slim and he has no interest in toys etc just sprinting around and alligator rolling.

If anyone has had this problem PLEASE share your solutions currently I don't have a yard to give him access to daily and with his lack of recall I'm hesitant to take him to any off leash dog parks. I have no idea what he's mixed with (or even if he's really an Aussie but it's all I got!).

Thank You :)

Comments for Aussie Mix Crazy On Walks (But Only When I Least Suspect It)

Click here to add your own comments

Crazy Dog Walks! LOL
by: Nancy

Hi hear what you are saying! : )
My aussie is nuts on walks. It starts out where he turns fast circles getting caught up in his leash and then out the door where he wants to "mush" like a sled dog! If he see's anything, squirrel, cat, etc he wants to chase it. He flails around and when I try to control him (which I'm pretty loud) he doesn't even come close to hearing me. You can try what I have, a halter collar is harder to wiggle out of and in training class which wasn't a huge help, they taught me to use a pinch collar. The one I use is about 3/4" and she showed me that they only go in 1/4". It mimicks the mother when they were pups and she would nip behind their necks to keep them out of trouble. That does allow me some control but she pulls so hard recently I did see some light marks. I have also tried a leash called pull no more. Which attaches to any collar and goes around the hip like a belt the more they pull the tighter it gets around the waist. She hates it and does mind herself quite well with it. The only thing is after a long time of use it started to rub her hair short. So I stopped with that. Now I'm just back to letting her drag me around and jump and flail again. If you do hear of anything else that works. I would love to know! nannerbaby@hotmail.com Its hard they are so high strung. That's all I have to share, hope something helps ya! Nancy

Crazy Aussie Walkin' Dogs
by: mcfournier

I found a mix of different things have worked, albeit sporadically, with our Aussie/Border Collie cross on walks.

1) giving it commands as we walk: heel, sit, stay, wait....keep the mind active.

2)treats: something I always forget to bring, but have been a lifesaver when I had them

3) keep the leash close. When I give her a long lead, she just lays down or sits - she can be very stubborn. If I keep her close to my chest and keep a regular walking pace going she stays with me.

4) change of location: if we have the time, we'll take her to other locations so she see/smell new things. There's a quiet section in a lakeside park where we let her swim and catch sticks and that tires her out when she gets home. In fact, she's been on that path so many times that she knows if she's good, she gets to go swimming.

5) dog parks. Change up your regular walk with a trip to the dog park. It's a change of scenery, and, they get to interact with other dogs....and, after running hard for a period of time they're exhausted! A win-win for both you and your dog :)

We had her in puppy training and the one thing our trainer kept reiterating is that dogs find walks boring. It's not stimulating or physically exhausting so you always have to change it up.

Ours is still a puppy (9months) so she's still a goof on her walks so we have to change things up periodically. The steps I've listed above have really helped but we always have to be on top of things.

Hope this helps!

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Australian Shepherd Q & A.

Have Dog Training Questions?

Check out these introductory dog training videos...

I want my dog to stop being aggressive.

I want some help training my new puppy.

I want my dog to stop barking at everything.

I want my dog to walk nicely and calmly on the leash.

I want my dog to listen and come every time I call!

Back to Home

⌃ TOP ⌃

All Content Copyright © 2006-2024 by Anton Hout,
Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com. All rights reserved.

Disclosure: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!

As stated in our Privacy Policy, Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com
does not sell your personal information.