Passing Dog

Help, my dog Harley has started passing up and down the garden path.
I will try to explain more, the path is about 20 feet long with a raised pond that runs the length of it.
Harley has always been possessed by water but he now just walk back and forth and only stops to look in to the pond.
Now I am not to bothered with this but would like to know why.
He has spent most of his time in kennels or going back and forth from owners to owners and have also spent some time roaming the streets of Southampton, he is a good dog and we love him, we take him on 2 to 3 long walks a day.
Reg
sorry about my spelling

Some dogs develop stereotypical behaviours when in kennels or in stressful situations. Even when taken out of the environment(s) that triggered these, they may continue as the behaviour releases endorphins into the bloodstream producing a calming response to stress.

Many dogs are captivated by moving lights or reflections too, and can almost go into a trance.

You might wish to consider providing an enrichment area in your garden where he can carry out other behaviours which are less stereotypical.

eg

provide a digging pit into which you place different toys and chews every day
provide raw meaty bones which he can chew to relax, if you do not like that idea, then items such as nylabones, or stuffed kongs, tug a jugs, buster cubes.
instead of giving him his meals for free at each end of the day in a bowl, scatter his food (if dry) in the grass so he can hunt for it.

These are just a few to start you off.

HTH

This is stress and will decrease as he gets more relaxed IMO. Razzle did this when he came. It took 6 months for him to stop.
They find it comforting to be doing something, I suppose.
It`s great that he`s found you.

i wouldnt worry too much, stereotypical behaviours take a while to overcome when in a new enviroment. some may never stop (i remember learning about it with animals in zoos at college)

you may find that when the dog becomes more comfortable the behaviour stops.

have you tried playing outside along the path, maybe still using the path but in a different way, to help break the pacing behaviour? maybe tuggy toy up and down the path, or rolling a ball down it for the dog to chase and fetch. that way the dog is still going up and down the path, but its seeing that it doesnt need to be constantly paced up and down. just a thought.

They say you learn a new thing every day and to day I have learned how to spell pacing (wish I took more interest at school).
We will try a ball on the path and see how we get on, it is all new to us but we are getting there slowly.
Thanks for all the advise, we are off to the common after dinner, if it don't rain.
Thanks again Reg Pat and Harley.

Hopefully, your distractions will eventually put a stop to this, as he will find you far more interesting or relaxing than the behaviour he's doing which has obviously become a habit from elsewhere.

You only have to look at other animals when they're stressed, horses stuck in stables 24/7 usually swing on the door with their teeth, or rock side to side on each front leg, then those poor tigers stuck in the back of lorries, pacing backwards and forwards constantly, and just like these behaviours, your dog has learned how to do something that takes away the boredom of everything he went through, poor boy.

Don't be concerned if it doesn't go away, in some animals, especially horses, it just doesn't, you have to use ways and means, but with a dog, it's much simpler, once he becomes more settled and attached to you, or a favourite toy AND you, he'll forget all about it. All the best with him and enjoy your walk!

I totally agree with what has already been said.

Our last rescue dog Bitz would spend literally hours trotting up and down the length of the garden fence (and it was a very very big garden) with her head turned to watch her shadow.

She never entirely "grew out of it", even after 15 years, and although most of the time she was fine, if she was stressed by a change in routine etc. then back to pacing she would go.

Try not to make a big fuss about it, and once your chap feels settled and secure you should find that he does it less and less, although like Bitz he may revert to this habit when something is troubling him.