Puppy gets stressed / hates walks

I don't get it - Takara begs to go out, I take her and about 5 minutes (or less) into the walk she gets a lump in her tail, starts panting heavily and 'frogs' it home.

She hates walks. She gets so stressed, and yet she's not afraid of busy places because I socialised her and she loves it at my sister's school (yes the teachers loved her!) and carparks etc. she just doesn't like walks!

She loved it at the park yesterday but then on the way back to the car she got the lumpy tail, panting and 'frogging' it back!

Why is this? What do I do? We only got half way down our road today and we were on our way home again!

Lottie

What do you mean by "lumpy tail" and "froging it"??

Sorry - she gets a lump in the top of her tail (which I have been told is when they're afraid) I don't know if it's a raised lump, or if it's a kink in her tail.

By frogging it, I mean she looks like a frog when she pulls me home. Her front legs stretch out, then her back legs come in front, but it's not like when they're running fast, it's just that she looks so stressed.

Have you got any ideas because it really scares me! It's as if once we're too far from home she stresses about getting me back. She'll walk so calmly for a bit and then go mad to go home, and it's not like we've been out long at all!

Should I try not taking her for very long walks and try just walking her up the road which is literally two minutes? I want her to be exercised, not over exercised but not afraid of walks!

I did socialise her a lot with people and traffic carrying her before she could go out so I don't know where I've gone wrong???

Hi Lottie

It's probably a bit weird, to be out in the open and walking alone for the first time in her short life

Maybe you can try taking her on very short walks, shovel the treats in or play with a toy on the way, and go back before she gets stressed?

Another thing you could do is stick her in the car and take her to your nearest park.... I bet she will like the walk then

Never heard of the tail thing...

One of mine, Keena was like this at first, she would not be very willing to walk on the start of a walk and then would pull hard on the way back.

'Home' was just a very secure place to her...She was a little 'shy' of the big world...You say Takara is already socialised but maybe she is just having a little bit of first walk nerves is all...

This all lasted a few weeks with Keena then out of no where she just snapped out of it!

Just keep it short and simple and very positive for her and she will come round in the end. The more you worry about it the more it will keep her like she is

Thanks guys, she loved it at our park the other day
I have now got some bags for treats so will take them next time!