Dog won't walk on bridges

[trapdoor2]

Have had many dogs, they're all different. Rocket didn't like water, wouldn't get near it. I could take the pack to the park and everybody would get in except him...even if I went in too. He wouldn't walk thru a puddle...eewwww, my feet are wet! Hated bath time too. He wouldn't fight it, just looked disgusted and pitiful.

Yah, +1 on the dog training you. Gonna take some work.

A friend had a brindle Bossie named Eddie. That dog loved to chew 2X4s. When we were building our hangar, half the 2X4s had their ends chewed. He was smart enough to find the balance point to pick the board up rather than dragging it. He would pick up a 12-footer and his back legs would be off the ground.

 

[blowtorch]

Maybe he heard of "dog suicide bridge"

 

[thunderbyrd]

Pick the dog up. Carry him halfway across. Set him down. Repeat until he gets over it.

 

[Telenator]

As stated earlier, bridges move, especially when there's traffic on them. Dogs sense it much more than we do. Could be unnerving to some dogs.

 

[ClashCityTele]

Has he been listening to Simon & Garfunkel recently?

 

[Beachbum]

Given the condition of our infrastructure these days perhaps he's onto something.

 

[ClashCityTele]

Or watching Troll Hunter?

 

[Manual Slim]

he is using his nose which tells him there is a body of water nearby. Dogs smell everything. Seems to me that you can probably train that fear out of him. Take him swimming. Immerse him in water and see how he dies. I am betting dog paddle his way and the great mystery will be solved and he'll no longer fear it.

Ouch. I've had some unfortunate typos too, though.

 

[Manual Slim]

Quote: "Take him swimming. Immerse him in water and see how he dies" Probably not recommended, LOL. Thank goodness for the edit button!

Ha. If I had just read the next post I could have saved myself some typing!

 

[Refugee]

Ouch. I've had some unfortunate typos too, though.

Oops. So sorry! Yeah, does.

 

[Manual Slim]

Oops. So sorry! Yeah, does.

Just having a laugh. No harm done.

 

[blowtorch]

Or watching Troll Hunter?

greatest documentary ever

 

[Alamo]

Can't you persuade him?

 

[Red Ryder]

My dog, because he's mine, he walks the line.

 

[guitarsophist]

I never knew a dog like this, but where I used to hike they had a string of pack animals to bring in supplies to the cabins in the canyon. The donkeys would not cross the bridge. They had to wade through the stream. No amount of persuasion would get them to cross the bridge.

 

[McGoldTopp]

 

[boris bubbanov]

My pups don't like the open gratework type of bridge or walkway.

Daisy was very reluctant to claim the open mesh staircase and cross the grated pedestrian bridge over the Potomac River at Harper's Ferry, one time maybe 6-7 years ago. She did it, but very carefully and slowly. By the end we must've had 30 hikers and other foot traffic backed up behind us, but God Bless Them not a single word of complaint as they waited, stuck behind the slow moving dog. Quite a number of the people stopped afterwards, once she was across and petted her and gave her praise for doing her best. I love it when the vibes are all positive like that!

 

[Toto'sDad]

I have 2 Boston Terriers,and one of them just stopped walking on a bridge,or a road that goes over a stream,or over a culvert.I don't know how he knows to stop.He's low to the ground and you can't see the bridge or the road.He just stops right before the bridge,and I have to carry him over.Never used to do this.He's 3 years old,and only started this this summer.Any ideas why he does this?

I'm thinking you're trying to get him to pass over troubled water.

 

[Knows3Chords]

We had a German Shepherd Labrador mix who would not go down our basement steps at home. We tried everything, but he would never do it. The whole 14 years we had him he never went in the basement. He would do stairs at our place up north Michigan, but not the basement stairs.

 

[Cheap Trills]

bring a few high value treats. when he stops, toss one a few feet ahead. then walk up to it and toss another, then another, etc. until he just starts walking over. Next day, repeat. You won't have to do this more than 2 or 3 days.