Why Your Dog Wants To Go Home During Walks: 5 Reasons and Remedies
If your dog wants to go home during walks, what should be a relaxing experience can quickly become frustrating. Whether it’s health issues, fear, or boredom, there are many reasons why your dog might not enjoy their walks. In this post, we’ll explore five common reasons why a dog might want to cut their walk short and, more importantly, share five remedies to help turn your walks into a positive experience.
A dog wanting to go home during walks can actually be a really upsetting and frustrating issue for many owners. Fistly, it’s a great time to bond with a dog and not being able to can lead to feelings of FOMO. Secondly, for many dogs this is prime exercise time and by rushing home they are missing out on exercise.
Let’s go through 5 common reasons and remedies to set this straight.
5 Reasons Dog Want To Go Home During Walks
#1 – Home Is Where The Heart Is
Firstly, for some dogs, mainly the younger dogs, pulling home is a natural instinct. Being home is a safe place and venturing away feels unnatural now. For the younger dogs and pups, this instinct is to reduce straying away from the safety of home and as they grow and become more independent this becomes less of a thing, but you have to realise that home is where the resources are – food, water, safety, warmth etc.
#2 – Pain and Discomfort
Pain and discomfort is always underlooked when it comes to issues with dogs where in reality it should always be toward the top of the list to consider.
Your dog could potentially be struggling with pain issues from things like joint issues, cuts and grazes, too long nails (long nails can cause a lot of discomfort).
Discomfort can even come from collars, harnesses and other tools and equipment you may be using with your dog.
When feeling pain and discomfort a dog will want nothing but to be in their safe space rather than outside.
#3 – Fear and Overstimulation
Emotions like fear and overstimulation will trigger the fight, flight or freeze process. With fear and overstimulation being the most common, a dog may want to run [back home] or if they experience too much it can freeze them in their tracks.
Dogs can be scared of many things and if not worked on can be an issue e.g. a dog may find something scary on walks and if it isn’t worked on, walks will become associated with that scary thing making them not want to go on walks.
Some dogs get overstimulated on walks and this can get overwhelming. Whether it be from sounds, dogs, people, trash cans, cats or new environments, just like fear – if this isn’t worked n there is a something called trigger stacking in dogs which can lead to a dog acting out of character and barking and snapping more due to too much overstimulation.
Learning the basics of dog body language can be a very big advantage here, and has always been something I’d suggest for all dog owners, not just those who own reactive and anxious dogs.
#4 – Boredom
If you constantly go through the same walk every day and that walk doesn’t provide much enrichment or anything exciting and interesting, then your dog will get bored of that walk. This can be the case for owners of reactive dogs (like I was) where we find a great walking route that avoids our dogs’ triggers.
Dogs that find walks boring may be resentful to leave, walk slowly during the walk acting disinterested or even scared, or they may even walk quicker especially when closer to home.
#5 – Don’t Like Walks
Some dogs just don’t like walking and that is also an acceptable reason why your dog wants to go home during walks. Walks aren’t the only way to exercise and tire out your dog, thankfully, in fact I’ve found walking to be one of the least effective methods of exercise and sometimes even causes more trouble than good. I’ve found that understanding your dog’s needs and finding ways to fulfill and properly stimulate them is the best way to work a dog mentally and physically.
It may seem like your dog is lazy but I can guarantee you could find another effective activity that you can go through.
Building Confidence Through Walks
For dogs that are anxious, fearful, or overstimulated, walks can be more of a stressor than a relaxing activity. These feelings may cause your dog to want to rush home, where they feel safe. However, walks are also an excellent opportunity to build confidence and help your dog feel more comfortable in the world.
Start by introducing your dog to low-stress environments where they can explore at their own pace. One of my favourite ways to help a dog build confidence in new areas is through scatter feeding. By tossing treats in different directions for your dog to find, you not only engage their sense of smell but also give them a slight distraction from the environment. This activity keeps your dog moving, busy, and allows them to explore and scavenge, which helps reduce stress.
Another powerful tool is the sniffari—a walk where your dog is encouraged to explore and fully immerse themselves in the smells of the environment. Allowing your dog the freedom to walk out front and lead the way through a new area gives them the opportunity to process their surroundings through sniffing, which naturally builds confidence. As your dog takes in the world around them, they begin to feel more in control, helping them relax and enjoy the walk more.
Once your dog becomes more accustomed to the environment through scatter feeding and sniffaris, you can gradually move on to rewarding calm behaviour by staying still. When your dog has had time to adjust and explore, they’re more likely to feel relaxed, making it easier to reward calmness in the environment. This process helps your dog associate the outside world with positive experiences, reducing the desire to rush home.
By turning walks into a confidence-building exercise, your dog will feel more relaxed and less likely to want to head home early. Walks will transform from a source of anxiety into a positive, enriching experience.
The Power Of Mental Stimulation
Incorporating the right mental stimulation during your walks can do wonders for your dog. Not only can it tire them out physically, but it also helps relieve stress, anxiety, and frustration. Mental challenges act as a form of decompression, allowing your dog to process their surroundings in a more relaxed way. When a dog is engaged in sniffing, problem-solving, or exploring at their own pace, it takes the pressure off, helping them feel more secure and content.
Simple activities like sniffaris, scatter feeding treats along the path, or using interactive toys can give your dog a sense of purpose. Sniffing, in particular, is a great way to give your dog a “job” while walking, as it taps into their natural instincts and provides an outlet for them to process their environment.
Many owners tend to take their dogs on the same walk repeatedly or may not fully understand what their dog actually needs. Introducing different activities can be the spark that ignites their enthusiasm for walks, allowing them to release energy both mentally and physically! Striking the right balance between mental stimulation vs physical exercise can transform your dog’s outdoor experience, making it more enjoyable and fulfilling.
By focusing on these elements, you create a walk that isn’t just about physical exercise but also an opportunity to mentally enrich your dog, leaving them more satisfied and balanced by the time you head home.
5 Remedies For When Your Dog Wants To Go Home During Walks
#1 – Explore New Places
Switch things up! Boredom is a common issue when it comes to walks. We can get stuck in routines due to simplicity, but sometimes switching things up can add a burst of freshness and excitement to your dogs walk. Going to areas where your dog can explore and sniff the new smells may be all that they need to get them enjoying their walk more.
If you have the access to a car, driving to somewhere your dog hasn’t been is also an amazing way to add that spark back in.
#2 – Make Walks More Interesting
Believe it or not, it isn’t that hard to makeyour dogs walk more interesting. Along with switching up location, other ways to make walks more interesting can include adding play, off leash exploring, training, mental stimulation etc.
Many of us just walk our dogs in the same boring way, on the same route every day. While this routine might seem easy, it can become dull for your dog, which might explain why your dog wants to go home during walks. Adding some play into your walks can go a long way in meeting your dog’s needs, beyond just physical exercise. Whether it’s engaging in a quick game of “find it” with scatter feeding and treats, or playing tug with a portable toy, incorporating interactive moments into your walk can provide mental stimulation and keep your dog more engaged.
#3 – Do Nothing
Sometimes it can be very effective to find a good spot to do nothing in. This is more for dogs that are uncomfortable in their environments. By taking your dog to a safe area and doing nothing you can start working on desensitizing your dog to things that could be caused by fear and overstimulation in the environment.
Stopping in a new environment every day for a few minutes can be very beneficial to helping some dogs get used to things.
#4 – Slow Down
If your dog wants to go home during a walk and pulls the closer you get to home then a great option is to slow down. Even those dogs that get overstimulated on walks will pull to power through. Allowing a dog to go through this behaviour will strengthen it, you want to avoid allowing this which is easier said than done, but allowing this will make a dog a nightmare to walk.
Slowing down will let your dog deal with the discomfort and show them that the environment isn’t that bad (just like the previous point above).
#5 – Have Shorter Walks
Finally, having shorter walks is always an option. I wouldn’t recommend cutting walks out entirely as it is a good activity to do even if just a few days a week, but shortening them is no issue either.
Creating shorter walks and then focusing on meeting your dogs needs, adequate exercise, enrichment and mental stimulation throughout the day can be a game changer for dogs struggling with behaviour issues.
Final Thoughts
It’s common to find your dog wants to go home during walks. It can be frustrating and upsetting seeing a dog show disinterest in walks as it is a great time to bond. The best thing to do is figure out what the cause for this would be, how important it is for you to constantly walk your dog, and then find a way that’ll make your dog and you find the walk more enjoyable.
