Let me show you Leica, a tiny, feisty short legged rescue terrier bitch with "dragster" tendencies. She is a Hearing Assistance dog, living with an elderly lady whom I have known for many years walking our previous (deceased) dogs.

Leica's got a reputation now for being "fixed" on her route and whom she walks with refusing to go out on walks, except with the lady owner or her daughter, but owner is struggling more & more with crutches, so asked if I could help. As she greets me & my dog enthusiastically in park, and I "never" had much trouble getting a dog to follow, I was happy to take a shot and follow my own advice.

This is Leica out off leash playing during our first walk. If anyone can suggest what breed/mix she likely is I'm curious, she's shorter in height & length than a Cairn/Westie (tree leaves look huge there!) but seems built for & with Earth Dog temperament.

Now I turned up to collect her, with my "lure" dog and happily set off on way to park, with just single glance on way out at the car, she's used to riding in. The BC lead the way and seemed keener to arrive, despite having been out on big lap already and run about with his best pal with detour to drop him off for good measure. Leica sniffed a little but to my relief was not planting & seemed to know where she was going, and wanted to get there.

All was going so well, and got into the park she loves to play in, on a habituated route, "so what possibly could go wrong now?"
It seemed like she was in her routine, and would wander off to the other gate, greeting other dogs along the way, at a lesiurely stroll. I had done the difficult bit.

Well complacency set in, reading both dogs as happy and eager, I let my guy off leash as usual, and as Leica is walked off in park to (can can't run very fast anyway) I let her off to, "job done". She sniffed and did the doggie biz as dogs do, but instead of continuing along avenue of trees, or going to the grass where the dogs tend to meet & play, she then got spooked by some excitement barking, and headed off for home!

What's worse, I read from the way that she looked at me, that she was now uncomfortable and not trusting me, rather than feeling secure. OK, I had no choice but to prevent her fleeing by jamming the gate and calling out to anyone on other side, whilst I leashed her. There was no way I could persuade her voluntarily to turn round, so I had a problem. I felt pretty powerless as she was not interested in food reward or toys, or naturally praise from me.

What I decided was to use my long leash, with Halti training leash umbilically round my waste, and moving away preventing her from getting in way of the gate. Then some 20 feet away I stood back turned and waited, she sniffed a little and move a tiny bit further in, but still looked untrusting and turned back, so I only gained a few feet. My dog brought his toy for me to throw, so I did that, whilst just standing there feeling like a numpty. She tried to get me to follow her back, but I just stayed put, ignoring her but reeling in if I got opportunity to gain more inches. Pathetic or what!

It was about 3-5 minutes, before a lady with a larger scotch type terrier arrived, who I've spoken to a few times before, and asked me in friendly way where my dog was. I explained and the problem, keeping it light and calm, her dog was actually my break, Leica got curious and greeted him, and moved therefore good few feet towards my desired direction. Once moving I encouraged with a high pitched, reassuring encouraging "come on Leica, let's play"; then she stopped again, tried to go back. I didn't give, so again still but we'd got far enough in, for her to feel comfortable and get interested, so soon she was going the way I wanted. Once she was off, we crossed over the pitches and drive to the grass where I'd last seen her exercising and it was a normal walk again. Later on, I let her off leash to play on the field to mix with some other dogs, and we got back just with casual leisurely progress. No bother leashing her and leading her "wrong way" to leash my dog, or on way home, and she seemed happy and excited.

So having a lead dog can help settle and keep things moving, but play safe, don't assume you're home & dry once you're in the park.

Be patient, I think if I'd given in and let her go home, or tried to force her when frightened it would have made things harder. As it is hopefully, today it'll go more smoothly and she won't spook or turn back.

Leica's always going to be a sedate walker, I feel pressuring her to move on would be counter-productive, and she'd never be able to walk for hours like a JRT or Spaniel. By keeping her happy though, she did manage a decent clip at times, and at least with a slow dog, you don't worry about them bolting off.