we have a 7yr old dog from a rescue home,all she does is lie around,why?

Question

even when we go for walks she soon turns around and heads home.she is very loving but does not even play.

Answer 1

i can only talk about my experience, but like everybody has said 7 is fsirly old.

what breed of dog do you have?

i volounteer at a dog shelter and some of the dogs there arent very playful, its usually the younger ones.

i have had my dog molly since she was a puppy and she never plays with me and she was from a breeder. she would never pick up a ball in her mouth but on odd occasions she'll play . its weird! now she is 10 and is a rough haired collie.

if your dog will lie around with you and be loving i say youve got a friend for life.

as for walking home, i'd give her time. start with short walks around the block, giving her treats when she is good.

its going to take time for her to settle in and adjust to her new home, but i know she will.

please keep us posted on how your lovely dog is going

Answer 2

i would suggest that your dog may be missing her first owner.if that person has died then that is probably the problem as dogs that are well loved get attached to the person they feel connected to or she may have been a dog that felt the job of protecting he home was her job and has now lost her job and does not know what to do.if so,it will only be a matter of time before she comes around but dont give her the job of protector as it is more stressful on dogs than it is on us especially when we leave the house and have to leave the dog at home as they do not know where we are going and what kind of danger we may be in.

if it is the case that the dog was mistreated then i think you should give it time and not force her to do anything she does not want to.

older dogs lose some of their zest for life but it can be rekindled with some tlc.i have an 8 yr old boxer that acts like a puppy most of the time even though she is slightly over weight.playing does take its toll on her but that does not stop her from making her own fun if there is no-one to play with when she wants to play.

if your dog was a stray then she could be just pining for her old life.

sorry if none of this helps and i wish there were more kind hearted people like you to rescue animals from shelters

Answer 3

Thank you for adopting a rescued animal! I have adopted 6 of them so far, two died after several wonderful years with us, and then we adopted the other four.

Many of the rescued dogs will have social or behavior problems until they come to know you well. Many of them have been kept in cages all their lives with no petting, playing or loving. They may have been underfed (starved), or bred until their bodies don't have enough nutrients to sustain them.

With love and encouragement, your older dog will learn that it is okay to play with you (two of mine had never had toys and had no idea what to do with them) and that they have the freedom to walk or run.

If you are able to get a second pet, to give it some companionship, you may find that they will play together. My little ones will pounce and play and chase each other. One will go and find a dark spot to hide while the others tear around, but will come out when they settle down again.

Remember, your love and encouragement will make a world of difference to a little one that may have been abused or neglected most of its life! God Bless you!

Answer 4

She might not have the zest for life thing back yet. How long have you had her.Do you have any other dogs, how is she with other dogs? She may be so happy in your home that she is worried about going to far from it. Let her sleep on an old jumper of yours and take it with you on the walk. Try and tern for home before she does, (It will take carful watching) then make the walks a little bit longer each day before you tern for home.

Answer 5

If you haven't had her long she is probably still traumatised and still getting used to you and a new home....

She was probably badly treated and will need to learn to trust you. A new home can be stressful and traumatic.

She may of been kicked about and badly treated previously when out on walks... hence why she just wants to run home.

Do you know anything about her history and back ground? What breed is she? How long have you had her?

You will have to teach her to play! Link to a PDF file by the Blue Cross about how to play with your dog.

Answer 6

We got a dog from a rescue home once and she was the same and we got her as a puppy!
She HATED going out for walks, but then she was rather heavily built.
If you have had your dog checked out by a vet and all is fine with her diet, perhaps she just doesent like walking, just like us people, not all dogs do either.
Also is your dog 7 years old or was that just a guess?
Certainly I would have a vet check her out as lots of things could be causing her to have no energy.
Hope this helps.

Answer 7

she is 7, depending on her breed she could be old and if she is she could have a bit of arthritus.
my dog is 8 and likes to ly around because of his arthritus, but he loves to go for walks ,but soon has enough and wants to go home and have a rest. also she might still be a bit depressed and has to ajust to her new home, big dogs have a shorter life span than little ones . great danes have a life span of 5 to 7 yrs, sad but true , what kind of breed is she or have in her if she is a mixed breed dog?

Answer 8

Because she's 7? Depending on her breed, thats kind of old..

But thank you for rescuing her out of the shelter! Its better for her to lay around your home rather than a cold cage

Answer 9

That might just be her personality. Not all dogs are particularly bouncy.

How long have you had her? If not long, it may take her a while to settle into your home, your routine. Give her lots of love and have patience with her.

Good luck with your dog.

Answer 10

bare in mind that she was stuck in a rescue center well done for getting her out just let her settle all dogs in different breeds take time to get settled if still worried take her to see the vet appart from that she will be fine she needs your hugs and kisses thats all she needs right now goodluck.