8 month old border collie/terrier mix afraid of crossing bridges or going by drains on sidewalks

Question
We adopted Rugby (border collie/terrier mix)from the humane society in Nov. when he was two months. He is a very smart, albeit stubborn in some ways, puppy. We are going to start a six week class for some socialization and to work on his lack of response to the 'come' command. The issue I am writing about is his absolute refusal to cross a bridge and his fear of the drains in the sidewalks/roads. We live in a town that has several bridges (some do not go over water -- just over a ravine of some type, etc.) and a million return drains.  We most often are on the sidewalk, but he still senses (sees?) the drain or bridge as we approach and he freezes. He sits and absolutely refuses to walk/run. I have talked to a trainer, and I have read on line, and what I find is that the consensus is to not give in. We are to encourage him to continue, work through the refusal, etc., but as evidenced today, he will NOT move -- he literally laid down and rolled on his back to not move. I repeatedly righted him and coaxed him gently/sternly to move forward, and nothing. I once again showed him there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of, etc., but he refused. Eventually, I had to pick him up and carry him past the bridge because ... well ... how long is too long (and counterproductive) to wait and "demand" with no compliance? I am a runner, and I do want him to run with me (and he needs exercise -- and will need more as he gets older!), but this refusal, even on a walk, is becoming an issue. By the way, we started him with a gentle leader collar, and he not only hated it (but we did not give in -- we used it on his walks/runs), but it did not help get him over his fear of the drains/bridges. It was suggested we use the pinch collar (and I was taught specifically how to use it -- even though it looks so cruel, I do see if used 100% correctly, the pressure on the throat, etc. is avoided) and that is what I used yesterday and today -- he is fine to walk/run with it, but his refusal -- adamant and frozen in his tracks refusal -- is just the same. I am at a loss. I so badly want him to love his walks/runs!! Thanks much for any thoughts/advice.

Answer
STOP USING THAT PINCH COLLAR.

Your dog's fear is genuine and we don't know what prompts it: perhaps the sound of running water or some acquired fear response we can't identify.  WHEN A DOG ROLLS OVER ONTO ITS BACK, walk away from the dog, let him get up on his own, DO NOT PICK HIM UP.  DO NOT force him past objects he fears or across bridges.  Desensitization to highly feared objects is quite difficult and, in some cases, impossible.  The trick is to form NEW associations: approach a drain deliberately and observe the dog for signs of fear (read body language); BEFORE THE DOG DEMONSTRATES any sign of fear, offer a high value food reward (small tidbit of hot dog or cheese) and then go in the opposite direction (after counting to ten).  NEVER reward the dog if he demonstrates any sign of fear; identify the trigger (how close to the drain/bridge can he get before showing fear or refusal to move forward) and reward THAT point, consistently.  Do this at least 50 times and you may see the dog willing to move forward (toward the feared object) a bit closer: reward THAT, and then move away from the object.  This is a very slow process, it can take weeks (or hours, if done correctly by a certified applied animal behaviorist).  Throw out your list of DOG TRAINERS, avoid them like the plague.  This dog requires more sophisticated approach.  BE CAREFUL of this "socialization" class.  Socialization CANNOT BE DONE in a matter of weeks and if the trainer is a Neanderthal or an idiot (and there are many who are), it can harm the dog.

To learn something about fear and desensitization:
http://www.kuvasz.info/kuvaszfear.htm

To learn how to read your dog's body language so you can identify his feelings/thoughts in order to avoid rewarding fear:
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=94404
http://www.canis.no/rugaas/index.php

DO NOT TEACH THIS DOG A RECALL USING THE AVERAGE PROTOCOL.  Dogs do NOT ordinarily approach one another directly with eye contact, this is a signal of intention that is interpreted as threatening.  The Border Collie is a wonderful candidate for recall BUT this particular dog MUST LEARN to recall on a CURVE, at his own pace, without any sort of "punishment" or coercion.  It's the END RESULT you want: a dog that always comes to recall signal even if it takes a bit more time (and he might stop, even sit, turn his head, and will most likely choose to come on a curve) for consistent, high value reward.  Throw out all the commands you use: start over with new words (make them up if you have to) and learn about positive reinforcement training: NO COERCION.  There are two methods: one uses a clicker (requiring a bit more study and sophistication on your part, and with fearful dogs this really should be taught to you by a behaviorist) and the other is strictly food reward, as can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DogStarDaily

I suggest you find a certified applied animal behaviorist who will most likely be able to easily direct you in two sessions.  One might be found in your area from the following sites:
http://certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com/page6.html
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory

If you require further assistance, please use followup feature as it allows me to see original question and answer.  Thank you.