Morning all So we have a 13 week old, called Luna. She’s gorgeous and she’s settled in really well and my other 4 year old lab loves her to pieces. We started taking her out for 10 minute walks last week and no matter what me and my partner Jim try to do to encourage her, she does not want to walk. She sits and won’t move an inch, we then give her a treat and she walks a bit further and then stops again. She wears a coat as it’s cold, this isn’t restrictive, she sometimes wears a rain coat too as it’s horrendous weather at the moment. Both coats fit well and she doesn’t seem to mind wearing them. She wears a collar and a harness over the coat which allow us to put two fingers underneath so this isn’t too tight. Then a normal lead, nice and slack. But she won’t walk, the last thing we want her to be is scared of walking. I’ve had two Labradors before and I don’t recall this reluctantance to walk. Desperately waiting advice
I think she is just scared of the big outside world and the horrible weather isn't helping! I am sure she will become more confident as time goes on, especially if the has her big brother/sister with her and follows her example. One of the best ideas I heard, was to either carry the pup, or take her in the car and then walk back home as they are anxious to return. This gives them confidence to be in the outside world. Did you carry her around when she was tiny so that she could experience seeing/hearing traffic, children's playing area, outside the supermarket etc?
Hi Tammy, take the coat off and see if she will walk without it. Labs don't really need a coat, unless they are wet and standing around in the freezing cold. Try not to worry; she will walk with time! But right now something is clearly upsetting her. Just patience will get you there in the end. Great advice from Stacia, too. Whereabout are you??? When you say horrendous weather, do you mean UK horrendous weather, or US utterly unbelievably horrendous weather???
Any excuse to post this picture because it makes me laugh so much. My puppy hated walks. I still don't know why. He just sort of grew out of it the more we went. He never did it off lead, always when he was on lead. I used to just lure him with a treat and try and be as fun as possible. He's nearly 21 months now and doesn't do it at all - although he still isn't a massive walk fan and runs and hides when he sees his lead. But once hes out he's fine
I was thinking about others who have found their dogs "shut down" with anything tight....dressings, harnesses, jackets. Thundershirt style. Although these little ones sometimes just don' like leads. Need a bit of coaching.
Have you tried having Luna wear her collar and lead or harness and lead in the house or in the garden? If not, it might be worth doing this for a few days to let her get used to them. I reluctantly brought my 4 year old girl a coat 2 months ago as we do agility and whilst waiting around for our turn temperatures were around 0 degrees and she has had issues its her legs previously. It helps maintain her body heat and keeps her muscles warm. Apart from this, she never wears a coat. Harley will shut down and refuse to move / do anything if she even has a bandage on her paw (previously sliced them), and not all dogs like things on their bodies.
This isn't uncommon at all, Zaba was the same at this age. Carry or drive her to the end of the walk then walk back home, this usually works - it won't be long before she adores her walks.
Tuppence was just the same when she was a puppy. The photo that @JenBainbridge has posted of Stanley could also have been her, even when walking with another dog. She responded better when I put her in a harness, but even treats didn't encourage her, even though she's very food orientated. Now she always likes to lead the way when out for a walk!
Yes, Cassie dislikes stuff round her body, although she does tolerate it now. She has a towelling coat thingy for when she's really wet (I don't have a porch or utility) and she spends most the time virtually immobile with a pained look on her face, so I keep it's use to a minimum. I was wondering, is it possible for Luna to be walked off lead ? She might start to enjoy walks if she can just follow you. It's great that your older dog loves her!
I was one of those people who would carry Ariel a few houses away and walk back home with her. Over and over and over. We did this for most of last winter, gradually getting further and further out. Then we got to the point OH would drop us off part way to his work, and her and I would walk home. It was frustrating but it worked for her and that’s what mattered the most of course. The picture that Jen posted above is what Ariel now does when we get home - she loves her walks and doesn’t want them to end...! Lol
Thank you all for your replies. It’s interesting about the coat/jacket theory. Will definitely try a walk without one in her. Thanks Stacia Yes we took her loads of places, in a dog pram and also carrying her. I took her to where I work with loads of different people and the week before she went to a school with young children who loved her and she them. She’s met cyclists, cars lorries, other dogs small and large the elderly, horses and joggers. The only thing we are desperate to find are cows and sheep but she’s definitely been socialised. We put her collar on for a big part of the day and she’s fine with this. Hi Karen, I will take her coat off and see but the weather is horrendous at the moment, if it’s not snowing it’s a mud bath or pouring down. I mean horrendous UK weather ha ha. Hi Selina27 We have tried her off lead and she walks a treat. It’s just getting to the area where we can let her off. When she finally gets going she’s really good for a time then just suddenly slams her anchors on. For example, this afternoon she stood on a driveway and we had to coax her off it, wasn’t for moving, she stepped off a pavement and wasn’t for stepping up on the other side. I don’t find this behaviour frustrating I just worry we’re missing a beat. Definitely an improvement this afternoon though. Fingers crossed and continue and perhaps just remove coats.
My daughter lives in New York, where the high temperature is currently -10 degrees celcius, in the daytime! Add to that the windchill, and it is very cold indeed... She has got a jumper for her dog to wear, as he shivers in the cold when waiting to cross streets and so on, but she says he hates it so much he refuses to walk, and will not pee!!!! Here he is, hating his 'jacket'... Edited to add, I have just found out this is actually not a real dog jumper, but one of hers! She doesn't actually have anything for him, but it is so cold she felt she really had to put something on him! Apologies, I didn't meant to hijack this thread, just wanted to emphasize that lots of dogs don't like wearing coats, and won't walk in them...
We had the same with max, but with no coat on, he walked on the lead in the house and the garden like a pro, the minute I stepped off the driveway to the foot path, max would flatly refuse to move. We spent a few days sitting on the front garden wall with max on my lap, and after a few days he plucked up the courage and walked, albeit only a few steps to start with, but he worked out there was nothing bad out there. Its all new to them, take your time give lots if reassurance and I found cheese helped and fingers crossed all will be fine, don't rush it, they will work it out in their own time. Good luck.
Young puppy feet are still very soft and tender. Maybe the surface you walk on is uncomfortable on her feet. Perhaps some booties would help until her pads toughen.
My girl won't walk at all with even one bootee on as I discovered when she had a cut on her pad. I think it's good to get dogs used to various surfaces unless they are very hot or very sharp. I think most dogs aren't upset too much by cold unless it is VERY cold or they are out for prolonged periods.
I wasn't thinking just hot or cold. But I remember when we first got our puppy, her pads felt as soft as a baby's face. They were softer than my feet and I never go outside barefoot. So I'd imagine even asphalt or concrete can feel rough on those tender pads. Of course, pups need to get them toughened up but maybe start with just grassy areas at first when barefoot (or barepawed) and use booties when going on rough surfaces.
