HI, I am finally able to take my 13 week old lab puppy out on walks which I have been so looking forward to. I thought that, like me he was desperate to get out there. I have done lots of socialising with him in my arms, people, horses, dogs lots(which he was on the ground for as they are vaccinated and we were in their garden), bikes, cars, motorbikes. He's played with children in my garden and has been very confident throughout. The bigger he got the more confident he was and is almost too heavy now to carry 7.8kgs,, but he struggled to get down a lot but I never let him as we are in the country and there are foxes about. We went out yesterday and again today but he doesn't really want to walk. He sniffs a lot which is to be expected and walks a few paces then just sits and won't go any further. I took him in the car to a spot that i planned on walking him for 15 minutes then back to the car, all bridle path and a field yesterday. We didn't get further than a few feet. I had treats for him which i gave him when he came forwards for them but he then sat down again. In the end i pulled him but he just rolled over in the dirt and still would not move. When i turned to go back to the car he walked ok. Am i doing this all wrong? He likes his harness and has been wearing it in the car for weeks now happily, he also is fine in the car and sleeps in his crate.
Was it his first time walking on a lead? If so, work on your lead work at home where he is more confident and find somewhere you can play with him off lead for his first trips out.
He has been on a lead a lot when we take him to the local town or park so I think he is used to it now. He was ok in the park and i didn't let him off the lead as there were a lot of people having picnics and toddlers so he would have made a beeline for them. He likes children but he would have been too enthusiastic and knocked them over. Yesterday we tried taking him out but he wouldn't move beyond the end of the drive, he had to be on a lead as i can't let him off on the road of course. We just came home again. In the afternoon we drove him to a big field up the lane which forms a public footpath. We let him off and both of us (my partner and I) had cut up sausage as treats and we took turns calling him. He was very good and came to us each time. However, today he still won't walk past the end of the drive, or just a few feet up the lane before sitting down and not moving unless I run ahead with the flexi lead and call him. He comes then but only because he gets a treat. We can't keep doing it like that and i think he now does it because he wants the treat.
This is what I would suggest: Tell yourself you're going out to train your puppy, not 'for a walk' as I think this will help stop feelings of frustration. Put your puppy on a normal lead attached to a harness (I say this because flexi-leads work by always having some tension, and a harness instead of a collar just in case your puppy pulls). Go out into your lane and let your puppy just sit or sniff - he's very young and is just taking in all the novelty and this stage wont last long. Be patient, eventually your puppy will move and then you can give a treat. Let him stop again if he wants to and sit or sniff and don't worry about getting anywhere. If you think you really can't stand the thought of doing it this way then use treats to encourage your pup along (have a look at Absolute Dogs magic hand). It doesn't mean you'll need to treat every step for ever. This stage won't last long and you will soon have a dog who enjoys going out.
Hi there. My pup did the same when she was young. I used to carry her two houses over, then walk home. Then 3 house, and so on. After a week she was happy to walk both ways. All of my pups seemed to want to walk home, but not out. Lol
OK, thanks for the replies. Yes he does trot home happily on the occasions that he does go further than the end of the drive. He is more enthusiastic if my partner and i are both there. I am away at the moment and my partner tried twice yesterday but he wouldn't go further than the end of the drive again, even though i was not even at home. We will persevere!
My dog did this when he was a puppy. We found it was because his feet weren't used to the tarmac and had caused blisters, have you looked at his paw pads? I never thought to check and thought he was just being stubborn until one day we were cuddling and I saw his feet! We rushed him to the vet who told us it's common in puppy's who aren't used to walking on a hard surface. When his feet healed he was so different! Now he's a confident boy who's four years old now!
