Hi, we have a 11 week old pup, he's only been with us a week. He often refuses to walk. He will sit or lie down and refuse to move. I use treats and plenty of positive encouragement to get him to move, but no avail. It doesn't happen every walk, but probably 90% of the time. He is wearing a harness and that doesn't seem to bother him. He is happier to walk when the kids are about. Sometimes we don't even make it 20m past the gate. Any ideas to help us?
When you do walk successfully are you just following him wherever he wants to sniff or are you trying to walk ‘properly’? Because it may be too much leash steering he’s reacting on if the latter is the case. If Holly lies down it usually means A- were trying too hard to get her where we want to go and she’s trying to tell us she isn’t finished being where she is B - something where she is lying is too interesting C - she will sit down if she isn’t confident about something going on up ahead and wants to look without going towards it. But keep it up with the treats and the encouragement ! I find it best to drop treats on the floor away from me but in the direction i want to go so its really clear that the treat is fair game. The other thing we do is if me and OH are out together, i get him to walk off in the direction we want to go and usually this does the trick, maybe a bit of encouraging her from where he is. But usually walkin off is irresistible while she’s so young. This works if we really do need to go now due to time etc. We play a lot of hide and seek out on off leash walks and if OH walks off out of sight i’ve realized i can now cue the game even to go and find him (whenever he hid i would say ‘where is he?!’ In an excited voice and if i use this now on walks she is up and looking straight away!). So maybe more game playing is the way to go? Keep trying you’ll find something that works!
Hi my pup did this all the time, we tried everything that you have but she adamantly refused to move. In the end I tried to relax and wait for her to be ready to move. I think she was just watching everything and everyone and taking in the"big world" around her. She's 18 months now and will still do it from time to time, usually when she's unsure of something or someone.
Thanks so much, lots of valuable tips. Often he is not sniffing around, he just sits there or lies down. Seemingly intent on not moving. Or he will turn back to home/car. I've tried taking the lead off and walking at calling him, he turned around and walked towards home. The only time he enthusiasticly walks is towards home. I'm wondering if he's a bit anxious. I like the hide and seek idea, and I'll try another walk later where I'll completely follow his lead and see how far we get. I just feel really confused by it, wanting to keep him exercising as he's already a big pup, but unsure if I should push this walking idea with him at the moment.
Ricki is the opposite, he wouldn't walk to the vets yesterday (200metres away) but once in was super excited walking around everywhere!
I took him this afternoon and I completely followed his lead. I stopped and waited whilst he sat and eventually he got up and started to wander. I followed and it seemed to work much better. We all didn't go far but most of the way was walking with much less problems. Will keep walking this way for now. Thanks for the tips
Hahahaha don’t worry around 11/12 weeks approx Holly also went through a phase of only enthusiastically walking home! It was SO disheartening but i think its just a phase. And i felt as bad as you do about her energy and not getting her outside and engaged but you have to just go with it at this age i think. Socialisation trips and at home training where the best excercise and mental stimulation we could give her at that age (and still now really..) it earned us a much more tired and satisfied pup than any of our walks! (But yeah it relies on driving or carrying puppy there whilst walking on a lead in a direction you are suggesting is still something the dog is learning about). So glad to hear it went better just following his lead! I hope you continue to see improvement and good luck!
Isn’t 11 weeks quite young to be going out for walks? I’m sure Toby hadn’t had his second injection by then. We used to take him to garden centres and places for socialisation and puppy training but not out for walks.
Hi, honestly try not to worry, it's brain work, or training, finding, games that will tire you pup out not the daily walk. Isla was exactly the same on nearly every walk and it was that she was anxious. Continue to follow his lead and I'm sure he'll be walking better soon.
Thank you everyone, i feel much better about it all now! He's been off and on the last few days, but as a whole, better, so that's good.
