walking a puppy

gtippett · 07-29-2008, 08:58 AM

Hello again,

So we are trying to get our 11 week old golden retriever to go for walks. However she might go a few steps and then lie down and stop. How do i get her going again. She does this anytime we take her, morning and evening. I tried treats she doesn't move, do i need better treats? I don't want to pull her to much because i don't want to hurt her.

thanks for the help,

CalamityJane · 07-29-2008, 09:05 AM

I have the same problem with my 5 m/o Pyr/Malamute mix pup. Sometimes he does very well; other times he sits or lies down. I also don't want to "just haul" him up. He is very food-motivated though, and I have found that the better the treat, the more attentive he is. I use dried salmon for that special treat; he can't take his eyes off me. I have a recipe for "salmon fudge" that I am going to make, too. We had some of this last week at our training class, one of the trainers had made it, and it was amazing!

I do think too, that he does more of this when he is tired, or tired of, the training. I try to stop while he's still doing well, so we don't stop on a bad note.

Good luck, and I hope we both get some better answers than mine. I did read the stickies here too, about loose leash walking, and am trying to do it that way. That is also the way our trainer is teaching too. I think it just takes some time for it to become an "all-the-time" thing, instead of periodically.

Diana5241 · 07-29-2008, 04:16 PM

At 11 weeks Giz was not into walks at ALL - he wouldn't even go 1 block - but with persistence and 3 more weeks of age, his walks are getting much better. Now we try to take him *around* the block every other day or so and we're slowly getting there. We ALWAYS have to stop because he lays down, but usually a few cheers of "You can do it! Come on Gizmo!" in a cherrie voice will get him going again.

I hate the thought of dragging him, too, so if he refuses to budge we carry him for a minute or so and then put him back down. By then, he'll usually walk a bit more. This way (hopefully) he's gaining stamina and learns that we don't just go home when he's tired!

Good luck to all of us!

CinnamintStick · 07-29-2008, 04:47 PM

My puppy is 11 weeks old too. He loves his walks but I have had dogs that hated it. I did drag them until they learned to walk with me. It did help if they had a buddy to walk with. After a few times they figured out what they should do.

ChrisO23 · 07-29-2008, 05:23 PM

When walking the puppy bring a squeeky toy with you or something that will get the pups attention, then when the pup lays down squeek it to get its attention, try and keep the excitement during the walk, maybe run/jog a lil also.

Pepper · 07-29-2008, 05:25 PM

Also, start off walking him inside the house with his leash and collar on. Make it exciting, if he stops, act very excited and and wag a treat or a toy in front of you, he's just not used to walking with a leash yet.

rosemaryninja · 07-30-2008, 01:28 AM

http://www.thedogsbone.com/blogs/5/W...n-A-Leash.html

shellbelle11 · 07-30-2008, 10:04 AM

Lucie, my almost 12 week old beagle, sounds to be the same as your little guy, lol. Sometimes she does better than others. She loves walking on grass more than on tar. We live in a huge apt complex with a great area to walk around. Food is a big motivator for her sometimes too. Other times she's just so not into it. She's slowly getting better though as time goes on.

blackrose · 07-31-2008, 12:54 PM

Also, if the dog stops out of "stubborness" (aka, the dog is balking at the leash, not because it is tired), I would lay the leash across the front of your legs and walk while ignoring the dog. Each step you take gives the leash a little tug. As soon as the pup starts walking again, praise, reward, have a party, and then stop walking (a reward in itself).

That is what I do when my dogs feel the need to lag because they want to turn around and go back and sniff that dead thing on the side of the road. Works for them.

rosemaryninja · 07-31-2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shellbelle11

Lucie, my almost 12 week old beagle, sounds to be the same as your little guy, lol. Sometimes she does better than others. She loves walking on grass more than on tar. We live in a huge apt complex with a great area to walk around. Food is a big motivator for her sometimes too. Other times she's just so not into it. She's slowly getting better though as time goes on.

Is the tar she's walking on hot?

shellbelle11 · 08-02-2008, 05:54 PM

no, I have thought of that too, though. I have checked that out. As soon as I drop the leash, even on the blacktop, she will walk right beside me happy as can be.... she's doing better on the leash slowly I think.

KingJames88 · 08-02-2008, 11:25 PM

I had a similar problem to this. My puppy loved going for walks the first week I got him, then one day he decided he didn't want to. The advice I got from his former trainer and some other trainers is just not to let him have his way. Pull him, but not too much to hurt him, just enough to make it uncomfortable, if it doesn't work, which is always didn't for me, I would walk over to him and physically lift him up. After a few days of this, whenever he would stop I would walk back to lift him up if the pulling didn't work or I thought it would hurt him, and he would get up on his own knowing i was going to lift him up anyway. After about 5 days he stopped all together and only stops now when he's truely tired. As far as the type of leash goes I think most of them are all to make money, since a dog should be able to walk with any kind of leash since they shouldn't be allowed to pull anyway. Teaching him to stay next to you or behind you with a leash high up on his neck is all you need, you can then walk him with anything from a chain to a shoe string (which I had to do once when my leash broke and it was no problem).

melgrj7 · 08-03-2008, 11:53 PM

I would bring a toy and make walking fun, play a little as you walk and keep them short. If he normally will got 20 steps before stopping, then walk 10 steps away from the house and then walk the 10 steps back. Build it up by a few steps at a time as the puppy gets the hang of it.