Help Needed! Puppy refuses to walk

[NewAccount2013]

Hi everyone. Thank you for your replies! I am sure that it is not a health issue becuase he is always energetic and running around and jumping in the apartment and in his puppy lessons (indoors). He is up to date on his vet visits and his shots so I know he is healthy : )

I'm glad that I'm not alone in dealing with this issue. I will keep an eye out for him and if any particular strategy starts working I'll come back and share it here. He is so adorable and I will try anything to make his walks a fun time for us both. Cheers!

 

[cali baker]

Keep at it and I know w/time LeRoy will be walking more. If he's only going 25 feet right now then that's at least something. The next time, work on going 30 feet, and then 40 feet and so on. With persistence and time, it will pay off and he'll actually enjoy his walks. The further he goes, praise him. Even if it's just a 5 minute walk, that's already good for now. Good luck!

 

[Richard Jones]

Our 6 month old bully is not a great walker, especially at the end of the day. I carry small training treats in my pocket so when he decides he is not walking I whip out a treat. I have had to carry him to a field behind our house where he poops, as he refuses to poop in our back yard. He is very difficult at the end of the day when he is tried, specially on weekends when we are home all day he is just exhausted at the end of the day and refuses to walk.

 

[BarbaraDavis]

This is a common problem with many puppies, not just bulldogs! It may have something to do with the pup encountering new things in the environment that are concerning, and he just doesn't feel comfortable going forward. Don't pull on the leash, as that tends to make the pup pull back and stand his ground. Most times if you take a particularly exciting treat and toss it out on the ground just ahead, the sight of the bouncing food is usually enough to get the dog going. Also, if the dog learns that those "concerning" things make something good happen, they'll get over it quicker with time. Cookies don't work so well, but small bits of meat jerky or cheese really seem to do the trick. Walking with an older, confident dog can help, but when the other dog isn't present, you'll probably just wind up back where you started.

 

[heavyblankets]

I'm having this same problem with Agnes, who is 3 and a half months old. Today, I brought a penut butter spoon with us and had moderate success. She still FREQUENTLY stopped, sat, and had to be coaxed forward even with the p.b. I'm hoping she eventually comes to enjoy walks. In the meantime, I feel pretty ridiculous! :-)

 

[JeannieCO]

Wilson was one who hated to walk. I'd practice with him almost daily when he was little. Sometimes we'd only get 5 feet, sometimes 20. I always walked backwards while in front of him keeping a cheery voice and encouraging him. It took months and then he start going a bit further but then would come to a dead stop and not budge. I never gave up on him though. I'd take him to the mail box in our development and that was only 3 houses down and it would take 20 minutes to get there - I'm not kidding either. I also used his kibble for a treat.

Well one day last year when he was about 1 year old, probably more close to 16 months, something amazing happened. We started out like normal, a snail's pace, then it HAPPENED. He excelerated into a trot and didn't stop until about .8 of a mile. I was stunned to say the least. He's been a fantastic walker ever since. We can only go just about a mile and then it's slow walking home but this slow pace is willingly.

Don't give up and do what I did. Walk backwards, coax him with kibble and if he moves a foot that's success.

 

[sunkissedpr1ncs]

We just got our puppy about a month ago and he is 5 months old and did the exact same thing at first! I thought we would never be able to take him anywhere! He was great off leash but when we put the leash on he wouldn't budge unless he saw another person or dog.

So one day I decided to put his leash on and dangle the handle in front of him (we have one of those poop bag holders on the end of ours) and he actually started walking trying to get it! So I just kept walking forward dangling the handle and he kept walking!! It was a miracle! Eventually he got going to where I could just hold the leash and would give him treats while he was walking and tell him "good walk".

That's only been about 2 weeks ago now and we have been taking him for walks every day since and he's been perfect! Don't give up hope, it seems like for everything it just "clicks" for them one day and they decide to do what they're supposed to!

 

[Iveski]

for me it starts inside b4 the walk sometimes lol, if he really has to go to the bathroom, Tank will run outside ASAP. Tank has been like that since I've had him at 5 months old, now he's 8 months---still stubborn as day 1. Sometimes he would lay down and refuse to go in the direction i want to go, cuz he wants to go home. But I still love him!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[rksuski]

Thank goodness for these bully's..... They sure keep the neighborhood entertained while we try to get them to walk don't they? My husband used to drive Guinness to the point we would turn around on our walks and he would walk much better coming back to our house. Eventually we were able to go both ways...but it took a lot of persistence and it still does....he's just like a teenager...always checking to see who is in charge.

we also use a harness that has the leash attaching in front, in the middle of his chest between his front legs....it saves our shoulders...good luck :D keep on truckin'