Advice Needed - Bulldog Puppy Will Not Walk Away From Condo Building

[Good Boy Brutus]

Hello everyone! I know there have been many posts on many different forums about English Bulldog puppies not walking and such, but I wanted to get some advice on my situation which may/may not be a bit unique. Our English Bully, Brutus, is 11 weeks old, and really is a good boy (house training going well, no issues with crate training). However, when it comes time for us to put the leash on him (we use a harness, not collar) and try to walk him outside our apartment and away from the apartment building, he will have none of it. Instead, he either locks up low to the ground, or just stands there and stares before trying to go back inside... Where it gets a bit odd (at least to us!) is that if we can take him about one block away from the building, he will start being much more mobile on the leash and walking around...

We can't seem to figure out why he is so opposed to walking outside the apartment, the elevator and then away from this implied building perimeter. We are currently using treats as a way to get him to come away from the building on his leash and we are having mixed success since we started a few days ago! Would love to get some advice from the forum!! Thank you!!

[JeannieCO]

My advice would be to simply pick him up and walk about 20 feet or so away from the building. It's very common for bullies not to want to walk and for some, including my Wilson, it can take months. Here's a blurb from a response of mine to another thread. Hope it helps.

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.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and to EBN!!

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, I don't have any ideas or advice, as I also have a non walker bully. My male Bulldozer is very laid back, and stubborn, he will go out and within 5 minutes will do both duties, then immediately wants to go back in the house. We go for a walk around the block every night as their last walk of the day, and the other night we switched it up and decided to take a walk to the Tim Hortons to get an Ice Capp, the walk takes about 15 minutes each way, Dozer will usually walk about 10 minutes, and then goes on strike, he lies on his tummy with legs splayed out to the side and refuses to walk. We have to pick up his bum and say walk, or bribe him with treats. Lol. When he doesn't want to walk, he just doesn't. His sister Blossom on the other hand is exactly the opposite, she has so much energy, she's crazy, she would walk for hours if you let her, and she is my social butterfly, wanting to greet everyone for a belly rub. She's too funny. I'll definetely be watching this thread to,see how other people with non walking bullies motivate their dogs to walk.

[Arkham]

Arkham had the same issue. I just carried him down the street and he was fine.

[Marine91]

I will be keeping an eye on this thread as well. We are just starting this with Harlea so we aren't sure yet how things are going to pan out as I do not want to venture too far away from the house until she has had her 12 week shots. I did manage to get her to walk willingly on a leash about 30 yards on Saturday without tugging or getting ahead of me, so she may or may not be a walker.

[malaviKat]

Chance was like that. But if we took him to the field next to the condo, he'd run around in it for ages. In obedience class, he and the other bully would hold up the line because they'd walk so slowly. Tucker, the other bulldog in our class would walk backwards sometimes or just sit down in the circle. Our trainer just told us to encourage him with praise and sometimes a quick snap tug (like a corrective tug) on the leash. Eventually he learned to just walk at a decent clip (sometimes a little too fast).

Chance loves to walk now. If the weather is good, we walk for hours (5-6 hours on trails). He is mostly a trail dog. He loves elevation changes and being out away from chaos. Around our condo he prefers the open field most of the time but will walk around the complex if he's in the right mood.

He is still stubborn though. We have a splash pad in front of our condo that he loves to play in. He threw the equivalent of a doggy temper tantrum yesterday because we told him he couldn't go in it. Planted himself in the driveway of one of the buildings and refused to move...much to the amusement of the cars needing to get in and out.

[dolphin]

Hello everyone! I know there have been many posts on many different forums about English Bulldog puppies not walking and such, but I wanted to get some advice on my situation which may/may not be a bit unique. Our English Bully, Brutus, is 11 weeks old, and really is a good boy (house training going well, no issues with crate training). However, when it comes time for us to put the leash on him (we use a harness, not collar) and try to walk him outside our apartment and away from the apartment building, he will have none of it. Instead, he either locks up low to the ground, or just stands there and stares before trying to go back inside... Where it gets a bit odd (at least to us!) is that if we can take him about one block away from the building, he will start being much more mobile on the leash and walking around...

We can't seem to figure out why he is so opposed to walking outside the apartment, the elevator and then away from this implied building perimeter. We are currently using treats as a way to get him to come away from the building on his leash and we are having mixed success since we started a few days ago! Would love to get some advice from the forum!! Thank you!!

Buster still really doesn't like to walk much in the neighborhood but he is much better now. I too picked him up after he had his rabies and last set of shots and walked to the other end of the block and put him down and he made a bee line right back to our house. Did that for about a month before he caught on. Now we walk all over th neighborhood but it's funny how he knows exactly where his home is. Has he had his last set of shots and rabies yet?

[JAKEISGREAT]

Yes...start away from the building and walk home. Soon he will be fine..

But..as Pdolphin27 was asking..he needs his complete 3 series of shots before he's out and about!

[hnhammond]

This is actually a totally common issue and happened with my bully pup, too! Puppies instinctually will not wander too far from the den. This is because in the wild, they understand that if they're away from the den, they could risk being attacked/eaten/whatever.

You need to teach your puppy that we're not in the wild and those instincts don't apply. The best way to do it, is as suggested, pick up your pup and remove him from the den area (your condo). He will then walk because he's already away from the den anyway. He'll then, over time, learn that it's safe in the "wild".

I think it is hilarious that our bulldogs - who cannot swim, run, or exist without air conditioning - still have these feral wolfy instincts, but they do. Even if it's ridiculous to us, you do have to consider their pack-minded behavior.

[Davidh]

Yap, I agree with the others, just pick him up and carry away from the building for a little while until he gets used to his surroundings and gets a little older, then he will be found.

[2BullyMama]

The gang has you covered..... good luck and keep us posted

[Bullyproof]

Great advice all around! I had the same issue with Kiah, but she was already 2 years old. I started off small, I would walk her around the perimeter of my building, working in obedience around every corner. Each day we got a bit further and wandered away from our den. Now we walk about a half mile twice a day. Sometimes more if it isnt too hot. These florida summers are brutal even at 7am.

She stil gets stubborn every so often, a quick leash correction or a change of direction will get her going. Then she gets treats of course! The key is patience.

Best of luck