Leash training and outside

Maizy

New member
Oct 9, 2013
27
0
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USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Maizy
It's becoming obvious my dog probably spent all her time in a crate before I got her. She is petrified of outside/grass in general but loves her crate. When I open the door to go out, she won't go, and I have to pick her up and put her out in the grass, even dangling a treat. Inside, she's very happy in her crate and will walk in and out of it while I'm here with her. She also has no issue with the crate at night sleeping 10-4 am, then a potty break, and back in it until 6. However, she will not go out a door to outside at all, and I am also trying to train her indoors on a leash so we can eventually go outside on it as this will be important for vet visits or just walks, etc, and she's not having it. She fights it whenever we train on it. I can't continue to pick her up to go outside in our fenced yard, and of course it adds a ton of time to trying to get out of the house to get to school or work with kids on time. Our last dogs loved outside from day one until they passed. I opened a door and they loved outside, but not my new girl. I've never seen a dog hate outside, hate the front and back door, and hate the leash. She just wants to be inside. Any ideas?
 

Jennifer Clark

I can handle the whiskey, if you can handle the nu
Community Veteran
Apr 16, 2013
2,872
117
Searcy, Arkansas
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Sheldon A.K.A Shelly Bean (06-12-19); Duecy (9-13-14); Maddie (4-16-19)
It's becoming obvious my dog probably spent all her time in a crate before I got her. She is petrified of outside/grass in general but loves her crate. When I open the door to go out, she won't go, and I have to pick her up and put her out in the grass, even dangling a treat. Inside, she's very happy in her crate and will walk in and out of it while I'm here with her. She also has no issue with the crate at night sleeping 10-4 am, then a potty break, and back in it until 6. However, she will not go out a door to outside at all, and I am also trying to train her indoors on a leash so we can eventually go outside on it as this will be important for vet visits or just walks, etc, and she's not having it. She fights it whenever we train on it. I can't continue to pick her up to go outside in our fenced yard, and of course it adds a ton of time to trying to get out of the house to get to school or work with kids on time. Our last dogs loved outside from day one until they passed. I opened a door and they loved outside, but not my new girl. I've never seen a dog hate outside, hate the front and back door, and hate the leash. She just wants to be inside. Any ideas?

Potty patch or potty pad maybe, bless her heart, I don't know her story or anything or how long you have had her but I have put a leash on in the house and just let them run around with the leash in the house I don't hold it I just let the play around the house wearing the leash till they are comfortable it.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
 

hnhammond

New member
Aug 20, 2012
470
33
Los Angeles, CA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Matilda (Tilly)
A lot of puppies have this issue. It has to do with their natural instinct to not stray away from the den (into the wild where they would get eaten).

Try picking up your puppy (on leash) and putting her down a block away from the house. Most likely, she will walk back to the house with you without issue. Then praise like crazy so she can see that the world is not a scary place :)
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
Staff member
Mar 21, 2011
13,407
848
Katy, Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
It's sad when some breeders don't take the time to socialize their pups and let them go outside. Such a shame and they need to be out out of business in my opinion. It will take time and patience to get her used to going outside. Let her walk around the house with the leash on for a little while each day and once she gets used to that, then you can lead her around the house with it. In the mean time try to coax her outside with a treat and maybe even feed her out there a few times, so she can see it is OK to be out there. When you do go outside, try to get her to play with a toy or ball and soon she will see being outside isn't all that bad. Then you can practice going for walks in the back yard and eventually get her to go out the front. Might have to go to the front from the back yard and in the front door, so she will see it's OK. Just be patient, give plenty of praise, and plenty of small training treats, so she won't get fat on the treats. :) You can even use her kibble for treats too. Good luck and keep us posted,
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Great advice above... It is going to take a lot of patience to get her going, but it will come in time... Get a high valued treat that will want her to move
 

s5nelson

New member
Aug 28, 2013
230
5
Gaithersburg, MD
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Winston
With puppies that aren't socialized well, the easiest thing I've found is to open a door and just go sit outside / enjoy the weather. I would go and sit out on my deck with Winston and he would come outside, be a little afraid, but he'd start exploring and soon forget his fear (works best with a fenced in area or a porch etc). Bullies are pretty self assured and smart so I have no doubt that she'll figure it out pretty quickly :)

As far as leash training is concerned, I always attached the leash to their collar and let the puppies run around with it attached first. Then from there I'll pick up the end of it so that way they know that I'm just holding it, and usually it's pretty easy from there. You can even attach the leash to their collar while still in the house so they don't associate it with something scary such as being outside.

Good luck!
 

steph0922

New member
Nov 25, 2015
1
0
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Shumie
Hi, everybody! I just rescued a 14 week old bulldog Shumie who I just found out was in a breeding facility then an owner who did not treat her right.
Shumie is petrified of a leash, and going outside. She may have been pulled when wearing a collar. I read your tips, but when I put the leash on her, she bites it as a puppy, and then it becomes a toy. I am unsure if she should associate her leash as a toy, and chew it up. I am a first time dog owner. She gets to the door, and won't budge. I do not want to pull her. She then goes into her crate, and puts her head under her blanket. Sad and cute, and I am unsure how to get her to go out and find out that the world is not such a terrible place, and I will keep her safe. In other words, HELP!
 

Manydogs

Well-known member
Community Veteran
May 2, 2013
13,637
2,025
Tennessee
Country
U.S.A.
Bulldog(s) Names
Maudee,MarthaKatie,Lizzie,Bro.Mini
Hello :welcome4: [MENTION=15118]steph0922[/MENTION] My dogs all wear a step in harness,rather than a collar. As pups, they always tried to grab the leash in their mouths,but with the harness, I held the leash straight up,with no slack in it,and when they would try to get it,I just said "no bite". Eventually they learned. I never let them play with the leash,when trying to walk them. If she is afraid of going out, I would carry her outside-don't try to drag her,she will get more afraid. When you put her down, give her a yummy small treat. You have to be patient because she has to learn to have some confidence. She probably spent her little life in a cage.
 

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