Walking a Puppy

[amdeemer]

Hi everyone!

Archie will be 10 weeks old tomorrow & we've tried unsuccessfully to take him for a few walks. We don't have a harness for him, only a collar & leash, but we used to use a harness for our Dane. He's so very little yet so perhaps he just needs a bit more time, but currently when we take him, he resists moving & just lays down in the shade. Can't say I blame him, it looks pretty cozy, but still we'd love to take him on short walks. Any suggestions? Should we try a harness or should we just keep trying it this way & when he's a tad older, maybe he'll start to enjoy it?

thanks!

 

[dolphin]

I would definitely get him a harness, collars are bad for the neck and use treats to coax him, he'll get it after a while. Good luck!

 

[Marine91]

I agree with Phil. Get a harness and use treats to get the ball rolling and then slowly reduce the treats given on the walk and he will get the hint.

 

[2BullyMama]

The boys (Phil and Todd) have you covered.... get their attention and they will fall into place, but be patient as it does take time -- they are curious little buggers

 

[Mia Amor]

Hi everyone!

Archie will be 10 weeks old tomorrow & we've tried unsuccessfully to take him for a few walks. We don't have a harness for him, only a collar & leash, but we used to use a harness for our Dane. He's so very little yet so perhaps he just needs a bit more time, but currently when we take him, he resists moving & just lays down in the shade. Can't say I blame him, it looks pretty cozy, but still we'd love to take him on short walks. Any suggestions? Should we try a harness or should we just keep trying it this way & when he's a tad older, maybe he'll start to enjoy it?

thanks!

Mia is 11 was today and she loves her harness and also only walks with it. If I try and put leash on collar good luck walking her. So yes I would say harness makes a huge difference huge.

Sent from Mia's s4 (Mia Amor)

 

[ABEBD]

Hello,
Since the puppy isn't ready for outside walks, here is my suggestion. I start off all of my puppies by walking INSIDE THE HOUSE. Your puppy is already accustomed to being inside your house and isn't afraid, we hope. Taking a puppy outside for the first time is a scary big world. Behavior modification is best when broken down into small pieces and steps.

So start off with any collar and leash inside the house. Get the puppy comfortable with just having a collar on. If you have a collar on your puppy currently, then just use that one. A collar is not for force control, a collar is for transferring the stimuli from your hand, down the leash and to the dog. If you see dogs that are walking and pulling at the end of a leash and powering against the leash is not trained.

Use the leash on your puppy and practice walking around INSIDE the house first. Once you puppy learns that the leash is for control and direction and NOT for punishment, then you are ready for outside. The puppy will trust you more by following this step of inside training. The big scary world will be less scary, which is why puppies resit, stop and sit down.

To quote the line in the movie "Contact: Small moves Ellie" Take leash training ONE small step at a time.
Good Day~

Animal training is behavior modification and works on horses, bulldogs and KuneKune pigs.

 

[dieMuttivonBifi]

Hi! you can also try coaxing him to walk with a long spoon (like those long wooden spoon) with peanut butter or something .

 

[Samantha Orts]

June will be a year on Friday and STILL resists walking sometimes The only thing that helps is if she stops walking, my bf or I give her a little nudge from behind haha

 

[dolphin]

Hi everyone!

Archie will be 10 weeks old tomorrow & we've tried unsuccessfully to take him for a few walks. We don't have a harness for him, only a collar & leash, but we used to use a harness for our Dane. He's so very little yet so perhaps he just needs a bit more time, but currently when we take him, he resists moving & just lays down in the shade. Can't say I blame him, it looks pretty cozy, but still we'd love to take him on short walks. Any suggestions? Should we try a harness or should we just keep trying it this way & when he's a tad older, maybe he'll start to enjoy it?

thanks!

I forgot to say before. Make sure he has all of his shots before you go out and walk him just to be safe.

 

[amdeemer]

Thanks so much for all of the input! I never thought about trying to walk him inside the house first - good idea! Might try that first & if he's still resistant then I'll try a harness.

 

[foxy131]

Lola didn't like walks until she was about 4 months old. She loves them now (at 6 months), but we're still working on the pulling thing at times, especially when she's tired and knows we're almost home.


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[Peter Lynn Westre]

Cheese sticks are great for coaxing reluctant walkers

 

[tyree213]

Mine was the same way until she got to be about 12 weeks old. Then it pretty came natural to her.

 

[nubonics]

On the contrary Curly never walked with a harness. Once we switched to a collar he would walk behind us. But luckily he never pulls.

I saw someone use the expression "get the ball rolling" - we literally use to roll a ball for Curly. He didn't start going for a true walk until he was about 6 months. Time and patience!


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[Bella and Dozers Dad]

For my pups I would let them walk around in the house with a leash attached so they could get used to it for an hour or so at a time. Never had a problem with them wanting to walk.