My puppy 13 weeks does not want to walk

by daisy
(uk)

My puppy has been out walking for 2 weeks he started really well on a lead but has now taken to sitting down and not wanting to walk. he is excited when you produce the lead but as soon as we leave the house he sits down.

After lots of encouragement he begins to walk however he sometimes reverts to sitting down. what should i do? i feel bad pulling him but i do not see the point in carrying him around
when he meets people or other dogs he is very sociable.



Hi Daisy
Rest assured this is absolutely normal behavior, when the novelty of walking on the leash wears off, many puppies decide to stage a 'sit in'!

Of course, you can't spend your whole 'walk' in one spot, or carry him around (defeats the whole purpose of the walk :o) or drag him for 2 miles.

I'd recommend taking a little 'treat bag' with you on your walks. Fill it with some of his favorite, tasty treats (make them small), and when he decides to sit down, take out a treat, hold it at knee level and encourage him to follow you by saying "hurry up" or "let's go" in a happy, upbeat voice.

If he refuses to budge, walk several paces back until you're behind him, then jog past him, treat in hand, calling for him in a happy voice. Puppies hate to miss out on any action and are hard-wired to follow quick moving object (or animals) and chances are good that he will follow you happily.

I would also advise enrolling him at a Dog Obedience School so that you and he can practice leash-walking and other basic obedience, with a qualified instructor on hand to help out.

This sort of behavior is usually just a phase, and once you've managed to get him moving a few times, he'll soon be back to enjoying his walks. Just be patient and consistent.

Best of luck!