Taking my puppy for a walk

by Gary Cameron
(Seattle Washington)

I have a 4 month old puppy that I just got 2 weeks ago. He is a mixed breed with some Lab and Retriever and ?. I have taken him to the dog park about 5 times and he is very social and just loves it.

I have taken him for walks in my neighborhood and the first 3-4 times he always went along with the walk.

The last 2 times I have taken him he goes a little ways then he does not want to move. I usually need to pick him up and carry him for awhile then put him back down and continue the walk. He will do this numerous times and sometimes he might hear a dog bark and other times nothing is going on. On the way home he is usually much better.

I want to make sure I do the right thing for him when he does this. If I tug on the leash he still won't move to the point where he is almost being dragged.

Any suggestions on what is the best thing to do when he does this?


Hi Gary
This is a surprisingly common thing in puppies, and unfortunately there's no easy answer, or even one that works for all puppies! However, there are some things that you can try, it's more trial and error and patience than anything else.

He probably loves the dog park because he can run around and socialize and generally have a really good time. Going for a walk is a whole different thing, and it's probably all very new to him! The reason he does better going home is probably because he knows that the walk is coming to an end and he's eager to get back to his toys, food, home and so on.

However, it's important that he learns to walk on the leash when YOU want him to, not when HE wants to. I'd suggest that you practice walking him around on the leash several times every day, for short periods. Walk him around the house, the front yard, the back yard... and so on. Just for a couple of minutes, keep him moving! Also, let him wear his leash and drag it around for a little while each day. He needs to get more familiar with the feel and weight of the leash on his neck.

Something else that might help is 'tethering', basically it means attaching the leash to your belt and keeping the puppy right beside you while you go about your usual business. You don't need to do this 24/7 obviously, but for several hours each day you're joined at the hip (literally).

Puppies are creatures of habit, they tend to resist the new, but once something is familiar and has become a habit, they cling to it fiercely. The aim here is to get your pup totally familiar and comfortable with the leash, and with following you while wearing it. It's not going to happen overnight, but given several weeks of practice (less if your pup is a quick learner) he'll automatically go with you when you put on his leash.

Meantime when you're out on your daily walk with him, take some of his very favorite treats (the smelliest, tastiest ones you can find) and keep one in your left hand. If he sits down and won't move, let him smell the treat but not actually eat it, then holding it in front of his nose start moving forward saying "let's go" or something similar. He will follow your hand, don't let him have the treat for several yards, just bait him with it. After a reasonable time, praise him, give him the treat and keep walking. Repeat this whenever he starts being stubborn.

If this doesn't work (it's usually pretty successful but not all dogs are very food motivated), just use your voice and body language to encourage him to move forward. Take a few steps back (still holding the leash), then jog past him taking little steps and saying something like "let's go" or "come on" in a happy, upbeat voice. He will most likely get up and follow you. Using a retractable leash works well for this one, as your puppy will not want you too far away from him, so if you extend the leash a bit as you run he'll be more likely to try to catch up.

Hopefully one of these methods (or a combination of them) will work for you. Puppies do usually grow out of this annoying habit as they get more familiar with walks. But nipping it in the bud is preferable. I'd also suggest that you take your pup to Puppy Obedience Classes as they're an invaluable source of help and advice on all aspects of training. It benefits both you and your puppy. Best of luck with him!