# English Bull Terrier Puppy that doesn't want to walk



## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

Hi,

I've got a 14 week old Bull Terrier puppy who doesn't want to walk. He will walk sometimes and then won't others however when he does walk we only have 2 mins of walking and then 5 mins of stopping.
I've tried the following things:

Coaxing him with treats (this worked initially however he soon cottoned on and that stopped working)

Telling him hes a good boy and calling him

Ignoring him and just standing there (this sort of works however we are usually stood there for a good 10 mins before he'll walk again)
He's got a comfy harness and he's not pulling out of that so I don't think it's that. I got him a coat in case he was cold but that doesn't seem to change anything. Our puppy class teacher said to try a longer lead (the training ones) and that's helped a tiny bit but not massively.

He doesn't seem scared as although his tail isn't wagging his ears are up.

I don't want to try pulling him as i'm worried that'll make it a stressful experience for him and then he won't enjoy walking.

The breeds are notorious for being stubborn and not wanting to walk but I don't want to give up. He's over a stone and a half now so starting to struggle carrying him! I'm just out of ideas to try....any ideas?

Thank you in advance!


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

How about.. the first time he stops walking, you take him back to the house and then ignore him. A few minutes later, try it again. Repeat every time he stops walking. It should teach him that if he wants to go, he needs to walk. 

This is assuming he isn't scared of being outside or anything like that. I don't know much about how stubborn BTs can be as I've never owned one. Does he get excited when he realises he's about to go for a walk?


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

Mirandashell said:


> How about.. the first time he stops walking, you take him back to the house and then ignore him. A few minutes later, try it again. Repeat every time he stops walking. It should teach him that if he wants to go, he needs to walk.
> 
> This is assuming he isn't scared of being outside or anything like that. I don't know much about how stubborn BTs can be as I've never owned one. Does he get excited when he realises he's about to go for a walk?


With the taking him back do the house would that include taking him inside and taking his harness off etc?

How can I tell if he's scared whilst outside? His tail doesn't wag but his ears are up. He doesn't get excited when I get his harness etc out.


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

Hmm... have you had him checked by the vet for any physical problems? If he's in pain, that might be why he doesn't get excited by the prospect of a walk. Has he been like that as long as you've had him?


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

Have you tried taking him out on a collar and lead, nothing else? Just in case he is objecting to the harness or coat.


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

It could be that. Have you checked the harness isn't rubbing him anywhere? It usually happens under the 'armpit' where the harness is either too tight or is moving around too much.


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

He's been like it since we've been able to take him out for a walk (past 2 weeks). I have gotta take a urine sample to the vets this week as we think he may have a urine infection as he's drinking loads.

I got him a harness that's padded so it's got like fleece all on the inside. I don't really wanna try him just on his collar in case he pulls himself off it. I've tried walking him without the coat but that doesn't make a difference.


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

It could be he's uncomfortable because of an infection. See what the vet says.


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

Yeah will do that, just gotta follow him round with a pot now!

Thank you all!


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

Let us know how it goes.


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## kimthecat (Aug 11, 2009)

kingggy said:


> With the taking him back do the house would that include taking him inside and taking his harness off etc?
> 
> How can I tell if he's scared whilst outside? His tail doesn't wag but his ears are up. He doesn't get excited when I get his harness etc out.


 This isnt stubborness, its because he is not confident and uncomfortable going outside. He is young needs and needs more time.


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## kimthecat (Aug 11, 2009)

Mirandashell said:


> How about.. the first time he stops walking, you take him back to the house and then ignore him. A few minutes later, try it again. Repeat every time he stops walking. It should teach him that if he wants to go, he needs to walk.


Pups learn from immediate consequences . It will teach him that if he stops , he gets to go home which is what he wants. 
You have to be careful of what you are reinforcing .


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

Well yeah, I know that now! But had to ask a few more questions to get what the problem was.

The usual reason a puppy won't walk is the lead. They hate it. And if that's the reason, removing what the puppy wants is a way to deal with it.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

The usual way is put the lead on the pup around the house, a familiar and safe surrounding, so they only have one new thing to deal with


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

Got the results back and he doesn't have a water infection.

My puppy class teacher said to try a technique called lead stroking and that worked for all of 10 minutes!

We are now at a complete loss as he will only walk when he knows he's going home.

We've tried him on his collar and on his harness. With a coat and without a coat. In the light in the dark. Tempting with treats and without. In the rain and in the dry. There doesn't seem to be any form of pattern just that he'll walk home but not leave home.

His ears are up and tail is slightly wagging so I don't think it's a confidence issue.


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

Oh and we had him on his harness and lead in the house and garden before we went anywhere. He doesn't pull out of his harness and it's quite happy for it to go on so I don't think it's a harness issue. He's 4 months now so been going out for a while.


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

An Irish setter I had years ago didn't like going out for walks when he was young. I used to take him out and I would be towing him round after me and the moment he got to the point where we half way round and begining to head for home he would start towing me after him. It was as if he had an internal compass. Eventually as he began to grow up and gain confidence, he began to enjoy his walks and looked forward to going out.


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

I'm sure I read someone suggesting having an older dog accompany you on walks, if you know anyone with a reliable gentle older dog?


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

Siskin said:


> An Irish setter I had years ago didn't like going out for walks when he was young. I used to take him out and I would be towing him round after me and the moment he got to the point where we half way round and begining to head for home he would start towing me after him. It was as if he had an internal compass. Eventually as he began to grow up and gain confidence, he began to enjoy his walks and looked forward to going out.


 Ahh ok so did you just keep taking him out every day even if you didn't get very far?


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

JoanneF said:


> I'm sure I read someone suggesting having an older dog accompany you on walks, if you know anyone with a reliable gentle older dog?


I tried this but he just wanted to play with my mums Terrier rather than walk unfortunately!


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

kingggy said:


> Ahh ok so did you just keep taking him out every day even if you didn't get very far?


Yes. it did take time, but as he grew he also grew in confidence. A lot of puppies are like this even the one I have now who is super confident, was very reluctant to go along the road at first. Then she got used to roads and liked them, it's only a quiet country lane, but then she was quite nervous in a field for a while. I suppose it was the huge open expanse that unnerved her. Once she got used to it all by going the same way regularly then she began to enjoy the experience and then started to pull like a train to get to the fields, but that's another story


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## kingggy (Jan 30, 2017)

Siskin said:


> Yes. it did take time, but as he grew he also grew in confidence. A lot of puppies are like this even the one I have now who is super confident, was very reluctant to go along the road at first. Then she got used to roads and liked them, it's only a quiet country lane, but then she was quite nervous in a field for a while. I suppose it was the huge open expanse that unnerved her. Once she got used to it all by going the same way regularly then she began to enjoy the experience and then started to pull like a train to get to the fields, but that's another story


 haha yeah I drove him to a dog field this morning and had to carry him in there but once in the field he walked much better (not amazing but better) I think it may be multiple things, confidence, the cold and stubbornness! Will just keep persisting!


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## Yane (Mar 22, 2017)

Hi, I had the same problem with my english bull terrier - he did't want to walk when he was a puppy - now he's 2. He started walking normally after the first month, now the problem is only when it's raining outside. Don't worry yours will start walking eventually - most puppies are unsure at first. What I did was a lot of short walks with treats at first, than I started carrying him to the park and playing with him there so he started enjoying being outside. And walking him with other dog helped a lot.


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2017)

My Westie did this as a puppy. I remember how frustrating it was at the time. I think it was all so overwhelming that she needed to stop to compose herself. I just let her stop when she needed to and with time and patience she grew out of it.


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