# Puppy won't go for a walk



## gally (Jul 13, 2012)

Have been trying to take our new lab pup 12 weeks for a walk. Will only walk a couple of steps then sits down refusing to go any further. Have tried coaxing him with some treats but to no avail. Loves tearing around the garden and playing there but on an odd occasion when I have managed to get up the path he wants to run back to the gate and the safety of his garden !! Is this the norm ? Is he just scared of the unknown ? Any help would be good would love to take him on a proper walk.


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## redginald (Aug 18, 2011)

We had same problem with our dog at 12 weeks, we eventually got him walking but always seemed unsure. We still have problems with his confidence now at 9 mths old, so i won't offer any advice! Somebody will come along and offer help. Good luck !


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

gally said:


> Have been trying to take our new lab pup 12 weeks for a walk. Will only walk a couple of steps then sits down refusing to go any further. Have tried coaxing him with some treats but to no avail. Loves tearing around the garden and playing there but on an odd occasion when I have managed to get up the path he wants to run back to the gate and the safety of his garden !! Is this the norm ? Is he just scared of the unknown ? Any help would be good would love to take him on a proper walk.


Is it quite busy and noisy where you are? it might be that he is just over awed and uncertain thats often the case when the first go out. Their senses get overloaded and they can literally sit down and freeze. When they wont show an interest in food or treats thats sometimes another sign too, as uncertain or fearful pup/dog wont take food.

There are two things that may help, do you know anyone with a bomb proof friendly calm dog, sometimes that helps if they have a walking buddy they take their cue from them and gain confidence that way. It has to be a completely calm bomb proof dog though, get one thats nervous and unsure and it will just make him even worse.

If he is happy in the car then something else that often works is for first outings to take him somewhere like a park or the woods, where he isnt going to be overloaded with too much noise and everything at once, he should then learn that going out is fun and enjoyable and begin to look forward to it.
As he gains in confidence you can start building up to quiet roads, at quiet times of day where he will only see a few cars, again as he learns to cope, then you can build up to busier roads more traffic and more people and busier areas.

Something that may help is this The Puppy plan its a socialisation plan, at the end of the breeders and early caregivers and the new owner section there is a down load with a plan to follow
The Puppy Plan

Another thing that might not be helping is was he used to walking on a collar and lead or did he just go on one first proper outing? if he did then sometimes its the walking on lead too that does it. You can practice walking on lead in the garden to get him used to collar and lead and practising puppy recalls too which may help with getting him moving, you go to the end of the lead in front of him call him and get him to come to you for a treat. Cheese chicken hotdogs sausage and anything liver based is usually treats they find hard to resist as well.


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

I agree with finding another dog to walk with (as well as the other suggestions!) as my yorkie used to refuse to walk if my dog was behind her. If he was in front she would happily walk with him. I think it gave her some confidence. Even now at 6 months she will look behind to check he is still there. He on the other hand couldn't care less if she was there or not!


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## dandogman (Dec 19, 2011)

I think you need some tastier treats! Have you tried bits of cheese, chicken and sausage?


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## gally (Jul 13, 2012)

Thanks so much for good advice  I am fortunate not to live near any main roads so do not have much traffic noise or other loud distractions. A walking buddy sounds a great idea but would have to accost someone who has a quiet, friendly dog  I will try walking him in the park or woods where there is an open space. The puppy plan has some good advice for new owners too. As a newbie to having a puppy, had an inherited old lab/retriever before, this is a steep learning curve. There are a few other niggles, like biting, nipping, and the early mornings !! have read other posts on this. We new what we were in for, kind of, and as a responsible dog owner will do everything to make our dog a happy, healthy, chappy.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

gally said:


> Thanks so much for good advice  I am fortunate not to live near any main roads so do not have much traffic noise or other loud distractions. A walking buddy sounds a great idea but would have to accost someone who has a quiet, friendly dog  I will try walking him in the park or woods where there is an open space. The puppy plan has some good advice for new owners too. As a newbie to having a puppy, had an inherited old lab/retriever before, this is a steep learning curve. There are a few other niggles, like biting, nipping, and the early mornings !! have read other posts on this. We new what we were in for, kind of, and as a responsible dog owner will do everything to make our dog a happy, healthy, chappy.


The biting and nipping usually gets worse when they get overexcited or sometimes when they get overtired too. Ideally young pups need periods of activity followed by rest but some wont give in and will just keep going. If this is happening its best to give him a wind down activity like a stuffed kong or a chew and he will learn to self amuse and then they often drop off to sleep.

Several things you can do for the biting and nipping to try is to:-

Try a high pitched yelp like you have been hurt (even if it doesnt) he should if he has learnt bite inhibition with mum and littermates cease. if he didnt learn it in the litter then it likely wont work, some it can make them do it more. try it a few times and if it doesnt work abandon it.

Another thing that you can try is to fold your arms turn your back and as you are turning say off. keep turned away and ignore him completely wait until he has calmed down and then get him to sit and give attention and a treat. You can even just walk away and leave him once you have turned and totally ignore him until he is calm, then call him to you, get him to sit and give attention. Some learn quicker then others, so you may have to keep repeating it if he starts up again.

Another thing if he really wont quit any time is just to pop him in another room and let him calm down, let him out but ignore him until you are sure he is calm then call him to you get him to sit and then give attention and a treat.
Again you may have to keep repeating it if he starts up again but be persistent and make sure he gets no attention or treats until he is calm and gives you the behaviour you want from him.

As well as nipping from over excitement and tiredness they often do it as an attention seeking device. In the litter pups bark chase and bite each other in play and to instigate play, so this is often what it is some of the time attention seeking too. By only rewarding calm good behaviour and giving him nothing for biting and nipping he should get the message that biting isnt acceptable.


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## Guest (Jul 13, 2012)

Sometimes, you can carry them to a new place, (make sure it is lovely), and let them run around with lead and collar. (must be safe), to get used to it.(must always watch they don't snag on anything).

Carrying them to a new place away from home, means the sudden unsureness of leaving a known safe place, does not complicate the second unsureness of what is this collar, lead, and tugging?

when teaching lead near/outside home, if your puppy is reluctant to LEAVE home, carry a few metres AWAY from home, and encourage lead work TOWARDS home ie if you want to go home, we'll go home together, wearing your collar and lead.

Tho Sled dogs advice is spot on, I'm jusy adding a few little tweaks/tricks to your bag, of out thinking puppy.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Just saw the bit about the early mornings. Personally I would pop him out to the toilet as likely he needs to go. Do not interact with him though, literally pop him out, a word of praise when he goes a treat but apart from that nothing at all the more you talk to him and interact the more he will be stimulated.

What tends to wakes them too apart from needing to toilet is often the light.
If you have curtains or blinds where he sleeps make sure they are pulled. If he sleeps in a crate you can put it against a wall facing away from the window and light source and cover the top and sides with a throw. If you want to try going back to bed, give him his breakfast if he has wet food in a kong see link with other ideas to fill kongs too Recipes - Kong If he has kibble you can give it to him in something like this
Busy Buddy Twist-n-Treat - YouTube
This may amuse him and then he may go back to sleep.


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