# refusing to walk at all how to get my puppy leash walking



## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

My puppy is 4 months old and he just refuses to walk at all I mean he just digs his paws on the ground and refuses to move even if you tug the leash a bit he just throws himself on the floor and refuses to move, he just does not want to so I end up carrying him because he just stays still or runs back to the house and waits by the door to go inside It's so frustrating I don't know how to get him to walk, I have stood still and waited for him to do his thing and walk but nothing nothing seems to work, I don't know what to do I don't know how to make him walk . Please share some advice I am desperate


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi! He is still really young. You will need to use treats to "lure" him to walk next to you. You start with just one step, give a cookie, then a couple of steps, give a cookie, and so on. It takes a little while to get it, but you will see him get that "aha" moment! 
Here is a training video that might help:
https://dogmantics.com/2008/09/25/how-to-train-your-dog-not-to-pull-loose-leash-walking/
There are some other good basic training videos on the same site.
Basic obedience classes are great too. Clicker training has worked great for us. Just be sure to find one that uses positive training methods.

Also, just wanted to mention in case you don't know, that it is best to use a harness for these little ones instead of a collar. Their little necks can be easily damaged if they pull or try to run.

Good luck with the training! It can be really fun once you get the hang of it!


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## IzzysBellasMom (Jan 16, 2013)

I would put a harness and leash on him and leave him with it on for a little while. THis way he gets used to having it on. Then every once in a while pick up the leash in one hand and a treat in the other hand and see if he will follow you. Just keep doing that until he gets used to it. Don't leave the harness on for too long or it may cause mats.


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## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

I would let him wear it around the house to get use to the feel. I remember Zach who is my big dog - I had to throw Scoby Doo down the streets of Boston to get him to walk. It entertained everyone around us LOL


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## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

thanks everyone, he walks fine with the leash around the house and even around the lawn with no problems but once he realizes wait a minute i know what they are trying to do, and once we start walking a few steps away from the house he kind of goes nah uh and stops, i will try the treats and see if this helps, otherwise i am about to give up on having him walk on the leash. It is frustrating though because he has no problem walking back home on the leash but away from it impossible. We would literally walk back to the house from a block away and he walks fine since he knows we are walking home but to walk away from home is a problem :huh:by the way i know this is off topic but i am glad and happy to say he is potty trained, no accidents no nothing so excited! I even took him to someone's house for a few hours and he behaved so good he went potty outside :aktion033::chili: He never used pee pad ever even when i put it, such a great achievement for us!

but anyway, i wish i could just get him walking that would be great.


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## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

That is exactly what Zach use to do. He was freaked out by the noise of the environment so tossing a toy in front of him kept his mind off of it. He finally got the hang of it and just wanted to carry a toy in his mouth like a security blanket on his walks


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## jbh06751 (May 16, 2014)

mdbflorida said:


> That is exactly what Zach use to do. He was freaked out by the noise of the environment so tossing a toy in front of him kept his mind off of it. He finally got the hang of it and just wanted to carry a toy in his mouth like a security blanket on his walks


I love it! I've seen dogs who do that.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Charlie does not like to go on walks. My husband has tried to take him with him to the mail box but you cannot even get the harness on him. He goes hiding. At this time of year we don't go walking it's way too hot.


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## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

My puppy has no problem getting his harness and leash on he literally lowers his head so i can get it on and then walks fine out the door and a little around the lawn, but if i try getting him to walk anywhere even on the lawn he just does not move its like he wants to do what he wants and be in charge, it is so frustrating i really want him to get exercise and go on walks, i have tried it all, treats, praising nothing works me and my husband give up we can't get him to walk at all what so ever and i don't want to hurt him since i tug and he does not move so i am done and its frustrating i don't know of any other tricks to get him walking i even tried with his toy nothing works. I feel bad for my puppy because he is home all day and i feel he is bored i dont know how to get him out.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

It's pretty easy for me, I just grab another one of my dogs and take them along to show the baby how it's done. it works every time. 

Do any of your friends have a dog around the same size to walk with you? It's worth a try...you can carry him for a bit and let him walk for a little, soon he'll want to get down and walk by himself...


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## Lou's Mom (Apr 8, 2014)

Is there a friend with a dog that he is comfortable with? If so, maybe having him play in the grass for a bit with the other dog and then try to get him to walk with the other dog might work.


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## Lou's Mom (Apr 8, 2014)

Sorry Pat - you and I must have had the same thought at the same time! But I agree that another dog might help!


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

How are you enticing him to walk? After you get the harness and leash on, put a wonderful treat in your hand and hold it in front of his nose. After two steps give it to him. Keep repeating this until he is starting to walk.

To save your back muscles from bending over as much. you can also put a dab of peanut butter on the end of a long-handled spoon and use that as enticement, holding it in front of him and rewarding him with a lick after he walks nicely.


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## IzzysBellasMom (Jan 16, 2013)

If he has not problem walking home, can your husband drive you and your pup and drop you off down the road to walk home? Maybe doing this in longer and longer distances will ease his mind about walking?


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## Chardy (Oct 30, 2008)

McC will walk nicely on leash.. Bimmer will not -- I am working very hard on getting this accomplished.. as he is 10 months old and I think this is my fault for not training earlier. 

Pat's suggestion didn't work for us.. Bimmer does not care where McC is going, he is going to lay down and not move. Treats do not work... but I got one thing to start working a little bit so I wanted to share.

I carry him outside in my driveway. I then put his harness and leash when we are in the driveway... and face him towards our door. He is eager to walk back in the house so we have been doing this repeatedly. If I try turning away from the door he puts the brakes on. Today I brought out McC with us to do the routine and bypassed the door. (I had them in the tether leash so they are together) I had to yank a little bit on the harness to get him going but we did make 3 laps around the driveway (small driveway) -- and he only walks eagerly if he thinks he is heading back inside. 

There is no where really safe to walk where I live. There are unleashed dogs that run ramped in our neighborhood and I just feel it is unnecessary to put them in a position to get hurt so we are not big walkers via the leash, but carriage YES! Also this time of year we avoid grass altogether so that puts the wanting to walk in our fenced in yard out of the question. They love our deck and I feel most of the exercise they get is chasing each other all day long... sunshine from the deck... but if the situation arrises where they can be walked I would like them both to know how to do it together.


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## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

Chardy said:


> McC will walk nicely on leash.. Bimmer will not -- I am working very hard on getting this accomplished.. as he is 10 months old and I think this is my fault for not training earlier.
> 
> Pat's suggestion didn't work for us.. Bimmer does not care where McC is going, he is going to lay down and not move. Treats do not work... but I got one thing to start working a little bit so I wanted to share.
> 
> ...


Bimmer sounds so much like my puppy he just refuses to walk anywhere away from the house nothing works, so we just don't walk him. I don't have any other dogs to help just him I will try having my husband drop us off away from the house and just walk him back home like this, it should work nice trick izzysbellasmom, I will try this out and let you guys know how it went.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

My Ruby refuses to walk on or off leash at all. I take her out on a leash and she just stands there.  She is the only one of my three who I can actually take out off leash because she won't take one step. But, I totally agree on luring them to something they want. 

I took Ruby to a doggie event and as usual when I put her down to walk she didn't take one step. Then I carried her to the paw paint booth and she did create a little masterpiece painting with paint on her paws, with help, of course. 

We then went off to do other things and eventually went back out to the area where the painting booth was. I put Ruby on the ground and all of a sudden Ruby just took off (on leash) and literally ran and pulled me back over to the booth!!! I was shocked! It was the first time she actually walked on leash! She was on a mission! lol

So, if there's is something that your fluff really loves, a toy, peanut butter on a long spoon, other family member, anything you can hold out ahead of him and lure him to it, he just might start walking for you.

Linda


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## [email protected] (Jul 14, 2014)

*Funny*

I thought my puppy was the only one that did that since my Sammy is five months old I still try to walk him, I noticed he would go a few steps away from home then he would do (BM) then he is ready go back home he won't pee outside though. If I am able to get him a good distance away from home he starts to whimper if I said let's go home all of sudden he puts that's nose to works then he starts pulling me like he is walking meB)


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## samanthas004 (Sep 23, 2013)

My fluff is a little over 1 years old now and we went through the same thing when she was a pup. I tried the treat thing, letting her walk around the house with the leash on to get comfortable but nothing worked. It got a little better after we took some group training classes, but she still wouldn't walk on a leash. We just kept trying until one day like magic she started walking. Short distances at first & now she'll walk any & everywhere. So my recommendation would be to just keep at it and your pup mature a bit. It will happen.


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