Walking A Puppy

[mackenzie11]

What's her general demeanor during all of this Mackenzie - is she scared?

This could be timidity rearing its head.

once or twice she has been scared (tail between legs), that was really early on when she first started walking, and had never been out the front of the house, when she does not want to walk she just sits solid and wont move, i dont think it is timidity i think it is stubbourness

[GoldenGirl85]

When I mentioned your attitude I meant it could be something sub conscious you might be putting on a happy act for her, but if you are really thinking "come on you little pain just walk for me" she will sense that, I didnt suggest that you might rouse on her or anything, its good that you dont, but please dont suggest that I did

have you noticed what makes her switch off? you said she gets all excited when you say "walkies" when does she become unwilling? is it when you put on her collar and lead? once you are past the safety of your front yard?

PM has a very valid point

I know you did not suggest that i roused on her, i never said you did, i am sorry if i made you feel this way, i was just pointing out what i don't do as i have seen loads of people walking their dogs over the yrs doing this to their dogs and it is not right. i did not mean to imply you thought that about me. have not notice anything that makes her switch off, sometimes she gets scared (tail between her legs) but i don't see or hear anything to know what has scared her - has happened once or twice and she has been walked a fair bit since she was 14 weeks old, other times she just sits solid and does not move, she loves her biscuits as treats - she loves her food, once she starts walking i give her a treat, then sometimes she stops and wont move and i hold the treat out for her in front to get her to walk and she will stretch herself out to get it but wont actually walk to it,

tried - pigs ears, tempters, trainers, chick necks, all give her the runs

Try chopped up chicken breast or cheese or something unprocessed, just try little bits of something until you find something that agrees with her, I think you will find you have a completely different dog when you find something she really wants, another thing to try is a tug, if she tugs take it along and encourage her with tugging rather than food

Im wondering if she might have had a fright in a fear period, unfortunately that sort of thing can affect them in ways you could only imagine, I think you just need to start with some very highly reward based training, even just give her a training session out the front of your house on lead, she needs to learn that walking outside is a fun thing to do, its not a chore

[Flaves]

are u walking him in your property? coz at 10 weeks he wouldn't have had all vaccinations, therefore wouldn't be walking him anywhere

So no other dog has ever walked on your street? It's not just active exposure, germs and viruses can live in the environment too. It's generally safest to keep your dog on your own property until 7 days after the second vaccination - unless he's on a surface that can be disinfected, such as in a puppy class. (Hint, hint)

Dont agree with this at all

There is too much important socialisation that needs to happen between 8-12 weeks

It is entirely up to the owner, do you want to 'risk' exposure to illnesses that can happen even if the dog is fully vaccinated or do you want to risk your dogs temperament being damaged?

[mackenzie11]

When I mentioned your attitude I meant it could be something sub conscious you might be putting on a happy act for her, but if you are really thinking "come on you little pain just walk for me" she will sense that, I didnt suggest that you might rouse on her or anything, its good that you dont, but please dont suggest that I did

have you noticed what makes her switch off? you said she gets all excited when you say "walkies" when does she become unwilling? is it when you put on her collar and lead? once you are past the safety of your front yard?

PM has a very valid point

I know you did not suggest that i roused on her, i never said you did, i am sorry if i made you feel this way, i was just pointing out what i don't do as i have seen loads of people walking their dogs over the yrs doing this to their dogs and it is not right. i did not mean to imply you thought that about me. have not notice anything that makes her switch off, sometimes she gets scared (tail between her legs) but i don't see or hear anything to know what has scared her - has happened once or twice and she has been walked a fair bit since she was 14 weeks old, other times she just sits solid and does not move, she loves her biscuits as treats - she loves her food, once she starts walking i give her a treat, then sometimes she stops and wont move and i hold the treat out for her in front to get her to walk and she will stretch herself out to get it but wont actually walk to it,

ta, will try that

tried - pigs ears, tempters, trainers, chick necks, all give her the runs

Try chopped up chicken breast or cheese or something unprocessed, just try little bits of something until you find something that agrees with her, I think you will find you have a completely different dog when you find something she really wants, another thing to try is a tug, if she tugs take it along and encourage her with tugging rather than food

Im wondering if she might have had a fright in a fear period, unfortunately that sort of thing can affect them in ways you could only imagine, I think you just need to start with some very highly reward based training, even just give her a training session out the front of your house on lead, she needs to learn that walking outside is a fun thing to do, its not a chore

[persephone]

OK.. full vet/chiro check first, perhaps.

Playing at her own speed where she wants/how she wants is different than walking on a leash.

I would suggest it's fear or pain.

Pups have no real reason to be 'stubborn'.

Mind you, I don't really believe that dogs can be stubborn, as we humans are...

dogs avoid something for good reason, usually.. whether it be boring, scary, painful.

I would actually suggest you either video /photograph her and let us have a proper look at her body language... or get a trainer/behaviourist to visit and help you sort it out.

[aussielover]

are u walking him in your property? coz at 10 weeks he wouldn't have had all vaccinations, therefore wouldn't be walking him anywhere

So no other dog has ever walked on your street? It's not just active exposure, germs and viruses can live in the environment too. It's generally safest to keep your dog on your own property until 7 days after the second vaccination - unless he's on a surface that can be disinfected, such as in a puppy class. (Hint, hint)

Dont agree with this at all

There is too much important socialisation that needs to happen between 8-12 weeks

It is entirely up to the owner, do you want to 'risk' exposure to illnesses that can happen even if the dog is fully vaccinated or do you want to risk your dogs temperament being damaged?

You can still socialise your dog to the world before they are fully vaccinated, if you carry him/her in your arms.

We took our pup to heaps of places before she was fully vaccinated but we carried her everywhere.

Seven day after the second vax would be 9 weeks old anyway (usually) so still plenty of time They sepnd the first few days settling into the home anyway.

Puppies usually have a 3 course vaccination at 6,8 and 12 weeks, so even after the second vax they are not fully protected.

Edited November 14, 2010 by aussielover

[WreckitWhippet]

are u walking him in your property? coz at 10 weeks he wouldn't have had all vaccinations, therefore wouldn't be walking him anywhere

So no other dog has ever walked on your street? It's not just active exposure, germs and viruses can live in the environment too. It's generally safest to keep your dog on your own property until 7 days after the second vaccination - unless he's on a surface that can be disinfected, such as in a puppy class. (Hint, hint)

Dont agree with this at all

There is too much important socialisation that needs to happen between 8-12 weeks

It is entirely up to the owner, do you want to 'risk' exposure to illnesses that can happen even if the dog is fully vaccinated or do you want to risk your dogs temperament being damaged?

You can still socialise your dog to the world before they are fully vaccinated, if you carry him/her in your arms.

We took our pup to heaps of places before she was fully vaccinated but we carried her everywhere.

Seven day after the second vax would be 9 weeks old anyway (usually) so still plenty of time They sepnd the first few days settling into the home anyway.

Puppies usually have a 3 course vaccination at 6,8 and 12 weeks, so even after the second vax they are not fully protected.

Not sure what vacc schedule you are thinking of but even on the old 6/10/14 regime, the pup would not have had a second vacc.

We vacc at 8 plus weeks, they have a second but not a third vacc.

[Rebanne]

So no other dog has ever walked on your street? It's not just active exposure, germs and viruses can live in the environment too. It's generally safest to keep your dog on your own property until 7 days after the second vaccination - unless he's on a surface that can be disinfected, such as in a puppy class. (Hint, hint)

your own property often runs up to a public footpath, my dogs love sniffing the corner posts of my fence which other dogs have peed on. No way I would lock a pup up in the backyard for weeks waiting for the vacination to kick in. I always take them out to the front yard to get them used to different things passing by such as the garbage trucks. It's a calculated risk that each and every owner has to decide for themselves.

[WreckitWhippet]

Mine go for walks down the street, sticking to the concrete and the road. It's a calculated risk but one I'll take too

[Danois]

You can still socialise your dog to the world before they are fully vaccinated, if you carry him/her in your arms.

We took our pup to heaps of places before she was fully vaccinated but we carried her everywhere.

All well and good if you have a small breed puppy. At 10 weeks mine was over 12kg so carrying them around is not possible.

[WreckitWhippet]

I can picture Boo in a back pack or a D&G handbag

[WreckitWhippet]

I can picture Boo in a back pack or a D&G handbag

[GoldenGirl85]

You can still socialise your dog to the world before they are fully vaccinated, if you carry him/her in your arms.

We took our pup to heaps of places before she was fully vaccinated but we carried her everywhere.

All well and good if you have a small breed puppy. At 10 weeks mine was over 12kg so carrying them around is not possible.

She has a Labrador

[koalathebear]

All well and good if you have a small breed puppy. At 10 weeks mine was over 12kg so carrying them around is not possible.

I did wonder about this whenever I read about people carrying their dogs around ... Hoover was 10kg at 3 months and a wriggling chunky monkey ... I had assumed people put them in baby carriers or something

[aussielover]

All well and good if you have a small breed puppy. At 10 weeks mine was over 12kg so carrying them around is not possible.

I did wonder about this whenever I read about people carrying their dogs around ... Hoover was 10kg at 3 months and a wriggling chunky monkey ... I had assumed people put them in baby carriers or something

LOL I have strong arms

Mindy was also around 10kg at 3 months (actually more like 12kg).

she wasn't wriggly though and liked nothing better than to be carried and cuddled. In fact I'm sure she would STILL like to be carried around \

We'd only take her for very short outings- maybe 10-15 minutes when we needed to duck up and do some shopping and take turns holding her.

[poodlefan]

What's her general demeanor during all of this Mackenzie - is she scared?

This could be timidity rearing its head.

once or twice she has been scared (tail between legs), that was really early on when she first started walking, and had never been out the front of the house, when she does not want to walk she just sits solid and wont move, i dont think it is timidity i think it is stubbourness

She may be 'stubborn' refusing to walk but I'd want to know why.

Does she have an older dog buddy she visits or play with? Perhaps being walked with an older more confident dog may help.

[Danois]

All well and good if you have a small breed puppy. At 10 weeks mine was over 12kg so carrying them around is not possible.

I did wonder about this whenever I read about people carrying their dogs around ... Hoover was 10kg at 3 months and a wriggling chunky monkey ... I had assumed people put them in baby carriers or something

LOL I have strong arms

Mindy was also around 10kg at 3 months (actually more like 12kg).

she wasn't wriggly though and liked nothing better than to be carried and cuddled. In fact I'm sure she would STILL like to be carried around \

We'd only take her for very short outings- maybe 10-15 minutes when we needed to duck up and do some shopping and take turns holding her.

12kg at 12 weeks for a lab - that's a big lab!

Happy to watch you carry around a 22kg (at 15 weeks) 60cm (to withers) puppy for 15 mins

[W Sibs]

Charlie and Emmy got walked 2 x 5 mins a day. Charlie was up and down the street (it was a risky move i know). Emmy was up and down the driveway and a run around in the front yard. But, at that age, I used training as their main exercise.

The moment we got them, they came everywhere with us. Shopping, friends house, bbq, picnic etc.. they came along.

There is a reason why a dog won't walk... just have to find out the reason.

ETA: Charlie says that carry bags are so last year... he travels in style now in his very cool red stroller

[mackenzie11]

What's her general demeanor during all of this Mackenzie - is she scared?

This could be timidity rearing its head.

once or twice she has been scared (tail between legs), that was really early on when she first started walking, and had never been out the front of the house, when she does not want to walk she just sits solid and wont move, i dont think it is timidity i think it is stubbourness

She may be 'stubborn' refusing to walk but I'd want to know why.

Does she have an older dog buddy she visits or play with? Perhaps being walked with an older more confident dog may help.

she does and i often take them together, sometimes works sometimes not, she would rather jump on his head

[mackenzie11]

ETA: Charlie says that carry bags are so last year... he travels in style now in his very cool red stroller

sounds very cute