# Leash walking issues for my puppy.



## Mwguy101 (Feb 21, 2011)

Hey guys, I am a new owner of a German Shepherd. My dog Bailey is about 12 weeks old. I think he is smarter then me. But here is my question. He started something new today, and I am not sure how to handle it. When we go out for walks, he started to lower his head and become dead wait. If I gently pull on the leash we can get throught that. It almost seems like a power struggle or something.

Another thing he did was when I tried to run him, he dropped to the ground and put his belly on the ground and went flat. To the point that he slid a bit. He did this twice today, the second time I caught it so I did not drag him. But he still managed to slid a bit. When I say that I ran him, we probably ran a whole 10 yards before be did his belly flop. I am worried that he is going to hurt himself. How do I correct this habit with out allowing him to hurt himself.


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## Kola_2010 (Jan 22, 2011)

Hey a local... lol.. well close...

My Kola is about the same age as your Bailey... 
Kola has started doing it too. I just stop and lift her back up... and start running or walking again... sometimes it helps if I bring a squeeky toy with me.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Puppies this age spend a lot of time stopping to smell the roses. Everything is new to them and they need to stop and absorb things frequently. Be very patient and allow him to stop and look around when he needs to. Feel free to encourage him to move if he's been sitting too long.


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## Mwguy101 (Feb 21, 2011)

It not that he is stopping to smell the roses. Its he literally does not want to walk. The vet said he is in perfect health. I have tried treats, toys, and positive reinforement. I do not know what to do. Its actaully getting worse. Now from the minute we walk out side, front or back of the house, he drops to the ground. He does a belly flop. I had a trainer tell me to drag him on the grass until he gets up. But I am afraid I am going to hurt him. He will let me drag him. Can some one please help me.


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## Blazings (Jan 24, 2011)

A bump for you. I don't have the expertise to help though


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

have you spoken to any trainers in your area? have you tried making being with you on walks exciting?! i mean like dance around, high happy voice. Make it FUN and entertaining to be outside at the end of the leash with you. It does sound in a sense to be a power struggle but it also sounds like he's thinking "i'm stuck at the end of the rope unable to wander around and go where i want.... i have no control.... dead weight! that works!" when he does the dead weight thing, you have two choices.... drag his furry little butt across the grass or pick him up so he's standing on his own feet and try again. Eventually he'll get the idea that the dead weight thing is NOT acceptable and doesnt get him anything he wants.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

At this age, they really want to check out the world at their own pace. Lots of new sights and smells to experience, some of which can be scary or intimidating. When your pup plants his butt and doesn't want to move forward, he's telling you that he's unsure of what's ahead and wants to check it out more slowly. 

The microwave solution is to drag him along behind you, letting him know that you don't understand or care what he wants and needs; it's your way or the highway.

The crock pot solution is to respect his instincts and his desire to learn as much about the world as he can and work things out on his own.


Personally at this age I prefer the crock pot solution. We can work on disciplined leash walking once he's got a little more experience under his belt and the world isn't such a new, exciting, scary, stimulating place.


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## Sunstreaked (Oct 26, 2010)

Emoore said:


> At this age, they really want to check out the world at their own pace. Lots of new sights and smells to experience, some of which can be scary or intimidating. When your pup plants his butt and doesn't want to move forward, he's telling you that he's unsure of what's ahead and wants to check it out more slowly.
> 
> The microwave solution is to drag him along behind you, letting him know that you don't understand or care what he wants and needs; it's your way or the highway.
> 
> ...




I really like your solutions - microwave and crockpot!


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## bruiser (Feb 14, 2011)

Maybe if you have a friend that walks their dog you can walk with them. Sometimes it more fun to have a buddy walk and your pup can learn from the other dog also.


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## XTOL (Jun 9, 2010)

Abby did the exact same thing at that age. I called it a "lay down strike".
She was just refusing to walk with me. I would just pick her up and
plop her back on her feet and keep going. And often had to do it
again 15 feet later,

I think some of it may have been being overwhelmed by all the new
sights and sounds and smells of her new environment. She went
from a quiet rural setting to a quite busy and noisy area. Lots of open
space but adjacent to a golf course and a park and swimming pool
and a lake. Quite a lot of activity.

She soon got over it and became quite happy to drag me all over
the place.

Also remember young pups tire quickly. Frequent short walks
instead of long ones.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

XTOL said:


> Abby did the exact same thing at that age. I called it a "lay down strike".
> She was just refusing to walk with me. I would just pick her up and
> plop her back on her feet and keep going. And often had to do it
> again 15 feet later,
> ...


My Abby did it too. Even a year and 1/2 later she will sometimes start out slow and stop and I will have to give a gentle pull to say "Yes we ARE going for a walk" then she gives in and is fine after that. At 12 weeks she needed some extra coaxing to get going. If you have a treat that your dog LOVES (try Pupperoni) bring some along as enticement. But as with all puppies, patience and persistence is the key.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

TREATS! make a trail of treats leading outside to his potty place. that might help encourage him.

Cody didn't like walks when he was really little either (10-12 weeks). We'd just stick close by the house and I'd always be giving him treats to make it a postive experiance


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

What are your walks typically like? How far do you go, where do you go, what and who do you see and/or greet along the way?

It could be that your puppy is feeling overwhelmed by the walks and is doing his best to communicate with you. I had a puppy adopter once who mistook the advice to start training right away to mean that the 10 week old puppy should be doing competitive obedience-type heeling every single time they went out on a leash. Not a good idea and it it totally overwhelmed the pup and caused a major shut down. If you're going too far, asking for too much (like running too much) or going to places that are scary it might be a good idea to try another exercise and socializing scheme. Instead of walking the five blocks to the park, try driving. Instead of going to the park at all, try just going around the block. Mix it up and see if there is improvement.

I am guessing that you have been trying to lure the puppy with the treats and toys you mentioned? Are you luring from just a foot or two away? Sometimes even that is too far and you have to start a few inches in front of the puppies nose to get the initial response. 
Sheilah


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## VDAL (Mar 3, 2011)

Mine was doing the same thing when she was 12 weeks.Just like you said as soon we've got out of the house drop dead.Every day I was trying to walk her in different areas.So she can "meet" neighborhood, we were changing pace etc.I let her sniff everything.After week dog is dead.so first I thought that maybe I overwalked her, then that maybe it's not exciting(i was taking ball-nothing).So what I did to move her?!First begging .Then i will turn my back to her and standing, if she moved i will gave her a treat and praise her.Then pulling,if didn't work I've start jumping around like crazy pretending charging at her (yeaah-hope my neighbors didn't saw me).She would move head around and start jumping around to.If this did'n wor then show her a treat tuning back and keeping treat behind my back saying heel.That works all the time
I'm in a stage right now that whatever is laying on gound is her.Every brunch, piece of plastic.So she taking in to her mouth and then lays down.I've try taking toys.No interest.The only thing that works is digging in her mouth to take that out , treats, or finding bigger piece of wood that she got
So wait for that stadium


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