# Puppy not wanting to walk / potty training



## hcteks1g (Oct 18, 2012)

I have an 11 week old GSD and anytime I want to walk him on his lead, he wants to try and hold back or lay down. I proceed to lift up on the lead and drag him forward a bit until he starts to walk a little more. Sometimes I have to coax him with some treats to get him to walk a little ways. We walk first thing in the morning around 8:00 am, and I keep the walks down to about a half mile. Any advice to get him to walk a little easier?

As for potty training him, he's very sporadic where he goes. He gets to run around freely outside since I live outside of city limits. Our year and a half old female GSD never goes in the yard close to the house. I'm hoping he picks up on this habit of hers. I praise him when he goes out in the yard to do his business, but most of the time he goes in the garage. Should I limit his water intake in the evenings to stop over night accidents?


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

My puppies hate the leash and don't like to leave the yard for weeks and weeks. 

So rather than dragging them down the street  I choose to have them potty in designated parts of the backyard. And my puppy follows me around the yard with NO leash when they are young.

To exercise, I put the puppy in the car, and drive somewhere new. Cause somewhere new means they don't stop moving (to stay near the house) or pull back to get back to the house. In a new place the only known is ME! So me is where it's at and where they want to be. 

I still tend to do the off leash though, in a safe place, with hikes because when they are young they WANT to stay with us. Around 5 -6 months they get independent and the leash (hm.... great age to start those dog classes) becomes more important.

You see this yet? --> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/development-socialization/111084-proper-exercise-puppies.html

aw:


----------



## hcteks1g (Oct 18, 2012)

I have not seen that yet, but I'll give it a read!


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I agree. My guy is 14 weeks, and has only been on a handful of walks. Reason being I have a large fenced yard. First walk was a bomb out. He did what your pup did. Second walk, I had a "Duh" moment, and took our other dogs with us. BINGO!! Walks are FUN! There are things to do and things to see! YAY!!  So next time you want to walk your pup, take your older GSD with you. If they hang out together at all and know they are a 'pack' your pup should want to follow. It's easiest with two people. I had my wife walk the girls, and I followed with Grim. At first, he was whining because he wanted to walk with them, not behind. Then, he decided that there was all this STUFF... everywhere...that he wanted to look at, sniff, explore, etc. and the other dogs weren't as important. It can be a pain, but it's useful because older dogs can teach our puppies things easier. If your older GSD is dog aggressive or people aggressive or reactive in any way that you don't want your pup picking up on, then don't do it. However, if your other dog is good on walks and is stable, this is a great way to get the pup used to a leash and walks. I used to want to get a pup out on walks right away. However, I've been doing things a little different with this guy... and spent the first few weeks only working on house breaking and bonding. The result is a pup that looks to me for direction. 
If you try this, please let me know how it goes. It went so well for me.. and I'm curious if this will work for any pup. This is a normal puppy thing, though.


----------



## hcteks1g (Oct 18, 2012)

Jag said:


> I agree. My guy is 14 weeks, and has only been on a handful of walks. Reason being I have a large fenced yard. First walk was a bomb out. He did what your pup did. Second walk, I had a "Duh" moment, and took our other dogs with us. BINGO!! Walks are FUN! There are things to do and things to see! YAY!!  So next time you want to walk your pup, take your older GSD with you. If they hang out together at all and know they are a 'pack' your pup should want to follow. It's easiest with two people. I had my wife walk the girls, and I followed with Grim. At first, he was whining because he wanted to walk with them, not behind. Then, he decided that there was all this STUFF... everywhere...that he wanted to look at, sniff, explore, etc. and the other dogs weren't as important. It can be a pain, but it's useful because older dogs can teach our puppies things easier. If your older GSD is dog aggressive or people aggressive or reactive in any way that you don't want your pup picking up on, then don't do it. However, if your other dog is good on walks and is stable, this is a great way to get the pup used to a leash and walks. I used to want to get a pup out on walks right away. However, I've been doing things a little different with this guy... and spent the first few weeks only working on house breaking and bonding. The result is a pup that looks to me for direction.
> If you try this, please let me know how it goes. It went so well for me.. and I'm curious if this will work for any pup. This is a normal puppy thing, though.


I'll give this a shot. Our older GSD is absolutely great, people friendly, loves walks, listens well and isn't aggressive at all. She usually goes on walks with us in the morning but leads us as we don't put a leash on her unless a vehicle is coming down the road. I'll make sure to let you know how your method works out for me. Fingers crossed it goes well!


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my pup wasn't doing a 1/2 mile at 11 weeks old. are you
walking your other dog down a road (in the street) without
a leash?


----------



## hcteks1g (Oct 18, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> my pup wasn't doing a 1/2 mile at 11 weeks old. are you
> walking your other dog down a road (in the street) without
> a leash?


I have her leash, but we live in the middle of no where on a gravel road that hardly sees traffic.


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## rangersdad (Sep 20, 2012)

I had a horrible time with Ranger when he was younger! He'd go about a block and look at me with complete boredom (ready to go back home!) I have NEVER had a dog that didn't like a walk! As he's gotten older he enjoys walks more (he's2 1/2 now). It took a looong time tho!


----------



## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

As long as the distance is not to far, if you persist in walking he will make the adjustment. Never seen it fail. Things have to be either on your terms or they are on the dogs terms. The more they are on the dogs terms, the more difficult routine things become in terms of the dog being compliant.


----------



## MattLink (Oct 23, 2012)

Make sure you've got a close eye on him, and when he tries to go potty in the wrong place, give him a slight startle with a "Hey!" or "no!" or something similar. Pick him up immediately (try not to get peed on!) and move him to where you want him to go. Then start giving him a treat any time he goes in the right spot, even if its only after moving him mid-pee
Link knew to use his pee pad in the house by day 5 of bringing him home using this method, and I stopped giving him treats for that after less than two weeks, and only praise him for going outside, which he quickly preferred when he could do it. I still reinforce him going outside with praise and treats and he does it immediately after going out.


----------

