Comments on: What to Do When a Dog Refuses to Walk http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/ News & Tips from Ahimsa Dog Training in Seattle Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:09:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Grisha http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-1757 Grisha Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:43:52 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-1757 Your dog may be a little fearful. Your puppy class instructor can probably help teach you some positive ways to get the dog to be more confident (and move). Do some research on BAT (if you're in our puppy class, there is info in the free training manual) and if you can get the 'Give Your Puppy a Choice' DVD, do so. We have it in our online store and our 'real' store in Seattle. In addition to the tips above, you can also think of going home as a reward. As she's walking away, you can say, 'yes, good girl,' and let her go home. Repeat. Your dog may be a little fearful. Your puppy class instructor can probably help teach you some positive ways to get the dog to be more confident (and move). Do some research on BAT (if you’re in our puppy class, there is info in the free training manual) and if you can get the ‘Give Your Puppy a Choice’ DVD, do so. We have it in our online store and our ‘real’ store in Seattle.

In addition to the tips above, you can also think of going home as a reward. As she’s walking away, you can say, ‘yes, good girl,’ and let her go home. Repeat.

]]> By: Grisha http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-1756 Grisha Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:36:50 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-1756 Thanks, Kara!! Great idea!!! Thanks, Kara!! Great idea!!!

]]> By: Nick http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-1754 Nick Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:21:19 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-1754 Hi I need some solid advice. I have a two month old Brt and she is great.playing in the yard, no mess in the house,just barely biting my 11 month son during play.. Until I need to walk her. Her ladyship just wants home. Shell do her business and stop/ sit / lie down. I tried luring/ calling / jumping around like an idiot- so far to no avail. She is Very well bred and vet went ballistic when he saw her. So it must be me.what could I be doing wrong? Hi I need some solid advice. I have a two month old Brt and she is great.playing in the yard, no mess in the house,just barely biting my 11 month son during play.. Until I need to walk her. Her ladyship just wants home. Shell do her business and stop/ sit / lie down. I tried luring/ calling / jumping around like an idiot- so far to no avail. She is Very well bred and vet went ballistic when he saw her. So it must be me.what could I be doing wrong?

]]> By: Kara Main-Hester http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-1753 Kara Main-Hester Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:11:07 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-1753 We see this a lot at the shelter with either puppies or dogs that are new. We find that it often helps to use a buddy system. Get another dog and walker and allow the confident dog to lead the way for the "newbie." It's simple, but it works very well. -Kara We see this a lot at the shelter with either puppies or dogs that are new. We find that it often helps to use a buddy system. Get another dog and walker and allow the confident dog to lead the way for the “newbie.” It’s simple, but it works very well. -Kara

]]> By: Dana http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-1749 Dana Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:14:38 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-1749 Jamie--sounds like you and I are in similar situations. Teddy will only willfully walk a few paths near our home. In new places, he walks fine, but when we are around our neighborhood, he refuses to walk in certain directions, down certain streets. I feel like I've tried everything :/ Jamie–sounds like you and I are in similar situations. Teddy will only willfully walk a few paths near our home. In new places, he walks fine, but when we are around our neighborhood, he refuses to walk in certain directions, down certain streets. I feel like I’ve tried everything :/

]]> By: lynne http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-1296 lynne Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:46:45 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-1296 Our 5 year old yorkie will only walk to the end of our driveway to the curb, and pee. If I gently prod her forward she will go a few more feet very quickly, poo, and then turn around to go back to the house. She only will walk in the direction of the house. Sometimes she will just sit in the street and run in between our legs to avoid walking. She does not like treats very much. My husband just carries her back to the house. I do walk her on a leash but as soon as she's done her business she tugs and pulls to get back. We had a dog trainer come to the house, but the dog still refused to walk. She only likes to go in one direction, back home. Even if we carry her and place her a few blocks from the house, she will turn herself towards the house and walk very quickly ahead of us ,pulling on th leash to get back. She was always a reluctant walker. About a month ago, she woke up in the morning with a limp,lifting her right front paw in the air. We took her to the vet who could not find anything wrong. We have been giving her rimydal and she seems to be walking fine,but she is still very stubborn and even attempts to avoid going out by putting her rump firmly on the floor and trying to walk away from the lease which has a soft adjustable thin collar. The vet wants to take x rays, but she is no longer limping. Any suggestions would be really appreciated. My husband feels the dog just doesn't like to be walked Our 5 year old yorkie will only walk to the end of our driveway to the curb, and pee. If I gently prod her forward she will go a few more feet very quickly, poo, and then turn around to go back to the house. She only will walk in the direction of the house. Sometimes she will just sit in the street and run in between our legs to avoid walking. She does not like treats very much. My husband just carries her back to the house. I do walk her on a leash but as soon as she’s done her business she tugs and pulls to get back. We had a dog trainer come to the house, but the dog still refused to walk. She only likes to go in one direction, back home. Even if we carry her and place her a few blocks from the house, she will turn herself towards the house and walk very quickly ahead of us ,pulling on th leash to get back.

She was always a reluctant walker. About a month ago, she woke up in the morning with a limp,lifting her right front paw in the air. We took her to the vet who could not find anything wrong. We have been giving her rimydal and she seems to be walking fine,but she is still very stubborn and even attempts to avoid going out by putting her rump firmly on the floor and trying to walk away from the lease which has a soft adjustable thin collar.

The vet wants to take x rays, but she is no longer limping.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated. My husband feels the dog just doesn’t like to be walked

]]> By: Grisha http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-499 Grisha Mon, 11 May 2009 21:58:44 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-499 Keep in mind that every consequence has the chance to reward, punish, or not have any effect on the dog's behavior. If you return home when he plops down, chances are, you're reinforcing that. If you return home while he's still walking out at a good pace, you could reinforce that, instead. I'd start out with some loops. As in, 20 feet forward, treat, and then return to the starting place. Then wait a 20-30 seconds and do it again, maybe going 22 feet that time or 25. Then the next loop is 30 feet, and so on. Don't do too many in a row. One variation might be to set out (in advance) a string of uber-tasty treats, about 5 feet apart, starting with 25 feet out and going maybe to 60 or 70 feet. That way, they get the reward there, and you walk back empty-handed. Repeat to the next treat, etc. Worth a try! It may be better if those treats are a surprise (i.e., your dog won't start to get dependent on them), so you'll have to experiment. Either way, expect to do this for several sessions. Meanwhile, lower the calories at home so you're not making Chewie fat. Exercise in the house (fetch, tug, etc.) As long as you're walking, he's exercising, even if you're walking in circles. So take your time with expanding those little loops. Other possibilities are what I've already said in this article. Targeting (dog touching nose to your hand) is a great way to get them to move and get over their fears. If all else fails, get a positive reinforcement trainer to come out to the house to help you. Keep in mind that every consequence has the chance to reward, punish, or not have any effect on the dog’s behavior. If you return home when he plops down, chances are, you’re reinforcing that. If you return home while he’s still walking out at a good pace, you could reinforce that, instead. I’d start out with some loops. As in, 20 feet forward, treat, and then return to the starting place. Then wait a 20-30 seconds and do it again, maybe going 22 feet that time or 25. Then the next loop is 30 feet, and so on. Don’t do too many in a row.

One variation might be to set out (in advance) a string of uber-tasty treats, about 5 feet apart, starting with 25 feet out and going maybe to 60 or 70 feet. That way, they get the reward there, and you walk back empty-handed. Repeat to the next treat, etc. Worth a try! It may be better if those treats are a surprise (i.e., your dog won’t start to get dependent on them), so you’ll have to experiment. Either way, expect to do this for several sessions.

Meanwhile, lower the calories at home so you’re not making Chewie fat. Exercise in the house (fetch, tug, etc.) As long as you’re walking, he’s exercising, even if you’re walking in circles. So take your time with expanding those little loops.

Other possibilities are what I’ve already said in this article. Targeting (dog touching nose to your hand) is a great way to get them to move and get over their fears. If all else fails, get a positive reinforcement trainer to come out to the house to help you.

]]> By: Jamie Cordes http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/comment-page-1/#comment-494 Jamie Cordes Sun, 10 May 2009 03:37:48 +0000 http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/04/08/dog-refuses-walk/#comment-494 Hoping you can help me... I've got a 120lb Akita mix who is very willfull. For the last six months (new home) he's been great, twice daily walks, play in the park - he just really loved his walks! Then, I went out of town for 2 weeks, and while I was gone, my house/dog sitter tried to walk him, and he refused (by getting to end of driveway and lying down). When I returned home, this behavior continued. He will only go to the park now... any other path and it's a no-go. At 120lbs, if he doesn't want to move, there isn't much I can do about it. I've continued the routine, but we never make it 50 ft from the house, and we just return. He seems generally afraid (his curly tail goes down, and he won't look me in the eye) although I can't imagine why... he's absolutely the alpha male of the neighborhood and has left his mark EVERYWHERE. Any ideas? He's pretty chunky, so I need to keep him walking and the park isn't always accessible! Thanks so much for your time, ~Jamie (and Chewie) Hoping you can help me… I’ve got a 120lb Akita mix who is very willfull. For the last six months (new home) he’s been great, twice daily walks, play in the park – he just really loved his walks! Then, I went out of town for 2 weeks, and while I was gone, my house/dog sitter tried to walk him, and he refused (by getting to end of driveway and lying down). When I returned home, this behavior continued. He will only go to the park now… any other path and it’s a no-go. At 120lbs, if he doesn’t want to move, there isn’t much I can do about it. I’ve continued the routine, but we never make it 50 ft from the house, and we just return. He seems generally afraid (his curly tail goes down, and he won’t look me in the eye) although I can’t imagine why… he’s absolutely the alpha male of the neighborhood and has left his mark EVERYWHERE. Any ideas? He’s pretty chunky, so I need to keep him walking and the park isn’t always accessible! Thanks so much for your time, ~Jamie (and Chewie)

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