refuses to walk

[lucasmum]

9month old Luca walks very nicely on the lead (usually!) but lately he's started to suddenly stop during a walk. He's always done this to watch someone or something, just natural curiosity, but now he just stops and looks at me. Is he trying to be controlling? I have been encouraging him to walk with a treat but I read somewhere this is the wrong thing to do because he'll just keep stopping to get more. Any ideas please?

 

[Indy's mom]

I would start cutting down on the treats. Just sort of phase them out, but offering plenty of praise for a job well done. Soon your baby will be as happy or happier with your praise as he is with a treat. Of course a goody is never turned down by mine, but it's not the norm.

 

[ELubas]

9month old Luca walks very nicely on the lead (usually!) but lately he's started to suddenly stop during a walk. He's always done this to watch someone or something, just natural curiosity, but now he just stops and looks at me. Is he trying to be controlling? I have been encouraging him to walk with a treat but I read somewhere this is the wrong thing to do because he'll just keep stopping to get more. Any ideas please?

So you think he is stopping to get a treat? If so just pick up the pace. Mine always heal better if I walk faster and I "talk" to them which makes me more interesting so they want to keep up Agree you want to do less treating but if you think he has it in his head that he gets the treat when he stops then try giving it for other things. A sit, a down, a stay in the middle of the walk. Then he will just do what you want in the hope of getting a treat for something Eventually he will just do it

 

[lucasmum]

Thanks for the advice, but I'm not actually sure that he stops for a treat. He just kind of refuses to walk. I do walk fast anyway and I hate to have to drag him. I also read that I should play him at his own game and just sit down until he gets bored, but isn't that kind of giving in to him, as in he gets to decide when we walk and when we stop?

 

[ELubas]

Thanks for the advice, but I'm not actually sure that he stops for a treat. He just kind of refuses to walk. I do walk fast anyway and I hate to have to drag him. I also read that I should play him at his own game and just sit down until he gets bored, but isn't that kind of giving in to him, as in he gets to decide when we walk and when we stop?

I think so , yes. Does he stop at the same spot(s)-could he be afraid of something? My last sweet girl was very timid and there was a dumpster at the end of our street that terrified her Took me awhile to figure it out... Just a thought

 

[lucasmum]

He stps at the same spot on the way home, close to home, I put that down to maybe he just doesn't want to go home yet, but the rest is pretty random. He is quite a jumpy pup but I don't think it's fear. Who knows! Thanks.

 

[ELubas]

He stps at the same spot on the way home, close to home, I put that down to maybe he just doesn't want to go home yet, but the rest is pretty random. He is quite a jumpy pup but I don't think it's fear. Who knows! Thanks.

That is exactly what is it He knows the walk is over and he does want it to be. So you can either just keep on moving and eventually he will stop this, or you can save that special cookie for when he goes in the door and give him something to look forward to at the end of the walk

 

[lucasmum]

Thanks, I'll try that and let you know how it goes.

 

[Goodgirl]

Could it be that he gets tired before getting home?
Delilah is overweight and while we are only going on 20-25 minute walks she sometimes needs to stop for a minute.

 

[lucasmum]

I don't think it's a tired thing cos he sometimes does it on the way out too.