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I had a new dog join my morning crew this week, Bracken is a lovely doodle dog with a handsome smile. However Bracken is one of these rare dog's that doesn’t pull he will stand still and ground himself to earth to become an immovable dog.
So picture the scene I am stood with one arm outstretched behind me with Bracken 33kg of dog stood perfectly still, now in the other hand I have 4 dogs raring to go forward causing my arm to be outstretched….I look like some crazy scarecrow dog lady!
Standing still is bad doggy manners just like pulling is! In Bracken’s case it isn’t that he doesn’t want to go on the walk but rather he would prefer to be off lead to roam. Unfortunately for Bracken that is option isn’t always available for safety reasons.
He just stands there looking at me. If you have a dog that won’t walk you need to work out why first of all are they scared, in pain or unfamiliar with the collar/harness.
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Scary World Out There
Does he have any phobias or does the dog at the end of the street you’re about to pass scare him half to death?? If your dog is scared then you’ll need to find an alternative route to make them feel safe.
Or if you can’t find an alternative route then break out the best treats you have and waft them under your dog's nose. Use them to bride your dog to move forward and for every step he moves in the right direction praise them lots and give them treat, then repeat!
A Right Pain In The….
Pain can quite easily stop your dog from wanting to walk. So you need to check your dog over by running your hands over his legs and feet are there thorns, bruises, cuts or any swelling or tenderness that can indicate an injury. Also check the rest of his body as lumps and bumps could be causing pain. This is critical especially if your dog has previously being walking fine.
Be gentle but watch for signs that he is in pain such as lip licking or jerking away from the pain. If at any point you think your dog is in pain take them to see your vet.
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A Fabulous New Harness
You were seduced by the beautiful harness in the pet shop and bought ready for your pooch to wear. I too have been seduced far too many time to count with Leads for my dogs so you’re not alone. You have popped it straight on when got home ready for the walk, he looks stunning but now you’re outside he won’t move one single step.
The harness has freaked your dog it smell weird and feels weird what the hell is going on! You’ve missed some critical steps when it comes to introducing your dog to a new collar, lead or harness.
Whenever you buy a new accessory for you dog you need to introduce him to his new wardrobe item. Rub your hands over the harness so your smell is over it, show it to your dog let the sniff it and be happy around it.
With a treat gradually place the harness or collar over their head and give them a treat, don’t fasten it just remove it and praise him. If he happy them place it back over his head and fasten it, again treat and praise.
You will also need to ensure that the collar or harness fits correctly badly fitting, too tight or even too heavy is just uncomfortable for your dog.
Once he is comfy in the harness then take him for walk, he will strut his stuff for you in his fabulous new harness.
Tired .Com
Yes believe it or not your dog could just be flat out tired and a walk is out of the question. He has just the past hour running around your house or garden with his favourite toy!! You need to let him rest for a wee while and recharge his batteries.
It could be the breed of your dog for example a crazy wee Jack Russell will most likely have a nuclear power source is unstoppable. Yet a Basset Hound maybe less inclined to go for an endless walk and would rather plod around the park. So have a think about your dogs breed traits.
Maybe you just have a Lazy dog, he would rather lay on his bed then go out the door. You may have to resort to bribery with treats to him outside.
The Smell Is Too Nice
Erick my Old English Sheepdog loves walking with his nose to the ground and if he finds a really interesting smell then he will stand still to sniff it (occasionally lick) and will not budge. Trying to get him to move by calling him doesn’t work he can’t hear me above his sniffing.
So many dogs love to sniff the messages that other dog's have left, sniff squirrel tracks, meet the dog on the other side of the path or eat the food they can smell on the food but they can’t leave the smell alone. If you haven’t got the time to let him sniff then again you’ll need to bribe him away with a treat and hold his interest with the treat and slowly walk away giving him the treat!
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He Just Wants Off The Lead
If like Bracken your dog is happy in his harness, in no pain and has nothing to be scared of then he just wants to be let loose! But tough luck they can only get off the lead when we say they can be off lead, not when they demand it.
So how to get the stubborn dog at the end of the lead to move, get out the treats and waft them under his nose. Get him to follow the treat until your hand is by your side give him the treat and praise. Get the next treat out and hold it by your side and keep walking for as long as you can then give the treat.
You’ll have to keep bribing your dog walk with you like this, making the time longer and longer between each treat.
If your dog is allowed off lead then only release them from the lead while he is walking along with you nicely. By doing this while he is walking shows him that he will get his freedom if he moves.
Top Tips To Get Your Dog Walking
I have a great training game you can do with your dog if you want to speed up his learning too. My Stop Start game is perfect for making your dog think about what he is doing and what he needs to do to get what he wants. Click Here.
Take care
Suzanne