Positive Dog Training Blog

When little Blaze is tired, he is a puppy that refuses to walk on leash. He plants himself, lays down, and just wont move. I suspect we did the wrong thing when he was younger and simply carried him where we wanted to go. Well, he is 20 pounds and carrying him just isn’t much of an option anymore.

If your puppy refuses to walk on leash, here are a few things you can do. First, make sure he is used to the leash. If its still an issue, start with yarn or string and let him wear it while you are in the house and have it drag. He will get used to it pretty quick.

When the puppy plants himself down, say lets go in a happy voice, pat your thigh and if he pops up give a little piece of kibble. If he doesn’t move, just start walking, dont be mean about it, dont correct him, just walk – he’ll get up and go with you. If he catches up or starts walking, say “yes” or great job and give a little reward.

I’ve never seen a 6 month old dog that wasn’t excited for a walk, so I’m sure this will pass if you stay consistent with rewarding the walking behavior. If you are trying to go for a long walk, remember, if they are babies (under 4-5 months) they might be tired and you can damage their bodies by pushing them. Keep it short and fun. You can also use toys and praise instead of food if your puppy likes that.

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