[mackyboy]

Hello, I'm new to the site. Anyway, I was wondering is 2.5 months old a good age for training a pup for walks outside? I have Zeus with me for a week now, he has his 3rd shot already, going for his 4th this July 15. He is quite hyper and playful, everything else seems to be perfect he eats right even has a large appetite. But when it comes to putting the leash on and trying him to walk with me there's my biggest obstacle. His instinct would be to always sit down and won't move, I tried small gentle tugs but he just won't move I never tried pulling him hard to stand or force him to walk with me. Had a few dogs before Labs and German Sheps but this is the first time I had encountered this problem. I hope you can help me with some few tips on how to make him cooperate thanks for letting me be here.

By the way, aside from Zeus I have this 9 yr old Dachshund(Lyka) been with me for a long time, they both love to play and run around most of the time. She's so fat good thing Zeus is here now to give her a good work out.:roflmao:

 

[Nubis'sDad]

Let him get use to the leash inside the house, supervised.
Use Treats as a lure to follow your hand and to forget about the leash.
take to a less busy area, in your arms, place him on the ground with leash and RUN away... no not far, then encourage him to catch you.
Generally if you walk away, they will follow. Its realy baby steps, when they are scared like that.
Use Lyka, to encourage him to follow along.

 

[pentatonic]

I've been dealing with this some with Rebel but he's getting better. What I do is when he wants to stop, lay down and not come. I'll walk away until I have no leash left, bend down, pat my leg and say "Come". When he comes I give him a treat and then I praise him while hes walking beside me.

At first I was having to pick him up and take him outside, but now he will actually walk out the door with me on his leash.

It's going to take time.

 

[jcanitz]

I was in your shoes a couple of months ago. One thing that helped me was I took a long spoon and put some peanut butter on the end, when he would stop I would lure him by putting the spoon in front of his nose and make him walk a little to get it. Like Nubis's Dad said, baby steps. Just be patient he will get there, in another month or so you'll be on here asking how to get the pup to stop pulling on the leash.

 

[dglvr]

Also get him used to having the leash on by just clipping it to his collar and letting him drag it around the house for an hour every day. Then start leading him with it for short periods and then do some tethering where he has to follow you.

 

[millerdobes]

Lots of good ideas above, make it fun and he'll be walking with you soon.

 

[NINKOjIN]

The first time I tried to walk Riley he'd just sit down and whimper, so I let him sniff around where he was comfortable first. After a while I tried again, and he'd come walk in small increments with lots of praise and reassurance. Over time he went further and further, and one day I noticed he wasn't trying to pull me back home or sitting down anymore. He likes to walk (or... run, stop, run, stop, run...) now, as long as he gets time to stop and sniff EVERYTHING. Just had to have patience, lol.

I have been going to quiet roads and places he can explore without danger.

 

[mackyboy]

Let him get use to the leash inside the house, supervised.
Use Treats as a lure to follow your hand and to forget about the leash.
take to a less busy area, in your arms, place him on the ground with leash and RUN away... no not far, then encourage him to catch you.
Generally if you walk away, they will follow. Its realy baby steps, when they are scared like that.
Use Lyka, to encourage him to follow along.

Thanks I will definitely try this. You're definitely right with taking baby steps will update you guys when things work out.

 

[mackyboy]

I really appreciate all the inputs from everybody, I will try all of them and see which one fits Zeus and I'll try to update how things come out. Again, a big big thanks to everyone, great ideas I'm excited to try them.

 

[mackyboy]

Hello again to everyone, I never thought I could update you all this quickly. Today I tried the suggestions you all gave, I was surprised this evening Zeus became cooperative with the leash and we walked even though just a few meters outside it's a great improvement. I guess if I continue the tricks you all suggested he will be on his best in a week.

Again, thank you to everyone who sent in their infos.

 

[Nubis'sDad]

Glad to hear things are working okay. Soon you will have a walking machine.
Again, with baby steps, start slowly introducing Zeus, to different type of ground surfaces, ie: wooden floors, tiles, concrete, grates, etc....
Find a place with a 2 or 3 steps, not steep and using treats get him exposure to it. Its a great confidence booster for them, and something you want them good at especially if you ever have to get them up or down stairs. They need this confidence expecially going down, as they are top heavy/chest and a tendency to fall forward until they have confidence, then they can zoom zoom up and down stairs, HAHA not recommended though.

 

[mackyboy]

Glad to hear things are working okay. Soon you will have a walking machine.
Again, with baby steps, start slowly introducing Zeus, to different type of ground surfaces, ie: wooden floors, tiles, concrete, grates, etc....
Find a place with a 2 or 3 steps, not steep and using treats get him exposure to it. Its a great confidence booster for them, and something you want them good at especially if you ever have to get them up or down stairs. They need this confidence expecially going down, as they are top heavy/chest and a tendency to fall forward until they have confidence, then they can zoom zoom up and down stairs, HAHA not recommended though.

Hi, the results are very positive and thanks to all of you. Yes, I always remember to take baby steps, I'm going to try to slowly introduce him to different types of ground surfaces, but not sure about stairs since we don't have one in the house but may I'll try that on the grand stand near us in the future. After this I plan basic obedience training hope it goes well. I'm just glad the potty training has been easy from the start.

 

[Ryan.leverett]

I had the same problem with my girl one week ago. I went to a dog trainer and he introduced me to a choke collar for just one session. I had to keep her on my left side with a tight leash and walk with her. Everytime she would stop or go somewhere else I would say "Heel" and give it a jerk and she would keep walking. I never stop walking also. After about 30 min of trainging I took it off and she was walking and not pulling. She would stay so close to me that she would trip me sometimes. I just had to keep the collar right under her jaw bone. I didn't agree with it at first but one session made my walks with her enjoyable now.

 

[mackyboy]

I had the same problem with my girl one week ago. I went to a dog trainer and he introduced me to a choke collar for just one session. I had to keep her on my left side with a tight leash and walk with her. Everytime she would stop or go somewhere else I would say "Heel" and give it a jerk and she would keep walking. I never stop walking also. After about 30 min of trainging I took it off and she was walking and not pulling. She would stay so close to me that she would trip me sometimes. I just had to keep the collar right under her jaw bone. I didn't agree with it at first but one session made my walks with her enjoyable now.

At first I was using a regular collar, and decided to try the choke collar, but it did not work the more I would jerk the more he would sit and will not move and I find it somewhat too painful to watch. But trying the other methods seem to work gradually he's responding.