Puppy reluctant to go for walks - help please Bella, Minimu et al

[oxocube]

Phoebe is 11 weeks old and we have been going outside for about 2 weeks now. Her vaccinations were at 6 wks, 9 wks and another due in 1 week. For about a week I have been taking her to local woods a few minutes drive away and she usually loves it once I let her loose. I am keeping the walks short - about 10 minutes. The main problem is that she HATES her lead and hides when she sees it. I tried to take her for a little walk last night as she was becoming very nippy and destructive and I thought that this might change the mood but she hated it: we got about 50 meters then turned back. She raced to get home! She is not scared of noise, bikes, cars, mopeds but it seems to be the lead itself that causes her anxiety.

Is this common in young puppies? Am I trying to do too much too soon? I got a clicker yesterday and am AMAZED at how quickly she is responding to it indoors. Sit, fetch and drop, paw are all good and she just loves the training. Outdoors is a different story. Is this because she is generally anxious about being away from her comfort zone? Do I just need to persevere with little walks every day and lots of encouragement? Would extra special treats reserved only for walks outdoors help at all?

Maybe I am making the mistake of expecting too much of her. My previous dog who died recently loved the woods so much and I guess I never assumed that they could be a scary place for a baby of only 11 weeks.

Sorry for so many questions but I really want to do this properly. Thank you

Minimu's the guru on training - as you know but are you sure she's fully vaccinated & safe to go out? Usually the 6 week one is just parvo and the two which she is in the middle of now are the full primary vaccinations, with the pup only being ready to go out a fortnight after the second of those?

Patch was very scared on the lead at first. He would dig his feet in, his tail would go down and he would refuse to go anywhere. I actually had to carry him along because he would not walk, and yet when I put him down he would pull on the lead and race home.

My trainer said that this was quite common in puppies, and that I should entice him along with tasty treats. Hold a treat in front of his nose, and reward him when he walked forward. It did take a few weeks for his anxiety to subside, and he loves his walks now.

Hello Bella!

I have to admit, I take my puppies out before they are vaccinated, after lengthy discussion with my vet, but stick to 'safer' areas such as the beach. I would risk somewhere like a woods where there is likely to be high doggy traffic and lots of wildlife that could be carrying disease.

And yes, it is pretty common for puppies to hate the lead at first and also hate walks at first. Leaving the lead and collar on indoors, under supervision, with the lead trailing, whilst puppy is doing other things or being distracted with training can help. I also find using a long line or extendable lead helps with puppies that stop on walks. If they stop, let out the lead and walk on ahead. Puppy will usually not want to be left alone and so will follow on.

If you havent' already done it, sitting in the town for hours on end with puppy on the ground can help, as can carrying puppy out and about.

I find puppies don't usually accept treats if they are nervous about being out, as they get 'shut down'. You could try it though.

Also, it's important not to make a fuss if she gets scared. If you coo over her too much it will reinforce her fears. Just make sure you give her plenty of praise if she walks past something 'scary' or walks nicely on the lead.

Daphne hated the lead at first, and did not do walks either. I had to carry her on the school run. (Easier with a Maltese puppy than eg. a lab puppy)

She got better with time and loves walks now.

Keep going, short walks, lots of praise.

I read somewhere to put the lead on in the house for a while to get them used to the weight of it.

oh, my mothers advice on this one is to carry puppy (already on lead) out of your house, just 100yds, then walk back - they will want to follow you, and will want to go back to their home (which they know) talking cheerfully to them all the time about nothing to keep their head up.

also, as playing off lead is fun, if the lead means the end of fun, a big 'leads-on' treat can help to make it worth it.

Hope you're well, sweetie.

I think you meant 'would not risk somewhere like a woods'

Bella, the first outings we did were to a friend's house whose garden is actually fenced in woods. So woods, yes, but the only other dogs who go there are vaccinated. The last couple of days I admit we have been to the public woods but kept mainly to the path and away from oher dog poo. Perhaps I should have waited

Phoebe has been out though from about 8 1/2 weeks, carried, just to get used to different sounds and environments.

Midori re puppies going into 'shut down' mode and not accepting treats - that's what happened today. I guess its just perseverance - she is very little after all

Oxo - lots of diseases are transmitted by urine so keeping puppy away from dog poo is not going to help you, I'm afraid. Leptospirosis is transmitted by fox pee, as well as lots of other wildlife, so you'd be well advised to stay out of woods, and any areas frequented by dogs or wildlife.

HTH

Oh no. Thank you Bella. When will she be safe to go there? After 16 weeks? I have such a lot to learn about puppies.

Depends on which particular vaccine your vet's using -give them a quick call and they'll gladly tell you

Once you have the vaccine sorted out tie a light piece of string to the collar and let the pup move around without you holding on to it. Maybe sidetrack by playing etc. DO not leave unsupervised obviously. Leave on for a few minutes and then gradually leave on longer and then a slightly heavier piece of sting of light lead. Maybe put the string on and then feed the puppy - sting/lead means good things will happen!

They soon get over it when they realise that a walk or fun is in the offing.

thank you all