Why oh why is he doing this and how do I stop it??

[summersunshineaddict]

Ddogs always been easy, I'm aware how lucky I've been. He's 3 years old and his only bad habit has been eating poo (eugh)

His new habit is if we are walking a route where he'd rather go another way he will stop dead. I can pull him a bit on his harness but he's strong and will just sit down. If I turn around and walk the way he wants to go he plods along happily so it's not that he's out of energy or anything. It's very very frustrating as the routes he wants to go aren't always the way I want to go and I don't want to let him win this.

How do I fix it?

My dog also does this! To the point that I literally cannot move her. She's so stubborn. With her, I think it's when she recognises the route so if we're near home, she'll only go home, she'll refuse to go the opposite direction. When we're further out, she's fine. It's odd but I just put it down to stubbornness and a bit of laziness

Have you tried encouraging him in the direction you want using treats or a favourite toy?

I'd also spend a bit of time waiting it out, and rewarding him for going with you. Each time you give in you're teaching him that behaviour works

He sounds AWESOME. As a cat owner I'm used to stubbornness though.

He'll go the way I want to go with treats and it's not always the quickest route he wants to go. Sometimes he wants to go the longest route up the massive Hill

I feel like I look like a bad owner trying to make him walk too far or something when the truth is he's just being a stubborn git

My dog does this because she's decided she only wants to go to the park for her walks, any deviation from what she feels is the acceptable route is firmly dealt with by her.

I've given up tbh, but agree with pp, offering treats is the way to convince your dog your route is best.

Oh Eric is just the same, I have sausage in my pocket that helps, sometimes I count to three and give him a tug and sometimes I pick him up but quite often I go the way he wants. Eric won't turn round on any walk so I always walk in circuits because he won't ever walk back the way he came.

I remember reading, when I first got my dog, that you must not under any circumstances allow the dog to dictate the route of your walks.

Obviously, there are quite a few dogs out there that have read the same book and decided to show their humans who's boss .

pigs Eric read the book most definitely I always thought dogs were stupid but the damn animal outwits me at every opportunity. I have five dc two with ASD but Eric has had more victories over me than the five dc and dh put together Good job I love him really.

Unfortunately picking him up and carrying him is tricky, an option, but tricky as he's 28kgs

Glad it's not just me suffering this, I will continue with the bribes

See I knew there must be some advantage to having a little dog

The other advantage to having a little dog Insan1, is little poos.

I have a 40kg dog who does the same. I just let her pick the route nowdays as shes getting older and more stubborn!