When Your Puppy Doesn’t Want to Walk: Reasons and Tips to Help
- Anja Boecker
- Updated: 14 March, 2022
For a walk together with your puppy to be successful from the beginning, you should train your puppy early. Otherwise, walks that are supposed to be relaxing develop into a nightmare. In this article, you will learn how to master this issue with your puppy.
Many factors play an important role in puppy training.
An important aspect of this education is walking your dog.
The walk allows your dog to do some business outside the home. Walking offers the possibility of using the bathroom and many other advantages.
Through walks, your puppy learns important thought patterns and experiences socialization. This is beneficial for the relationship between you and your dog.
➡ Walks affect how your dog reacts to other people, animals, and especially dogs.
Likewise, the walk is one of the most important exercise activities. A little tip: walks should in no way replace play activities. Continue to use puppy games regularly.
Does your puppy not want to go for a walk? We have the solution! It may be connected to a messy house. This will make puppy training much easier for you.
3 Reasons
There are numerous reasons why your puppy doesn't want to be walked that can lead to problems. Here are the most common ones:
Fear
Is your puppy still very small and walking him has often been difficult? It may have something to do with the fact that your little darling is still too inexperienced for the big wide world This fear is a normal reaction and can be easily overcome.
You may be taking your puppy on walks that are too long or too difficult for him. Ideally, it’s best to take him to a green meadow or a park right in your neighborhood.
You can carry your puppy until you reach the green spot. But do this sparingly so he doesn't get too used to it and you create a new problem.
It is important that you get your little dog used to walks slowly . If you live in the city or there is no green area in the immediate vicinity, you can also take short walks right outside your front door.
Choose the times of the walks after consideration. Too much noise or crowds increase anxiety with your puppy.
Laziness
Laziness is actually relatively rare in dogs, and it’s found more often in young dogs than in adult dogs.
Especially after a nap or at low temperatures, a puppy might show reluctance to walk. A comfortable home will seem a much better option.
Do not classify this behavior as wanton or malicious. This behavior and similar reactions are commonly found in young animals.
Is laziness the reason why your puppy doesn't want to go for a walk? Then you can take various measures to increase motivation.
For example, just lure him outside with a treat, ?
Temperatures
With young dogs, temperatures play a big role in whether they feel like going for a walk.
Very low and high temperatures encourage the puppy to stay indoors rather than be outside in the fresh air. Heat has an especially detrimental effect on them.
For this reason, it is better to avoid long walks. Instead, take several short walks.
Extremely low and high temperatures can also affect your dog's health.
Choose times when the temperatures are suitable. On hot days, walking in the morning or evening is recommended.
On colder days, walk during midday and afternoon hours. But that doesn't mean you must completely disregard other times.
5 Tips and Tricks for Clicker Training
Here are a few more tips on how to coax your puppy to go for a walk:
1. Be patient!
The best solution is for you to acquire a lot of patience .
Is your dog going nowhere? Proceed as follows:
Do NOT tug on the leash or call him. Even luring him with a treat in this situation is counterproductive to solving the problem.
Take into account dog psychology before getting frustrated. Your dog himself will eventually get tired of standing in one place. A few minutes after you also show no interest, your puppy will start moving again.
2. Your Home Must be out of Your Dog’s Sight!
For very young puppies, it’s difficult to leave the house. Dozens of new stimuli affect their sense of hearing, smell, and sight.
Can your puppy still see your home during your walk? If so, it will be difficult to encourage him to move.
Carry your puppy for a few meters until the house is out of sight, and then begin your walk.
3. Keep Fixed Times!
Dogs are just like us humans: they function like clockwork.
We go to bed at regular times and get up again. We go to work at certain times, finish work, and eat. It's the same with dogs.
They need regular times and consistent rules in order to learn and apply something. Whether it's feeding or walking.
For this reason, we recommend setting specific times for walking . You must follow through with these times consistently. It is especially confusing for a puppy if he does not have a regular daily routine.
4. Don’t Use Exploratory Methods
Equally important is your understanding and patience. Don't use brash methods to teach your little puppy something new. Be patient and always keep calm.
Strict educational measures are a no-go and should not be applied.
5. Praise Your Dog!
- Petting or cuddling,
- Treats
- Words of praise
When Your Adult Dog Doesn’t Want to go for a Walk Anymore
1. Does your pet suffer from physical complaints ?
2. Did your dog experience a stressful situation during your last walk?
Can you remember anything unusual occuring? Check with a veterinarian to see if your pet has any physical ailments.
If you can't find anything wrong, go for a walk as usual. Show your dog that he has nothing to fear.
My Conclusion
Your puppy doesn't want to go for a walk? This is a common problem you can easily bring under control.
First, figure out the reason. Always react patiently and consistently. If you heed our 5 tips, the problem will soon be a thing of the past 👍
▶ Have you experienced this problem and would like to share your experience with us? Do you still have questions about this topic? Then leave us a comment below. We look forward to your reply. 😊
My name is Anja Boecker and I am a dog trainer and behavior consultant (IHK certificate). With these articles I would like to help you understand your dog better and build an inseparable bond.
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Hello my name is stephan my rotti bitch is now four months and I have the problem that when I go out with her she runs a few meters and then lies down in the meadow and just wants to lie down what can I do so that she is not so listless
Hello Stephan, it may be that your puppy has a joint problem or some other health problem that prevents him from walking long distances. Therefore, we would recommend that you contact your veterinarian for the time being.
Hello, my name is Olga. My dog Denver is exactly two months old now. He is still very afraid to go outside, quotes all over his body and doesn't move. He hasn't done a single wissi outside, comes home and goes pee on his pad. What am I doing wrong and are there any tips on how to get it under control?
Dear Olga, since we don't know the exact further circumstances, the solutions we can offer you are unfortunately limited. Is there a certain reason or an experience from the past that he is afraid to go outside? Possibly also sounds or noise, a certain smell? Have you tried to lure Denver out with his favorite treats? It is best to proceed step by step. First go outside the front door, stand there with him for a few minutes. Then back inside. Don't tug on the leash or push him to do it. A day later, go a few steps further, again only for a few minutes, then back inside, etc. If all this does not help, it would be good to involve a trainer in your area who can also observe Denver doing this and thus could better judge what this fear is associated with. Kind regards - Your Hundeo Team
Hello, have a little puppy with 12weeks, does not like to go for walks and with it he does his business in the apartment. What can do
Hello, I have a New English Bulldog he is 11 months old and does not want to go out.
I tried all the tips, but he is too lazy to walk. For 200 meters to the park I need 20 to 30 minutes.
A complete walk that everyone else does in 10 to 15 minutes takes mine 1.5 hours. He goes so slowly that I have him running behind me. From the front tugging on the leash there is advice. But I have with treats or kind words, nor with stand still and wait a chance. When I wait until the master goes on I have to be very patient. He lies down and sleeps.
What else should I do?
Will still have my dog x-rayed to see if he has something on the musculoskeletal system. If not ?
Something as lazy and comfortable as this dog exists only once in the world.
Love greetings
Hello, English Bulldogs usually do not have a high urge to move. Nevertheless, a checkup at the vet would be recommended, because behind it could also be a health problem.
Hello, my mini bull terrier is 6 months old just won't go for a walk. My husband carries him a short distance to the forest and then puts him down. He then sniffs and pees or defecates, then runs another 5 m , done !!!!
He doesn't want to run one meter, despite treats, calling or toys. We do not know what to do 😧😧😧
Dear Karin, if you have not yet contacted your vet about this, we recommend that you have a thorough checkup first, as it may be due to problems with the musculoskeletal system or cardiovascular problems.