Do not walk your new puppy!

Yep, I said it!  Struggling to walk your puppy? Yep, I bet you are! The reality is that you will walk 10 feet from your home before your puppy freezes and sits down or won't budge. If you put pressure on the leash to urge the puppy along, s/he will dig in those heels and likely lay down. S/he would rather sit still and take in the sights, sounds and smells of the environment than go on a 20 minute walk! Puppies have never been in a harness and leash before and never been out in the great big world...it's overwhelming! 

 

When your puppy does start to walk, it is going to be at a snail’s pace. You will not get far because s/he’s so busy sniffing and/or picking up every leaf, twig and rock in site! 

 

There is no need to take your puppy for a walk like they’re an adult dog. Their needs are very different, the expectations you have of them should be too. Plan instead for  “watching the world go by” sessions. Sit with your puppy for 15-20 minutes outside your house, or carry your puppy to a park where s/he can just take in the sights, sounds and smells. If s/he wants to meander here or there, let them! Avoid trying to walk them from Point A to Point B - they don't have the ability to do that yet. 

 

You can do some short “leash training sessions.” in your house or in your back yard. Keep your sessions short at 5-10 minutes! Use high value reinforcement --boiled chicken, stinky soft treats that are pea sized or their favorite tug toy and show puppy how much fun it is to engage with you while on the leash. 

 

Be realistic. It is very common for puppies to “lock up” on walks.

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