Trembeling on walks

My pup is 4 months old, shes a lovely if not cheeky at times pup ! Whole family love her to pieces.

Training is slow going at the moment - she is clearly trying to push boundries...but im just as persistant as she is !

Anyway - when I take her for a walk i literally have to drag her out the door and instead of her pulling me - im pulling her....shes shaking, tail down between her back legs and shes looking around like crazy. soon as a car or bus comes past she will cower down on the ground or dart behind me.

Ive tried all the encouragement i can - treats dont work, she looses interest. Ive sat holding her near a road telling her shes a good girl trying to reassure her etc but nothing seems to work...im lost as to how to get her over this fear.

Only when we are on the way home she will be dragging me in a rush to get back.

any advise appreciated.

Never had this issue myself. Do you just road walk to where you are going ie the park? I would have hoped in time (she is very young) that she will get used it and sometimes by acting as if there is something wrong she will feed off your apprehention, if that makes sense.

Have you tried taking her favourite toy with you maybe. Instead of showing her the traffic try and have all attention on you, make you the funnest thing to her so that she isn't aware of anything else. Also persistance, walk firmly and directly, don't give her the opportunity to realise there is anything to be scared of.

Not had this problem

I agree. When you put her lead on, be very bright & cheerful. Don't sound apprehensive & don't show any sympathy if she's apprehensive.

Try just taking her to the front (with plenty of treats in your pocket), and then sit down with her. Get her to sit by your side, touching you if you can. Don't sound sympathetic, & don't mollycoddle her. If someone walks past, ask them to say hello to her & maybe offer her a treat. Maybe even bring a squeeky toy out with you & have a little game on the pavement (on lead of course!).

Hopefully, she'll start to see walks as something more than frightening!

Caryll wrote:I agree. When you put her lead on, be very bright & cheerful. Don't sound apprehensive & don't show any sympathy if she's apprehensive.

Try just taking her to the front (with plenty of treats in your pocket), and then sit down with her. Get her to sit by your side, touching you if you can. Don't sound sympathetic, & don't mollycoddle her. If someone walks past, ask them to say hello to her & maybe offer her a treat. Maybe even bring a squeeky toy out with you & have a little game on the pavement (on lead of course!).

Hopefully, she'll start to see walks as something more than frightening!

Totally agree

thx for your swift replys, will try that from tomorro. I took her out this morning and she was the same sitting down when a car came by, cowering down - tail firmly between legs and a cpl of times i literally had to pull her along... I feel so sad that she is like this - i want her to enjoy her walks with me.

We live in a very quiet villiage surrounded by fields and farmland - the only roads are really not what i call 'busy'...

Another habit she has is weeing when she greets someone new....or when my husband comes home from work shes so excited she wees. He has tried delaying the greeting with her..which she accepts - soon as he goes over to her or calls her - shes super excited and bam..wee!!

I had the same problem with mine at first, but he soon got used to it and couldn't wait for his walks. Just follow the advice above, and your pup will soon enjoy her walks and will most definitely be dragging you along!

I had a bit of this with Blue but he was 10 weeks or so when we started walking him.It took me and my OH or kids baiting him along to start we used food and toys to get him to move.I also took the suggestions on here and kept the leash on him while in the house and he did get use to it.He is still a bit timid when I put his collar/harness on for his walk and will sometimes hide in his crate when i pick them up.It's a work in progress.Is there any way you can take her to a calm area like a park to get her going?It might be easier with less distraction for her to build confidence while on the leash.Keep up the good fight she will come around I'm sure.

We have a nice field in front of our house - just across a small road. We live in a small villiage which is very quite - so when there is noise you do tend to hear it if u know what i mean.

Managed to get her across the road and half way over the 'green' aided by a cooked sausage ! I sat down on the grass with her she was sat beside me looking very tense..after 5 mins or so she was very anxious to get home and started crying... [i made a point of trying to play with her, not 'comfort']

will keep trying.... gonna be a long haul i think.

We had this issue with Suki as well. She was okay with cars but scared of trains and when we would turn around to go home she would be running to the house. Follow the advice above and you should be okay.

She is still young and just learning to explore the world she will come around. Try not to force her and let her gradually adjust.

Im sure she will get used its so frightening out there for a little puppy

Hi jackieb
Try holding her for a while when you go out, she just needs to get used to the different sounds of the big outside world bless, she will be fine

well - little progress so far.... can get as far as half way across the green in front of our house - which is maby 150 meters without her dropping to the ground and wimpering to come home.

tried treats/toys/sticks to coax her along but nope.... she will pull in the direction of home. or sit down/lay down

I had to pick up some meds from the doctors yesterday and had to carry her almost the entire way as she was shaking like crazy - each time i put her down she would cower down.....

what else can i do ?

All I can say is persistance and patience, she will learn eventually!

bumping my origional thread as the situation hasnt improved...if anything getting worse ... 2 times now she has slipped out of her harness as shes pulling in the direction of 'home' [despite the harness being fitted correctly].

I have been looking into a proper place to take her for training etc - can u guys have a look at this - they are local to me [10min drive] and can take her Monday evenings http://www.abcfordogs.co.uk/index.html

Do u guys think this will help ? Im hitting a brick wall everytime i take her out

thx all

Have you tried walking her first thing in the morning? If she is hungry she may be more tempted by treats and may associate walking with looking for food. She's still pretty young and hasn't gained confidence yet.

You could also try taking her out only as far as she is comfortable. Try going a little further each time and eventually she will gain confidence and want to go all the time.