Hello everyone! My name is Matthew and I am glad to be here. I have a 10 week old German Shepherd Puppy who has gone downhill this week! I will start from the beginning.

At the beginning of this week, I would take her for multiple walks daily. She had no problem coming outside on her own, and walking by my side. The next day she refused to come outside and had to be carried outside. Now, she refuses to come outside, and when I try to walk she REFUSES to walk with me. I have to literally drag her. I have tried treats, calling her name, NOTHING is working out for us. She is becoming increasingly more rebellious, and I have no idea how to solve this behavior. She is a very intelligent dog, and I have already taught her to "Sit" at 10 weeks. She is now flat out refusing to walk on a leash, and I really want to nip this problem in the butt. Please help me out! How do I correct her, how do I persuade her to walk with me? I have tried giving her a treat even if she walks a few steps with me, it wont work! The only time she will walk is when I am heading back towards home! She KNOWS when we're heading home! Then she just tries to LEAD me there. I know these are bad signs, Please help me out!

- Matt, desperate in Houston, TX!

Hello Matthew

First question that will help people answer you is how far were you walking her each time ? Was this just for a toilet break ?

A 10 week old pup should not be hardly given any extra excercise at all - the playing and trips to the garden are just about enough for her. It could be that it is just too much for her and tires her out so she now refuses to go at all.

Sara :)

No not just down to the garden, I would take her for a decent walk. My understanding was that "A Happy puppy is a tierd puppy." I would walk her a nice distance (about 2 blocks are so). She got a bit tierd from it, but she seemed to enjoy it! She seems like she is becoming "Detatched" from me, not liking me at all. I dont think I should have to "Carry" her outside. Would you recommend a Halti?

take a look at this old thread Matt - there is some talk about walks in it
old thread

As to the detached from you bit - do you have playtime and cuddles or does she not want that ?

She we have some playtime, be she seems more interested in marauding around chewing on random things :) She likes to cuddle sometimes, but would rather chew me :) In other words, she seems more interested in whats around her, rather than me.. also, the link to the old thread takes me to the main forum menu.

sorry - redone the link ;)

It sounds to me as if she is frightened. Not that unusual when out in the big world for the first time. As to a tired puppy is a happy puppy, no! Keep on like that and you will destroy your puppy's hips! At 10 weeks old a puppy of mine would be going out in my arms only, not walking outside at all, only in the garden. The taking it out in my arms is to get it use to the sights and sounds of the big wide world. It would be walking on a lead by around 13 weeks but only for about 50yds, just to see the traffic.

John

Blimey - 2 blocks !! for a 10 week old GSD!? - Arghhh please tell me you stopped !! Watch her hips, joints, muscles....it'll do her no end of damage if you're trying to walk her that far ! I know you're only trying to do the best for her but honestly,....Garden and play is fine for now....my shep is 18 months and we have only recently started really long hikes together......

Ease up Norm :) --- You dredged a thread that's over a month old. The poster already got the word from everyone else on here that this was too much physical exercise for such a young pup. Don't beat a dead horse after rigor mortis has passed its stage.

Hi mathew i don't know the rules in america but in Uk they shouldn't go out of the garden until they have had their 12 wk jabs so they are fully innoculated anyway i had a GSD and she used to be exactly the same she would only walk to the end of the road and then sit and that was it so i left it for a couple of weeks and then tried again it worked the older they get the more exercise they want and they are more curious, remember your puppy is only a baby and it's a big scary place with lots of unusual smells and noises, whereas home is nice and safe and secure and they know what is what just be patient and give her a little time and i'm sure things will work out.

I have a 12 week old puppy not a GSD, and I think walking this pup as far as you are taking it, is too far for a young pup, do you know that you can damage a pups legs and hips if you walk them too far while they are very young, I take mine to the end of my street to a grassy area to do what she has to and its only two houses away from me, and then back into the garden where she runs about with the other dogs, this is enough excercise for her just now. Thats about as far as mine will walk with the lead on just now before lying flat out on her tummy. Most pups do this anyway.

Understood. I will take that into consideration, but why won't she walk at all? Have I created a bad memory of exaustion? :/ It's like she doesn't even want to go outside at all. So our trips in your opinion should be to the garden to do her business and inside for play?

Glad you said that Slayer- that's what I was wondering:) Matthew I have a 6 month old GSD and I can remember when I brought her home at 8 weeks she loved me to bits- then between 10 weeks and 14 weeks she really wasn't interested in me- then she started with the nipping stage- to ease your mind my bitch now loves me to death and would choose me everytime over a number of people (which I love) :) I don't think you've created any bad memories of walking- I think it's more inquistive puppy stuff. You're pup probably feels settled in now and probably feels it can start to take the p**s a bit:D Don't overdo it- let him come to you- all pups love attention and he'll be back on track soon enough:) Good luck!

Stacey x x x

P.S; I only walk mine about two blocks now at 6 months:)

Thanks EVERYONE for all the help! This is a GREAT forum and you will be hearing A LOT from me! :)

Strange, I suppose my little girl has started the "Nipping" stage a bit early, as she loves to explore everything with her mouth. :)

So I will carry her to do her business until she grows up a bit? Does anyone have any tips for when I *DO* begin to take her for some walks? What does putting the dog on "Lead" refer to? Putting the leash on her and allow her to walk?

*Until she grows up a bit*- if she's anything like mine- you've got another two weeks before you can't carry her:D :D 1- she's too fidgety, 2- she's quite a weight to carry after a while:)

Stacey x x x

P.S- sorry I only just realised that you're puppy is a she not a he:)

When you do start taking her for walks, there's nothing wrong with carrying her to the end of the street and letting her walk back, to get used to being on the lead, and you can always train her to walk on the lead in your garden.
LynnT

Hi there, I think most of us have our own way of lead training, but this is how I do mine. First of all I get them used to wearing a soft collar around the house. Then I upgrade to a heavier, stronger one.Once they have got used to that, I clip on a lightweight lead and let the pup drag it around behind them in the house, keeping an eye on them at all times in case the lead gets caught round anything. Once they start ignoring it, I then start the training. Im sure some of the others will let you know their way of doing it :)

Philippa it was you that told me what me what to do with Kass and it worked so I recommend your way:)

Stacey x x x

At 10 weeks she shouldn't really even be walking outside the home as yet, only be carried or taken in the car. a puppy this young does not need the excersise, only the stimulation of new experiences.

Any further than up the street and back would be far too much for her.

You can do all the lead training you need at home at present.

In another couple of weeks you can take her for 5 minutes each way, and gradually build it up to about half hour total on lead by six months. Then to two half hour walks by a year. she should get all the other excersis she needs from play in the Garden.

At this age she is growing very fast and the bones are soft and should not be put under too much stress. GSDs are one of the breeds prone to Hip dysplasia, and environmental factors are major contributors.

Once her innoculations are complete enrol in a local training class.

Hi Matthew,
Not trying to gang up on you at all, but no, your puppy should not be exploring out of your yard for some time just for her own health.

Heartworms (carried by mosquitoes), parvo, and (if I remember correctly) distemper are definite problems in hot and humid TX :rolleyes: Also the air quality isn't the greatest in Houston :( Sorry, I don't mean to insult, just remember a nasty asthma attack driving through there quite a while ago.
There is also a huge problem with strays running around that are not vaccinated. Their feces can make other dogs ill.

Puppies are like babies, they'll tire themselves out quite happily by just being awake and playing a bit :) Unstructured "fun" is always better ;) :D
enjoy your sweetie and relax, she'll love ya no matter what :)
toodles

Hehe, no offense taken :) We have already began taking preventative measures as far as heartworms go. Me being a native Houstonian I know the risks involved. I have already redefined my methods. I only carry her outside now, and walking is out of the question until she gets about 3 weeks or so on her. I purchased a few more toys that I tire her out with, but put away when done. She loves her ball on a string :)

Thanks to everyone for all the great advice and tips. I am certain Della and I will be much more happy. I also purchased a Halti for when we decide to resume walking. I have heard too many good things about them not to.

Now it's time to work on that biting <grin>

A native Houstonian????? I didn't know any of those existed anymore ;) ;)

I have a friend who grew up there, but now lives in Southern NM. Her parents still are in Houston though :) They transplanted decades ago (orig. from WI) after serving in diplomatic service around the world a bit :)


(biting is fairly easy to deal with if you 'nip' it in the bud --- no pun intended ;) As soon as puppy starts licking hand/fingers, tell to "stop" or "no". If continues, puppy gets exiled to floor/out of room etc... Licking is usually a precurser to actually toothy contact ;) Even if puppy starts chewing on fingers, do the same thing :) Oh, and give something appropriate for chewing, it is necessary otherwise inapropriate items will be appropriated for said puppy dev. ;) :D

firstly is your puppy fully innoculated at 10 weeks, something might have upset your puppy on her first walks take it day by day with your puppy a ten minute walk will be enough, maybe twice daily if you find she will not go out on her own take another dog with you as this can sometimes boost there. confidence, if you dont own another dog ask a friend, who owns a dog if they will walk with you, give your pup plenty of encouragement when out.good luck joanne

Lots of people have already highlighted the importance of not walking puppys/young dogs especially the larger breeds. It is important whilst they're growing (really for the 1st yr) not to walk them far even if they may want too, as it will almost certainly mean hip and elbow problems later on. You can also sometimes find that pups and young dogs refuse to go out because of sore paw pads especially if they have only been used to carpet and grass. In these cases I have found soaking the pads in potassium permanganate generally helps as it hardens those soft black pads, but be careful as it can stain your dogs fur purple. I speak from experience as I did this to one of my yellow labs and for the next few months went walking around wearing purple boots!!!!!.