Not even for short walks, I've tried a leash and a harness, she refuses to walk. I put her outside and all she tries to do is come back inside. She literally will sit down and not move, even if I keep walking she will force me to drag her (which I dont do for long).

I am at my wit's end here, can someone offer me some practical advice? I purchased a dog to be a loving companion, and also to be a companion to go on walks.. she is 13 weeks old now, and I am not talking about a marathon here, just up the driveway and back! Even if I go to my mom's house, she REFUSES to walk with me up to the porch!

I'm not going to drag her around, can anyone offer any advice?

[edited for further thought]

Most dogs have "Pulling" problems don't they? Why won't my dog walk at all? Shouldn't a puppy be apt to explore her surrondings?!

Try walking her in the house on a lead. Dont pull, Get someone else to call her, try tit bits. As she has got so upset, don't try for a few days but work on recall so when you do try again, in the house or garden you can walk backwards and do recall. Did you carry her out in the street when she was tiny? Ja:)kie

I am a pure newbie, when you say on "Lead" do you mean that the dog leads me? Yeah I carried her outside :)

lead in UK = leash in US :D

Thanks Sara, did not cross my mind. And for garden read yard. Ja:)kie

Sorry I ment put on her collar and lead, in the house. And to start with let her walk about with it just trailing on the floor when you go into the garden let her follow if she will, still trailing the lead. After a few days start lifting up the lead and keeping it slack follow her about for a few moments, first in the house then in the garden. Few more days then put on the lead, still in the house, and get someone else to call the pup offering a small piece of cheese or chicken, you hold the lead and follow. Repeat a few times but not for too long. Then try in the garden. When you can walk around the garden with her with no problem, pop her in the car and take her somewhere peacefull, small park or country lane and get her out of the car and walk her round the car a few times if she is calm take her a bit further away from the car and so on each day, if at any time she shows sighs of stress put her back in the car. don't worry it is a stage they go through, don't hurry her, don't scare her, and she will be fine in a few months. Some GSD's are inclined to be nervious and the last thing you want to do is encourage such behaviour. Ja:)kie

It is normal for puppies to want to stay near their "den" and explore just a little further every day - I would just sit outside with your pup on her lead until she wants to go further. She is only just old enough to go out so everything will be new to her. When she does start to go with you do not let her walk in front of you, keep the lead short. I feel that letting puppies walk way in front of their owners is the start of pulling on the lead - if they are never permitted to do this they the habit can't be formed.

The other thing you can try with her is to take her (carry or car) to somewhere where she can run - if she is free and playing she is more likely to relax)

Christine

Thats why I said loose lead (leash) better a dog that pulls than one that is to scared to go out. Jackie

but they generally grow out of being scared to go out but grow into pulling!

Christine

Sure your right Christine, but I don't think anything I have suggested will cause a dog to pull, unless I've not made myself clear in which case perhaps it's better to ignored anything I've said. Ja:)kie

I've never had a problem getting a GSD to walk to heel, an Elkhound yes, but GSD's are not usually a difficult dog to train once they have confidence.

My pup didn't want to walk. She'd go a few metres perhaps, then lie down. Then one time when I was walking with my friend and our dogs to the park, we discovered that she'd only lie down on the grass, but never on the pavement :) That got us a little further. And at the park, I let her off leash for the first time. She'd lie down, but if we walked too far away, she'd catch up. On the way home she was much better on the lead. Usually I wasn't alone for walks, so my friend would walk ahead a bit and call her and Nikki would race to her. At the park she'd also get up if a person or dog got her attention.

Over the period of time this was happening she got older too, got used to being outside more etc... at first she was just too young and overwhelmed I think. I didn't mind, but it's nice now that she's more willing to be on lead. Of course I still don't force her to walk. I still carry her when she gets tired, but yeah, it gets better :)