We have a delightful 18 week old bulldog pup who seems to think that going on a walk is a punishment!   He is not too bad if he goes in the car to a park and is left to walk along beside us but as soon as the harness and lead appears he disappears.  I know that all the books tell you that you should not pull or drag but at the moment he is 'outsitting' us and winning the game.  We have tried persuasion and treats but these are ignored by this stubborn little fellow.  Any advice on how we can get him to look forward to the word 'walk' instead diving under the table would be more than gratefully received!

we had that problem but not anymore,we used 2 things the daylight and someone the dog loved. we had the loved person walk in front and every so often shout the dog and have a quick play and it worked for us.

Thanks Joe but we have tried that........the dog loves everybody but this does not work........
he is very stubborn and is having a great game with us...........

It might work if you don't play his game.  Don't take him out for a walk for about two weeks.  If it is a game he will be fed up and wanting a walk by then and you should get him out no problem.  If, after two weeks without a walk, he still doesn't want to go out I would be thinking that this dog is afraid of something 'outside'  (or the lead itself!) and you may need more 'hands-on, professional help'.

Is it the walk he hates or the actual putting on of his harness and lead? My dog loves her walks but even after a year still isn't keen on having her car safety harness on before we go out the door. She does sit and tolerates it, but even with rewards for her good behaviour, you can see that every hair is protesting silently ....

Maybe try taking him out in the car for a short distance - and i mean short, maybe just a minute away - and then one of you walk him home. That way he will be going home and may walk better once he understands what is happening....and gradually may start to enjoy his walks. Is he healthy? i am sure he is but something else to consider in case walking is difficult for him for some reason.

When you do get him out, jolly him along and maybe take some liver or meat out with you and feed him these treats as he walks.

Do you feel he is well socialised? Has anything happened to make him scared suchas a car backfiring? Maybe it is just all too much for him, make sure he gets lots of interaction with other dogs and people even if it means visiting friends etc.

Lindsay

hi

my dog absolutely loves her walks but also hates having the harness and collar on as soon as she sees it she looks all sheepish and runs away, we just carry on and don't make a fuss and calmly and confidently put the harness on then shes fine

j

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.  I am gathering up all information and trying several methods!

Did you buy your pup from a pet shop?  If so, are they part of the 'puppy farm chain'?  Or a 'backyard breeder'? If so, did you meet both parents, or at least the mother?  Were they healthy, confident, friendly, socialised parents?  Assuming i'm on the right track, it would be likely you have bought a pup who was denied his 'critical socilisation period' - ie, stuck out back somewhere darker and/or with minimal human and outdoor contact?  If so, you may need the assisitance of a behaviour counsellor who most likely would put your pup on a systemmmatic desentisation socilisation programme which may include taped recordings of the outdoors?

My jrt x when he was apup used to come out but would get on the tray under the pram so he didnt have to walk. He would stay under there untill we got to the park and then come out have a quick run about and then scuttle back under to enjoy the rest of his walk in comfort. He is 11 now and comes for a walk when he feels like it. I take my dogs out twice a day,he will usually go on the first one but on the second will run for cover when you go to put his lead on. My staff on the other hand would go for as many walks as she could. She knows the time we go and goes and brings the leads for me. The other week I had to leave them behind for the morning walk. When I got back she had brought my wellies and the leads and left them in the middle of the living room. I felt so guilty.

As much as I am sure our little fellow would like to attribute his behaviour to a bad beginning he was infact one of the very privileged pups!
His mother (who I met) was wonderful and his father a very famous world champ in the bulldog world.  He is not frightened by anything and is infact a very stubborn and strongwilled personality who thinks he should be waited on hand and foot and either carried or driven around.  I have come to the conclusion that he is suffering from 'delusions of grandeur'!  He actually just wants to be fed regularly, have lots of love, trot out into the garden to do his business and then run in to grab the best place by the fire!  I think he has decided that the outdoor life is not for him and the way to avoid it is to be bl**dy awkward when he sees his harness and lead.  I know that bulldogs are notoriously lazy and I obviously have one that is studying for a degree!   Saying that he has been better this week and I am hoping that the realisation that we will continue to get him out and will not give in is beginning to sink in!  I do appreciate you taking the time to respond - Thankyou

Welcome to the world of stubborn bull breeds!  One of my Staffs has a similar attitude to yours...he would be very happy never to go for a walk again I think!  His litter brother and their mother on the other hand would walk all day given the opportunity.  At first, trying to train Marmaduke to walk was pure hell, he would just lie down and refuse to get up...even with his brother and mother raring to go.  We tried him on his own for weeks to see if that made a difference, nope, he just didn't want to go out!

Nearly 8 mnths on, he will now walk without lying down but still goes and lies in his bed the minute the leads come out and pretends that we can't see him!  He's not so bad when he's actually running free on the walk, but if he gets a bit too wet or thinks he's been out too long, he asks to come back home again!

Bull breeds, who'd have 'em eh? :-)

It just shows how much work Johnny Vaughan put into his delightful dog on the TV program. I was most impressed with him & his dog, even made the trainer change his attitude.

Thanx for that.......Hendrix does exactly the same when he gets in from his drag/walk.  He is now 5 months and provides much amusement for my neighbours as he has now discovered that if he lies on his back I cannot do much about it.  He is fine when he is with other dogs and off his lead he will walk for ages without a problem.  As you say it is just stubborness but we are gradually winning the battle.  Other than this he is a fantastic little character and I am absolutely won over by the breed not ever having wanted one before.

As this pup loves people I can't think that he has been undersocialised.  Either he has found a way of getting attention, or does not like his collar/lead or something unpleasant has happened whilst he has been outside and he doesn't want to face it.  Unless the particular 'fear', if that is what is causing the problem, has been identified you can't start systematic desensitisation because you don't know what you are desensitising against.

This message brings back some lovely memories about our 2 bulldogs who have both passed.
We had a female Mika  and her nephew Albert- both incredibly stubborn but as gentle as lambs and wonderful with children.
Mika, our first bully loved walking from day one and would walk miles' she would also chase golf balls at the speed of a greyhound! For years she would only walk with me and if anyone else tried to walk her she would plonk herself down on the pavement, legs splayed and refuse to budge. It used to annoy my husband! Albert until the day he died would run and hide behind a chair/sofa if he heard the word "walk!" However once he started to walk his whole body showed us that he loved his walks, I think it was just the thought! I would agree with the other suggestions continue with the walks and give him lots of praise, treats to get him out of the door and a treat when he returns, also try putting the harness and lead on him for short periods in the house and garden. Some people say bullies don't really need walking but I disagree, it keeps them healthy. Ours came everywhere with us even on our honeymoon to the Scottish Highlands and lived till they were 11 and 10 years respectively.
One word of advice be very careful as they do suffer terribly in the heat. We used to have to walk ours early morning and late at night as during the day in the summer heat was  impossible. Travel was also restricted to these time as we didn't have air cond. in our car.
You will have a lifetime of joy with him, be patient he's still young -enjoy!

Thanks for your e-mail.  We are persevering with him and he is certainly getting through a large quantity of treats.  He is rapidly becoming quite a 'star' with my neighbours as we provide them with hilarious entertainment everytime we go out.  We have got to the point where after struggling with him for about 300 yards or so he will give in and walk and if he sees another dog he really does enjoy himself.  We do have to pull him for those first 300 yards though and we reckon that is why he is developing such broad shoulders!!  He did manage to outdo me the other night ..........because unable to pull him I turned to see that he had worked out if he laid on his back with his legs up there was nothing I could do!  He is a real character and we do adore him....and he knows it!

Ha ! I am having this same prob with my daxi she will go out in the front with h run around have fun then if he comes in we put on the harness she won't budge she freezes..and I know she is not afraid she is stubborn she feels she is the boss..so I will try getting my kids to walk in front as she loves them and hold some treats as well..goodluck to you!