Dogs refuse to walk? 3 surprising tips to change their behavior

Get Them Familiar With Leash

Some dogs lack leash training, thus, they walk happily without a leash on. For this reason, you might want to take a step back and provide your dog with a leash-train first.

Choose a comfortable collar

A young puppy may find a heavy leash a burden, which stops them from enjoying the walk. Make sure that you read the size instructions carefully when choosing a collar. Starting with a short and light leash is a wise choice.

Slowly introduce leash

A proper introduction of the leash and collar is a must. Because if your dog knows what he is doing, he will be confident and more excited for walks.

Start training inside

To have your dog get used to the weight and feel of a leash, let him walk around the house with the leash on for a few days. Use lots of treats to encourage him.

Every party must come to an end

If your dog is having the best day at the park, he will be very reluctant to leave. Here’s how you can handle this situation.

Restrict access

To catch your dog’s attention, try to restrict his access to his playmates or his favorite spot. Then, you might need treats to show him that there's a reward for following you.

Use a recall command

Teach your dog a strong recall. It will take your time and effort but it might have effects on some dogs, or for the first time.

However, only use your dog’s recall once. If he doesn’t react, just stop and ignore him. Make sure that he sees you walk away - it might change his mind.

Pick up the right pace

Don’t walk away too fast or too slow. The moment he makes a move, mark his behavior with a click or click word, then toss the treat in the direction you want to walk.

Help Them Conquer Fear

Dogs are highly sensitive to lots of different environmental stimuli, such as sounds, smells, people, and movements. To help them overcome their fear, try:

Identify triggers

You might see that your dog stops in the exact same spot. That’s because he is frightened of a certain sight or smell in the past. You should avoid this place for some time. Find a different route to make your dog feel more comfortable.

Reward

If your dog is afraid of something, distract him from the trigger with a treat and comfort him. Increasing the distance little by little will help him feel more confident to approach again. You should reward him with every step towards the right direction.

Try Dog Walking Service at Bark.com

After all you have done, take your time and slowly change your dog’s behavior. Or else, you can take it easy with Dog Walking Service at Bark.com.

Bark.com provides a wide range of Pet Care services across cities. All you have to do is to send them your preference. Based on your information, you’ll get a list of quotes from suitable dog-walkers in your city to pick from. You can choose to be notified whenever a new quote or a Bark discount code is available.

Be sure to take a look at the ratings and reviews on Bark to make certain that you have the best option for your requirements. Don’t forget to apply Bark discount code to save some bucks. Need the most reliable dog walking service? Find it at bark.com!