Dear Critter Corner:

We adopted a new pup a few months ago, I have noticed while on walks he will sometimes put the brakes on and refuse to walk.  It seems to have gotten worse and he is refusing to walk more often.  Are there any tips you can give me to help me be able to walk my pup without him stopping all the time?

Our dogs may put the brakes on during a walk for several reasons, the most common are they want to smell something fabulous, or they are a little frightened by something.

Looking at the fearful pup, once you have figured out what is causing the fear, you will want to work on desensitizing them to that item or spot.  Common problem areas can be busy or loud streets, other dogs barking, gardeners and sudden movements.  The easiest way to work on building your pup’s confidence around the problem area is to start working from a distance they can handle and reinforce them with a food reward when they notice the item.  You will want to repeat at this stage for a while and gradually decrease the distance as your pup is ready.  Over time your pup will be confident enough to walk right past the once scary thing!

Looking at the sniffing dog, try to turn the opportunity to sniff into a reward for the dog.  I don’t recommend the use of treats here as many dogs will pick up that if they stop, they will get a treat.  If this is already you, you can bring a treat out to get your pup moving but not give it to them.  You will need to stick to your guns on this as your pup will try to out smart you a little and see if they really put the brakes on, they get the treat.  Try to also keep them moving on the walk with a cue like ‘let’s go’ when they start to slow down.  Overtime you will break the habit.

If you are still having problems, please reach out to our behavior department to schedule a 1:1 consult at [email protected] or 650-340-7022 ext. 667.