# Not Wanting to walk



## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

Just as the title states, I take Tobi walking daily generally with some running mixed in, the thing is when we are getting out the door down the path to the street he is resisting sometimes to the point that his collar appears to be pinching his ears. I have only been able to find things about dogs pulling not resisting going on walks... Even today at the dog park before we entered the fenced in areas he put up a little fight like a fish on a hook.

I can't say it doesn't frustrate me to the point that I just want to turn around kennel him and go walking alone because he's being such a pain but i haven't been able to find a remedy to it. The trainers i have spoken with have all said that i just need to continue walking but it doesn't seem to be incredibly effective and i feel as if it is hard on Tobi... Advices?


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

When we first got Rocky, he would refuse to go past the end of our driveway. We've actually had three Chows that did not want to go out of our yard. They are a very 'home loving' breed.

What we did was use clicker training and treats. I would give him a treat at the end of the driveway. Then I would lure him a little up the road and give him a click and a treat. We started with just small walks (I'm talking a few yards) and gradually got him to enjoy going to the end of the road. Once we started going further, he would panic if we were going past a house with a dog in the yard, or people in the yard. So we would click and treat him as we got to the questionable house. Eventually he go to where he now LOVES to go for walks and actually goes and stares at his leash. He also is all big and brave when he see's other people and dogs and starts kicking the ground as soon as he see's them to show how 'tough' he is! He will still plant his feet on rare occasions but usually it's because he loves to sniff the ground and has something interesting to smell. 

It took quite awhile and a lot of patience but clickers and treats did wonders for him. He also wears a harness now because I don't like pulling on his neck when he plants his feet and he has had the collar come right off his head by planting his feet.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

My nutcase (dog, not husband) will just suddenly lie down in the middle of the road and refuse to move. I can't work it out, no rhyme nor reason, just lies down and does the dead dog. The other day it was in the middle of a pedestrian crossing - luckily I had a treat and that got her up on her feet. I stuck my nose in the air and ignored the laughing people waiting in their cars.
From what you say though, your dog is different, more that he doesn't want to go on a walk for whatever reason. I think what Chowder said is the right idea, treats and encouragement, just keep him moving forward. Don't let him sense your trepidation or frustration. Make the walk fun. Does it help if you walk with a friend and their dog?


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

Great advise, i do take treats even junk food stinky treats *pupperoni* its his weakness  it works to a point but he gets to the point that he will get the treat plant, then i'll wave another pea sized treat beside me and back up a few paces and treat him, rinse and repeat but he will start to plant after every treat -_- so i began treating randomly, and if i don't have a treat to offer he won't budge, i use a lot of excitement sometimes to get him going, and i have even noticed that as long as i run with him he doesn't plant... but with a sprained ankle i can't keep running him for long distances without risking further injury to myself.

-Molly there are actually no good animal owners by where i live, i call animal control weekly about dogs that are running amuck in our "neighborhood" chickens, pigs, etc we live in the country and its a bit hard to find quality company around here especially quality company with a dog that they care enough to walk :/

oh another thing might be related, sometimes he will simply not come when called which he has down unless you get down near his level, so for me i would need to get down on my hands and knees and get really excited and call him lol... I swear he's part donkey sometimes.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

maybe he doesn't like where you're taking him.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> maybe he doesn't like where you're taking him.


 He can be a lazy little brat i wouldnt put it past him...ound:


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

I imagine that Bull Terriers can be a lot like Chows......very smart but stubborn dogs! I think the clicker is an important part of the 'treat and click' method to get him walking. It sort of reinforces what the treat is for and you can eventually just use the click when they are doing the right thing. We also made the treats VERY tiny so that he didn't get full. 

The only problem I have had is that Rocky expects me to take "snacks" on walks with him now! So we vary it up by making him sit (he has to when cars are approaching .....we move over to the shoulder and go into a sit) and also lay down on command in the middle of the walk. It keeps his mind active and gets him used to paying attention to me all the time, not just at home. Sometimes we do his other tricks in the middle of the road .......luckily we live in a rural area. He also has to sit if people approach and want to pet him. I let them give him a treat and pet him once he has sat. 

Some dogs are just toooo smart and are a challenge but they usually enjoy keeping their minds active :biggrin:


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I most definitely agree with getting the sit stays and stuff you're right on with it, we tried to "load" the clicker but even after a week of trying to make that work he never responded to it, he always ignored it or we weren't taught the correct way to use it as per our Trainer :/


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

What kind of collar are you using when you go out for a walk? How did you go about loading the clicker? Does Tobi have a toy of some sort that he goes crazy for?


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

luvMyBRT said:


> What kind of collar are you using when you go out for a walk? How did you go about loading the clicker? Does Tobi have a toy of some sort that he goes crazy for?


 A normal collar, no choke, or chains, its just tight enough so that he can't slip out of it, the way they taught us to load the clicker was to click and then treat, repeat infinity with itty bitty treats which we did and it just never took. Which brings up another question, do you see a difference in the way the animal listens or responds with the clicker? He doesn't have a toy he really cares about more than any other thing... well he does but its one of our girls stuffed animals, or any of them that he's NOT allowed to have.


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Awesome. Glad to hear there is no choke chains, prongs, etc. A lot of times those kind of collars will shut a dog down.

Penny has already suggested what I was going to say. I wonder if walking with another dog would help Tobi to keep moving forward and motivated? I wonder if there would be a good dog at the local animal shelter that you could walk with? Something to help Tobi and something that would be wonderful for the other dog....?

As far as coming, this is what I have done with Duncan from day one. Anytime I call him and he comes he always (every single time) gets a treat/toy, etc. If he's out in the backyard and I call him, he comes inside and we run to get him a treat. Anytime I call I make it fun...like a game. If we are outside I will call him and then start running the opposite direction. Duncan's instinct will be to chase me. Another thing I do when I call him is I clap my hands repeatedly and say "Duncan! Come, come, come!"....in a very excited tone. I have found with the clapping, etc it gets his attention, gets him excited and motivated...and he comes to me haulin' a** every time! He thinks it's a game and he always gets rewarded. He is now 10 months old and his recall is awesome. I'd say he comes almost 100% of the time when called....and half the time he's comin' so fast it's a bit scary because I feel he's gonna plow me over! :lol:


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

luvMyBRT said:


> Awesome. Glad to hear there is no choke chains, prongs, etc. A lot of times those kind of collars will shut a dog down.
> 
> Penny has already suggested what I was going to say. I wonder if walking with another dog would help Tobi to keep moving forward and motivated? I wonder if there would be a good dog at the local animal shelter that you could walk with? Something to help Tobi and something that would be wonderful for the other dog....?
> 
> As far as coming, this is what I have done with Duncan from day one. Anytime I call him and he comes he always (every single time) gets a treat/toy, etc. If he's out in the backyard and I call him, he comes inside and we run to get him a treat. Anytime I call I make it fun...like a game. If we are outside I will call him and then start running the opposite direction. Duncan's instinct will be to chase me. Another thing I do when I call him is I clap my hands repeatedly and say "Duncan! Come, come, come!"....in a very excited tone. I have found with the clapping, etc it gets his attention, gets him excited and motivated...and he comes to me haulin' a** every time! He thinks it's a game and he always gets rewarded. He is now 10 months old and his recall is awesome. I'd say he comes almost 100% of the time when called....and half the time he's comin' so fast it's a bit scary because I feel he's gonna plow me over! :lol:


We could try that actually, there is an animal shelter pretty close i'll have to give a call Monday and see if that would be possible 

I could probably use to go back to basics with the recall actually, I think maybe i have assumed he got it completely and laxed on it which is completely my fault and i'll have to get more exited! lol As far as training goes how long do you normally work with things with Duncan before he decides he doesn't want to do anymore? i usually get about 10 minutes out of it.


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Yup...usually about 5-10 minutes at a time and I always end on a positive happy note. If you see Tobi getting side tracked do something that he does well (maybe just a "sit") so you end on a happy note with a treat. However, I will randomly do the recall several times during the day. It may just be that he's in the next room, upstairs, outside...where ever, just to keep it reinforced in his brain.

And, yes, I get excited for the recall! LOL! I am sure people in public may think I'm a loony, but I don't care. If I have to get excited for a recall which may save my dogs life someday I will! :der::nod::lol:


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Your dealing with a Bull Terrier, what else can I say! You need to join the yahoo groups positivelybts, they deal with these issues as B.T's are very unique, I don't care what anyone else on here says. My female, Cayenne still often doesn't come when called and I went to 5 different classes with her. I use martingale collars on all my dogs and in the beginning I used "easy walk" harnesses. They now will walk nicely on leash with no pulling but before it was disastrous. I often have to put my shoulder into it when walking both Cayenne and Leo, she likes to be stubborn often and just wants to stand there. I don't look back, just put my shoulder into it and move forward. Do yourself a favor and come here but join a Bull terrier group because as a new B.T. owner your going to need a support line.

_positivelybts

_ Bully Story (the fish tank story).doc 
The story of Cosmo and the fish tank


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i wonder if he learned if he stops
walking he gets a treat????


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