Dog Community

5 month old lab does not like to walk

Posted : 6/29/2006 2:08:33 PM

We have a 5 month old yellow lab who refuses to go on a walk most of the time. I work from home so we play a lot inside and out, but he prefers inside. He does not mind the leash at all, but as soon as we start walking he's sits down and refuses to continue. Then at times, he will walk without any problems at all. Nothing tragic has ever happened while on a walk, and he is ideal weight. We got him from a very good breeder and all of her labs are very calm. Are we doing something wrong and is this something that we should worry about, or is our dog just that laid back/lazy? I've never seen a dog that doesn't like to go on walks. Any suggestions/comments?

micksmom

Posted : 6/29/2006 2:20:47 PM

Sounds like normal puppy behavior to me. [

] He probably just needs a little encouragement. Have you tried enticing him to walk by holding a treat or toy in front of him?

Oh, you do know you're "required" to post a picture of him right? Especially since he's a yellow Lab! [

]

labcrab

Posted : 6/29/2006 2:25:11 PM

Is this a brand new behaviour? Had he previously been walking on the leash?

Melissa Camiel

Posted : 6/29/2006 3:06:50 PM

My dog has never been much of a walker. She's been like this since she was a puppy. I still try to walk her everyday, but we never go very far and I end up carrying her home most of the time[

].

outdoorschik

Posted : 6/29/2006 9:42:29 PM

HI! and welcome

I don't want to worry you.. but consider having a vet look at his hips...
It is not normal puppy behavior for a 5 month old not to want to walk/run on a leash and jump around a lot (even ones from calm parets).
If he's acting like an exceptionally "calm and well behaved" puppy, it's better to have it checked out now because that can be an indication of early hip dysplasia.
I had a VERY similar experience earlier this year with a calm 5 month old puppy who didn't always want to walk and sometimes sat down on walks, and hip dysplasia (both hips) was diagnosed soon after...
You could have his hips looked at when he's neutered next month or if he's in for shots sooner.
Did your breeder have both parent's hips certified before breeding? HD is a very common thing in large breed dogs, better safe than sorry, if it's a false alarm I apologize

Good luck!

Stephanie Book

Posted : 6/29/2006 10:28:22 PM

I would also rule out any physical problems. Then try to entice him to walk along with you, using happy vioce, etc. if you're not already. If it's just stubborness though, I would say that you should just keep walking, and ignore the dog, he'll eventually get that you want him to walk along with you. I'm not sure why a puppy this age would be doing that though....[:-]

jones

Posted : 6/30/2006 7:21:10 AM

Certainly it's always a good idea to have your dog's hips checked, especially if he's a large breed... but I think this is a normal, common stage of puppy development and may correspond with a fear imprint period - something that previously didn't bother him now makes him hesitant or nervous. Just be positive, cheerful, encouraging, and set the tone for confidence and calm... he will follow your lead eventually. Unless your puppy has an inherited temperament problem (which would require more extensive desensitization) he'll likely just bounce right back from this.

Julitza

Posted : 6/30/2006 8:24:09 AM

IMO this sounds like normal puppy behavior. No puppy is willing to walk on the leash the first few times, and even after they have so called gotten the hang of it, there are some that will decide they don#%92t want to walk anymore. BUT because you are dealing with a large breed puppy, and a breed that is notorious for hip problems, it wouldn#%92t hurt to get him tested. Good luck!