[marham]

I wrote about Rudy several weeks ago when he wouldn't walk with me. Really appreciate the helpful advice. I got rid of the prong collar and now use one of those no-slip collars. Made a BIG difference. We've made it around the block twice. But usually he's only willing to go about four houses down the street on either side of us. When he decides he doesn't want to go any further, he just stops. The trainer wanted me to pull him hard but that just seems to make him more fearful and stubborn. My quandary is: If I turn around and go home, I feel like I'm validating his fear and giving in to him. But I don't like forcing him either. I want him to choose to come with me.

Occasionally, I can lure him with some treats. But he gets wise to that, too after a couple times. And I'd rather reward than lure.

 

[jenlaur]

I am not an expert but.....maybe what you have to do is find a high value treat. I give Riley Wellness treats, cut up into very small pieces and she likes them well enough. But she tires of them. My puppy class trainer cooks and then dries out liver (once dried in the oven it becomes crumbly). Riley can be tired of training or extracted to the point of ignoring me completely. But once the trainer pulls out the liver she has got her full attention.

And one more thing....I treat her very often on walks and praise her effusively off and on during the entire walk. I think if anyone was listening they would think I was crazy. We start off with me saying, "Let's walk!" She starts walking and immediately gets praise and a treat. Then I tell her, "Good walking!" Then another treat. I had to do this constantly at first to get her to walk a few houses. Now we walk about 3/4 mile and I still treat pretty often but less than at the beginning and she gets lots of praise.

 

[marham]

In the past, I would do the same thing as you, i.e. lots of treats while walking. After a while, I felt like he was manipulating me. He wouldn't walk unless he got the treat. And then when he'd had enough, he just stopped. Maybe I'm just not rewarding properly?