walking the dog

Question
i have a 100 pound lab,he used to love to go on walks,all of a sudden he acts like he wants to go for a walk then as soon as we are starting to walk its like he smells something in the air and refuses to move?2 years old,

Answer

Hi Bruce,

It's really impossible to guess the reason why your dog is suddenly behaving the way he is, but the root cause doesn't matter, as long as the reason for not wanting to walk isn't caused by pain.  If your dog has arthritis, has developed hip dysplasia or arthritis or luxating patellas or something, walking may be painful.

Have you tried walking your dog in a different area, or direction, rather than walking the same route you usually take?
You might try using a head harness, such as a Gentle Leader, or Halti. When you use a head harness rather than a neck collar, you are better able to control the dog's movements. The only thing is, your dog will need time, and your patience as he adjusts to the head harness.

As you walk your dog, offer plenty of praise as you're walking, ignore any negative reactions. It doesn't matter what the situation is, whenever a dog is doing the behavior YOU want (even it's it's just walking in the direction you want to go) it should be praised for it.

Attempting to pull a hesitant dog will only result in more fear and more struggle. Treats are a terrific way to positively reinforce walking on a leash. Hold a really tempting tidbit right at his nose, and make him move forward to get it. As he moves, praise him -give him the treat and keep right on moving!

Hope that helps!
Patti