Leash training: What to do if your dog pulls or refuses to walk

If you’ve ever been on a walk with your dog, and they’ve stopped dead in their tracks, you know how frustrating that can be. It seems your pet’s stubbornness reaches a whole new level. Aside from ensuring you have an excellent dog leash to prevent your pet from running away, what can you do to get them going again?

Read on for valuable leash training tips next time your dog pulls this little trick.

Identify what causes your dog to stop

Usually, there is a reason your dog has stopped during a walk. Puppies, in particular, could be feeling a sense of danger being so far away from what they have grown to know as home.

Dogs can be perceptive and may sense fear or danger. That could lead them to feel anxious about what’s ahead.

If any of the above could be the case, pause with your dog to look at the surroundings. See if you’re seeing anything that might be causing them to feel stressed. In these situations, sit down with your dog and talk with them.

Pet them a bit and try to bring them comfort. They need to know that they can trust and feel safe with you.

In other cases, your dog could be bored or alerting you to something they are feeling physically. Either way, you want to identify what causes them to stop.

Change up your walking route

Some dogs become bored with their walks. They want a little more excitement, and they very well may be stopping out of sheer boredom. If that’s the case, change the route if possible.

Switch it up and start in the opposite direction. Venture down different side streets. If possible, take them in the car to bring them to another location for a walk.

Take note of any pain or discomfort

In some cases, your dog stopping abruptly on a walk could be a sign of some pain or discomfort they are feeling.

Maybe you notice your pet always stops in the same spot (which could mean they stop at a particular time during the walk), which indicates this is when they start to find the pain unbearable. Observe how your pet is walking.

Are they limping? Is their stride different?

If you suspect pain could be why they are giving you difficulty during your walks, sit with them, hold the dog leash tight, and talk to them. Ask them if they’re feeling pain.

Take a look to see if you can find it. Then, offer a solution. Let them know you can go back home if they need to. If you have any concerns about their health, talk with their vet to identify what could be happening. 

Avoid adding stress to the situation

The first thing you don’t want to do when your dog abruptly stops walking is added stress to the situation.

In many cases, your dog could stop because they are anxious.

Making them feel even more nervous by trying to tug on their dog leash or demanding that they start moving will only delay them longer.

This advice isn’t simple to implement, as it can feel incredibly frustrating to have your dog refuse to move.

Instead of getting frustrated, do something calming to take you out of the situation. Take a few deep breaths.

Pull out your phone or take a book with your to flip through. Sit down next to your dog.

Showing your dog that you won’t feed into their behavior can result in them realizing you’re not going to give in to them.

When your dog does start moving again, toss them a treat to reward them for walking again.

This will help your dog learn that walking is the good behavior you’re looking for and will strive to meet that need again. 

Final thoughts on leash training

Taking your dog for a walk can be very relaxing, but you can feel annoyed when the walk ends abruptly.

As you get your dog comfortable with using a leash and taking walks, understand the leash training process can take a while to nail down.

Some dogs even develop challenges in their adult years.

Training is a lifelong challenge, so you’ll need to continue leash training.

Follow these leash training tips to effectively find a solution to help your dog and get them moving again.