My little guy is terrified of the leash. As soon as I hook it on him he just crouches into a defensive position and will not move. I have been putting the leash on and carrying him to the area I want to walk him in. I just let it dangle so he can get used to the weight. Then I put him down for a minute and he wont move. So i take it off and hes fine.
A couple times he has taken off running after birds or whatever and completely freaks when the leash catches him. He acts like I just ripped his back legs off or something....
Any tips?

Mine was/is the same. I had to literally drag him to get him going. He loves to walk, but he hates having his harness on him. He is fine to walk on his own, won't leave my side. I just can't be too careful to let him do this all the time. He squirms and fights to get out of it when I am trying to unbuckle it as well. Just over time he knew it was walking time when he sees it and doesn't have a problem walking instantly now, but will turn his head away when I reach down to put his harness on him. It took about a month of constant walking for him to just come to terms with me winning about his harness.

Today was actually the first time Milo actually walked like a normal dog! I literally had to drag him for the first five minutes, it was ridiculous but after he would even jog next to me and he was exhausted after! (thank goodness!)

If he is deathly afraid of the leash I would sort of pet him with it, like hold the loop of the leash and just brush it over his head for a little bit, he may even put his head out to be pet and you can put the leash on his collar rewarding him. You may have to drag him a bit but just keep at it! It took Milo a while to get used to it but he realized "Oh man she's not going to hold me the way there is she?" so he just went with it. Be careful though don't make him think he is being torturered. Another way is to be all smiley and start to run in place a little bit so they can see the fun you have! That works too! I wish you all the luck!!

__________________




Milo's Dogster Page! - ADD ME WOOF!

I have the opposite problem. When I put Tobi on a leash, he thinks he's a racehorse and the bell just went off! He doesn't like to walk, he likes to run.....fast! I was considering buying skates so I can keep up with him. The only time he gets tired of running is when I take him to the beach. I can't take him off the leash or he'd be in Atlantic City before even looking back to see if I was still there! Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on the beach from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

What I would do is use the scent of a treat he really enjoys. Make sure he's calm before you put the harness and leash on then when your ready to go and he "shuts down" or doesn't move; pull him a little letting him smell the treat and when he willingly moves ease the tension on the leash and treat him. Repeat a few times and then replace the treat with verbal praise (he shouldn't constantly get treats, just in the beginning). ALWAYS ease the tension on the leash when he moves forward on his own!
Good luck!

I've tried that. He's not interested in treats (shocking) when he wants to run. Should have named him Secretariat. I have a retractable leash that let's him go about 10 feet ahead of me.

Yeah mine isn't interested in treats on the leash either. Things are slowly moving along but now we have some seriously cold weather (hovering around zero) so I'm reluctant to take him out at all. Can't find anything that he will wear to keep him warm!

LOL! It's much warmer than that where I live (around 35 this morning) and my chi still won't go out. I get him to the porch and he promptly turns right around and leaps back through the front door. At zero, he wouldn't even go near the front door. Mine's not fond of sweaters. He does, however, love electric blankets!