My dog won't walk with me, but walks with my boyfriend. Why is this?

A lot of puppies striggle with the concept of walking beside people at first, especially when a lead is introduced. If you have him on a lead this is likely the issue. What I usually find helps is getting him to follow you round a safe environment first such as your garden or home. You can do this on/off lead. Never ever pull him if he isnt walking as you will make him fear the lead. If yiu have a favourite toy or treats you can coax him to walk alongside you and praise him when he does. I would focus on this for a while befire trying to get him out into the world. When he is walking well in the garden try him on the street. He will likely take a bit if a back step so be prepared to work with him again. If he continues to plant his bum when you go outside he is likely scared of all the new things going on. Try not to force him, keep coaxing him and making it look fun outside and he will eventually realise it is ok. A friendly older dog can be a great help in guiding a young pup so you could borroe a family member or friend's dog to try and show him tbat outside is fine. It can be very frustrating with a pup, but persevere and eventually it will just click with him. Good luck!

This type of behavior can be really frustrating! If you aren't already doing so, try walking Kiba on a harness and leash rather than a collar and leash so you aren't needing to pull on his neck. If he is willing to walk for a treat, try teaching him a "watch me" command so that he learns to keep his eyes on you and will follow your lead. In the beginning, reward him with a small high value (small piece of low-sodium deli meat, chicken, etc.) treat every time he looks at you and walks with you on a leash. Once he starts responding to the commands, stop giving treats every time he listens and begin only rewarding intermittently. Hope this helps!

That has to be frustrating for you! Dogs have different personalities, and although most dogs are very bonded to their primary caretaker, some dogs seem to take that person for granted. Your dog might just assume that you will always be around. and these other people are more exciting. To increase the bond with Maximus, I recommend you spend quality time together alone. This may be walking, cuddling. or playing with toys. I also recommend working on training sessions. This will help teach him to pay attention to you. Here is a link that discusses teaching 5 basic commands. If Maximus is already great with these commands, look into adding more. Make sure there is positive reinforcement with the training in the form of affection and treats! http://www.akc.org/content/dog-training/articles/teach-your-puppy-these-5-basic-commands/ Training is a constant project, and can be a fun game for you and Maximus. Thanks for using PetCoach.

If there is a specific pattern in the behaviour then re-organising the routine may help to rebuild a new pattern. Getting her to come, sit and receive a treat somewhere else in the house and then putting on the leash as he praises her may help to bypass the behaviour until she builds up more confidence. Revisiting basic recall/sit/wait training during walks and ball play by with may help to improve her confidence also

I recommend a group obedience training class so he will learn to listen to you with other people and dogs around. In the meantime find a friend with an older confident dog that walks well on the leash and plan your dog walks together. That way your dog will learn from the other dog and not be as anxious. Please reward him when he relaxes and goes forward. I would also start with short walks where there are minimal distractions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tucker.

3. WalkingtheOtherWay In order to reinforce a dog’s natural tendency to follow, once your dog pulls out in front, you should turn quickly and walk the other way. Reward once you feel slack on the collar. This can cause a walk to go no more than a few feet at the beginning, so be patient. The pull back should only be strong enough to get your dog’s attention. Excessive force, especially when using choke chains, may cause neck trauma. For more information, please contact your veterinarian or a trainer who uses humane training methods.

You may want to try having a friend come with their dog and walk together. Having a confident older dog leading the way may encourage yours. Also going to an obedience class may help Django learn to walk and be relaxed around people and other dogs. They will practice leash walking and it will improve his confidence and social skills. Using an anti anxiety supplement such as Solliquin can relax him while you are working on the training. Be patient and he should improve with time and training. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Django.