Butters is a stubborn walker

[pamelay2000]

my 4 month old Butters is a delight except when we try and go for a nice walk with him. I have read that others had Frenchies that would stop mid walk and stand there or go chasing leaves which is what Butters does as well. Is this particular to the breed? Has anyone seen them outgrow this and eventually be able to walk a few blocks with them without dragging them by their harness? Butters goes where Butters wants to go. He will walk a little and then stop and wont walk at all. Sometimes he needs to be dragged out of the apartment even when it appears he has to go to the bathroom. I'd like to take Butters with me on a trip when he's 6 months but if he won't walk with me, I may leave him at home with my family.

[paulabeans]

I think Butters will walk better the more used to it that he gets, as well as the older he gets. Molly used to be like that too when she was younger - just stop and sit in the middle of the road...now she loves to go for walks!

Paula

[pamelay2000]

Is it a bad idea to literally drag them along the street? If I didn't, we'd get nowhere. I've also noticed that he's also had his favorite places to go to the bathroom - he goes there for a while and then he's no longer interested in that one location, a few weeks later, it's a different spot. It'd be great for me if he were consistent especially anticipating the wet and cold weather in the months ahead. I don't know if this is a general pup/dog attribute or is it a Frenchie thing.

[gmacleod]

Seems to be a bit of a breed trait ;) But like all dogs, rewards for doing what you want them to usually work better than coercion and force. Have you tried tempting him along with some peanut butter on a long spoon? Whenever the dog takes a few steps in the right direction, reward him. As he finds that doing what you want ends in Good Things, he's far more likely to do things your way ;)

[maks]

my pups did this also. If there is one thing i have learned, is that this is a very STUBBORN breed. I just waited, then made excited clicking noises, and that seemed to do the trick,. i also like the food idea also. most frenchies seem hightly motivated by food. try cheese strings, you can stick them in your pocket and tear off a string for cooperation. good luck!! :)

[luvnkitty]

Hello
I still have this same problem with MIA .She likes to pull, gets easily distracted by mushrooms, leaves and butterflys . She is 6 months old now.
I am still working with the same method of staying in one place till she stops pulling. Eventually she does follow me when she knows she can't go where she wants.
As far as when she just plops down and refuses to move ...Food works but if there is no food during her stubborn moments evilicon she is not moving . I try not to pull her. I usually pick her up and move her .
I anticipate a long road ahead of me when it comes to leash training.

[Hudson]

Tank doesn't like to 'walk'. I think he get sensory overload when there are all these new things to take in. Takes half an hour to go 200 feet. And then there is that stubborness thing about the breed. Petsmart was another freeze in place event.

A guy at work has a 13 week old Great Dane. 44 lbs. The pup is just huge. She goes for a one mile walk every night. And it has to follow the same route. Hates not making the same turns.

So I am filing this topic under "be careful what you wish for".

[knovit]

Hey there! I'm new to the board. All of this advice has been so great for me to read.

Regarding the walking situation, I have had Otis home with me (he's 4 months old) for just over a week now and his walks are exactly the same--he'll go out to do his business and then will simply plant himself on the sidewalk. I will literally wave treats to try to get him to come to me to continue walking, but he won't budge. He'll only walk when we're walking in the direction of the elevator that takes us back upstairs!

Because he will at least walk enough to do his business and because I'm simply walking him SO much since he's a ppup, I haven't been overly concerned, but I do hope that he'll learn to enjoy a walk when he's a bit older so that I can bring him along on errands (i.e. walking to the pet store or post office, etc).

We'll see, I suppose!

[miserlou]

Elsi is one stubborn little bully too! :rolleyes: But she loves her walks! The thing is that she doesn't want to come back home. When we take a turn that she knows is leading home, she will stop. I have, however, found a cure for this. She now joins my Amstaff's daily walks. Two times about 40 minutes per day, and at least half of that time they are running free on a hill. She seems happy now, and happy to return back home as well! I'm telling you, she's going to be one muscular little girl... :eek: :)

[pamelay2000]

Hello
As far as when she just plops down and refuses to move ...Food works but if there is no food during her stubborn moments evilicon she is not moving . I try not to pull her. I usually pick her up and move her .
I anticipate a long road ahead of me when it comes to leash training.


Yeah, mushrooms, butterflies and leaves that fly around in the wind. these are big attention getters for Butters. About picking them up when they don't want to move, would this just reinforce this behavior so that when they are full-grown, we'd have to pick up a 28 lb dog to move him?! Bribing him with food outdoors doesn't work so well, there are more interesting things outside than food for Butters! It's just funny that one day he walks pretty well, but the next day it's torturous!