Non-walking Jack Russell

[PMac]

Ok all you pet psychologists, please help me with this one if you can. My 3 mo. old Jack Russell for some reason does not like to walk on a leash. She will walk a short distance maybe and then plant her feet like four suction cups with 3 feet spikes into whatever terrain she is on and won't go any farther. The odd thing is that she will do this if we are walking away from the house, but on the return trip she will practically run back home. I have tried to walk a little in front of her and hold a treat and she will take the bait and walk with me ever chasing the bait and I will give it to her but I think she is catching on to the trick. My last JR would pull me around like a pack mule , but not this one. HELLLLLP!!

[Tommysmom]

Sorry to laugh... but my JRT was EXACTLY the same way, and still is if he doesn't feel like going for a walk (he's a year old now) . I've never seen a dog plant himself so firmly and just not move an inch! When he was little I just used to carry him down the street a little ways and let him walk back to the house, so at least he'd get some exercise - otherwise I'd have to drag this tiny little 4 pound pup down the street, lol.

He's better now just through practice, and I use a harness rather than attach the leash to his collar because I still have to tug sometimes to get him moving (he'll stop and be so stubborn that if you pull the leash on his collar, he'll stay until he chokes himself). Our trainer used to tell us to just keep moving, he'll learn that he HAS to, but it hasn't seemed to work on him... so, we just make walk times as fun as possible, let him check out new things and different routes, and keep tugging a bit on the harness when he's being stubborn. It's become wayyyyyyyyy better with time, but not until he was about 6 months old.

I get so jealous when I see the other jacks in this neighbourhood walking so joyously and racing on ahead, LOL!

Good luck, they're such stubborn little critters.

[mummummum]

Wow ~ that's a new one on me. I thought Jack's ran 28 hours a day. She doesn't seem to be showing signs of any pain if she runs home and will walk for bait (). Just stubborn I guess! Sounds like my Ceili (only she's a WHOLE lot bigger).

[SnowDancer]

I had a Terrier who did that - he had been abandoned a few times and had a fear of leaving home in he case he didn't come back (as if!). But could he move going home. At one point we had to carry him a couple of blocks and then put him down.

[PMac]

To all of you who have responded with your advise, thank you very much! I guess I'll have to be more persistent than she is. Anyway to Tommy's mom I have attached some pictures of the "WEE BEASTIE".

[MARTYnBENTLEY]

I have a JRT/Beagle who also didn't want to walk. So I used to get him goin about 5 mins before we went out. Playing tug 'O' War, jumping around and then when we would get outside I would run like I was running away from him and he would chase me. That would usually get us a good distance from the house. Within about 3 weeks we could make it around the block, and the rest they say is history.
Hope I helped.

[Dean55]

I would suggest learning how to use a properly sized quality grade prong collar for your dog as it can work wonders if used correctly. I have used them successfully on many JR,s and small dogs (micro prong) to teach loose lead walking in one or two sessions and then back on to a nice buckle collar .


cheers