Dempsey when it is time for his walk, sometimes will not walk would rather just sit and not move. he goes on two - three walks a day depending on the weather. Today he would not walk so my wife carried him six blocks so she could get her walk in. any advice on how to get him to walk when he just refuses too?
Walking issues?
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lol...one of two things is always the problem with walking a dog...pulling or not going at all.
Our great dane did this when he was a puppy (not sure how old your boxer is)... but barring some extreme circumstance (his collar was too tight, or it was extremely hot out like 95+ and they were in the sun, without water)...I'd have dragged him back before I carried him.
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The more humane way would probably be to keep some REALLY good treats with you in your pocket or sometimes in your hand closest to him so that he pays attention to you and wants to follow. Ares likes milkbones don't get me wrong, but if I want his attention, I pull out the beggin strips.
Our great dane did this when he was a puppy (not sure how old your boxer is)... but barring some extreme circumstance (his collar was too tight, or it was extremely hot out like 95+ and they were in the sun, without water)...I'd have dragged him back before I carried him.
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The more humane way would probably be to keep some REALLY good treats with you in your pocket or sometimes in your hand closest to him so that he pays attention to you and wants to follow. Ares likes milkbones don't get me wrong, but if I want his attention, I pull out the beggin strips.
How old is he by the way...
I took Ares for a walk today (4 years old) and it was scorching out there...and we were in the sun the whole time. About half way through it, we both sat down in the shade for a break...usually about 2-3 minutes, he'll lay there and then he hops up and we get going again. Now a break should be something the owner decides is a good idea, not the dog.
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Boxers do hate the sun...anything over 75 and they can't have too much fun for too long.
Whatever you decide to do, don't get in the habit of carrying him back...actually, I'd say don't ever do it again. He can't learn that it's ok to stop walking when and where he pleases...or this may lead to a big problem.
Walks should be enjoyable for you and your boxer...so just remember that the more control you have, the more pleasant it is for you both.
I took Ares for a walk today (4 years old) and it was scorching out there...and we were in the sun the whole time. About half way through it, we both sat down in the shade for a break...usually about 2-3 minutes, he'll lay there and then he hops up and we get going again. Now a break should be something the owner decides is a good idea, not the dog.
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Boxers do hate the sun...anything over 75 and they can't have too much fun for too long.
Whatever you decide to do, don't get in the habit of carrying him back...actually, I'd say don't ever do it again. He can't learn that it's ok to stop walking when and where he pleases...or this may lead to a big problem.
Walks should be enjoyable for you and your boxer...so just remember that the more control you have, the more pleasant it is for you both.
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Dempsey is to young for a very long walk. You should stick to the 5 minutes per month of age theory. Also, don't walk him in the middle of the day. Early morning and later afternoon.early evening is best because it is cooler.
If he refuses to walk at some point out of plain stubborness, she should take three steps so that the lead has some tension (but not taut) and sit down. If he refuses to walk you should check to see if he is too hot. If he is then take him to a cooler area as in the shade of a tree, and rest a few minutes.
If she continues to carry him when he refuses to walk...
You could end up having to carry an 80 lbs Boxer everytime he becomes stubborn on a walk. There are some things you should train...and there are some cases you need to OUT STUBBORN your Boxer!
Definetely do the treat thing that deapea stated. Its also good to train a heel.
If he refuses to walk at some point out of plain stubborness, she should take three steps so that the lead has some tension (but not taut) and sit down. If he refuses to walk you should check to see if he is too hot. If he is then take him to a cooler area as in the shade of a tree, and rest a few minutes.
If she continues to carry him when he refuses to walk...
You could end up having to carry an 80 lbs Boxer everytime he becomes stubborn on a walk. There are some things you should train...and there are some cases you need to OUT STUBBORN your Boxer!
Definetely do the treat thing that deapea stated. Its also good to train a heel.
Spoke with my wife, and she agrees that the early morning and the 7-8 hr in the evening are going to be the times because it is just too hot for Dempsey.
The collar has still two fingers worth of space so i am guess that is fine.
He will be three months on the 20 of Sept. he is just shy of 11 weeks old.
The collar has still two fingers worth of space so i am guess that is fine.
He will be three months on the 20 of Sept. he is just shy of 11 weeks old.
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Definitely take much shorter walks.At his age, 15 minutes per day is the max you should do...I think I waited til Buck was like 6 mos before we started doing any "real" walking and I think the max we did was 30 minutes, but then again there was a lot of training being done as well...When Dempsey gets older a good thing to teach him is to stop and wait before crossing streets. I would vary the "wait" time to keep mine on their toes...It saved my life once as a car barreled thru a stop sign and almost hit me & Tia when we were walking!
Always check the pavement with your hand while you are walking too make sure it is not too hot for his pads. That means every type of pavement you switch on too. Asphalt and paver stones get extremely hot in the summer and other warm days in mid-day. A little guy like that wouldn't need too much walking and two - three short walks a day are better for them.
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Nano
My vets opinion on walking puppies is not to do it on concrete or hard surfaces until they are a year old because you can damage their joints and possibly bring on arthritis and/or hip/joint problems. She suggest walking them in the grass, and at his tender age 5 or 10 minutes of just wandering around on the lawn would be enough to teach him about the lead without doing damage. Of course, that's one persons opinion, but I really trust this lady's opinion. Puppies get can get their exercise in other ways, going for a long walk with an 11 week old puppy is probably like expecting a 2 year old baby to try and keep up with an adult. Just my humble opinion.
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