My Sidekick and Me: Not Budging

By Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM, CPBC

When you share your home and your life with a dog, there are so many activities you enjoy together – going for walks is among them. 

It can be frustrating as the leash handler when your dog decides to plant his feet (or rear end) down and refuses to move. I just got a call about this very problem the other day. 

Why does this happen, and how can you get your dog to move forward? Below are a few common reasons this may be occurring.  

An important consideration is always whether there could potentially be an underlying medical issue that is giving your dog pause. It could very well be that your dog is experiencing pain or discomfort of some kind. Watch your dog carefully to see if he is favoring one leg over another, or if he seems uncomfortable in any way. If you touch a spot on his body, including his legs, does he wince or growl? If you are unsure, videos can be very helpful. A visit to your vet can be a good call. 

Additionally, take into consideration the outside temperature and the walking surface. Black surfaces can be extremely hot to a dog’s sensitive paws. Keep in mind, dogs do not sweat as humans do (much of their heat is released through their paws and panting). Certain dogs – especially those with short noses, thick coats, and heavy muscle mass may be more sensitive to heat. Some dogs are more sensitive to the cold as well. Therefore, the weather could be a reason for your dog’s unwillingness to walk with you. If the weather may be the culprit, you may want to choose a different time a day, a different surface, give your dog more rest time (and bring plenty of water); do a short sniffing walk instead; or choose to find another activity that can give your dog an outlet for his mental and physical exercise needs. (which is a great idea even with walks)

Listen to your dog by watching his body language and paying attention to the surrounding environment. It could be that you are walking toward something that is aversive to your dog in some way (maybe he had a negative encounter with another dog or person in the past, in that area before – or a similar area, as an example). If that could be what is going on, then it is important to give your dog the choice or moving in another direction where it feels safer or work with your dog to build a positive association with that environment instead. Especially for puppies not used to having a leash attached, they may put on the brakes when their guardian tries to get them outside to go potty. There could be a few reasons. Maybe that guardian is in a rush and pressures the puppy because they must get outside quickly to go potty. Maybe the puppy was involved in something else and was being pulled away. Maybe the puppy had a scary experience outside in the past. 

If it is not fear-based, it is perfectly ok to use a lure to get your puppy outside quickly to potty. And work on your puppy’s following you to the door at another time. I like to teach puppies that it is fun to go outside with their humans. 

An important lesson I hope you gain from reading this is that, if your dog or puppy puts on the brakes when it comes to walking or going outside, know your pet has a reason for doing this. Investigate why and then you can work on a positive solution.  

Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM, CPBC, with So Much PETential was voted 2024 Cincinnati’s Best Community Choice Award winner in pet training. She is a certified dog trainer, a certified Family Dog Mediator, and the first trainer in Hamilton County to earn Fear Free certification. She is also a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator. She is committed to using and teaching the most positive, science-based approaches to changing behavior. For more information, visit SoMuchPETential.com.