I have a 13 Week old Yellow lab...so I know stubborn is a middle name...loll...not my first dance with a lab...but we are doing things differently this time ...and with the help you have given me...things are going great...I just have a few problems...

Seems like lately when we go for a walk especially at night...he doesn’t want to walk...but just sit there and resists on the leash....this has just started the last few nights...mornings are typically better...I try to nudge him a long but don’t want to choke him...and when he does walk... I use the terms like ..."nice and yes"...i get frustrated with him because i dont have all night to just hang out...

secondly can a dog be so tired that they just act bad....like a child when they get tired they just do things that they are not suppose to do....

Seems like sometimes at night the dog gets like this and acts like a wild beast....all of this occurs outside...

And my dog is fascinated with bushes and monkey grass....any ideas how to fix with problem...

Thanks

Could he be afraid of walking in the dark?
My hound, Loki, was terrified of the dark as a pup. We took him camping at about that age and all day he was great and would run and play, but as soon as it got dark he was scared to death and either sat on my lap or wanted to be held.

I would use treats and a very calm but cheery demeanor to get him moving again.

I don't know about bushes and monkey grass other than that they are probably full of interesting smells and he is being a typical curious pup.

my very first question is: do you have a crate for him? if not, get one (i like the large wire crates w/moveable divider to accommodate as they grow).

thoughts on your first question: at 13 wks old, don't expect a pup to "walk nicely on a leash". this brings me to what area you have to walk him in: city sidewalks? parks? rural acreages? traffic? if you have room, put a long-line on him and walk away. he'll probably follow--especially if you RUN. (a great way to teach the recall also). and the more excercise, the sooner he'll go potty.

2nd question: yes, pups get over-tired and crazy (at least mine). crate them, they crash out.


3rd question: i don't really get why curiosity is a bad thing-is monkey grass dangerous? most bushes aren't, as far as i know...i would encourage my pup to go check them out, it takes the "strangeness" away for the pup (and this time of year, up here, shouldn't damage the grass/bushes).

hope this helps a little. there's a bunch of other ppl on here that'll help out on this one too!!

Joey,

I have a three month old GSD pup and have had walking issues. I assume you are strictly talking about walking for exercise and not taking your pup out to use the bathroom. Assuming the former, I try to take my pup on walks three times a day (each lasting between 15-20 minutes). I haven't noticed any difference regarding day or night, but she fights me for the first leg of the trip, meaning she will sit, then when I get her going, she will start to turn around, and we alternated between sit and turn around issues.

Because she was trying to eat leaves and rocks as we walked, I got a prong collar (per Ed's DVD 8 Weeks to 8 Months and the "Yuck" command), which I must say has worked wonders for her habit of picking up things. (I agree that you should let your dog investigate things out of curiousity, but at some point I know we all want to "walk" and let us decide when they can stop and smell; so I think the prong collar is your answer regarding controlling when the dog gets to stop; it has been for me)

The prong collar has also helped with her walking issues, though, because she has to get going when you pull the leash. If you have Ed's DVD, note what he says about knowing when your "correcton" with the prong is just right. I also take a pocketful of treats and when I have to pull her to walk and she complies, I say "yes, good" and I give her a treat when she gets even with me. I repeatedly do that throughout the walk. When she is complying (which she usually does about 1/3 of the way into the walk without even pulling the prong collar), I tell her "yes, good, good walk" and I give her a treat, so she knows she is doing what I want.

Before you purchase the prong collar, I strongly suggest you read and/or see Ed's video on the proper fit, etc. Good luck and stay in touch, since our pups are about the same age, we may be running across the same issues simultaneously.


Stephanie

A tired dog is, normally, a good dog. If you have a crate, use it to put your pup in when he starts acting like an idiot.

It's goood to let your dog "investigate" new smells and objects. IMO, a curious pup is a good thing, you just have to make sure that the older they get they aren't dragging you to a bush they've smelled 100x's and want to do it again. Basically you controlling what they can and can't check out. My lab wants to pee on the same tree we pass in the same place everytime we go by it. I don't let him do it everytime.

As for the night walks, is it pitch dark with only light from light posts? If so, maybe try going a little earlier if you can, before sunset. Also, use treats to get him going and to keep him going.

Do you have anyone you can walk with in the evening that has a dog? Maybe having another dog would help to distract him and help him move forward.
When I was about 11, we had a dog that would not go for walks. She seemed scared out of her mind. I figured out that if we went for a walk with my friend and her dog, my dog did fine. It worked wonders and she loved going for walks anytime-day or night. You even say the word walk or pull out a leash and she went nuts! We used to have to spell it out. She was a good girl, the first dog I ever trained and I miss her.

Your dog is still pretty young, so getting over this hurdle now should be easy and will benefit you both.

I would let him check out the bushes.
And yes pups at crazy my onme year old chi still act crazy when he is tired.


As for walk I think there should be no forsed extercise this young they should be able to play in the back yard or park if you live in a apartment.

I did not force extercise this young and I have a chi and a 25 pound mutt. If I had a golden I defently would not hip dispasha and things of that nature.

Phoenix is still scared of the dark. Bruiser was until he relized hey this could be fun.

Hope thats helps

Stephanie...my pup is doing what your pup is doing...or was doing...

we are walking for exercise...i might have to check out the collar thing..i have the video and i am up to the "yuck" segment...

over all he is a GREAT pup...i have had many people tell me they have never seen a pup act as well as he does...

but he has his moments and i get very impatient....but am working on it...b/c when i get that was..he gets worse..trying to keep that positive energy going...the pup can read that from me...but when its late and i want to go to bed..or in the am trying to get off to work i get impatient...

the other night he didnt want to walk...didnt even get past the neighbors yard...went in the back yard for 20 min and let him run around..chase a tennis ball ect...

is it possible if he is tired that he will not want to walk...
i was home early from work around noon and had to leave about 3 again...and for 2 of that 3 hours we spent outside...it was that night that he basically refused to go for a walk...

I am completely with you on the impatience thing. I keep reminding myself that if I do not have time to take the time and work with her on something, don't even begin to try because the impatience will come through as I try to rush.

The collar is the trick for my GSD. I can't say if it is because he is tired without knowing your particular schedule. If he has been crated for a while before you take him out for that last walk, I doubt it is because he is tired. However, if you have been playing with him for a while before you go out, it is possible he is tired. Again, it could be that he is scared of the dark, depending on how dark your street is. Do you have a long lead on or a short one? I walk mine on a 20 foot cotton lead that I am constantly extending and shortening depending on pace, etc. I do not use the expandable ones because of what Ed Frawley says -- they snap unexpectedly and the dog thinks it is being corrected; also, I find that they pull over the dog's head, which is not comfortable for the dog.

While you think about the prong collar, I would try a long lead and lots of treats. You will have to step down the street with the lead and bend down and call the dog to you and give it a treat. This will take time and a learning/comfort process for the dog. Once you get him a little ways on treats, try giving him a pull and say "walk". If he agrees even if only a few feet, say "yes, good" and hold out a treat. Keep trying to coax him with treats. Eventually, you will get him to go a little ways with you if you constantly give him treats while you are walking.

Do you have no problems during the day at all with the walk? If not, then I have to assume that your dog is scared of the dark. Have you tried bringing a flashlight out with you? I have had other dogs and cats that love following the light of a flashlight. Maybe he could get interested in trying to "catch" the light, which may be just enough to keep him moving. Just keep the light even or just in front of you and let him catch it every now and then. Just an idea...

Please let me know how it goes.

Stephanie

Yes but at this age his extercise neeeds to be in the back yard playing ball and such connie would be a great one to chime in.

About the walk I know your really not asking but I would keep the extercise to the back yard I know its a big thing to force a walk.

A puppy will tell you when they are tired. Including walks. Like in the backyard if the puppy wants to lay down let them.

I think he is a little young for a prong. Wait to young for prong. 13 weeks he is not even four months there should be no reinforment needed.
everyhting he does should be fun at this age.

A prong is way to far ahead. In my opinion.

To help you with the walk just take him the backyard for extercise. Even at night if he does not play then you know something is wrong with being scared of the dark.
Also someelse didi you get fustrate with him on a night walk one time and did something out of fustration. That could be the problem also.

I would say more back yard play time no prong.
His growth plates are growing forse extercise could be bad.
And if it in concrete really be careful.

Stephanie,

I also agreed that a prong would be too young until I saw Ed's DVD re the "Yuck" command, which is why I had to start using it because my pup was eating rocks, and unfortunately, we have a lot of limestone rocks in our neighborhood because of driveways (the intention being less concrete is better, but not for dogs!) Once I heard Ed explain how dangerous it is for dogs to eat rocks, and given that fact that I was having to either yank her every few seconds or try to pull rocks out of her mouth before she swallowed them, I thought his advice was sound. He made it a "no other option" deal with a pup acting like mine. It just so happens that the prong also helped get her going on a walk as well and her behavior has greatly improved in all respects.

I too agree that dogs should be able to run around and just have fun, but it is never too young to leash train a dog, particularly if the dog is going to get regular walks as part of their exercise.

Everything in moderation...

Stephanie