HELP! Brand new puppy owner & puppy will not go on walks & is petrified of other dogs..

[kr1sta]

Need some advice please! I have had my puppy for about three weeks. He is a boxer, pit & supposedly german shepard but I believe he is mixed with lab somewhere. Anyway, he is so scared of other dogs. He will rarely go beyond the end of the parking by my apartment. He walks for about 30 feet and then pulls and pulls to go back home. We went further maybe three times but that was it. Other than that, he will pull and squirm and not go anywhere. UGH! He also tries to eat everything in sight from rocks to leaves. Any advice...PLEASE?! This is my first time raising a puppy and any advice will be great. THANK YOU!

-Krista

[Karen]

Congratulations on the new pup and welcome to the joys of puppyhood! Don't worry, neither of these problems is unsurmountable or permanent. How old is the pup? The trying to eat everything in sight it typical, make sure he has plenty of "okay to chew" around, and carry one with you to offer as a substitute on walks. Make walks a happy fun time, and don't stress about it, or he will pick up on the stress. Where do you walk him? Is there something that seems to frighten him, and that's why he stops, or is it every way you go?

What motivates him right now, treats, or toys? Could he be enticed to walk further with the lure of a squeaky toy?

Do sign up for an obedience/puppy kindergarten class, that will help a lot with all these issues, as there will be other puppies there and it will help him socialize with other dogs better. It will also strengthen the bond between you two, and give you more confidence!

And what his name? Just curious, I am sure he is adorable, by the way!

[Freedom]

What Karen said, ha haaaa. She covered all of it!

Welcome! May we have some photos? LOL

[IRescue452]

It would help if we knew the puppies age and if he's had his vaccinations. The general rule of thumb to stick around for young puppies is about 5 minutes of walk per 4 weeks of age in one session. Some puppies are a little more or less energetic than that but its a good rule. You don't start out just getting up and going, you can start by just milling around the parking lot and letting the pup get used to the sights and sounds and smells. He should get used to the idea of being away from the comforts of home.

If this is your first puppy you should be aware that boxers and german shepherds can be prone to joint injuries and torn ligaments. Your dog should not be forced to walk on leash if its too tired and you should not jog or run with your dog on leash until 18 months of age. Off-leash exercise is much better for these breeds as they can control how much they are moving and stop anytime whereas if they twist a wrist on leash you may not know it and force the dog to keep walking. Also you may want to train the pup early on not to do a whole lot of jumping. Obedience training is actually a great way to train a dog AND to provide mental stimulation. A dog with a lot of mental stimulation equals a tired dog who sleeps well and behaves better. Its almost better than physical exercise.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I agree with the others. I definitely recommend getting him into a good obedience class. I also highly recommend a Gentle Leader head collar: http://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Leader-...2268584&sr=8-4