[lauder21]

I have a 7 1/2 week old little darling of a puppy, but she's a stubborn little ----- (haha, kidding!) when we get her on her leash. At bathroom time she's not too bad, because we take her to an area of our yard to go to the washroom, and then bring her back in. But when we try to take her for a short walk is when we have a problem. She'll either resist and squirm and try to pull back to our little area of yard, (we live in an apartment) or once she gets going a bit, she'll just sit. Then walk. Then lay down. Then walk. Then sit.
Is she just nervous about being out and about? She doesn't seem horribly scared of things, just apprehensive. (For example the two bulldogs that sit on a neighbours porch that bark at everything that moves, she'll just sit in their line of view, not wanting to move.)
I haven't had a puppy this young since I was little, and I didn't really do much to raise them it was more my parents, so I just don't know if she needs to get use to a leash?
Thanks :P

[labman]

I really need to get some more of this stuff in my sticky. If getting out in front of her and coaxing, slapping your thighs, etc. doesn't get her moving, drop back behind her and run past her in baby steps calling ''Go, go, go!'' in an excited voice.

All but the most recalcitrant young puppies can be controlled before they are 4 months old with the flat collar and patience. If you must have something more with a younger puppy, use a fabric restricted slip collar. These are sort of a cross between the conventional flat collar and the slip collar. Some of them are adjustable, Good for a growing puppy. They have a fabric loop at one end with a metal ring holding the other end in the loop, allowing it to slid back a forth. Find one, or adjust one to where it will go on over the puppies head, but will not tighten up past a snug fit around the neck. Put it on the same way as the metal slip collar. The service dog school my Holly belongs to uses them on all their dogs, puppies and working dogs, except where they must use a head collar.

Easier dogs will give up their pulling with a few snaps of the leash
combined with a stern "Bad dog!". But
you don't want to use any more force than you need. One gentle technique I
like is to just stop when he pulls. He wants to go. If you move forward when
the leash is slack, and stop when he pulls, he should quickly figure out the
only way to get to go, is not to pull. This is about teaching him not to
pull, not getting somewhere. The man that taught it to me said "If in a half
hour you haven't made it out to the front walk, fine, you have taught him a
lesson. Pulling the dog backwards is a good technique too.

You are wise to start walking on lead and other obedience right away. I start on my way out of the kennel with a new puppy. Do show care to avoid dogs of unknown health and anywhere they may have eliminated. One sniff in the wrong place can bring a fatal case of parvo.

Still, you may want to switch to a head collar. The leading brands are Promise, Haltie, and Gentle Leader. They have a strap going around the dogs nose looking something like a muzzle. They work by pulling the dogs head around. No other way gives you such great control with so little force. The prong collar is now a
dangerous relic of value only for its macho looks. Do not consider using one
without hands on instruction from somebody with plenty of experience with them.

Check what I do have in the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802

Post back anywhere you need more help.