10 weeks old and Arnie my dobermann is allowed out, we have got him use to his lead and he is brilliant around the garden and the house, but as soon as we opened the front door to take him out he seezed up just went stiff and did not want to move. We tried luring him with treats but still a stiff puppy, we made it so far down the street i.e. 2 blocks and he just didnt want to move and was very stiff, and of course started gagging as he started pulling, so we carried him back to the house so as not to distress him even more. Has anyone got any suggestions to get him use to going for walkies and making it fun rather than a game of choke the puppy?!

Welcome to the Forum Sarah

I would go back to basics. Get him used to wearing the collar and lead in your back garden and around the house.Play with him as much as possible when he is wearing them so that he associates this with fun. When it is food time, put him on them and lead him to his food. Next step would be to just venture outside of your front door for short periods and play with him. If he is very unhappy about going outside of your garden, then I can see no point in trying to get him to walk to far.
He is very very young. I would not expect so much from a puppy of 10 weeks.

Leigh

Yes my first time on the site and very nice it is !!!

Leigh, Thanks for responding.

Arnie has been wearing a collar since we got him which is approximately 2 weeks now. Also I have been getting him use to his lead leaving it on him and leaving it to trail behind him and also have ran him around the garden and house with it on. So he is quite use to it, but when the big outdoors lures ahead he is frightened stiff... his little stump goes tight to his bum and back legs shake... so he is very distressed !! - Not nice to see. Plus I want to take him to training classes while he is still young and easier to learn. So I think sitting with him for the first few weeks before dragging him around a room with other dogs !

I still think that this problem is based on the fact that he is 10 weeks old ..lol
Can I suggest that you carry him out into your front garden and sit quietly with him. When he relax's, you could play with him for a bit, before going back inside. Gradually, he will become bolder and move away from you. I do think that you are panicking about something that will not be a problem in a couple of weeks time
Just give him some space and let him make his own mind up about the big wide world. In a couple of weeks you will see a huge difference in him.
The only other thing that you must learn is to give him encouragement, but not to "praise" him for being afraid. You may think that by cuddling him and "soothing" him with your voice you are helping him. What you are actually doing is telling him it is ok to be afraid. You need to be reassuring but confident. Remember that Archie will take his lead (no pun intended) from you.Training classes will undoubtably help eventually, but it is going to be some time before he is ready to take an active roll in them (apart from socializing). In the mean time, give him some space and do not forget that 10 weeks ago , he wasn't even born !
Keep us posted on his progress.

Leigh

I agree with Leigh, and also that the pup's reaction is very much due to his age as she has suggested.

I have a couple of ideas which may help a little; it sounds as if you have been doing all the right things regarding lead traiiining and so on. From your description it sounds as if he pulls backwards when you attempt to lure him forwards? If this is correct, try ensuring that when he does this you keep the lead totally slack at all times. I am doing this with my pup at the monent; she cannot go out yet as she has not had all her injections, but we go to the front gate and if she attempts to pull or escape I simply give her room and keep th elead loose, eventually she backs up as far as she can. I then call her in a happy voice and she comesforward 9 times out of 10. It means a huge amount if the pup can make up his ownmind to come forward, just 2 steps inside a front gate means a lot and will bode well fo rthe future.

As Leigh ointed out, do not soothe him if he shows signs of fear. It's better to be jolly, then he will start taking his cue from you.

I can't remember what you said, but are you taking him out and about (in arms probably or did you say he had had his injections?). Just to, say, the local garden centre (we have a very obliging branchof Haskins near us, the pup gets loads of fuss but it's pretty safe as there are few dogs around for her to pick up any bugs). This will ensure that your lovely Dobe gets used to things before puppy classes. other suitable places are car boot sales and markets. All of this willgive him confidence in theworld and help him be brave.

Anyway, good luck
Lindsay

I took him for a little walk around the block last night, as mentioned carried him to the front garden and as before he pulled a bit, in my hand I had his favourite toy I was rattling away and he seemed to enjoy the familiar sound. He stopped a few times and I loosened the lead he turned and went back in the direction he had just walked, I dont know whether it is because he can smell where he had just been he stopped a few more times so I carried him back home. Rather heavy pup but at least it wasnt far to walk home. And a lot of praise for getting further than one block away from the house !!!

Do you have a puppy playgroup that you could take him to? I took my weim puppy to one, he was quite confident when out and about with my older weim but when on his own we found him nervous. These puppy classes really helped as they are all about socialisation and obviously as you have to leave your house to get to them we found they helped with his nervousness too, he started to associate the leaving the house to go to a fun playgroup. I also took him out in the car down to the beach and sat on a seat with him on my knee, loads of folk walking past talking to him and it didn't take him long to learn that he actually enjoyed the big outside world and all the attention it gave him

Leigh has gave you some good advice and she knows what she's talking about, he is just a baby and has so much to learn but remember you had to learn to crawl before you could walk and the same thing applies here, although not literally!

Your doing fine, keep us posted.

I am actually off work next week, so going to take him out probably as you say take him to the beach and sit with him, no puppy playgrounds near me.. not that I know of. Just can't wait to go out and about with him and him not feeling nervous. But as everyone has said, being very helpful I can't rush things.

hi sarah
i have a 15 week dobe pup and had exactly the same problem as you
what i did was to take her for a short car ride to either the childrens school car park or to my mums and gently get her out of the car with the lead on and let her go where she wanted after a few times i tried some basic obedience waork with her and now she enjoys going out on her lead and is not terrified as she was

i think age has to do with it as well because when bella was arnies age we went to our vets puppy party and she was scared a few weeks on and she rushes to go and fetch her lead

sorry to waffle on and i hope this helps
best of luck

louise

Welcome to the Forum Louise

Leigh

I took him on Monday night to a training class which he sat quite merrily watching the other dogs training heel work, sit stay, stand stay, down stay. Afterwards I thought I would walk him around and as luck would have it he was brilliant. Just watching the other dogs seemed to boost his confidence and everything is fine now. Heel work is brilliant on the way to were we are walking but the walk home he is pulling alot and of course gagging as he is pulling so much. Heel work will hopefully sink in eventually - keeping the fingers crossed for that one !

Great to hear of your success. Keep up the good work

Panic over now Sarah ! Enjoy your puppy

SMashing Sarah!

Best wishes
Lindsay

Well done Sarah. Bet your ded pleased

Really chuffed, even more pleased when we took him for a walk last night and took him for a walk in a field, my partner decided to take Arnie off the lead which I was a bit weary of, but called him to me and he ran straight back to me and then my partner called him and he ran back to him, was brilliant to be able to call to Arnie and him returning without fail... Cant wait now to take the frisby/ball out with us tonight !!!

Be carefull not to get TOO carried away! He is still only a baby after all.