Why Does My Dog Refuse To Walk On Leash? (Real-Life Examples)

Are you having trouble leash training your dog?

It can be frustrating when your pup won’t walk on a leash, or you get halfway down the street and he suddenly grinds to a halt, refusing to move.

But here’s the thing.

There’s a reason for his behavior.

The most important thing is to find out what that reason is.

I’ll give you a hint: It’s not because he’s being “stubborn” or “difficult.”

Once you’ve worked out what’s going on, you can start addressing it so you and your pup can start enjoying your walks together again.

Why does my dog refuse to walk on a leash?

There may be many reasons why your dog doesn’t want to walk on a leash, or just goes a little way then stops and refuses to move.

Possible reasons include:

• Being generally fearful
• Little or no experience of the outside world 
• May never have walked on a leash before
• Doesn’t yet know or trust the handler
• Loud noises (e.g. busy traffic, construction, the garbage truck, fireworks, thunder)
• Walking past houses/yards with fence-running or barking dogs
• Something else scary in the environment (e.g. kids on skateboards, tall men with beards and/or baseball caps, parents with strollers, other dogs, a rattlesnake on the path ahead)
• Just doesn’t want to go that way (maybe he can sniff something enticing in the opposite direction or he’s caught sight of a bunny in the distance)
• Painful muscles or joints (especially in, but not restricted to, older dogs) or other health problems
• Weather too hold or too cold (some dogs don’t like to walk in rain or snow or are scared of very windy weather)
• Freezing cold, icy, slippery surface covered in grit that is burning his paws
• Ground is too hot and is burning his paws
• Scared of the leash/harness/collar or has no experience wearing them
• Scared of noisy, jangling tags around his neck, and/or the metal clanking when the leash is clipped on
• Scared of having human hands in his head/neck area
• Scared of having person standing too close
• Harness is uncomfortable
• Wearing a painful prong collar or choke chain
• Doesn’t like or feels anxious about being restrained by the leash

It is important to consider these factors when walking your dog on his leash, so you can do everything possible to manage the environment and help him feel, calm, confident, and safe.

How do I get my “stubborn” dog to walk?

Dogs do what they do to get what they want or need. They don’t just do things because they’re trying to be difficult or irritate their owners.

“The fact of the matter is that while dogs can experience joy, love, and fear, stubbornness is not in their repertoire,” says dog training and behavior expert Terrie Hayward.

“Hence, most times it is actually faulty communication at play rather than a decision to be obdurate.”

If you look at the list above, in your dog’s eyes, these are all perfectly valid reasons for him to refuse to walk on leash or put the brakes on when you’re out walking.

But it doesn’t mean he’s being “stubborn.”

He has a good reason for his behavior and, as his most trusted person and advocate, he will be relying on you to figure out what that reason is.

If you need to enlist the help of a professional to do that, then by all means go for it.

Once you’ve figured out the “why,” you can work on addressing it and start to enjoy walks with your dog again.

Real-life example #1: Fearful dog Florence

For example, if your dog is generally fearful or is specifically fearful about something in the environment, try desensitization and counter-conditioning.

This involves exposing your pup to the thing he fears in a controlled and safe way at a distance he is comfortable with, while also rewarding him for remaining calm.

This can take time, patience, and dedication, but it’s worth it to help your dog overcome his fears.

To do it correctly, it’s probably best to consult with a certified positive reinforcement trainer.

You’ll also need to be able to read your dog’s body language so you can understand if he’s feeling scared or anxious.

If you’ve just adopted a new rescue dog and he’s never really walked on a leash before or doesn’t yet know or trust you, start by building up his confidence – both in you and with being out in the big wide world.

Our fearful, poorly socialized rescue dog Florence was very scared when we first adopted her and had no idea how to walk on a leash.

She would frequently put the brakes on and lie down until she’d learned there was nothing to fear and that walks were actually quite fun.

Real-life example #2: Painful dog Bertie

If your dog has a physical issue, such as painful muscles or joints, consult with your veterinarian for medical treatment options and ways to make walks more comfortable for him.

It may be that he can only manage short walks or walks on softer surfaces such as grass or nature trails.

When our older dog Bertie got to the ripe old age of 18 and started to find it uncomfortable to go for walks, we used to just go out in the yard and sniff around so he’d still have a positive experience without any stress or strain on his arthritic joints.

Positive reinforcement

As always, positive reinforcement training is key in teaching your dog appropriate leash walking behaviors and helping him to feel confident and happy on walks.

Set him up for success and reward the good behavior you want to see, rather than punishing or trying to “correct” his refusal to walk.

Remember, your dog isn’t being “difficult” – he has a reason for his behavior.

If you can get to the bottom of it, you can then work together to build a better walking experience for both of you.

How do I get my dog used to being touched in the head and neck area?

To get to the bottom of what’s going on we need to go back to basics.

Getting your dog used to being handled is an important part of responsible pet ownership.

Not only will it make grooming and veterinary visits much easier, but it will also help you to build a bond of trust with your pup.

The best way to start is by getting your dog comfortable with you being close to him and touching him around the head and neck area.

Some dogs are wary of this, so go slowly and offer plenty of high-value dog treats as positive reinforcement (i.e. something your dog really loves and doesn’t get any other time).

Take a break if your dog shows any signs of fear, anxiety, or stress then try again later, going back a step or two if necessary.

Here’s dog trainer extraordinaire Emily Larlham demonstrating how to train a shy or fearful dog to enjoy handling and human touch:

Should I use a collar or harness to walk my dog?

Once your dog is comfortable with being touched on and around his head and neck, you can start to get him used to his collar/harness and leash.

In my opinion, a well-fitted harness is a safer option than a flat collar, head collar, gentle leader, or any other kind of head halter.

A harness will be a lot more comfortable for your pup, plus there’s less risk of injuries, such as a neck strain, or damage to the thyroid, trachea, or laryngeal nerve if your dog pulls.

Having said that, a collar is still a good idea as you can use it for your dog’s identity tags.

I prefer personalized collars that have the dog’s name and phone number embroidered on them so I can mostly avoid tags altogether.

Why, I hear you ask?

Tags can easily get lost and can also make a lot of noise if they clank against each other, which must surely be unpleasant for the dog.

(Note that, in some areas your dog may be required to wear a tag with his license or registration number, or proof of rabies vaccination, so do check your local laws.)

You can also get collars with the dog’s name and phone number printed on them but in my experience, the print wears off eventually.

The embroidered versions have always lasted longer for me.

If you do have tags on your dog’s collar and they clank about, I recommend you use a couple of rubber or silicone tag silencers to make the dog’s life (and yours!) much more peaceful.

From here on I’m going to talk about harnesses only, but the same applies if you are using a flat collar.

Oh, and by flat collar, I mean one that is made of leather or nylon or some other type of fabric.

Metal prong collars and choke chains work by causing pain and discomfort and are actively discouraged.

What is the best harness for my dog?

Dog trainer Jo Hinds recommends a harness that:

• Sits above the shoulders so the dog can take a full stride
• Is clear of the armpit area
• Sits before the midsection of the spine where the bones point toward each other

“The ideal harness has a Y-front, is fixed and a good size back section specifically for the dog’s shape,” she says.

While there are many different harnesses available, in my experience the top four often recommended by trainers are:

• Blue-9 Balance Harness
• Freedom No-Pull Harness
• Perfect Fit Harness
• Tellington TTouch® Harmony Harness

How do I desensitize my dog to his harness?

If you have a new puppy or have just adopted a rescue dog, he may have never worn a harness or walked on a leash before.

He may find the whole concept of a harness restricting or restraining.

It may feel uncomfortable across his shoulders or chest.

So the first thing you need to do is accustom your dog to his new harness and leash by slowly introducing him to them.

You can start by placing them on the floor and letting your pup explore them.

Make sure you give him treats and praise him when he shows any interest, such as looking toward them or sniffing them.

Remove them again, and repeat this until you’ve got a solid positive association with the harness and leash (e.g. the dog gets excited whenever they make an appearance).

From here, the next step is to teach the dog to be comfortable putting on and wearing his harness.

Here’s another dog trainer extraordinaire, Chirag Patel, demonstrating how to do this:

It’s important to get your dog used to the harness before you actually start using it for walks. You don’t want your pup to associate it with something negative.

By introducing it gradually and making it part of his everyday life, he’ll come to see it as something positive before you even get out the front door.

What is the best leash for my dog?

Once you’ve got your dog happily wearing his harness, your next step is to get him used to the leash.

I prefer leashes that are at least 6 ft. long (the Euro Leash is my preferred option) so the dog has a bit of space to explore and sniff around without me standing on top of him. For this reason, I’m not a fan of the shorter leash.

I’d avoid retractable leashes too as you have very little control over your dog if there’s an emergency.

With a retractable leash, one hand is always occupied with holding the leash and I much prefer to have both my hands free – just in case.

It’s also been known for the unit to get stuck or malfunction and the dog to get hurt, or for the handler to get nasty friction burns – or worse.

So I recommend you take all this into account when choosing the right leash for your dog walk.

Why is my dog scared of putting on the leash?

Let’s bear in mind that some dogs may be wary of being touched around the head or neck area if you haven’t yet done your handling exercises as outlined above.

In addition, the metallic sound of clipping on the leash may be aversive or scary for the dog, or a person coming in close and doing something behind his head that he can’t see may feel intimidating or frightening.

As with the harness, it’s important to work gradually and gently to desensitize your dog to the leash being clipped on, using lots of treats and positive reinforcement.

Here’s Chirag Patel again demonstrating how to do this:

How do I train my dog to enjoy walking on leash?

Still with me?

By now we’ve figured out why our dog is putting on the brakes and started to address whatever the underlying cause is for his refusal to walk on leash.

We’ve got him used to being touched around the head and neck area, putting on and wearing his harness, and having his leash clipped on.

It’s now time to go back to basics and start training loose leash walking from the very beginning.

You can learn more about how to do that in my article: Loose Leash Walking: How To Leash Train A Dog That Won’t Walk.

Recommended Products

• Blue-9 Balance Harness
• Dog Tag Silencers
• Euro Leash
• Freedom No-Pull Harness
• Perfect Fit Harness
• Go Tags Personalized Dog Collar
• Tellington TTouch® Harmony Harness

Resources

• A Vet’s Dire Warning: This Favorite Product Can Cause a Life-Threatening Emergency Down the Road – Dr. Karen Becker
• Attaching a lead to a puppy or dog calmly [Video] – Chirag Patel
• Can Collars Really Damage the Thyroid? – Dr. Jean Dodds
• Chirag Live: Teaching Dogs to be Comfortable with Putting their Harness On [Video] – Chirag Patel
• Don’t Pull Your Puppy With His Leash! – Nancy Kerns
• Handling Shyness – Dog Training [Video] – Dog Training by KikoPup
• How Choke Collars Can Cause Real Damage to Your Dog – Dr. Pippa Elliott
• Poorly Fitted Harnesses – Jo Hinds
• Reel It In – Why I Don’t Like Retractable Leashes – Nancy Kerns
• Why Your Dog is Not Stubborn – Terrie Hayward
• Your Puppy Blueprint – Kelly Fahey

NEED A DOG TRAINER OR BEHAVIOR EXPERT?

If you need more help dealing with a training or behavior issue, please find professional help from a force-free dog trainer who can consult with you either in person or remotely.

GOOD PLACES TO START ARE:
- COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers
- Pet Dog Trainers of Europe
- International Companion Animal Network
- Institute of Modern Dog Trainers
- Pet Professional Guild 

All dog owners deserve to have successful relationships with their canine companions!