# Boston Terrier Will Not Walk Properly



## renisel (Jul 20, 2007)

I have a one-year-old Boston terrier that seems to be terrified of being pulled by a leash. She's generally very calm and obedient; but when I take her for a walk and I apply any pressure, she fights it tooth and nail. I thought that maybe the problem was that the collar was choking her, so I use a harness now--but that hasn't really changed anything.

When we walk, she'll slowly follow a few feet behind. But if I pull on the leash to make her go faster, move up closer to me, or stop wandering off in a direction I don't want her going, she starts to resist. A number of people told me that I just needed to ignore her objections and continue to drag her. I've done this for as much as 20 minutes without stopping, and I see absolutely no change in her behavior. When I stop, she lies down on the ground, cowering as if she's terrified of me. 

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I have another Boston who is generally much more wild and disobedient--but I got him walking properly in about 15 minutes. How can I get her to stop being so scared of whatever it is that is bothering her when she's on a leash?


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Teach her that loose leash walking is a rewarding experience. Have you read the sticky at the top of the dog training forum?


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## sobreeze (Oct 31, 2006)

I have 7 bostons some my own some foster when I get a a rescue mill dog in they are older and have never been on a leash . Get a good fiting collar or harness make sure it fits and is not pinching your dog get a small hand full of her favorite treats . Like liver or chicken very small bites . When you ask your dog to walk tug just a little when it takes a step foreward reward your dog with a treat and tell them what a good dog they are it works with mill dogs and they have never been on a leash . 
Do not drag your dog alway ask them to come by tuging and release as soon as they move foreward if you keep pulling or tuging they will just think thats what you are going to do all the time . you need to start from step one again and do it right this time . Also you can even use peanut butter on your finger as a treat they love the taste and smell remember dogs are smarter than we are you just need to be as smart as your dog and Boston Terriers rock


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## Cujo31 (Jul 8, 2007)

Excellent reply Sobreeze,

We have our first Boston and he is such a delight around the house... on the leash he is pretty well behaved, but he tends to want to pull instead of being pulled... any suggestion for getting our 2 yr old to walk "with us" instead of trying to always pull and lead?

Matt


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Snoopy didn't seem to want to walk at first. When I was teaching him to walk on a leash I did it on hardwood floor so that if he tried to pull back he wouldn't get hurt. He'd just slide along. So I would call him and give a small tug and at first he would react so violently. He'd pull back and whimper and bark and would start jumping backward and thrash around. After a couple of days he now will walk by me and when he tries to stop I give a tug on the leash and he will shortly return to walking because he learned that walking by me will release the pressure on his neck.


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## LoveLilly (Oct 25, 2006)

It took time with Lilly too. She does a good job now. I actually prefer that she not walk next to me (aka heel) b/c she is so tiny I am afraid I would mis-step and hurt her, which happened with my husband, so she walks ahead of me but does so nicely with a few pulling moments. Anyway, at her training class to teach her to walk we used a long handled spoon smeared with peanut butter or puppy Kong squeeze cheese. She got a first lick, then I held it out of reach so as we walked she would go after it and I repeated the work walk. Then she would get a periodic lick & a good girl praise. Now when we walk she does well and if she stops to study something in the grass or become obsessed with a worm petrified to the sidewalk (which she is obviously enamored with) I just say "walk" and on we continue. It took maybe 5-6 lessons for her to get on board with the hole thing.


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