This Is Why Your Puppy Sucks at Going For Walks (And What to Do About It)

April 26, 2025

So you’ve been trying to do the whole responsible-dog-owner thing and taking your puppy for a walk. Nice!

But much to your surprise, they’re really bad at walking.

They might stop walking every five seconds, plant their butt and refuse to move, bite the leash, or bite you. It’s especially delightful when they do okay for a little while and then BAM, they launch a bitey attack out of nowhere, straight at your calves.

(Or your nose, like one of our poor students experienced)

This whole situation is a surprisingly strong trigger for the What The **** Was I Thinking Phase (aka the “puppy blues,” as normal people like to call it). Like, with all of the not-so-pleasant chores that come with raising a puppy, walking them was at least something you looked forward to. And now you can’t even do THAT.

I was really excited about taking my first puppy, Friday, for walks. Imagine my shock and dismay when she didn’t even want to set foot outside the front door.

Is this behavior normal?

Yep.

Think of it like this: there’s a reason parents might bring along a stroller or wagon when they take their two year old kid on adventures. Even though a two year old is technically capable of walking, they get tired and overwhelmed easily.

Puppies are the same. They don’t have the stamina for long walks, and the outside world is an exciting, overwhelming place for a critter who’s younger than some of the leftovers in your fridge.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they walk their puppies…

…is trying to walk them like they’re an adult dog. Short leash, brisk pace, in a relatively straight line.

From the puppy’s perspective, this is both super boring and super overstimulating. It’s sort of like taking a preschooler to university and making them sit through a lecture.

Plus, walking on leash is unnatural, and I’m sure it feels weird. We don’t really think about this, because putting a dog on a leash is such a normal thing for us, but leash walking is actually a really complex skill.

And if you throw in “manners” or “obedience” at the same time (heel, focused walking, etc), that’s like making our previously-mentioned preschooler write an essay while they listen to their university lecture.

And the bitey attacks that come out of nowhere? Those are the equivalent of the preschooler crying or flinging themselves on the ground dramatically when their university experience inevitably leaves them overtired, confused, and cranky.

Same, kid

Does this get better with time?

Sure does! In a few months, Sparky’s stamina will greatly increase (careful what you wish for 💀), and you’ll very quickly forget this phase ever happened.

So what do we do about a puppy who won’t walk on leash like a normal dog?

Stop trying to make normal walks happen. For now. It’s stressing out you and your puppy too much, and it’s not even all that beneficial at this point.

I’m going to tell you what I wish someone had told me all those years ago, when I leashed up my shiny new puppy and she sat down and refused to move, ruining my expectations of how puppy parenthood should go:

Don’t force it.

Did I “calmly” and “assertively” pull on Friday’s leash and make her walk? Even though her body language was screaming loud and clear that she wasn’t ready for that?

You bet I did!

Did Friday grow up to be a leash-pulling, reactive wild child who couldn’t focus and didn’t trust me or really want to spend time with me?

You bet she did!

Do I wish I had not done that?

You bet I do – okay we can stop with this bit they get it.

Sorry, Friday.

When you know better, you do better, I guess. At least now you guys can learn from my mistakes.

How to walk your puppy the “right” way

Not only are normal walks an exercise in frustration for you and Sparky, they’re also a wasted opportunity.

See, if you want your pup to grow up well-adjusted, you gotta let them learn about the world by observing what’s going on around them.

If you don’t, and you try to make them focus completely on you or run them through their obedience drills, they never get used to things happening around them – so they may grow up into adults who can’t focus. Or worse, can’t see another dog walk down the street without losing their shit.

That’s not how we do things around these parts.

Today, I’m going to teach you how to walk your puppy in a way that:

• Is actually fun
• Doesn’t make you miserable
• Builds your bond
• Teaches them to pay attention to you
• Tires them out
• Socializes them properly and builds their confidence

I’m talking about something we’ve been calling “puppy adventures” in our program. I do this with all of my own puppies and we teach it to all our puppy-owning clients.

Here’s a video version. Scroll down for the written tutorial, which has some extra details.

How to play

Step 1. Gather your secret weapons

There are two things that will make your life as a dog owner much easier:

1. A longer leash. Putting your puppy on a longline (a training leash at least 15ft/5m long) will give them more room to move and cut down on frustration. You don’t want them to have to learn leash skills at the same time as all this much more important baby brain development stuff.

Save the six-foot leash training for the backyard, where they can actually concentrate.

2. Chicken. Skip the expensive-yet-boring training treats from the pet shop. When we put our dogs in a distracting situation, we need better rewards. Get a pack of chicken breasts from the grocery store, bake ’em, and chop ’em into tiny pieces. You now have a training reward dogs go nuts for – one that’s also healthy, easy on the digestive system, and didn’t cost five bajillion dollars.

Step 2. Pick your adventure basecamp

Take Sparky (and your secret weapons) somewhere relatively wide open, like a park, nature area, baseball field, or the empty lot behind the Walmart. Doesn’t have to be fancy or pretty.

We just want to avoid narrow sidewalks, and we want to be in a place where you’re not gonna be holding up foot traffic if your pup decides to plop themselves down and not move as they process all the sights and sounds and smells.

Step 3. Just… hang out

Let Sparky do dog things. Sniffing, rolling around, eating grass, chasing leaves blowing in the breeze. Let them watch people and dogs and ducks in the distance. Explore with them and let them investigate things they find.

Let them set the pace. If they want to walk, great! If they want to sit, great!

If they get a little spooked and want to run back to an area they consider safe? Great! Giving a nervous dog some control is one of the most effective ways to build their confidence. If a dog feels trapped in a scary experience, their fear will only get worse. But if they know they can end the experience at any time, that usually, over time, encourages them to be braver.

Step 4. Throw in some preschool-level focus training

About 10-20 minutes into each adventure, your pup will probably start to acclimate and be less distracted. That’s when you can ask for a little bit of engagement. Call their name, make kissy noises, run away, whatever gets their attention. When they pay attention, give them a little piece of chicken.

Step 5. The really important bit

Watch for those quick, subtle moments where Sparky pays attention to you unprompted, and reward the heck out of them for that.

Why adventures are one of the best ways to train your puppy

In Puppy Survival School, adventures are our preferred way to structure a puppy’s education, because it lays the foundation for recalls, loose leash walking, and other obedience skills.

And all of this exploration provides physical and mental exercise, which should make them ready for a nap when you get home.

Plus, they’re a lot of fun. And that’s why you wanted a dog in the first place, right? Embrace your inner child and explore with your puppy. Climb on that pile of rocks, pick up interesting sticks, chase that butterfly!

Training your dog doesn’t have to be a drag, and it shouldn’t feel like an uphill battle of wills. If you do it right, it can be your break from the dumpster fire of real life and remind you who you really are.