My dog won't walk

[Jenn Stephen]

I have an 8 month old wheaten terrier. I love my dog but am getting extemely frustrated that he won't walk. When I take him for a walk, I put on his harness and leash, my dog will come out of the house but then sometimes stops and won't move once he is out the door. Sometimes I can wait him out for 10-15 seconds and he will come. Sometimes he stops just outside of the gate. Once we get going he usually walks fine, but we have to get him a block or 2 first. Sometimes after a block if he won't walk, when we turn around to go home, he pretty much runs home and into the yard. I have tried using treats as suggested by other trainers to coax him to walk but this does not always work. I've tried the come comand in a happy voice. He is used to having his harness on and doesn't seem to be afraid of his leash so I don't think it is a fear of the leash, it almost seems to be a stubborness and I don't know how to overcome it. It happens about 60-70% of the time and mostly when I am walking him by myself. I am getting extremely frustrated and need help. Please help.

Sincerely,
Jenn

[foxi7778]

Hi, sorry to hear about your problem. Do you walk the same route every time and do you take him back home when he won't walk? It sounds to me like he is trying to call the shots with regards to walking, so you'll need to be just as stubborn as him. I'd follow the alpha techniques, so he knows you're boss indoors and outdoors....in a pack a dog will walk anywhere their leader goes. The treats also sound like a good idea to coax him. Have you tried heating up some hotdogs or chicken.....warm treat are so much more enticing to a dogs sence of smell