My new puppy is stubborn and won't walk outside. What can I do?

Question

I brought my puppy home 5 days ago. She is 12 weeks old and 12.1 pounds. Every time we take her out of the house, she is so stubborn that we have to pick her up and take her out. When she is outside. Either she will just lie down and not get up in the shade, not move, or sit in front of me. On every walk she won’t leave the driveway, and every few seconds lies down and refuses to move . On today’s walk. We only passed 1 house and she wouldn’t go. This is our first family pet ever. Pet's info: Dog | Wheaten Terrier | Female | unspayed | 12.2 lbs

Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) · Accepted Answer

If your new addition is otherwise feeling well (eating well, interacting and playing with you) she may be a shy puppy and/or adjusting to her new home. Some puppies are more confident than others and it can take some time for them to figure out their place in the new house. If you got her from a breeder you could certainly contact the breeder to ask about her personality previously with her littermates. The breeder will likely know if she was one of the more timid puppies. As most dogs are food motivated using treats can be really helpful. Or if she has particular toys she loves these can be used as well. Basically it's important to make her home a positive and not scary environment for her right now. For example if you get her to leave the house on her own show her praise and give her treats so that she knows this was a good behavior. It can take some time for some puppies to develop confidence. The other really important thing for puppies is a consistent routine as far as when they are fed, when they go outside, etc. Dogs are very smart and will learn a routine quickly and gain confidence in it. The other option is that she may not be feeling very well and that may be why she's reluctant to do some activities. It would not be normal for a puppy to just want to sleep all the time as they should have more energy then an adult dog. This would be even more concerning if you feel like she is not eating well. If any of these seem to be the issue, or just to ease your mind that what you're seeing at home is normal, then having her checked out by your family veterinarian would be a good idea. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My new puppy is stubborn and won't walk outside. What can I do?

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