Walking a Tiny
 

Hi guys!

My yorkie is currently 8 months and I've been trying to walk her places! I've been attending training at Petsmart to help train her to loose leash walk for 2 classes. Even now, she will still have moments when she will stop and refuse to walk! She won't move until someone picks her up. She will even start backing up.

I spoke with the trainer about this issue and she noticed that she will not walk when there's large things around, she gets easily overwhelmed. She's about 3 lbs and tiny so I guess the world looks huge to her. On top of that, I get scared when I bring her to crowded places because someone might step on her. I'm starting to think I can never walk with her! :( Any advice on how to break this fear she has?

Galen is 3.5 lbs. if there is way too many people I do not have him on the ground. People do not watch were they walk. And yes they can get hurt.

i do take him shopping with me. I go to Homegoods and places that allows dogs. It does help getting them used to walking around with people. I also used treat to coax him into walking. Patience . . Keep at it. She will get used to things. She is still young. And a terrier lol they are stubborn ;)

Thank you for the response! :) I guess it's something she will hopefully get used to haha

My Yorkie use to do that. When she got tired of walking, she came to a complete stop. I just learn to pick her up and carry her a few feet than put her back down and she would walk again. Something I just learn to live with. She was only 4lbs so I really didn't mind. She was after all a diva and divas run the show. I had her for 6 wonderful years before she passed away. She was pretty spoiled but well socialized (most of the time).

Because she was so small I tended to carry her when there was a crowd because I didn't want anybody to accidentally step on her.

Kagome..... Inuyasha fan? LOL

Zoey isn't a big fan of walking either. She's a lot better now but still won't go through the entire walk. And for crowded places... I actually don't want her to walk. Especially b/c I have to keep an eye on Magnus as well so I can easily get distracted. I'm bit paranoid that she'll get stepped on, or some kid with that doesn't know better might try petting Zoey, etc... So the best solution I came up with was the pet carrier backpack.

She likes it in there MUCH better too and we both feel "safe" so it's a win/win situation for everyone. Some take their furbutts around in a stroller (for various reasons).

I agree with everyone above. Even the non-extra tiny ones should be carried in certain circumstances. Toto is normal sized, about 5 lbs, but he gets tired quickly (plus he's almost 10) so I carry him when he doesn't want to walk anymore. If we go to a store, I carry him in his sling. He feels more safe and doesn't bark as much at everything.

Another popular thing is a stroller. Those are more pricey, but if you have more than one small dog it may be worth it. I don't have one just bc I don't want to be a dog stroller person, LOL but many people use it and they love it.

A couple of reasons I would not walk her in crowded places (although I am not sure what you mean by crowded)-One as you know by now is that people are constantly stopping and wanting to talk about her. Most are well intentioned, but we have had people actually grab for Dinky. No, you may not just hold my dog. Small children are likely to approach also, and they will likely startle her, which could end badly for her or the children.
and then what others said, she could be overlooked by someone and hurt.
She learn to walk with you. They do get smarter as they get older!

LOL yes, I've used this sn for 10 years now it just stuck LOL..

Thank you everyone for your responses! :) I appreciate it!!

OMG !! Your too funny !

I said that too. . . Well now I am one :yelrotflm :yelrotflm

I might become one soon too. Toto is getting older and I end up carrying him. If i do the two mile walk I end up carrying him for 1 3/4 miles. At least I get an anaerobic bicep workout!

I just don't think the prices they charge are fair. Too much. So for now I won't get one.

I have a sling for Lexi. It was inexpensive, and it's comfortable for both of us and wads up nicely when not in use.

I had the same problem with Sophie she's almost nine months and 2.5 lbs I spoke with her trainer and he felt it was fear so he told me to start walking her around my backyard but before I go out with her throw a few treats out something very tiny and she will focus on the treats and forget her fears and it helped she now walks just about anywhere

I don't use a stroller, I actually have a bag for Sunni that has a little ring inside that I can attach her to and carry on my shoulder (It was a tote that I had pre Sunni). She's a real shopper, haha. I don't want to be the stroller lady either, LOL…but, I have an idea that may be less costly for those that want to try one. You can get baby (human) umbrella strollers pretty cheap..I had to get one for my visiting niece and it was under $15. so, if you get one of them you can get the seatbelt tethers they sell at petsmart and rig it up. I'm just winging it..I haven't actually put this idea together, but I'm pretty sure its doable.

I'd like to mention one thing about slings... I used slings before and they are great but I think it's better to use a backpack type (or stroller) for longer walks. Personally, I have a bad back (and somewhat bad knee) when I carried Zoey (only 5.5 lbs) for 20-30 min, my shoulder/back/knee would start feeling uncomfortable.

Maybe I'm not reading this correctly, but I wouldn't throw treats on the floor. This may get her used to trying to eat stuff off the floor thinking they are treats. I would prefer to hand them to her. I have one that won't eat anything off the floor, and only from a hand. Once we walked by a hot dog on the ground and she didn't even so much as sniff it. Then another who will eat anything on the floor.

This is a good point to anyone who has shoulder or back issues.

and LOL now you have two strollers and are sort of an expert on the pros and cons of all the models on the market:D

Nice to see we're all pretty much on the same page. If it's potentially dangerous, pick them up. The only thing I'd add is to make sure they get their walks in non-scary and non-dangerous places. They should want to walk when there's nothing scary around.

Both Jillie and Eddie will occasionally stop when we're in a field all by ourselves. I just wait them out until they're ready to go again. Usually Eddie stops because he wants to go a different direction. I usually try to distract him with a game in the direction I'm going. Either that or I break down and go his direction.

Yes I do lol . . . Yes you know me. I OCD about everything. . . . So the two best strollers are The Dogger and The Pet Gear NV stroller. . . You may pay a little more but it will last a lifetime. Air filled tires, sturdy, will go over grass, hills and snow and not have a problem.

Never had any problems with walking RAzzle he goes where ever our big ones go. On his own and or with our pack he is good to go.


I do how-ever leash him tight to my side when we are at crowded places, on the ferry or in downtown TO or at very busy dog shows.


I don't want him stepped on. But he is not small 6lbs and a bit.


I agree with the trainer in that it might be more a sign of insecurity. A funny story our big boy Magic when he was an 8wk pup would halt with hubby at the end of our driveway... he did not want to leave home. I could and did take him everywhere with me - so it was really about not wanting to be away from home when Mommy did not come. Eventually he got over that - but still to this day - will glance back to make sure that somehow I did not get delayed when hubby takes him out for a walk.


I also do not like throwing treats on the ground - I train my dogs not to pick up anything from the ground! Important for their safety. Every year we have more than a few incidents of poisoned treats strewn throughout dog parks and dogs die!


Leave it Command is a necessity as far as I am concerned.

While we're on the topic of walking I have a question
 

My last little girl was tiny ( 3lbs) but even as a senior she loved to walk..albeit not very fast as she got older. But she was still doing that yorkie strut up until the week she passed.

My question is how far is too far to walk them? She was regularly walking 1/2 a mile at least once a day right up util the end when she was 12. She went blind when she was 9 and stopped playing around the house so much because she bumped into things. So I added daily walks ( aside fro potty time) to get her exercise. Some days she was strutting and I could tell she wasn't ready to go home yet and we'd even go 1 1/2 miles. But I have heard from many that long walks can cause arthritis and aggravate knees etc...how much is a good length to walk a tiny one? IS there a prescribed distance..or should you just watch the dog and let them cue you as to what is enough?

Also of note..in her senior years due to the fact she didn't move around the house much- she was a bit stiff for the first few minutes of walks but once she got warmed up she was golden ( kinda liker her aging human momma). We just had to go veeeery slow and let her loosen up those little legs at her own pace.

But I have heard my first breeder and her mentor refer to a 700 yard walk as "A long way for a little yorkie" I would hate to push my little one too far. ANy suggestions, statistics or thoughts?

When I go certain places where there are a lot of dogs or people I do not allow mine to walk on the ground either. I just do not want to take that chance. I have always socialized mine very early to all sights, sounds, strangers, etc... take them to Lowes for the big machines and loud noises to get them used to these things early on. The only one I have problems with when walking is on a slick floor my 2 lbs chi has luxating patella in both back knees and will not walk on a slick floor because she slips and it scares her