Puppy (9.5 weeks) nervous on walks

[4score]

We've had Walter for almost 2 weeks now. His crate training is going well. He's comfortable inside the house for the areas we allow him in (many gates). We routinely take him outside to potty and explore. He seems very comfortable in the yard under our supervision. We also have a small dog run - a 20' x 10' piece of the yard that is securely fenced. This area has access to a little bit of the garage (allowing him a 5' x 5' area out of the elements). He's a little nervous about short trials in the pen, but he did better this last time when I was gone for about an hour because I gave him a "beef bully stick" to chew on. oh...more background. All of this yard activity is on one side of the back yard. On the other side is a neighbor with 5 largely unsupervised dogs who bark a LOT. His barking kind of freaks Walter out if we try playing on that side of the yard. Sometimes when these dogs are loudly barking on their side of the fence, Walter will run back to the house with his little ears back.

So this is all background......my real question is the few times I've tried to walk him just a short distance around the neighborhood. He seems genuinely interested in exploring but will often pause and alertly look around like he's concerned with something. Cars drive by and it's no big deal. after a few minutes of slow going (away) we turn around and he's all eager to return where we came from. Yesterday, we only got a few hundred yards away and he just sat down and whined a little and wasn't thrilled with going further. I thought perhaps it was because he was tired, but as soon as we started back to the house, I practically had to run with him! I was wondering if this kind of anxiety was unusual. We have taken him on a few car rides and we try to get him used to meeting people - which he loves. We've put him in the shopping cart at Best Buy and him had a ball. It's just these walks that seem to stir something. We have him registered for Introduction-Puppy class starting on the 31st. I hope that will help if it's other dogs he may be anxious about. What do you think?

[PaddyD]

I think that he's a baby right now, not so much a GSD. I think people think (not saying you do) that since they have a GSD puppy it should be fearless and protective, when it only weighs 15 pounds. Please let him explore at his own pace and don't expect too much. Sure, he beats feet for home where he is comfortable ... makes perfect sense to me. My dog is 2.5 and she (nearly) always seems to know when we are heading towards home and she perks up and picks up her pace. To this day, she is not excited to go for walks and starts out slow when we go out. Takes a while for her to get into it.

[pfitzpa1]

I had to progress one house at a time with my 8 week old. First time she wouldn't go past our house, then one house, then 2 houses. She would sit/lie down and whine when she didn't want to go. I made lots of happy playful noises/actions and she forgot about it for a while and I could move her along further and further. Just take it nice and slow and try make it fun for the puppy.

The first time she saw a garbage truck in the neighborhood she was scared of it and the noise. The driver noticed it, got out and came over and played with Maggie. Since that she loves garbage trucks.

[Konotashi]

That's exactly how Ozzy was. I had to coax him to go away from the house, but as soon as he knew we were coming back home, he would walk back like he owned the neighborhood.

A few times I would drop his leash and walk away. Since he was a little puppy who couldn't stand to be alone, he'd come running after me.
To get him out of the yard, I had to lure him with treats and once he got going, he got the treat.
It only took a few days of doing this before he was walking around the neighborhood in confidence.

[chicagojosh]

Hi 4score,

Cody didn't like walks when he was a little guy either. Similar to what the other posters said he would sit down or protest going too far. So we just kept it close to the house and each day he seemed to get more willing to venture further. today he goes bonkers when he know's were going on a walk.

once Walter has his puppy shots, maybe you can see if the least rowdy of the neighbors dogs can have a playdate? that would probably ease Walters fear of them..well at least the one he gets to meet

[ponyfarm]

Take it slow..let him grow. Little bits at a time.

Tim used to be afraid to walk in the dark, now we go all over the place..(well, until the coyotes start to scream, then we head back for cover!)

[4score]

Thanks - I'm glad to hear that this is fairly normal. We'll keep at it and see if we can expand the walks a little....and try coaxing him along.

[VegasResident]

give him time. Mine was like that. Now he walks down the street and goes right over a construction sign if it is lying down sideways. Amazing what maturity does

[jetscarbie]

I love the name Walter. That's my dogs name.

All of mine were like that at first. They'll get over it in no time.

[4score]

Sure enough....he's doing better every day! The other day on a walk he met a very large 8-month old lab. He was nervous at first but soon was really enjoying the experience.