So... we got a new puppy, and he is the best dog you could imagine... shepherd lab mix...

I had dogs growing up, but they were never so young - he is only 3 or 4 months old. Every time we walk him, he just stops and smells things. He won't walk. And we can't just drag him. Any dog owners ever experienced this? If so, how did you get him/her to walk with you?

Again, great dog... just frustrating, and I can't drag him, naturally. It wouldn't work, anyway.

My boxer puppy is 4 months now and I have had him since he was 7 weeks old. I don't have the exact same problem
with mine but he will occasionally stop to smell things. I let him do it for a little bit but like to keep him moving
along. One major change I made was buying him a harness. This has been a big help so that when I do want him
to get moving I am not constantly pulling him by his neck. What does the dog do during the day? Is it in a crate
all day long? Did you literally just get the puppy within the last week or so? This is all new to me as well, both my
other dogs were full grown rescues and I never had a dog growing up.

Thanks T-Bone. He is in a crate at night and then only occasionally throughout the day. We bought him about two weeks ago. He seems totally comfortable and is SO obedient and balanced with everything else. He is very content. I just want to get him in the habit of walking and not just sniffing, even if it is only a puppy thing. I read that you just have to be patient and wait, but that seems to me like it develops bad habits. Cesar Milan seems to make them walk without effort, but that dude has to be half dog. I just don't know what to do to keep him walking and make sure we're not enabling him.

Yeah, I am not sure what the deal is there. Mine will get stuck on the smelling thing occasionally where other dogs
have marked and with some plants and flowers but usually I give him a little prodding or tug of the leash and he
moves right along. The harness is a cheap potential helper if you haven't tried it anyway. The puppy experiment
has been a real eye opener for me. I am a single guy so it has been keeping me busy. I have him in a puppy
obedience class and even take him to puppy daycare once a week so that he can socialize with other people and
dogs. Never thought I would be that guy but I also don't want a dog that barks at everything and can't be around
other dogs and little kids. So far it has worked out. Making some good progress on the house breaking but not
quite all the way there yet. Good luck with the pup Leash.

Hey Leash, has your pup ended up in the shower with you like T-bone's did?

So... we got a new puppy, and he is the best dog you could imagine... shepherd lab mix...

I had dogs growing up, but they were never so young - he is only 3 or 4 months old. Every time we walk him, he just stops and smells things. He won't walk. And we can't just drag him. Any dog owners ever experienced this? If so, how did you get him/her to walk with you?

Again, great dog... just frustrating, and I can't drag him, naturally. It wouldn't work, anyway.

Actually, our first obedience class on Saturday is only for humans and not the dogs.

Try to bring a treat with you to entice him to move along. Also, remember that Labs have strong noses and all that they smell now is pretty new. I presently have a shep/collie mix and also had a Lab. Both very good dogs but they are strong with the nose. Warning Labs will also seek out and make a mess with dirty pampers and Kotex.

Give him some free Sox tickets and see if he starts walking away.

Give him some free Sox tickets and see if he starts walking away.

Give him some free Sox tickets and see if he starts walking away.

My rooms inside the house have handle style doorknobs. My almost 5 month old puppy figured out how to open
all the doors in the house this weekend. I like trying to keep him out of all the rooms so I can limit any potential
damage he could do. Anyone know if there is a way to baby proof or rig doors like this closed?

Either sliding locks up high, or get a bunch of baby gates.

Peanut butter on the genitals trick always gets them running