[iWantADobe]

My 6 month old constantly chews on her leash while being walked. If she isn't chewing on the leash, she's jumping up on whoever is walking her. When she bites the leash she growls and thinks it's a game. Is this normal behaviour or a huge problem in the making? How do I stop it or will she stop on her own?

 

[EmilyB]

Are you correcting her for this behavior?

 

[iWantADobe]

Are you correcting her for this behavior?

Ofcourse I am. I'll kneel next to her and tell her no and then sit and wait untill she listens and then give her a treat and then continue walking. It doesn't seem to work though.

Another thing is that when she gets into this mode, treats don't even distract her.

 

[njdobermom]

As far as biting the leash spray bitter apple on it. Do you go to ob class with her? That would be a good start to teach heal not jumping on who ever is walking her she still small & young but you want to stop this before she gets bigger.

 

[EatTheLeash]

The old leash biter... Hence the screen name. Haley used to try to do that often... When my wife would walk her she would come back with a tattered leash. You are correct in thinking its a game for them.

- We tried the old "sit" wait till she calms down, etc... She proved to be more patient than us. We could sit for 15 minutes, start forward again and she would go right back at it. It wasn't doing the trick. As well as any leash corrections. She saw them as play.

- Wear her out before you walk her. Get that initial burst of energy out with some fetch or tug games in the yard first.

- One thing that worked for me was to bring a tug toy to redirect her with. Often times she would happily carry it with her as it seemed to fulfill her urge. Or pick up a stick as you walk and let her carry it.

- I was able to notice when she was going to start the behavior and I would hold her collar, keeping the leash out of reach (don't disconnect the leash), and continue walking until she was redirected. Sometimes it would be for a second or two, sometimes for a couple hundred feet. Eventually she understood that it was no fun.

- My wife wasn't able to do that so she went out with a spray bottle. Simple squirt at the right time did the trick. If you squirt while she is biting the leash then your timing was off and she may decide to play with the squirted water too.

 

[dobermansrule]

she'll grow out of it..

no I won't drop it by quincyphotos, on Flickr

 

[sam&macksmom]

Sam used to occassionally bite and tug his leash when he was younger. So, after a few episodes, I got smart. I found a stick, cleaned it up (removed bark) and gave him a job of carrying it while on our walks. Worked for me!

 

[Adara]

I'm sure I'll be odd man out when I say YEA toy drive....however it's not great all the time. I use the leash as a reward. That means at almost any time I have my reward on me. After an agility run, REWARD right there.

However, I do teach puppies drop it and take it. They can't just tug to tug.

Make the leash stop being fun when the puppy tugs. REWARD for dropping. Repeat repeat repeat

victory dance - YouTube

 

[arankin]

Hey Adara that's what it looks like when Scarlet and I walk... lol.

No really, we are having the same problem with out 6 month old. It's crazy annoying and I don't know how to fix it either! I have tried "out" and then treat... and sometimes I can catch it before it happens and hold her collar til she calms down.

I agree with the fact that it would help to toss the ball in the backyard for a few mins before a walk so she is not so hyper. Remembering back to when this happens, it is usually when she is excited to go. I will try this and also giving her something to carry in her mouth on the walk.

 

[dobebug]

Ofcourse I am. I'll kneel next to her and tell her no and then sit and wait untill she listens and then give her a treat and then continue walking. It doesn't seem to work though.

Another thing is that when she gets into this mode, treats don't even distract her.

Umm...I'm reading your correction effort and it seems to me that she's taking this as a reward for her efforts at getting your attention and that's why it's not being effective.

I don't kneel next to dogs that I'm attempting to correct. I think that I'd be watching for the first attempt to grab the leash and would ask for a sit (if she doesn't know sit yet it's time she learned it). And I'd carry a toy and hand that to her instead. For the jumping I'd use a quick leash snap and "Off" and then ask for a sit and continue after she calmed down.

And I don't think I'd be treating--in this case it just seems to me to be delivering the wrong message. As in--"I grab the leash or jump on my person and she kneels down close to me and says something and after a few minutes she gives me a treat--I think I'll try this again."

It's not normal behavior. It's misbehavior and she hasn't gotten the message that she should be doing something else other than leash grabbing or jumping.

Find a good Obedience class--a good trainer can help you get a handle on both of these problems.

While Adara's trained leash tug works I don't want my dogs to tug on leashes so that solution would be out for me but handing them something to put their mouth on (empty gallon milk jugs worked like a charm for one of my dogs) give them a focus other than the leash and my puppies learn very early that jumping on me under any circumstances is a BAD idea so that's at least one problem that I don't have to correct. Usually <g>.

 

[stardstdob]

I'm sure I'll be odd man out when I say YEA toy drive....however it's not great all the time. I use the leash as a reward. That means at almost any time I have my reward on me. After an agility run, REWARD right there.

However, I do teach puppies drop it and take it. They can't just tug to tug.

Make the leash stop being fun when the puppy tugs. REWARD for dropping. Repeat repeat repeat

victory dance - YouTube

Hey you are not alone! I actually teach all of my dogs to tug on a leash!
(Then again, I have also been known in my Schutzhund days to teach them to play with a baseball hat as well And "adjust" it between excersizes in a trial....)

For the same reason - you have that toy with you. It makes it convenient if you have to redirect or reward for some behavior.

However, like you - I control the game. Reward for the out etc.
It does come in handy at the end of an agility run.........unless of course you are doing NADAC - then not so much.... LOL

Sue L