LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

morning everyone!

I have a question about puppies and leashes - Golem won't stop biting his leash!!! Is this just part of the teething/mouthing stage?? 9 times out of 10 when we take him out in the backyard to do his business or just to play - he'll grab the leash in his mouth and start pulling! He thinks it's a game and I feel liek any attention we give him to correct it just encourages him! Nothing we do seems to stop this - and I feel like we've tried everything! So far we've tried removing it from his mouth and saying no, spraying leash with Bitter Apple, using a different collar (currently a braided nylon slip collar), shaking by scruff of neck and saying no, distracting him with a toy, picking him up and bringing him inside, walking around inside with him on leash, and what we are doing now is covering the part he bites with tin foil - but he still BITES!!!!!! The foil seems to be most effective so far out of everything else, but he's still biting, although not as much as before. And I'm starting to worry that he's going to choke on the little peices of foil too..... As much as I don't want to get frustrated, it's hard not to when he's so persistent about it! We certainly do NOT want him doing this when he's bigger either, and I'm just getting more and more concerned that he's going to continue to do this and we'll never be able to walk with him on leash once he can go out for walks......

Part of me just wants to believe that we are doing the right thing by correcting him everytime and that once hes not teething anymore, he;ll grow out of it and not bite the leash anymore - but what if I'm wrong?? Craig's been making me mad about this too bc he keeps saying that it's only when I walk with him and that I'm letting him do it! Well, we both walk the dog the same way and I know Golem still bites the leash with him too bc I saw him do it just yesterday....! It's really getting aggravating and I honestly don't know what we're doing wrong. We even asked our breeder about it and he said we need to discourage that but nothing is working!Did anyone else go through this, and if so - what did you do?? Times like this I really wish there was some kind of puppy questions hotline that I could turn to for advice!! Thanks so much!

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

Hmmmm... what if you try a chain leash? Maybe he won't bite that?

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

Julz, you're so funny - that's actually next on our list of things to try! I'm al for it, but Craig is concerned that his teeth might get messed up from it when we correct him..... But I have a feeling that if we do try the chan leash that he'll only bite it once and realize 'OW that HURTS! won't do that again!'


This is just so frustrating - I worry about it all the time now because I don't want a 3 year old male rottie with LEASH issues! :)

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

Morning Helena!!

They do eventually grow out of it but Angel sometimes reverts back to puppy behaviors when we initially get the leash out. Here you're trying to get it on her and she wants to play tug of war or run off with it I never had that problem w/Sprinkles. It sounds like you are doing the right things, it's just going to take awhile. He'll pick up soon on what pleases you and what doesn't. And don't worry about the tinfoil - their little digestive systems are alot more resilient than we think they are. The first Christmas I had Angel, she gobbled up a Christmas ball (thankfully she didn't ingest the hook). I immediately took her to the emergency vet and almost $800.00 later, they discovered she was alright (just suffered some cuts in the inside of her mouth but she would be fine and 'pass the rest' without issue). But what a way to spend Christmas night!

Sorry about yesterday!

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

When we went to dog training class this is one of the things that came up. The trainer suggested that you rub vicks rub into the leash. Dogs don't like the taste of it.

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

Hi Sharon!

Don't worry about yesterday - it actually turned out to be one of Golem's 'devil days' so I think we were better off the way it worked out! :)

Thanks for the reassurance on the foil too - it is amazing what our pups can get into and still come out of it okay! Can't believe Angel ATE a Christmas ornament - definitly a memorable first Christmas, huh? I won't worry so much about Golem with the foil after hearing this story! :) He only gets tiny pieces anyway, so I think we'll continue with this until the no-bite-leash thing clicks with him..... I must be patient...I must be patient ;)

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

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Posted by Irishbride

When we went to dog training class this is one of the things that came up. The trainer suggested that you rub vicks rub into the leash. Dogs don't like the taste of it.

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Oh, that is a new suggestion!!!! We will definitly try that too! thanks so much for sharing that!!

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

I bought a harness where the leash connects in the back and then I kept the leash tight so he couldnt reach. And if he grabs hold, just keep saying no.

Dont worry, he is a playful puppy, it is normal behavior!

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

My dalmatian, Casey, used to do this when we first got her, she was about 4 months old. Honestly I thought it was cute and never discouraged it unless it was really detremential to the walk. Generally she would only do it for the first block or so and then it would lose its appeal. Anyway, she grew out of it pretty quickly and would only do it once in a while when REALLY excited.

Sorry I dont have any advice about it though! Just remember sometimes puppies do things just because they are puppies! Casey is 12 now and I wish she had that type of energy again!!

Re: LEASH BITING!!!!!!!!!

hooray - I'm liking the 'normal puppy behavior' advice that's coming back! I think I'm just paranoid about little things like this sometimes bc I picture a 100 pound grown Rottie doing the same thing and it's just little unnerving to think that I might be encouraging this kind of behavior when he's an adult!..... ;) Ah new mom worry has raised it's ugly head yet again Thanks for your feedback ladies - it's nice to know it's not all in my head!