Addie and the leash

[Judith and Addie]

My little doodle, Addie, is six months old and trying to take her for walks has been a trial almost since the time I got her. She no longer stops, lay down, and refuses to move 5 feet outside our front door. She has graduated from that to jumping to grab the leash, as close to my hand as possible. Once she grabs it, she wants to play tug-of-war. To keep her a bit calmer, I give her a small squeaky toy that she carries around with her, and we can actually walk a few feet - or more, depending. Sometimes, she will walk around the block fairly well, especially if there is someone or something interesting ahead of her. Other times, it is drop the toy and attack the leash every few steps. Then I make her sit, and often ask for a  "down" until she is calmer; then I give her the squeaky and we move on. BTW, the jumping starts before we even get out the door, unless she has her squeaky.

If she is walking well, and we come across a neighbor, she pulls to greet the neighbor.  If I keep her walking, she eventually goes back to walking well. If I stop to talk with a poochless neighbor, she settles and lies down while we talkafter she has had her attention from the neighbor. But once we start walking again, she is more excited, dropping her squeaky, jumping, grabbing the leash, and driving me crazy. She loves going for car rides, and loves the dog park. She also walks much better and usually very well if I take her someplace new.

I have a trainer/certified animal behaviorist who has not seen the behavior but has had me describe it. She is the one who initially recommended using the squeaky toy to keep Addie's mouth occupied so that she would not go for the leash. This was after bitter apple had no effect, and neither did Vicks Vaporub smeared on the leash. The trainer has said she feels like Addie's behavior of jumping, grabbing the leash, and sometime shaking it while growling is displaced aggression and something is scaring her. To me, Addie seems to want to play and may be a bit bored. I am hoping as Addie matures, all this is going to settle down.

Other things about my puppy: she is very certain of her likes and dislikes and lets me know if there is something she does not like. As an example, once I accidentally stepped on her paw, and she backed up, barked and growled at me.  If I get angry and shout "Cut it out!" like when she attacked my ankle and drew a little blood, she barks and growls at me. She seems to demand calm, quiet behavior and I think she is training me.

Anyone have thought on this?

[Patti Golden]

When I first started Boone on the leash he thought it was another toy for him and would keep grabbing the leash.  I was doing this in the back yard where I played with him.  So I tried it out front down the road a bit and he would do the same thing.  So I got his attention away from the leash by carrying his little treats with him that he loves and would walk and hold a treat for him where he could see it.  Then I'd give it to him.  After he had a treat he'd be looking at me for more as we kept walking.  I would give him a treat every few steps.  It only took a few times like this and he'd forgotten completely about mouthing the leash and discovered he loved to just walk.  It might be worth a try.  

[Judith and Addie]

Thank you, Patti.

I was doing this for a couple weeks and it was making walking easier, except for the bending down - Addie will be a large miniature/small medium. I stopped using treats when she had a digestive issue and just used kibble. Kibble didn't have the same appeal. It is probably time to try it again, Thank you for reminding me.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

For small dog my trainer suggested carrying a wooden spoon with peanut butter on it. That way you don't have to bend down, just hold the spoon down for a lick every little bit. Might not be good though if peanut butter is a problem for her.

[Kris and Sawyer]

When Sawyer jumped or tried to get the leash (which I believe it is a fairly common puppy behavior) I would step on the leash, close enough to him that he could not jump at me anymore, then cross my arms and turn away from him (ignoring him) while still standing on the leash. When he was calm again I'd start walking, if he did it again, I repeated the tactic. He got it pretty quickly. Also our trainer advised to give positive praise while he was walking nicely, especially every time he's walking and gives you eye contact. We would say, "good!" Hope that helps!

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

I have this also with Rippley at 13 wks. The bitter apple did not deter him much. Having a stick or toy helps, I also step on the leash and ignore (doesn't really help if he is set on it), but growling at him has helped, and I am doing Doggy Dan's five rules of pack leadership. . But despite all our efforts, he does still get into "the mood" and continues this behavior, so I feel your same frustration!. Recently it happened tho w my hub and so he turned back to our house where Rippley had to poo (he seems to need the home field advantage). So, it was almost like he was telling us his need. Lmk if you figure it out. Btw, doggy dan also mentions using a small chain as the start of the leash for training tool deterrent. Haven't tried yet. Good luck!

[Patti Golden]

It's funny you mentioned the "home field advantage".  Boone, in the almost 2 years since I've had him, has NEVER gone potty while on a leash or while walking with me, even off leash.  One time he went at the doggy park when he was loose in the area with the other dogs but I haven't even seen him do it since, and that was I think the first or second time he'd been there when he was very young.  I have had him want to go out in the back yard once we come home and he does his duty.  I think if he has to go he just holds it like we do.  I always carry a plastic bag with me just in case but it's getting old and crinkly now.  haha  I hope he keeps this up.

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Yup, he is like my kids - not wanting to use the school bathrooms. They all need "the home field advantage," lol!
Btw, I just learned another tip. These pups may need to vary between "social" and "structured" walk. Letting them sniff around on a long lead after saying "free" or, "ok" if they seem to need that. Then returning to structured walk on short leash by saying "let's go" or whatever your cues are for those... That sounds like it could help.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I would be leery of a trainer who told me my puppy grabbing/mouthing the leash is a sign of aggression.  I am not a trainer, but I am an experienced dog owner and many puppies/dogs mouth and grab the leash, and it is an excitement issue that needs training; IMO it is NOT an aggression issue.  I think this trainer worried you into thinking you have an aggressive dog, and while there are dogs who are hard-wired to be aggressive, most likely your pup is just being your pup and needs your guidance and patience and systematic leadership. In any case, I would keep looking for a class where Addie can meet other dogs and you and the other humans can discuss each others' puppy issues and give and receive feedback.

[Michele Kiss]

Do you reward her for GOOD walking? If she is close to your side, and leash is loose, and she's walking nicely, then reward her with a click and treat (if you're doing clicker training...) every few feet. Gradually increase the distance till the treat. And make it a really REALLY good treat, stuff she doesn't normally get. 

Our puppy is small so a treat basically means he has to STOP to chew, so we have bought squeezy tubes of peanut butter and cream cheese that make it really easy to treat while you walk... 

[Judith and Addie]

When she does start walking, I reward for good behavior. I use the "let's go!" to get her moving if she stops to sniff, etc. I tell her "Yes!" or "Good girl!" every few steps when she walks well. I give her a piece of treat every few feet. I step on the leash, turn my back, and ignore her when she is jumping to grab the leash, or just grabbing it. I have started limiting the walks to about a block or less. But, it is hard to give her the praise and treats because first I have to get the behavior. She starts jumping, leash grabbing, and generally obnoxious behavior before I can get her out the front door. I suppose I could carry her outside - she is only 23 lbs now - but I cannot get her to take a step before she starts her leash attack. I don't want to lead her out with a treat because that seems to me to be rewarding her obnoxiousness. : (    I do not believe she is afraid of outside since if she sees something interesting, she goes on her merry way with no qualms.

Following a wooden spoon with anything on it doesn't work because she lunges for it. If she thinks I have a treat in my hand, she jumps for it - outside. Inside, she does all her commands nicely.

[Michele Kiss]

Ah yeah so all the staples :-)  You just hadn't mentioned in the post so I wasn't sure.

I know the feeling - Fenway walks well some of the time, but when he's distracted (or when we are walking in puppy training) I can't even find something to START rewarding him for! (And at those times he typically has to interest in treats either - whatever he is distracted by is way more interesting!) 

Does she walk the same for others? 

[Judith and Addie]

Actually, I have Addie in a puppy training class now, and she is one of the stars. She generally is good in class, and usually good if I put her in the car and take her someplace new to walk, like one of the parks. Since I live by myself, I haven't thought to have someone else walk her, but she walks well for the trainer in class.

It is really hot and humid around here, so I have been letting Addie loose in the yard a few minutes several times throughout the day. It is too hot to walk her except early morning and evening, although now it is 7:30 PM and still 94 humid degrees. So I have been making an extra effort to play and train inside. She actually did better on this last walk - after I tried Cindy and Rippley's advice and held her collar until she settled down before letting her out the door. Here's hoping it works tomorrow morning.