Leash biting in dogs is actually very common. When you volunteer at an animal shelter walking stressed, bored, or highly excited dogs it’s even more common.
Dogs leash bite for various reasons. Some may just do it because they’re bored, but typically dogs leash bite when they get overly excited. When excited they may redirect this onto the closest thing to grab at; the leash.
Last weekend I experienced leash biting first hand. During my second walk of the day I took out a larger mixed breed dog. He was very calm until we got out the door of the shelter and on to the street. Within minutes he was jumping up and down and had the leash in his mouth trying to “tug” it away from me.
Needless to say I was a bit startled. I quickly returned the dog to his kennel to be walked by a more experienced walker.
What else could I have done? Well a few things if I had known them at the time. Listed below are a few tips for dealing with dogs that leash bite.
Have the dog carry a toy during the walk.
When the dog is carrying a toy his mouth is occupied. You can also carry the toy in a pocket to redirect the dog if he starts to leash bite. Only let the dog have this toy on walks so that he’ll associate holding the toy with walking. A problem with this method is that you maybe out of luck if the dog decides that he’d rather play with the toy than walk.
Reward good walking behavior.
This technique is especially good if you have a fenced in yard. Put your dog on his leash and have him walk with you in the yard for 3/4ths of the time of his normal daily walk. Whenever the dog walks with you reward him with a highly liked treat. Soon the dog will be able to get the idea that good walking gets rewarded. After the time in the yard use the remaining 1/4th of the time to practice on your street. Gradually, decreases the time spent in the yard and increase the time spend outside of the yard. By using positive feedback dogs learn better.
Change up your walking route.
In some cases it may just be that your dog is bored with were he is walking. If you walk the same paths everyday your dog might just be trying to tell you in his own way to switch it up. Try local parks. Many of them have dog-friendly trails. Sometimes curing leash biting is as simple as walking in a different direction.
Hopefully, some of the tips listed above help your dog overcome his leash biting habits. Positive feedback training is really the only thing sticks with dogs so in most cases that’s the way to go. As always if you’re confused or can’t handle your dog it’s always best to consult a professional.
