# Leash biting



## DaniCh07 (Mar 10, 2016)

How to I teach my 12 week GSD to stop biting the leash? When I go to put it on her she tries to alligator roll so I cant get it on her. Then once its on the bites it and shakes the slack around. I know she is just trying to play but how do I teach her the leash is not a toy? She likes the taste of the bitter spray so that hasn't worked.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I used an extender leash when Sting was a young pup which didn't allow the slack. I also was careful to have the collar ring on top by back so I would hook the leash from the top. He also had to sit before I hooked and unhooked the leash. He got a treat once the leash was hooked and had sat well. For your pup, I woud just practice hooking and unhooking and rewarding each time. This would be easier if you used a harness and hooked it on the top also if you used clicker training. Redirecting with a toy also helps. Your pup can hold the toy in his mouth while you put the leash on. When you upgrade to a regular leash, still take a toy, or tug, or a ball, so when the pup tries to play - toss the toy within range of the leash length.


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## DaniCh07 (Mar 10, 2016)

Mary Beth said:


> I used an extender leash when Sting was a young pup which didn't allow the slack. I also was careful to have the collar ring on top by back so I would hook the leash from the top. He also had to sit before I hooked and unhooked the leash. He got a treat once the leash was hooked and had sat well. For your pup, I woud just practice hooking and unhooking and rewarding each time. This would be easier if you used a harness and hooked it on the top also if you used clicker training. Redirecting with a toy also helps. Your pup can hold the toy in his mouth while you put the leash on. When you upgrade to a regular leash, still take a toy, or tug, or a ball, so when the pup tries to play - toss the toy within range of the leash length.


I also use an extender leash and she still likes to bite it. Would it be helpful to get her a harness instead of just the average around her neck collar? I have also tried the rewarding thing and she has gotten into the horrible habit for not chewing the treats I gave her so she is finished with it before I even have the chance to hook the leash!


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Yes, I think that's a great idea to try a harness but use one that clips to the leash on the top. If you keep the leash all retracted in the handle and just let an inch to come out allowing enough of to clip it to the harness she should not be able to bite at it. If she does - stop - redirect with a toy by giving her one to hold. I would stop the treats. It may work at this young age, to give her the toy first - encourage her to mouth it, then quickly clip on the leash.


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## DaniCh07 (Mar 10, 2016)

Mary Beth said:


> Yes, I think that's a great idea to try a harness but use one that clips to the leash on the top. If you keep the leash all retracted in the handle and just let an inch to come out allowing enough of to clip it to the harness she should not be able to bite at it. If she does - stop - redirect with a toy by giving her one to hold. I would stop the treats. It may work at this young age, to give her the toy first - encourage her to mouth it, then quickly clip on the leash.


Great idea! Thank you.


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## Mika-Chan (Apr 26, 2016)

Got the same problem with my new pup. She likes to bite the towel (and the leash) whenever she can. Gets annoying when I want to dry her off.

Today I gently rubbed her with the towel, clicked and fed her treats for not going after the towel. Same for the leash. Then I progressed to rubbing her a bit stronger (which usually tells her its playtime) and clicked/treaded for not playing. I hope eventually she will just "wait" for her treat, while I rub her with the towel or put the harness/leash on.

But then she is my first pup, so I am no expert.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I also used a harness for my young pups. But once they got older I went to a collar. They were allowed to pull in a harness but not in a collar. AT that point, if they bite on the leash it usually means that they are bored and want to so something more active than just walk. That is a good time to do a few obedience drills or a very short jog (pups shouldn't jog very far).


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## graciesmom (Jun 10, 2006)

I feel your pain. Jazz is a chewer. She chewed through 3-4 leashes, starting with my favourite leather one, which I had for 10 years. I tried bitter apple spray, even vicks vap-o-rub, but neither worked. She was at her worst when teething, but this behaviour continued past that despite my attempts to train her not to. Even now, at 2.5 years old, she will sometimes mouth the leash, but thankfully now responds to a stern "no", or "leave it". At least some of myt training is paying off. LOL. She's a continuous "work in progress". Meanwhile, I found the best thing for my sanity was to buy lupine leashes, very inexpensive, and best of all, they will replace them free, no questions asked, even if chewed. They replaced three for me. Yes, Jazz is a chewer ... one of her nicknames is Chewbacca. She even makes the same whiney sound that Chewbacca makes.


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## msk (May 12, 2016)

If she knows sit, make her sit before you put on the leash and treat her for sitting while you do it. This has worked for my puppy.

My puppy has almost chewed through leashes in seconds flat. My solution was to get the Tuff Leash (has steel wire embedded through the leash so he can't chew through it) and to get a leash sleeve that says "In Training Please Do Not Approach." He hasn't chewed through this leash because he physically can't and he'll sometimes mouth or hold onto the leash but that's okay. Plus the sleeve will hopefully discourage people from trying to distract him or pet him on the street (kind of works).


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## DaniCh07 (Mar 10, 2016)

Mika-Chan said:


> Got the same problem with my new pup. She likes to bite the towel (and the leash) whenever she can. Gets annoying when I want to dry her off.
> 
> Today I gently rubbed her with the towel, clicked and fed her treats for not going after the towel. Same for the leash. Then I progressed to rubbing her a bit stronger (which usually tells her its playtime) and clicked/treaded for not playing. I hope eventually she will just "wait" for her treat, while I rub her with the towel or put the harness/leash on.
> 
> But then she is my first pup, so I am no expert.


Karma likes to bite the towel when I dry her off as well. As far as the leash goes I went and bought a chain leash and its not half as fun for her haha so she doesn't do it. However if I tie her to something with the leash, the handle on it is nylon, she immediately starts chewing on it. Not sure what to do about that one.


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## msk (May 12, 2016)

Tuff Leash. Seriously. The steel wire goes throughout the entire leash. I had the Virchewly Indestructible leash before this. Yeah, my puppy almost chewed through the nylon handle in a few seconds.

The only issue I've had with the Tuff Leash is that the spring clip is a bit too loosey goosey for me but they said they're getting new spring clips with less play and they offered to replace mine, I just haven't had a chance to do it yet.


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