a leash biter.. some help please...
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| bitterapple |
| I wish I had an answer for you. One of our sheepies is like that - when he gets that excited bitter apple doesn't phase him. We have tried leaving their collars on them and just taking the leash off, but as soon as he hears the jangle of the leash he goes nuts. We have tried leaving short 12" leashes on the dogs but with 3 sheepies I was worried about the leash getting caught on something and possibly choking him. Once we are out the door it isn't a problem but he gets so excited.
I am hoping someone that has had success with this problem will chime in, because like you I would really love to know how to fix the problem. |
| Bentley does this! If we stop to talk to the neighbors and he feels we've been chatting too long he starts in with the leash chewing and going nutso.
He used to do it ALL the time when he was King of His World, but it's subsided with time. Not what you wanted to hear, I know. I never tried bitter apple because with him it was a KOTW thing and that bitter apple wouldn't have done a thing. At the beginning I would try to hold the leash as close to him as I could and then up over the back of his neck so he couldn't reach it. The problem was that once he started, it was very difficult to get the leash. Because he didn't believe I was in charge, it was a battle of the wills and very frustrating. He was 19 months at the time. Once he started to understand I was Queen and he was only a Prince, he stopped doing that with such ferocity. Now I can tell him it's bad form and he'll pout for a moment and then get over it. Bentley's response to a loud voice was to escalate the behavior, so I use a calm, firm, "I mean business" tone with him. I guess I wasn't much help, was I? |
| thank you for your replies. i went to the bookstore and read up on certain things. i think since she has been cooped up in a kennel for so long and there is so much excitement there it was too much for her, she has waay too much pent up energy and once i get her home and excercised her she should be ok.
i also read in a book that since OES are working dogs they need a job to do to keep thier mind focused, so i am going to buy a doggie backpack and fill it with toys and whatnot for our walk/jogs. supposedly it helps alot. otherwise we are enrolling in doggie training classes. i'm hoping these methods will help.. but if you still have comments please don't hesitate.. |
| Cassiopia (3 years old) still does this at the beginning of our walks if we haven't given her enough exercise over the past few days. I've noticed that IF we manage to tire her out (morning and afternoon walks and playing with her buddys) then she doesn't go after the leash.
I think that with training and enough exercise, this behavior should diminish. Good Luck Jennifer, Baxter, Cassiopia and Sharkey |
| Allie does it at the beginning of walks with me, but calms down within a few minutes. I know some people would say that she thinks she is the Alpha in the group, but I do not see that with any other behavior...Plus she does" heal "almost the whole walk, if we enforce it! |
| Try a gentle leader, too, as this 'halter-looking' device places the leash just under and behind their jaw as well as gently calming them down.
mop lover (oops sign in . . .  ) |
| I'd also suggest that when you start out, don't give her enough leash to bite. Keep her at your side and make corrections when she pulls and gradually let out more leash as you fall into a rhythm of walking. If she pulls or turns, make an immediate correction and move on like nothing happened. If she still continues the behavior, shorten the leash and start again. I walk all my dogs together--my 2 big boys on 12 inch leads and my smaller girl on a 4 foot leash. I used to use 6 foot leashes and found it to be way too much leash-- you have a lot more control when the dog is closer to you. |
| My problem is not once the leash is on - it's getting the leash on. As soon as Lucky hears the jingle of the leash or sees me pick it up....he gets SO excited he will grab the leash out of my hand and start bouncing around like a mad man. If I ignore him he will run over and jump all over me. He is a lunatic until we somehow manage to get the leashes all on and out the gate and then we have this calm serene sheepie. Ya'll would laugh if you saw the video of me trying to get the leashes on these 3. His frenzied behavior starts Sam up who starts barking and bouncing and of course London is thinking woohoo playtime. It's madness.
I have watched the entire 1st season of the Dog Whisperer (bought the DVD collection) and only saw one dog with this problem but way less than Lucky. I tried ignoring them once he starts this behavior and I go sit down for 5 minutes or until they all calm down. But as soon as I stand back up or get the leashes here we go again. (we need an emoticon that imitates pulling out your hair)  |
BatonRougeSheepies wrote: I tried ignoring them once he starts this behavior and I go sit down for 5 minutes or until they all calm down. But as soon as I stand back up or get the leashes here we go again.
(we need an emoticon that imitates pulling out your hair) I know that feeling! You just have to wait it out several times in a row and eventually (4-5 times later), they get the idea. I still have to do this one in a while with Maggie. I wait until 5 minutes after she has calmed down. Usually it is when she lets out the big sigh. It is hard to do if you are squeezing in a walk between other activities or parts of your schedule. But I think mine try to take advantage of me at those times. I like to remind them that nothing is guaranteed unless they behave. Works for Maggie. I'm still struggling with Chum going bonkers at the car. I was going to take her with me last week but she would not stop barking so I left her at home. Hopefully the roadtrip will help with that. After 37 days in a car, hopefully, she will start to find it boring.  |
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