Tuesday Training Byte: Stop your pup from biting his leash

This is a common problem with young dogs. Many dogs have an instinct to tug and play with things that are close to their face. It is always easier to train a dog when we first make sure their needs are met. These needs may include plenty of attention, exercise, and mental stimulation, sniffing, along with games of chase or tug. Now that my dog has had his fun, it is time to focus. Make sure that you gather up some of the excess leash in your hand so that it is not flopping around close to his face. Now ask your dog to heel and step off at a brisk pace with your left foot (the leg closest to your dog) so your dog cues off your knee. Every couple of steps be sure to praise and treat your dog so that he keeps his focus rather than getting bored and grabbing for the leash. If he grabs the leash give him another command of something to do and immediately reward his correct response with a treat. Next resume your heeling with frequent treats and mixing it up with some sits and downs. Some dogs really enjoy carrying toys around in their mouth. You may want to ask him to "take it" and let him carry his tug toy while you heel for a bit. This will occupy him to where he won't be grabbing the leash. Practice walking more steps between treats. Keep your session short to perhaps the five minute range. When finished, engage your dog in a game of tug for his reward. A tip while heeling: should your pup grab the leash, do not tug on it to get him to release it as this just rewards his bad behavior. Give him something else to do like sit, down, or take a toy. After a few sessions, your dog should be grabbing the leash far less. If your pup knows the "drop it" command, you may want to tell him that and then give him a toy to carry instead. Happy training!