# Big "on leash" problem...Need help!!



## Liza1277 (Jan 9, 2008)

My golden Rudy is just over 1 year old. At home and at the dog park, he is as sweet, playful, and affectionate as can be. However, as soon as I put the leash on him to walk, he turns into a monster dog! He begins by attacking the leash, and when that doesn't get him anywhere, he basically attacks ME. He bites my clothes, and has bitten me on occasion. Then when he doesn't want to come in or go wherever he wants, he just lays down in the middle of the road and "plays dead'. This has become unmanagable, and is getting worse as the months go by. He has been to obedience training, and it seems to have worked for everything but this. 
My husband and I live in the city, so we don't have a backyard (which would help the situation). But I'm a big runner, and love outdoors, and take him out very often. It saddens me that I don't have a running or even walking buddy out of him....I want to take him out to enjoy many trails and parks but he just is unmanageable. Sorry this is so long...I just don't know what to do. I don't want to have anyone call animal control on him, because he "attacks" often in very public places and people appear scared and concerned.
Sorry so long....any suggestions??


----------



## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

Pinch Collar.. and learn how to use it right first. Murphy was not a very good leash walker untill we put that thing on, then he was an angle..


----------



## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

He is really cute by the way


----------



## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

This is soooooo trainable!!! Dont give up on your idea of a walking/running buddy quite yet!

Is the unruly leash behavior new or has he always been nutty on a leash?

What do you use for equipment...? (flat collar, body harness, head halter...)


----------



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

He is a doll!

I would suggest trying the Easy Walk Harness by Gentle Leader. He sounds like he is having a meltdown, not unlike a kid who gets over excited. 

How about starting in small steps. Start by putting on and taking off the leash. Then take him for a "walk" around the room. Take off the leash and walk away. After you succeed with that with no meltdowns, walk him out the front door and then back in the house. Take the leash off and walk away. You could be giving him a treat each time he behaves the way you want him to. Each time he succeeds in walking without a temper tantrum, take him just a bit further.

He looks like a field golden and they require a lot of exercise! 
Good luck!


----------



## Liza1277 (Jan 9, 2008)

He has always disliked the leash, and bitten at it a little. But it has progressed into outright aggression! Like Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde (as he is cuddling with me right now on the couch). We tried a gentle leader with a short leash first....he hated that so much that he wouldn't even GO with it on. Literally refused to budge. After a few weeks of this, we switched to pinch collar and short leash. He was easier to control this way, but still bit the leash and my hand a lot. Now we moved on to a harness and retractible leash, thinking the freedom would help. At first it did, but a few days into it and he's back to attack mode. Going back to the pinch collar may help, but I'm afraid only temporarily.


----------



## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

Liza1277 said:


> He has always disliked the leash, and bitten at it a little. But it has progressed into outright aggression! Like Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde (as he is cuddling with me right now on the couch). We tried a gentle leader with a short leash first....he hated that so much that he wouldn't even GO with it on. Literally refused to budge. After a few weeks of this, we switched to pinch collar and short leash. He was easier to control this way, but still bit the leash and my hand a lot. Now we moved on to a harness and retractible leash, thinking the freedom would help. At first it did, but a few days into it and he's back to attack mode. Going back to the pinch collar may help, but I'm afraid only temporarily.


Did you learn how to give a proper correction in your doggie classes? When the trainer actually showed us how to do it it made a huge difference. I'm not sure what else to suggest


----------



## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

The fact that he would stand still with the Gentle Leader, IMO is actually a good thing....
The main reason that I would choose the GL over a harness is that you have more control of the head...(the part of the body with the teeth!) A gentle leader wont stop him from biting, but it will make it easier to direct where his teeth are headed...

I like the EasyWalk for dogs that are just foolish pullers (just not a favorite for jumpers or biters)...

Without seeing your dog and his 'aggression' while on a leash...I would think through the pinch collar - for some really aroused dogs the pinch can escalate the arousal instead of helping the dog settle down...
Any way you can find a trainer that is willing to specifically deal with this one issue? Someone that can really take a good look at the dog as a whole...is it true aggression...or just tons of frustration...or arousal from some other source...
Someone that can take a good look at your leash work, body posture etc....

Were it me I would go back to the GL...and really spend LOTS of time getting him used to having it on his head....FlyingQuizini has some posts on desensitizing a dog to a Gentle Leader...

Love fostermoms small steps approach...the in-house steps can be started _now_ and progress systematically, sucessfully, slowly over several weeks and will certainly not do any damage to any outdoor work you will do later.

It took him 1+ year to get to this point...only fair to give him plently of time in small sucessful steps to help him through this...


----------



## Liza1277 (Jan 9, 2008)

*Thanks!*

Thank you all for your great advice! Now I have lots of new things to try with Rudy


----------



## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

My first thought is for you to hire a behaviorist to give you an evaluation.. they are cheaper than you think.. Without seeing him in action.. I would guess he is underexercised, over excited, and a bratty teenager.. Sometimes they will jump on you, even like thay are attacking trying to get you to play. It is horrible and a pain to get through. When Rusty was doing this we tried to keep going forward.. even if we had to occasionally turn in circles to keep from getting bitten. I had to down him a few times till he calmed down. If you could teach him to run circles on a long line.. ( think horse ) you could could do a good energy drain on a grassy surface before you went to the park, etc. If the edge was off he would be a beter pup... IMO. We keep long lines in our truck for when we travel.. they just love running these huge circles.. they really peal out now.. they are safe.. exercise, pottied.. they get water.. and are ready to rest. Work on the obedience training, also.. would be a good time to attend another class. People often stop at one.. This will pass.. it sure is a pain in the ankle.. or worse...


----------



## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I strongly recommend the Halti. It's a head collar and it works wonders. You can get them at pretty much any pet store and they're not really that expensive. It's definitely a good investment for anyone who has leash problems with their dog.


----------



## T2T (Oct 15, 2008)

Hi there, first of all, I am a newbie here but I hope my trick would help (I have the same problem before). The way I did is used some bait (food such as meat, bread... that your dog loves). I put him on leash, hold it and walk forward then call him toward me. When he did so, I award him and keep doing that several time. Finally, he accepted to walk with me with the leash on


----------



## JoelSilverman (Oct 21, 2008)

If I can make a suggestion. I think you need to go back to the beginning. You need to retrain your dog to be on a leash. By the way, I have seen this before with some Labs and GR's. I can help you just messaging here ...


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

I'd like to suggest that you make your suggestions to the forum, as there might be many who could benefit from them.


----------



## JoelSilverman (Oct 21, 2008)

Let me make that more specific. I think that with many of the scenarios that I am reading in some forums where they have problems like this, quite often the solution is taking the time to regress... to take it back a few steps. With some dogs that have extreme problems, it's going back to the beginning.

But if I can ask you a few questions.... Is there a time the dog is ever good on a leash at all?? Has he always been like this? Does he like people.. moving objects.. distractions other than dogs? I like to ask these questions about the dog before I can make suggestions. I think that will help others trying to help you too.


----------



## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

I would do a 20mn game of fetch and tired him,out a bit before even,trying to walk him so that he calms down and then,becomes walkable!.


----------



## nictastic (Aug 21, 2008)

I am also having this problem, however she hasn't turned on me yet. I was told to keep the lead upright and not let her get it in her mouth. 
Harnesses werent any good for me either as she had more chance of getting it in her mouth.
I am still trying with a flat collar and short lead...but i am very interested in the solutions provided so will be watching this thread with interest


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I would have him wear the leash on a nice flat,simple collar alot- while he eats and snoozes- so it becomes no big deal.

Also, "target" training him to heel would be something wonderful to try. There are a bunch of threads on it. Start by asking him to sit somewhere quiet like the kitchen. Have some yummy treats. Offer him your palm, and all he has to do is touch it with his nose to earn a YES and a treat(or a clicker in place of yes). Do this until he understands that your palm is a treat dispenser. Then, put him on his leash casually, and keep having him target your palm for treats while you move to his right side(he is sitting on your left).You will both be facing forward, and he will touch your palm with his nose for a treat. Next, try a few steps in the "heel" position, treats in your right hand, remembering to say YES when he touches your palm. Soon, you will be able to walk holding the leash with the pup at your side, focusing on you and not the hated leash. We teach our pups an automatic sit when we stop. Eventually, add the command Heel and gradually you will be able to stop with the palm targeting. You can lure him to come to your proper side, but it isnt necessary if all you want him to do is walk/run with you politely. Targeting teaches a nice attitude toward being a walking/jogging companion, and is very positive fun for the dog.


----------



## z&mom (Oct 7, 2006)

Z was like that too, I think she was between 8 to 12 months old then. We changed to metal chain for leash and that stopped her from trying to bite the leash, but she turned on us (our hands and pants, jumping up, attacking us like a rabid dog). So whenever she switched into the manic mode, we stopped walking and stepped on the leash almost a foot to where her collar was attached, leaving her barely any moving room (in a down position). Nothing said, just stood still for a couple of mins. Then proceed again. It worked for us.


----------



## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

I agree that a professional evaluation would be a good idea. 

Rookie went through a stage when he would bite the leash, jump on me, bite my clothes, etc. But with him, it was definitely because he was trying to get me to play. He wanted to play tug of war with the leash, he was bored with just walking and wanted me to interact with him. It drove me absolutely crazy for a while. I tried everything I knew how to try and I looked for answers everywhere.

Eventually I found that what worked with Rookie was carrying a small spray bottle with a mixture of water and bitter apple. If he tried to bite the leash, I would spray the leash with bitter apple. He HATED it. I only had to actually spray the leash a couple of times. After that, just taking the spray bottle out of my pocket was enough to make him stop.

In Rookie's case, it was not aggression. It was teenage brattiness and an attempt to play. Every dog is different though. What works for one won't necessarily work for another. A good trainer can probably help you figure out what's going on with your dog.


----------



## Rhapsody in Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

You know, the leash may be putting him in a defensive mode. I would work with him off leash at the dog park - - - with as few people there as possible. That is, I would do whatever I could to get there early every day. Run with him off leash there. Bond with him. Catch him being good. Do not allow him to practice the negative behaviors. He may be a more dominant dog and you may have to stand taller and work harder to show leadership. He wants that - - - he really needs that. 

Our first dog was a very dominant (and protective) German Shepherd. We worked with a private trainer and consulted with a behaviorist. I doubt your situation is to that extreme - - - but I feel so bad for you. I remember what it was like to walk down the street and see the fear in people when our Shepherd became aggressive. Dogs pick up on the energy. Don't put him in a situation where he can fail. Find ways to re-direct his negative behavior in a positive way. 

I envy you that you run. You are at an advantage right there. I so wish I could run with our dogs. It looks so beautiful seeing a runner and their dog as partners on a good run. 

We walk every day with our Goldens and we play at the dog park and we get a lot of exercise. I wish I had known this with our Shepherd. Exercise solves so many issues. I would not recommend a pinch collar. I found our Shepherd grew resistant to that - - -what you need is to be able to establish stronger leadership.

You can do this : )


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I'd favor the lure/treat/slow progression suggestions here, rather than changing to more severe equipment. It sounds like the leash triggers excited anxiety (with expresses as aggression) and the head halter triggers confused anxiety (which expresses as a shutdown). The leash is a source of anxiety and excitement right now, so you need to replace those high-energy, negative associations with positive, calm ones. 

LJilly's lure/palm program would work beautifully to phase out those bad associations and start building good ones. I think Joel's right too, in the regard that you need to go back to the beginning.

The trick is to have food and fun with the leash without getting to the threshold that triggers the anxiety and without giving him any negative energy. Once you're playing tug-o-war, you're channeling energy and anxiety through the leash, so the trick is to get him on the leash and in the right spot without entering into any tugging conflict. You might want to coat the leash with bitter apple or something so that if he does mouth it, he gets a little negative feedback. Also, avoid yelling or correcting loudly at any point—same energy problem. If he does start to pull, change the game entirely rather than pulling back. Snap your fingers, dangle a treat, change direction.

This is soooooo workable, but it will take enormous patience and consistency. Exercise him as much as you can before your leash sessions to set yourself up for success. Stay calm, use correction sparingly, never yell, and redirect rather than pulling back. You will succeed over time.


----------



## chopsuey (Jun 3, 2008)

when my dog started attacking the leash he was very playfull about it... i heard the advice just pull up on the leash. pull up to sort of make them immobile but not choke if possible. when i switched to the halti and then gentle leader he got the picture QUICK. he bit the leash he got a up pull. simple as that. now hes a good walker and understands im not there to be attacked. we are on a walk and tis all.


----------



## chopsuey (Jun 3, 2008)

oya make sure u dont pull the collar off his head!


----------



## Bogart'sMom (Sep 16, 2005)

But to get to the dogpark or other places he has to go on the leash. I think it's a powerstruggle on his part. You said he is aggressive when leashed biting the leash or you. I would get him into a training class asap. Also I would not let him on the couch anymore. Then for every treat he is getting make him sit or down. If he nutches you for attention ignore him. If he comes to you to to play with him ignore him. I would start Handfeeding him so he realizes that all good things come from you. You can start clicker training with him to get him focused and so he learns to learn. You can try letting the leash drag behind with a harness on so he gets used to the leash. Use good treats like cheese, hotdogs, chicken, when walking him. Make it rewarding for him to walk on the leash. Maybe he doesn't like the tension on his neck. My boy starts scratching his neck when there is tension on the leash. 
I hope you find a good trainer that can help you out.
All the best,


----------



## chessergang (Jan 21, 2008)

When he is biting at you and your clothes is he being agressive or just spastic? 
What about buying a completly NEW leash that he's never seen before and just bring it into the house and while you're holding it,give him lots of praise and treats. Then the next day do it again, but maybe be petting him with the same hand that's holding the leash... and gradually get to setting in on his back and thenputting it on... 
Let him associate the leash with HAPPY thoughts and GOOD TREATS. 
My Newton is the same age and he is GREAT with all of the obedience things EXCEPT the leash! He doesn't sound as spastic as your dog, but he just pulls and pulls... i'm not sure what to do either....


----------



## Solas Goldens (Nov 10, 2007)

My very first golden had some behavioral issues and one of them was walking on a leash. I had a trainer come to the house and she pinpointed the issues immediately. In our case there was an overall dominance issue. She gave us very practical training strategies that helped. When all was said and done, he would run on a leash by my side and never miss a step. It would be well worth the investment in a trainer with experience to pinpoint your Particular issue.It will save you and you GR from a lot of frustration and uncertainty. Hope it all works out!


----------

