Jumping and biting when leach walking

Cero21 · 11-11-2008, 12:13 AM

Another question from me.

What is the best method to stop my 7 month old puppy from jumping on me and biting when we're walking on a leach.

Usually it will start with her biting and playing tug-a-war with the leach but she'll sometimes just start right away by jumping up and biting me.

How do I correct this? I'm currently trying to ignore it by turning away and stopping until she stops but it doesn't seem to be having any effect. In fact today it just kept on getting worse and she starting biting harder and harder with jump and bite sessions getting more and more frequent on the same walk.

Any ideas?

Lucy Dog · 11-11-2008, 12:24 AM

Has she always done this? How often do you walk her and for how long? What other kind of excercise and activity does she get besides her walks?

selzer · 11-11-2008, 12:34 AM

How brisk are your walks? It sounds like she has a lot of energy and needs an outlet. Or she is fearful and jumps up on you and nips at you saying "hey protect me." I have not had mine nip me, but they will crawl up my back. They will jump on me in fun and especially if I pet them when they are up.

However if I give them a stiff "heel" command, and walk briskly, I do not give them the opportunity to jump up. If I have to stop I give them a sit or a down command. I guess I tell them what I want them TO DO and praise them for doing it. It is easier than telling them what they did wrong and correcting them for it.

Another issue is that my dogs have more energy than I do. I conceed that this is the truth. So, when I walk them, I give them obstacles while I walk along. I have them walk along a short wall (like a dog walk), I have taught Jenna to run up the steps in the business district in town and check the doors. This means she is working a heck of a lot harder than me. Perfect heeling is only required some of the time, when there are other walkers, when there is a street to cross. Otherwise they are allowed to sniff and check things out so long as I am not being dragged.

DianaM · 11-11-2008, 08:37 AM

What do you do for physical exercise besides walks? How about mental exercise? Training is the MOST important exercise one can give a dog, especially a pup. A short, fun obedience session where the rewards are good games of tug or fetch will wear out your pup enough that you should be able to have a pleasant walk. Walking with my dog, Renji, is a pain until we hit the park and blow out his energy with long games of fetch, then he walks quite well.

7 months of age is also the PERFECT time to enroll in obedience classes! If you're already enrolled, great! If you've had one class already, keep on going. Classes are like potato chips- one is almost never enough.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 11-11-2008, 08:52 AM

Sounds like a fun game to me and better than a slow boring walk for a happy and excited dog!

Have you tried starting out on the walk going MUCH faster initially? New game of, you have to be so busy keeping up there is no time to grab the leash?

How are the general dog classes going? Does she do this in class?

Are you able to socialize and do the weekly car rides, meet and greets, new sites, new sounds, new people, new dogs??? Mental and physical stimulation, along with the learning we owners/handlers get in the dogs classes, work best for me.

Ask your dog class instructor for their suggestions. They should know you and your dog by now and have specific help.

Cero21 · 11-20-2008, 08:38 PM

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions.

Pebbles and I ran every second day, as well as play lots of the ''find it'' game (which she is very good at!).

After reading through all your suggestions I figured out that I should work her a little bit before we go walking, like a good game of tug o war and stuff like that. I think she is so used to high energy games that walking is boring for her. Unfortunately, I don't want to run with her everyday because I don't want to wear out her growing body (we usually run around 10 km when we do).

I also found that when he run around in the backyard, if I give her her rope and chase her/let her chase me, she won't jump up on me and try to bite. I don't know if this will correct anything later when we run around without the rope in her mouth but it definately work for now and it keeps her active.

I haven't enrolled in any classes yet because lately at work I'm away from her for weeks at a time

I hope to soon though.

Again, thanks for your suggestions.

11-11-2008, 12:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
Cero21 New Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 11	Jumping and biting when leach walking Another question from me. What is the best method to stop my 7 month old puppy from jumping on me and biting when we're walking on a leach. Usually it will start with her biting and playing tug-a-war with the leach but she'll sometimes just start right away by jumping up and biting me. How do I correct this? I'm currently trying to ignore it by turning away and stopping until she stops but it doesn't seem to be having any effect. In fact today it just kept on getting worse and she starting biting harder and harder with jump and bite sessions getting more and more frequent on the same walk. Any ideas?

11-11-2008, 12:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lucy Dog Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,944	Re: Jumping and biting when leach walking Has she always done this? How often do you walk her and for how long? What other kind of excercise and activity does she get besides her walks?

11-11-2008, 12:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
selzer Crowned Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Denmark, Ohio Posts: 20,796	Re: Jumping and biting when leach walking How brisk are your walks? It sounds like she has a lot of energy and needs an outlet. Or she is fearful and jumps up on you and nips at you saying "hey protect me." I have not had mine nip me, but they will crawl up my back. They will jump on me in fun and especially if I pet them when they are up. However if I give them a stiff "heel" command, and walk briskly, I do not give them the opportunity to jump up. If I have to stop I give them a sit or a down command. I guess I tell them what I want them TO DO and praise them for doing it. It is easier than telling them what they did wrong and correcting them for it. Another issue is that my dogs have more energy than I do. I conceed that this is the truth. So, when I walk them, I give them obstacles while I walk along. I have them walk along a short wall (like a dog walk), I have taught Jenna to run up the steps in the business district in town and check the doors. This means she is working a heck of a lot harder than me. Perfect heeling is only required some of the time, when there are other walkers, when there is a street to cross. Otherwise they are allowed to sniff and check things out so long as I am not being dragged. __________________ RIP Arwen, CD RN CGC RIP Whitney, RN CGC Jenna, RN CGC & Babs, CD RA CGC HIC (not AKC) Heidi, RA CGC & Tori, RN CGC SG3 Odessa, SchH1, Kkl1, AD Ninja, RN CGC & Milla, RN CGC Joy, Star Puppy, RN CGC Dolly CGC & Bear Gretta Hepzibah

11-11-2008, 08:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
DianaM Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 10,198	Re: Jumping and biting when leach walking What do you do for physical exercise besides walks? How about mental exercise? Training is the MOST important exercise one can give a dog, especially a pup. A short, fun obedience session where the rewards are good games of tug or fetch will wear out your pup enough that you should be able to have a pleasant walk. Walking with my dog, Renji, is a pain until we hit the park and blow out his energy with long games of fetch, then he walks quite well. 7 months of age is also the PERFECT time to enroll in obedience classes! If you're already enrolled, great! If you've had one class already, keep on going. Classes are like potato chips- one is almost never enough. __________________ Renji - 6 y/o M GSD x chow rescue Training @ The Canine Center - St Cloud, FL "German shepherd dog breeding is working dog breeding or it is not German shepherd dog breeding." -v. Stephanitz

11-11-2008, 08:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 24,173	Re: Jumping and biting when leach walking Sounds like a fun game to me and better than a slow boring walk for a happy and excited dog! Have you tried starting out on the walk going MUCH faster initially? New game of, you have to be so busy keeping up there is no time to grab the leash? How are the general dog classes going? Does she do this in class? Are you able to socialize and do the weekly car rides, meet and greets, new sites, new sounds, new people, new dogs??? Mental and physical stimulation, along with the learning we owners/handlers get in the dogs classes, work best for me. Ask your dog class instructor for their suggestions. They should know you and your dog by now and have specific help. __________________ MACH3 Bretta Lee Wildhaus MXG MJG MXF MFB TQX HIT CGC TC Glory B Wildhaus AX, AXJ, XF "*It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."* - Oscar Wilde

11-20-2008, 08:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Cero21 New Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 11	Re: Jumping and biting when leach walking Thanks for all the responses and suggestions. Pebbles and I ran every second day, as well as play lots of the ''find it'' game (which she is very good at!). After reading through all your suggestions I figured out that I should work her a little bit before we go walking, like a good game of tug o war and stuff like that. I think she is so used to high energy games that walking is boring for her. Unfortunately, I don't want to run with her everyday because I don't want to wear out her growing body (we usually run around 10 km when we do). I also found that when he run around in the backyard, if I give her her rope and chase her/let her chase me, she won't jump up on me and try to bite. I don't know if this will correct anything later when we run around without the rope in her mouth but it definately work for now and it keeps her active. I haven't enrolled in any classes yet because lately at work I'm away from her for weeks at a time I hope to soon though. Again, thanks for your suggestions.

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