One Minor Problem - Milton Gets Mad?
There is one thing he does that's kind of weird so I was hoping to get some feedback from people on this forum. When out for a walk, Milton will sometimes (mostly with my girlfriend, not so much with me anymore) turn his head around and gently put his leash in his mouth. He'll walk along like that but the minute you try and take the leash out of his mouth he starts to get hyper. This eventually leads to him growling and even jumping up on you trying to get the leash back. It's odd though because he growls like he's frustrated and not getting what he wants, not like he wants to kill you. He doesn't scoul or bare his teeth like dogs tend to do when their legitimatley angry. Having said that though the behaviour is unacceptable. I've found the best way to stop this is to not tug the leash away. I just stop walking with him when he grabs the leash and calmly say "off". After a few seconds he normally gives up. Has anyone else had an experience like this? I'm asking how to fix it but I'd also like some ideas on what causes him to react that way? Is he actually "agressive"? |
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| No, That doesnt sound "aggressive" to me, so much as he's decided to create a new "game" out of his walks.
My dogs are both quite possessive of their collars and leashes, and feel (understandably, I guess) that since they are "theirs' they should get to do as the like with them! 
I think Milton may have figured out that a boring ol walk can be turned into an exciting game of "tuggy" 
With Bert, my young boy, we had to just make it clear that walks were a serious "working" time, and not play. Thats hard with a little pup, but they do get it eventually. One thing my trainer suggested, was a special collar and leash JUST for training, and any other "serious" times, to give him the cue that he's "working". |
| Could it be that maybe he just wants to carry something? You might try
transferring the behavior from the leash to a different object. Maybe make a swap with him the next time you're out for a walk. He might think he's a Retriever instead of a Sheepie  |
| I've heard many dogs on here doing that INCLUDING mine. Except when Yuki growls, it's actually from being excited and thinking she or you have initiated "play." Tugging and growling for her is a game FOLLOWED by her strong instinct to LEAD the pack. she DOES NOT like people to be ahead of her. She wants to make sure things are safe before you go. lol
Sounds like you've got the right idea. Stopping and waiting for my dog to let of the leash DOES work. Then only proceeding when she has calmed down.  |
| Archie loves to hold his leash or preferably, the leash of one of the other dogs. There are several reasons for this, in Archie's case:
He likes to hold his own at the end of a walk, when we are almost on our own property so that he can take off running, without having to worry about his leash tripping him or dragging. This is part of a game for him. He likes to grab the leashes of one of the puppies (at 16 months, I should probably stop calling them that!) so that he can lead them. Same scenario: as we approach our own yard, if there are no other dogs or other enticements around, we'll drop leashes so that the dogs can work off that final bit of energy. It's also a kind of reward/recognition of dogs who have walked well. They all love to run, something they can't do with a 2 legged on the other end of the leash. Sherman, who pretends he isn't very smart, will hold back a little, knowing that Sophie finds it irresistable to be out front when she can--which isn't very often, actually since the boys are bigger and more speed-driven. Archie goes for whoever is out front, which is usually Sophie. He then will grab her leash and take her to the door. She hates this, but submits because Archie's in charge. Archie also liked to do this with Merlin (waiting at the bridge, now) because Archie moved really fast, and Merlin was already in his middle years and slowing a bit and was always more of a stop and smell the roses kind of dog when Archie came along. We didn't allow it, because it really annoyed Merlin and in his last year, was downright bad for him, as Merlin could not keep up. Archie does like to have something in his mouth. For us, it's a decision whether to allow him to take a toy, and have to constantly keep track of it and remind ARchie to go pick it up, when he inevitably decides he wants to sniff something, etc. and drops his toy. Most days, not a big deal, but if it's only one 2 legged, and 3 leashes, plus poop bags, it can be an annoyance to have to sometimes pick up the toy ourselves. Triple that if it's rainy/muddy. But Archie always looked so proud of carrying something around that we tried to indulge that when we could. Even if it was a stick about 4 times his length. When ARchie and Sophie and to a smaller extent, Sherman were all young pups, learning to walk well on a leash, each wanted to hold the leash or even to snatch it away from the 2 legged, partly because puppies like to have something in their mouths, partly to be 'in charge' . They weren't dumb, after all. Our philosophy regarding who is in charge on walks has always been it's the 2 legged, so we wouldn't allow dogs to take leashes simply for the sake of showing who's boss (of us, anyways). I don't remember this being an issue with Merlin, who had his own issues, but was really quite perfect. I don't think you want who holds the leash to become a contest of wills, so you might try substituting a toy, or something else to carry. |
| Obe used to do that all the time, at about the same age as well. He either out grew it or got tired of me telling him to drop it. Just be patient, remember he is still very much a puppy. Everything is a game at this point. Sounds like you have the right idea though about getting him to quit. |
| Winston (at the bridge) Used to growl every time you played tug of war with him. If you growled back, he only got louder and louder until the Standard Poodle felt she had to intervene. It was really always pretty funny! |
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