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Please Stop Chewing and Tugging the Lead!

16/5/2015

2 Comments

 
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A common complaint that comes up with puppies who are first learning to walk on lead is that they bite, chew and tug the lead as soon as it is put on. It’s not a problem limited to puppies either. Many full grown dogs have the same habit. Some people get around the problem by using a metal chain that’s not pleasant to chew. Or by spraying something nasty tasting onto the lead. Or by punishing the behaviour with a leash jerk, a choke with a choker collar or a raised voice. I like to approach the problem by first assessing when and why this behaviour might occur.

Reasons may include that:

* it’s reinforcing. Puppies explore with their mouths and many leads seems to feel good to chew. The attention a dog gets when they start chewing may also be reinforcing: the dog gets looked at, spoken too, touched to the point that trying to retrieve the lead from his mouth becomes a super-fun game of tug. If it wasn’t reinforcing, a dog wouldn’t continue to do it.

* it’s due to frustration. It may be a displacement or replacement behaviour. If a dog cannot access something they want, they may turn on the lead which is restricting them and chew in response.

* it’s a response to something a dog wishes to escape or avoid. They may desperately chew on the lead that is preventing escape.

I choose to introduce a behaviour that replaces the biting and pays off more. If the reason is due to frustration, I provide an alternative behaviour in conjunction with teaching the dog some impulse control in an environment in which he can succeed. It is not effective or efficient to attempt teaching a dog who is already frustrated. For fearful dogs I avoid putting them in the situations that trigger the escape/avoidance response whilst working on helping them overcome the fears in a controlled and safe environment.

My ethos is that training should enhance the relationship between the dog and guardian. For this reason, I avoid punishment-based techniques to stop the behaviour after it has already occurred. Punishment has side effects. The type and intensity of the fallout becomes evident only after the damage has been done. Further, it is generally much harder to reverse than it is to cause. I value the human-dog relationship too much to risk gambling with such consequences.
 
I label many training tasks as games. I do this deliberately because games should be;

a) mutually enjoyable,
b) a vehicle for building positive relationships, and
c) a fun way to learn practical skills.

When has playing games been boring or time wasted with friends? Of course, each individual must enjoy the actual game chosen. It's not truly relationship building if only one party is enjoying it. So it should be with our dogs. I add another proviso; games with our dogs should be win-win. There is no loser when teaching your dog in this way. You will choose to teach your dog skills which will be beneficial and your dog will be reinforced with something he values and enjoys. A relationship of trust is another wonderful outcome.

The “Don’t Chew The Lead Game” and “Drop The Slack Lead Game” are two of my favourite ways to prevent lead chewing and tugging. The emphasis is on prevention by setting the dog up for successfully choosing an alternative behaviour before he bites. If he gets distracted and starts chewing, the “Drop The Lead Game” then gives an alternative behaviour rather than continuing to chew or tug. No force is required and no raised voice.

Here’s some handy extra hints:

* If your dog starts chewing as soon as the lead is clipped on (or before), start the game earlier. Simply show your dog the lead and reinforce for the behaviour of staying still, sitting or just looking at the lead rather than jumping up to bite it. Only clip the lead on when you know your dog won’t bite it. If your dog won't give you an alternative behaviour when you are showing the lead, problem solve why this might be. 
Is he looking for one second before jumping? Anticipate this and work on your timing. Click that look and get the treat to his mouth before he can leave the ground. 
Is the lead too close to him? Hold it higher. 
Does movement make him jump? Hold the lead still. 
Is he grabbing the end of a dangling lead? Fold the lead up and show him, so there are no dangly bits.

* Deliver food directly into your dog’s mouth or onto the ground as this will prevent your dog jumping up. This helps prevent jumping to get the lead as well.

* Avoid letting your dog chew the lead at other times. Avoid putting him in situations where he does chew to get quicker and more robust results.

Here’s a video showing how I approached teaching Yoda the kelpie and Abby the labrador not to chew and tug the lead.
Yoda and Abby simply found chewing and tugging reinforcing. The principles are the same for every dog, but the process itself may need to be modified slightly for each individual. This may include how quickly you progress through the stages or how small you have to break down each increase when raising difficulty.

I hope this helps you in devising a plan for preventing this behaviour. Most of all, I hope this increases the fun-factor for you and your dog.
2 Comments
claire
23/5/2015 09:53:30 am

Tips on a gsd doing it as a way of letting go of anxiety/frustration or creating a game because of things such as boredom, not being able to greet strangers or other dogs (he's super friendly)? If I give him slack he'll just keep going backwards and then he throws himself around to make the lead tighter and turn it into a game. I've tried following him to keep the lead slack but man he loves tuggy and will keep going and going:) . I've tried to distract him with different commands (like sit) and treat but he now has turned it into a game. He starts to tug then sit as soon as I ask, expecting a treat. Then once the treat is dispensed he'll grab the lead straight away and start again. He's 2 years old and sometimes he's good and won't keep doing it but other times he will consistently try to get me to play this game with him. He is obedience and agility trained but he is stubborn on this game and will even growl at me when I'm giving the command to do something else If he's not getting his way. He has a very high drive and is waaay too smart imo. He's been doing it on and off for about 12 months and nothing my trainers have recommended have worked long term. Any tips would be fab.

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Sonya Bevan link
25/5/2015 03:37:06 pm

Hi Claire,
Thanks for your questions. You ask about tips for:
* Anxiety/frustration particularly when prevented from greeting dogs or strangers, and
* A game due to boredom.
If he gets frustrated when not able to greet you need to work on impulse control before he starts showing signs of frustration - notice the distance he starts to lose it and work well before that distance on really reliable sits. Only moving closer to distractions (dogs and people when he is able to sit when you ask) Once he is frustrated and pulling and tugging to get something, that is not the time to teach. He won't take much in. Remove him as best you can and teach him the alternate behaviours at a distance he will respond to you.
So if you give him slack he backs up and still tugs? I would suggest he's too aroused to learn and would set up training tasks mentioned above, really concentrating on distance. Timing is also of the essence in training. That means being really observant and preventing him tugging. Rather than reacting to the tug, predict it and give him something to do BEFORE he has a chance to tug. Then use a high rate of reinforcement to keep his attention with any other task that is not tugging. If you've tried to distract him after he's started, and done this consistently, a behaviour chain may have inadvertently been trained. That means he's learnt 1. I tug = 2. You ask me to sit = 3. I get a treat. Then not much happens....but if 1. I tug again = 2. You ask me to sit = 3. I get another treat. Timing is essential to break this cycle. So you must ask for an alternative behaviour (the sit, or a look, or a change in direction) BEFORE he shows interest in the tugging the lead. And don't reinforce any sits that occur AFTER he was tugging. He'll soon learn tug + sit = no treat but no tug + sit = treat. If he's been doing this for 12 months, take the time to plan training sessions deliberately to reinforce a great sit or look at you with various distractions. Going slower is faster in the long run. It may mean you spend a month on this task and he doesn't get exposed to dogs close up. This is so he doesn't practice the tugging that you don't want. Every time he practises tugging, it will get stronger and more ingrained.and your training to prevent it will be slower. Hope that helps.

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    Author

    Sonya Bevan is an avid dog lover with a Bachelor of Science degree in physiotherapy. This combination lead to seeking science based information on how to teach dogs and she commenced further study to complete a Diploma of Canine Behaviour Science and Technology. Dog training is both a science and an art. When based on solid principles of behavioural science,  teaching also allows creativity when applied to each unique dog. Most of all, it should be fun for both participants and a way to bond with these special animals we love so much.

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