# Jumping/Biting Shorts While Walking



## RuaSpoo (Sep 9, 2013)

My Spoo (11 weeks old) generally does 2 things when we walk on leash; she rarely walks next to me enough to keep the leash slack.

1. Jumps up at me repeatedly, bite my shorts and "hang" on them. I've tried turning around and ignoring, and holding the leash tight with my arm out far enough for her not to reach me. Neither has worked.

2. Pulls on the leash. I will stop and tell her to sit, and she does, but once I start walking again, she will get ahead of me and pull. Rinse and repeat, same outcome...

The jumping/hanging on my shorts is what concerns me the most. Her bite inhibition isn't coming along well either. We've tried the yelp and walk away, (sometimes even into another room and shut the door), but if we do that, she goes on her own and seems perfectly content playing with other stuff until I come back in...


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## Caniche (Jun 10, 2013)

The good news: 11 weeks old is still really young! Most of these behaviors she will grow out of. Cash used to bite really hard (and still does once in awhile). I too yelled "ouch" and whimpered like it hurt (which it often did). I also minimized hand-and-mouth play. We always had a toy between us.

I think the jumping up thing will be grown out of too - I've heard people say to completely ignore it and turn your back to them.

The pulling concerns me the most. Ryker was a puller for the first 2.5 years, and some days still is. I'd recommend a head collar or a harness that connects to the front. That and when they pull, turn around and go the opposite way. If you do this every time, they learn that they don't get to go where they want by pulling. 


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

First, you need to understand that she is very young for understanding leash manners, although certainly not to young to start learning. Do I recall that you were recommended not to go to puppy class until your pup was fully immunized (or was that someone else)? If you don't want to go to puppy class then don't walk in the street either. Do your leash work in your yard.

I would recommend using a martingale collar for leash walking so that pup can't slip out if she digs her heels in. Try playing some in your yard before you go for a walk so some energy is already burned off. Make sure you bring some treats with you so you can reward things that she does that resemble what you are looking for which is simply a loose leash now (not heeling). Make sure your aura is one of calmness. You need to be truly relaxed, not worried about what if she jumps up, what if this, what if that..... Go to where you want to start your walk, your driveway, front steps, where ever and start with a little bit of attention behaviors such as look and sit. Then say let's go and start moving. If you get ten steps with no pulling or jumping I would stop and reward. If you get behaviors you don't want, hit the reset with attention behaviors, then try the walking again. Keep the sessions short and always try to end with success.

Do I recall that your pup came away from her litter on the early side? If you are not having success with working out the bite inhibition on your own I would consider finding a behaviorist to work with since this is a very important issue to get a handle on now. You have only one or two weeks left to settle the lesson of bite inhibition.


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## P2alix (Jul 4, 2013)

I have to agree. 11 weeks is still really young the jumping up and biting the shorts Chai did the Same with me I would generally ignore her and she eventually stopped. The bite inhibition is very important more so than the leash work. At this age. It is one of those things that they learn best from their mothers and litter mates at first. One thing to keep in mind is that your pup is learning these things they won't be perfect for a while. Keep working on it be patient and seek help when you are unsure. 


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## Chells_Aura (Dec 7, 2012)

What I found worked great for Chell was we'd let her chew on us and when she chomped down too hard we'd yelp and walk away but then come back and let her chew on us. Once she got the hang of 'mouthing is okay but biting is not' we started working on not biting/mouthing us at all. And as she's only 17 weeks now this is still a work in progress...


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## Baer Paws (Jan 24, 2013)

*Just a thought to put in with the other suggestions*

You might want to try putting something bitter but safe on your shorts especially on the back of them. Aloe Vera is safe and rub it on the end of your shorts more on the back and when you turn away and she grabs to bite your shorts it won't taste very good. 
I thought this might help speed up the process of training.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Puppies do this. I recommend using a marker word or clicker and the second she lets go of the leash (and she will) or gets back down on all fours or lets go of your shorts, mark it! Click and immediately a tasty treat. Walk along, let the dog jump, bite, ignore it or stop the walk if she's pulling on the leash until she gives you slack. But watch for one second of behavior you like and click/"Yesssss!" and fantastic treat (tiny). She'll find out with consistency what works...walking along with no shenanigans. In other words, show her what you _DO_ want. The list of what not to do is longer than the list of what TO do. 

My babies did the same thing at first...maniacs, especially Matisse. He grabbed his leash in his teeth and somewhere along the line, he'd let go, planning, I'm sure on picking it up again but just when he let go, "yesss!" treat and in no time...I mean like a few repetitions, he got the idea. He still does it a little once in a while at first....when we start out, but in the meantime he's also learned "leave it" and that works. He's just excited at first and then he settles down and walks nicely.


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

I used clicker training and redirection especially since its usually just the first hyper bit. 
I let her hold the leash, then I tied a toy on it and now I use tugging games. When she is hyper she still tries to pounce and bite my 12 golden so I still use it for these times. 
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