HELP please Dog doesn't let go of leash and growls

[disneydreamersx4]

When I'm walking our almost one year old dog and I tell him NO drop it! to something he puts in his mouth he then takes the leash in his mouth and won't let go. He growls at me when I try to get it out of his mouth. Any help for what to do would be appreciated.

 

[java]

Switch to a retrachtable leash. And keep it short- so he has no slack to grab.

 

[abdmom]

This is a dominance test. He's basically saying "You can't tell me what to do. I'm in charge."

Don't play that game. Don't play tug of war with the leash. Don't continue to walk. Stop the walk and have him sit or lie down.

When walking, keep him on a short leash, close to your body. Watch what he's doing so that he can't pick anything up.

 

[Magic Mom]

Don't plat tug of war at all with the leash. When he grabs the leash, stop walking, take his collar and his leash so he can't pull and stay until he drops the leash. As soon as he drops it reward with a "Good boy!" and a really good treat. Keep repeating.

While you're woring on this, work on "Drop it" at home. Start a game of tug of war with a rope toy. Pull the rope into your body and hold tight, don't move. As soon as he releases tell him "Good boy!" and reward him with a treat and resuming the game. After he releases consistantly when you pull the toy to your body, start using the "Drop it" command as well. Keep practicing with both the body cue and the verbal command.

 

[O RLY]

He is using it as a game and by pulling back on it your pretty much playing the game. I do not recommend flexi leashes as they are not as safe in terms on handling as a 4-6ft lead. When he pulls stop and don't continue until he calms down and continue doing this. Say one word like "NO" do not use his/her name right after so that isn't associated with the behavior modification.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I remember taking my dog to obedience training and they said that was a dominance thing. One thing we did was to sit in a chair with the dog next to us. We had to put our foot on the leash very close to his head until he would lay down and stay. We would just sit there for a while with our foot on the leash, showing our dominance.

Also, I remember that you are supposed to turn the dog on his back and lay your arm across his neck to show your dominance.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Everyone has given you good advice, so I won't repeat anything. I will say however, that one in a dog is roughly adolesence. Your dog is very similar to the typical teenager right now. He's pushing boundries to see what he can get away with and it's all about "talk to the paw" at times. Just be a good dog parent and make sure the dog understands you are in control and in charge and it will all pay off in the end.