[Hines86]

Hines is now 5 months old and I try to take him on long walks every day. For the past couple of weeks every time I take him out it seems we get maybe 5 steps into the walk and he starts attacking me, jumping on me and biting me uncontrollably. I get him to sit and calm him down and then start walking again and he is usually fine for the next 5 minutes or so and then it starts again. It is becoming impossible to walk him as every step I take he jumps on me and tries to bite me. I think it is because he does not like to walk because it is always when we first start the walk and then again when we are about 5 or 10 minutes in. Once we turn around and head back towards home he is perfect and walks next to me the whole way home. Any suggestions?

 

[AlanK]

Sounds like he is being just a puppy to me. I cant help but Im sure you will get many suggestions for helping with training. Good Luck It will be better!

 

[TobysDad]

Ignore it

My guy started similar behavior recently when I started wearing gloves on the walk. All he wants to do is get the glove in his mouth (good thing they are waterproof!). All I do is ignore him, keep walking, and keep my hands where he can't reach them until he loses interest.

 

[iamswiss]

Sounds very familiar to me. Bailey walks approx. 1.5 miles every day and sometimes twice but on every walk she attacks me 1-3 times and tries to nip etc. I tried ignoring it or I stand on the leash so that she can't jump up anymore or I start giving her commands like Sit etc. She usually calms down pretty fast, but I understand it's annoying. I also hope she will soon stop it... she does it already since 2-3 months...

 

[kira]

I don't have much advice -- just want to say I've been there! Murphy went through this stage twice. Once when he was about 2.5 or 3 months, again maybe a month later. He would go crazy barking and jumping and all he wanted to do was attack my hands and bite the leash.

I would either completely ignore him, or if that didn't help a couple of times I physically held him still (from behind, one hand on either side of his neck/scruff so he couldn't get at me with his mouth) until he relaxed. For him it was just an issue of getting so hyped up and fixated on getting that leash in his mouth that he sometimes needed help breaking out of it.

Just wanted to tell you that it will pass! He is 8 months now and walks perfectly (well, most of the time )

 

[New Golden Mom]

We are still battling this from time to time with Rufus and he's almost one. He's not doing it every day anymore but he was until about 10 months of age. I make him sit, down, stay etc to get some control before he loses it and if that doesn't work I carry a stick or toy and divert his attention. It works 9 times out of 10 (the tenth is probably when I don't notice him winding up and he gets too far into his craziness). He still goes nuts once in a while but it's becoming more and more infrequent. Good luck!

 

[ggdenny]

Connor was the same way at 6 months. It helps to ignore the behavior and find other ways for your doggie to unwind the high energy. Also, organized training really helps with puppy behavior.

 

[Laurie]

My puppy Austin did that as well....drove me crazy!!! I would just stop walking, make him sit and behave and then start the walk again....sometimes it would take us 10 minutes to get out of the driveway!!! It lasted for only about a month and then he got the picture...he's now 11 months and walks fairly well (most days) with a halti.

On the other hand, Lincoln, never did attempt to bite his leash or jump while walking.....and he's my hyper one!!!

 

[CaptCooke]

Been there done that...still do that sometimes and posted the exact question. Patience and Persistance. Sometimes you may have to cut the walk short. Stand firm and take in the scenery around you ignoring the pup till the pup says " Hey your not watching me anymore." But dont give up. It will get better. Just today I commented to my wife at dinner that our 8 month old puppy seemed like a different dog this afternoon. Then the old dog came back after dinner and wanted to bite and play till she was exhausted.

 

[Hines86]

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I have been trying to make him sit and calm down before I start to walk again and it does work for the most part. I will just have to be patient and persistant.