agressive puppy; hates leashes

Question
I just acquired a female mix Akita/German sheared puppy who was at the time 8 weeks old. Sasha is now 12 weeks old. Coming from an outdoor kennel environment, I have been teaching her how to walk with a leash. She had never been walked with a leash. She hates the leash from the beginning. It's a extendable leash that she fights with constantly. Grabbing it between her teeth, then flailing around like it was her worst enemy. Then she gets into this anger, amazing growling zone of fury, ears back when I try to approach her to detach her legs that have now been entangled in the leash.  I have tried the grabbing her by the scruff of her neck and giving her a good shake, I have also tried the scruff-neck grab lying her on her side and belly with my being dominant. I sometimes yell very loud NO, making the fist of pseudo-teeth at her then, Holding her down for a few seconds until she seems to be calm. My confusion is her defiance to the point of trying to nip me back once she gets back up on her feet.  She barks back at me, like a defiant child. I ignore her and tug her to continue the walk. Then she will walk behind me an nip and tug at the back of my pant leg.  She does that quite often! Then once again being distracted by the leashes that infuriate her. I am following all the rules of raising a puppy properly.
I am the dominant type and am not scared of her. However i am definitely worried about this show of extreme anger over a necessary evil: THE |LEASH! She has this tug of war mentality (which I will NOT play into) with her leash. Then the low growl, the flailing, the trying to bite me when i approach to untangle, ... It's been like this for 4 weeks now and i am the only one who ever walks her.
thanks very, very  much for any advice!!
Reg Day
Bennington, VT


Answer
Your are correct that you must be top dog.  Are you doing obedience training?  Of course the first part of it usually is walking on lead.  With this agressivenes having gone past 12 weeks, it may be harder to control now.  One part of me wants to be part of the mainstream movement to positive training.  There are gentle ways of getting the esenmtial point accross that you are top dog.  

''Elevation for small puppies:  Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up.  He is facing you.  Hold him for 15 seconds.  Repeat until he no longer struggles.  If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.  

Cradling for small puppies:  Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby.  If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds.  With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.

Quiet lying down:  Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you.  Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position.  When he is quiet, praise him.  Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position.  When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''

The quotes mean this isn't my original work.  It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual.  I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective.  You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too.  Helps bonding.  There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly.  The latter cements your place as pack leader.

My past says that if the scruff of the neck isn't working, get tough.  
A top dog does not put up with biting by a lower status one.  Give a warning
stern "Bad Dog!".  In stubborn cases, I repeat the "Bad dog!" right in its face with the dog on its back. Hold it down until it lifts one back leg to show submission.  Use one forearm under her jaw to keep her teeth away from your face.  Another very effective technique if the dog is small enough, is to pick it up with your hands
behind its front shoulders and hold it out with its back to you.   Make sure it
is far enough out it can't fling its head into your face.   Hold it until it
quits struggling and relaxes.  If you can't do either of those, try the squirt
bottle.  Fill it with water and a little vinegar or lemon juice.  Give it a
squirt in the face as soon as it misbehaves.  Dogs hate that.  The solution to a stubborn dog is an owner that is even more stubborn.  Every time she snaps or growls, she immediately gets which ever bad consequence works best for you. Don't forget the praise and petting when she finally yields.

I mostly suggest this link for olfer dogs, http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm  Usually 12 week olds aren't such a problem.  Some dogs are much easier than others.  Some of what I read leaves me wondering if the writer ever encontered one of the more difficult.  In the book No Bad Dogs, Barbara Woodhouse suggests the ones that don't respond to her metnods are unbalanced and hopeless, and should be destroyed.  Likely true for a very few, but I would give several things a chance to work.

In another month or 2 you can intorduce the slip colar plus having her spayed.  Both should help.