training a 2 year old lab with possible pit bull blood

Question
We just adopted an almost two year old dog from a private owner.
She described him as a Lab mix but feels he may have some pit bull blood and after looking at Lab/pit bull pictures online, he does look similar. (The previous owner received the puppy as a gift at about eight weeks and doesn't know the dog's bloodlines.)

When we met "Rocky" he was very quiet (although busy), was gentle with my four young children, and showed no aggression. The owner told us he was very good natured although not well-trained on a leash.

We have had him for three days and he has been quite affectionate, patient with the kids and has not growled or barked once. Our biggest issue is that when we take him out in the yard on his leash, he will sometimes grab it and start to shake it wildly. It is difficult to get the leash back, and one daughter has been scratched and another nipped during this wild play. He has not shown any aggression at any other time but I am concerned.

Is this leash grabbing and roughness a clue that Rocky may indeed have pit bull blood? Are there any other behaviors we need to watch out for if he is a mixed breed? How do we address the leash behavior? My instinct is to take away his rope toys so he doesn't get used to playing/biting with rope like objects, but is this a good idea? I appreciate your help.

Joanne Morris

Answer
Hi Joanne,

No worries. Leash biting is common among all types of dogs. I just worked with a puppy earlier this afternoon that bites his leash.

Your dog may be biting the leash because he doesn't like it or because he is playful.

Here is a good video that will show you how you can teach your dog not to bite the leash using clicker training: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR7TvrUQ_1k

I usually ignore this and puppies tend to grow out of it. Your dog may not have had a lot of leash walking experience so make it pleasant for her and use positive reinforcement training. Do not use a choke chain, prong collar or shock collar, but rather a flat buckle or snap collar or well-fitted harness. Do not use leash corrections (jerking the leash). Here is a good video on how to teach loose leash walking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFgtqgiAKoQ

To get something back from your dog, exchange what she has for something she likes, for example a tasty food treat. Do not force her to release the object!

Tug is not a bad game to play with your dog so long as you follow some rules. You can find these rules in my article, How to Stop Puppy Biting and Chewing: http://dubuquedogtrainer.hubpages.com/hub/Puppy-Biting-and-Chewing  All dogs love to tug and we use this skill to teach service dogs how to open doors and pull items. I find it useful for teaching puppies to be more careful with their mouths. Tugging is a natural dog behavior - we see it in wild canids as well as our domestic pets. Just follow the rules when playing and don't allow your dog to get too aroused during play.

Your new dog is going to need an adjustment period. Any dog would to a new environment. Get to know her by spending quiet time with her and don't expect too much from her too soon. After she's had a chance to adjust to her new home, enroll her in some positive reinforcement dog training classes (http://www.animalinfo.com.au/fact_sheets/view/2/25/177/Positive_Reinforcement_Tr). Better yet, try to find a clicker trainer! To read more about clicker training, see the following articles:

http://www.animalinfo.com.au/fact_sheets/view/2/25/175/Clicker_Training_What_is_

http://dubuquedogtrainer.hubpages.com/hub/clickertrainingfordogs


Do not worry about the possibility of pit bull in your dog. Look at her as an individual and treat her kindly and gently. Train her with positive reinforcement or clicker training and you should enjoy a great relationship!

Hope this answers your questions!

Cindy