leash tug of war

Question
I have a 12 week old male Border Collie/Blue Heeler mix. I've recently begun leash training with him, and it's going quite poorly: I attach the leash (to his flat nylon collar) and in his mind, tug of war begins. He really gets going, growling and thrashing around. I'm not sure if it's a dominance thing or what -- when he gets in this mood he'll also bark or growl at me, even if the leash isn't on, for no apparent reason. Certainly, he wants attention; I'm not sure if it is a dominance thing as well. I've tried ignoring him when he starts biting the leash, I've tried dropping and walking away if we're in the backyard, I've tried a nylon leash coated with Bitter Apple, and a chain leash. Nothing stops him. When I walk away from him thrashing around, he'll keep going as though the leash is live prey he needs to kill. I don't know what to do to stop him, and it gets me incredibly frustrated when we're in the middle of a walk and he flips out. Any suggestions appreciated.  

Answer
I sense that you may not have owned working herding breeds before.  They often, even as young ones, display behaviors that, properly channeled, would help them do their "jobs" later in life.  The first thing I would advise you to do is to stop thinking in terms of "dominance" which often leads owners to get into a situation of trying to punish or "be the boss" - when all that is really needed is leadership and training a dog that has no experience.  The herders are great problem solvers, and they need a lot of physical and mental stimulation in order to be successful in pet homes.  Several things I would like to see you do to meet those needs.
First, read the position statements on dominance, punishment, and puppy socialization at the AVSAB web site.  Socialization is absolutely critical for this breed mix, and you will live to regret it if you don't start pretty immediately.  Use positive reinforcement training - get in to a positive or clicker puppy class asap with this dog, and start earlier at home.  There are free lessons at www.clickerlessons.com and free videos at www.clickertrainusa.com.  I also like the Dogmantics site.  If he demands attention by barking, simply look away and turn away until he's quiet, then quietly praise or toss a treat on the ground for him.  You want to convince him that his poor behavior gets him nothing, but doing things you like gets him what he wants.  Instead of expecting him to give up chewing on the leash by himself, use a tiny bit of Vicks Vapo Rub on it, but ALSO use a tidbit to get him interested in walking forward and use the tidbits to reward him for staying close to you but walking along.  The site I mentioned has tips for teaching attention and loose lead walking in ways that are non-confrontational (you will not win confrontations with Cattle Dogs!)  Redirect his attention to toys that he can shake, and trade back for them (again with a tidbit) so that he learns to give them back when you say "trade".  Feed part of his dinner kibbles from an interactive toy, such as a Buster Cube or Twist 'n' Treat.  That will give him some mental exercise at meal time.  Do insure that he gets to play with other puppies frequently - that's probably the biggest aid in teaching him to inhibit his bite.  Make sure to carry food with you on your walks so that you can redirect his attention from thrashing to doing a nice "sit" or two to earn a reward.  Keep things positive and motivational!