Lead biting is a very common puppy behaviour, but not all lead biting is the same. What happens right before your dog grabs the lead will help you understand why they’re doing it.

There are a few reasons:

• Jumping up and biting the lead with lots of energy -> frustration, over-excitement, & redirection
• Grabbing the lead and trying to turn it into a tug toy -> playing
• Casually chewing on the lead while not doing much else -> boredom
• Chewing because the lead happens to be conveniently available to sore puppy gums -> teething

Frustration, over-excitement & redirection

If your puppy suddenly starts jumping up and attacking the lead, particularly with lots of frantic energy, it is generally called redirected behaviour. This happens when puppies become highly aroused or frustrated—perhaps at the beginning or end of a walk, when something exciting has just happened, or when they can’t get to something they want, such as another dog.

When the arousal gets high enough, thinking becomes harder and puppies sometimes just grab whatever is readily available: often the lead, but sometimes clothes, shoes, or even their owner. Some puppies may also start jumping or humping.

Rather than battling over the lead, help your puppy decompress. Stop somewhere safe and scatter some treats on the ground for them to find, or calmly move away from whatever is adding to the excitement. Most importantly, start noticing when it tends to happen. If your puppy regularly attacks the lead towards the end of a walk, for example, try heading home a little earlier next time.

It’s a Game!

Sometimes your dog confuses the lead with an excellent tug toy.

If your dog grabs the lead and tries to engage you in a game, avoid tugging back. Make the lead as boring and still as possible. Don’t try to wrench it away from them or squeal. Scatter a few treats for your puppy to find or redirection with a toy if you’ve got one handy.

Boredom

Some dogs will chew on a lead because there’s not much else happening.

I once watched a dog sitting with their owners at a café quietly chew straight through their lead. The dog then wandered out onto the street without the owners even realising what had happened.

If your puppy is inclined to chew, keep an eagle eye on both puppy and lead whenever you’re sitting around. It’s also worth investing in a good-quality lead and checking it regularly for damage.

Teething

For a young puppy with sore gums, a lead can also look like a very convenient thing to chew on!

Make sure your puppy has plenty of appropriate chewing options, and consider keeping a good chew in the bottom of your treat pouch. If you’re going to be hanging around somewhere for a while, you’ll have something appropriate to offer before you have to buy another lead!

At Urban Dogs HQ, we specialise in developmentally appropriate puppy training and socialisation. Reach out if you’d like some help.