Jack Russell biting

[Jacksy]

Hi, we have a 7 year old Jack Terrier who can be quite feisty. He absolutely loves going for walks and allows you to put on a lead easily. However once home again he will not allow you to take off his lead and he turns very nasty when you try. I am trying to find a lead/leash that is easy to take off without having to physically put your hands near his neck. Any ideas any ??

 

[banana]

Hello Jacksy - welcome to Dog Forum!!!

Are you able to distract him with food whilst you unclip it?

I would also seek professional help to stop the behaviour for good, but for now I would distract him..

Has he always done it?

By the way - I am Anna

 

[Jacksy]

Hi Anna,

Thanks for the tip. He started this habit when he was about two years old and we have no idea why he started.

We've tried all kind of distraction tricks but to no avail - he seems to always know what you are planning!!!

I think you are right - we need to get professional help - but I wanted to find a leash to get us by in the meantime.

Thanks again

Jo

 

[banana]

I don't think there will be anything you can get off without him noticing?

Is it the lead he hates or do you think he doesn't want to accept hes no longer on a walk?

 

[hanneroon]

what about a slip lead? I can't imagine one on a little jack russel, especially if he is a puller, but maybe one of the broad ones for whippets?

Have you tried putting it on, and taking it straight off again, repeatedly, or often? (with treats when he doesn't react)

Does he mind you going near his neck any other times?

Think i'd be tempted to say ok, and keep hold of the lead till he gets bored of my company and wants it off. good luck! I love jack russells, clever crazy things. My friends one plays dead, and lays under the wheels of her car at the end of a walk!

 

[Jacksy]

Thanks everyone for your tips. Really appreciated

 

[banana]

We need a picture now

 

[eingana]

I think that no matter what the cause you'll need to be using some desensitising techniques for him to allow you close enough to take off a standard lead and they take time, so in the mean time I'd look at either having a slip lead or maybe putting him in a harness where the lead doesn't actually attach to his neck at all. Some of the harnesses for little dogs have the attachment point really quite a long way back on their back which means that you don't have to get your hands near his neck and you can leave him in his harness for hours at a time without any problem.

For basic desensitising you'd do as hanneroon suggests, putting his lead on and then taking it off immediately in return for a treat so often that whatever he is associating with the lead being removed stops being focused on just when you come in from walks and starts being diluted with all of the 'well, that wasn't the end of the world and I got a treat too' feelings from all of the other dozens of times that his lead is taken off.

Personally I'd sort of combine the two and get him a harness that is a shape that he's not familiar with (therefore no association with having his lead taken off) and then desensitise intensively with that, putting him in the harness and then attaching and removing a lead loads of times a day at random times, both before and after walks, then removing and replacing his harness at similar random times, all done in a non-scary way accompanied by treats and good body language. Starting again with a new and unfamiliar harness and lead could be all that it takes to break that behaviour pattern.

You may then still have to look at the issue of putting your hands near his neck, but if he's not got one action to focus on then that should be easy to desensitise afterwards, with more treats and just putting your hands as close as he is comfortable, again dozens of times a day.

Good luck

 

[Jacksy]

Hi everyone,

Think we have 'kinda' solved our problem. We have bought a training lead which is very long, we thread one end of the lead through his collar and hold both ends whilst walking. when we get home we just pull the other end through. It seems to work and he doesn't get stressed - happy days!!!

 

[banana]

Well done.. always a way around it.. you do need to be able to touch his neck though so I would look into desensitising him in that area....