The ultimate in scratch-off lottery games for some dogs would be Leashtastic!, Lucky Leashes!, or best of all, Win 1,000 Leashes a Week for Life!
Three-year-old Yellow Labrador Ian goes through leashes as if they are lamb kibble soaked in gravy . Yet Ian’s owners swear that they can never catch him in the act of dismembering his leashes. After his walks, Ian’s leash is always scrupulously hung behind the door and remains untouched until morning. But by evening, the leash is in shreds. Telltale wisps of colored nylon lie like breadcrumbs forming a trail to Ian’s dogbed.
Given Ian’s – and a lot of other dogs’ – appetite for leashes, I can’t figure out how Lupine, Inc. hasn’t had to declare bankruptcy. Lupine is a leash and collar manufacturer whose company motto is LUPINE® products are GUARANTEED (Even If Chewed)®.
They really do stand behind this, and will replace any of their leashes, provided you send them the remnants of the one that didn’t stand up to your dog’s teeth. In Ian’s case, it’s like the proverbial 300-pound man at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Lupine isn’t making any money off dogs like Ian.
So, why would a dog chew on its leash? Presumably, the leash is associated with walks, which are usually pleasant and much desired by the majority of dogs.
For Ian, it happens to be an old habit that never died, like thumb-sucking or nail-biting in some humans. As a puppy, his owners would leave the leash on him for short periods to get him used to wearing it, and inevitably, it would end up in his mouth. Whenever the leash was attached to him, it was like an open invitation for chewing – so available, so irresistible so there.
His owners eventually got wise to Ian’s taste for leashes – after the 3rd or 4th replacement. “Hmmm, let me see. Ian chews his leashes. It is kind of fun to pick out a new one every couple of days – we’ve gone through a Harley Davidson leash, a camouflage leash, a red bandana leash, a Yankees leash. Should we buy stock in PetSmart? Maybe we should get a handle on this.“
So, they tried putting the leash on Ian and immediately taking him out for his walks.
They tried coating the leash in Bitter Apple.
They tried wrapping the leash around their hands so there was barely any leash to chew.
Yet somehow, he still managed to work it into his mouth and destroy it.
There are two things the owners did not try:
1) correcting him for chewing, or
2) distracting him from chewing.
What might work for Ian might not work for another dog, so both are viable options.
Walking Ian and correcting him every time he tries to use the leash as dental floss is one possibility. Dogs that don’t care about treats or toys might be a candidate for this method. Ian’s owners have to apply the rule of NO LEASH IN MOUTH on every walk, and be vigilant as well as consistent.
Taking Ian for a walk and changing his focus away from his leash with a treat or other diversion can sometimes work if Ian responds to food or a special toy, AND if his owners use this technique on every walk, and are consistent and PERsistent.
In either scenario, its up to Ian’s owners not to feed into his leash-chomping habit.