Hi

My GSP has chewed through every lead she has ever had, I say chewed, she just does one scissor bite with her back teeth when they are taut and they shear off. Luckily I have a friend who manufactures bouncy castles so they have a machine that can mend them.
The problem is that yesterday she was on the 50ft long lead when she did it which meant she was free in a public place. Luckily there were no other dogs about (anyone who has seen my threads before will recognise that she is a rescue and I am working hard to socialise her). I was also in a big park and it was quite a way to a road. I called her and waved the cheese in a tube and potential disaster was averted.Does anyone know of a 50ft lead that she won't be able to chew through?
Would a stainless steel tie out cable work to exercise her if I used that as a lead. Do they do these in such a long length?
I am desperate because she really needs the chance to run around.

Doesnt work on every dog, but a lot detest it so worth a try, is bitter apple,think you should be able to get it at Pets at home, or health shops maybe. It wont do them any harm, but taste is not very nice, Its an old trick to stop biting and chewing, you just spray it on. One of mine used to chew through tether leads in the car, and I ended up buying a double end kennel chain that the pet shop got me, but that was just to tether her safely in the car, it wouldnt be practical for using as a training lead I would think. Although for short leads, you used to be a able to buy ones with a leather handle to hold and the rest was chain. Might solve the prob for short lead walks, they dont tend to try to bite them.

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Could you not clip a leather lead to the end that she chews? That would be much harder to chew through.

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If she has to have tension on the lead in order to slice through it then you could keep a little of the lead in reserve, eg make a loop out of the last meter of lead, and then drop the loop when you see her going for it. It's difficult to describe how I hold it but I do the same thing with a 6ft lead. Place the loop (if there is one) over your thumb with the lead hanging down over the palm of your hand. Then make your loop and put it over your forefinger. Now when you make a fist you it should be virtually impossible to pull through your hand, but if you open it and lower your hand, you should drop the loop.

Hope that makes sense.

The only other thing I can think of is to use a chain lead from her to the start of the long line, so she can't chew through the part next to her.

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Hi
Thanks for those suggestions. I will try the bitter apple, I am sure that I have seen it on the internet. I can't use chains because of her past experiences. Her third home was on a farm from age 5 months to 14 months. She was chained outside in the farmyard with no shelter or attention from anyone all through the winter. If she hears a chain she cowers down and goes all nervous. I think this led to her socialisation problem too. Not only was she never walked or played with but I have been told the farm had a few small ratters (presumably JRT types) that tormented her when she was chained up. I think this is why she bites through her leads too. She is ok when they are loose but as soon as they go taut she must think she is tethered again so trys to free herself. I had massive problems in the car until I found a short enough tie out cable, it is very lightweight but strong covered steel cable and she has never tried to bite that. Thats why I was looking for a really long one for training but can't find one long enough. I hadn't given leather much thought because she goes through the strong webbing leads in one bite is it really much stronger than the thick nylon webbing?

Ferdie used to chew through the nylon webbing on his extension lead; don't know if that is the same stuff. But he hasn't managed to chew through leather and neither has Joshua. I expect they could, given enough time and incentive. Your poor boy; if I had my way I would chain up people like this and bloodywell leave them there.

__________________
http://www.gentle-newfoundland-dogs.com
http://www.royston-pet-care.co.uk



Will always miss you, my little Joshie Woshie xx

If you want real love, buy a dog

If you wouldn't use it on a child, don't use it on a dog

http://pettaxisg8.yolasite.com/
http://www.help-for-learner-drivers.yolasite.com/

I should add that she hasn't yet tried to do it on a short lead. Maybe she doesn't feel tethered as we are both moving together. The biggest problem was in the car when I was using her leads to attach her harness. She hadn't tried it on the 50ft lead before yesterday either. But now she has done it I can't risk her doing it again before her recall is sorted.
Considering her awful start she is really doing well. She is very beautiful and so loving and soppy (unless you are the other side of the gate when she is Miss Protector UK) but she has never had any of the usual training that dogs get and I want to keep her safe until I can teach her all she needs to learn. My main priority outside of the house at the moment is getting her fit, teaching recall and socialisation but I need to be the one deciding when she gets off lead to sort out the two latter instead of her deciding she wants lots more of the former