Biting the lead - please help

I would really value advice at the moment if you dont mid as I am having a problem with Ziggy my Bernese mountain dog ( he is 7 months old) walking with me. I suspect its my fault but Im not sure how to correct it. He starts a walk by grabbing the lead and jumping at it. I have managed to stop this at the start of the walk by taking him back in the gate and waiting 10 mins then going again, have persevered with this although it sometimes takes a few attempts. He is then fine and walks well until we meet someone who usually wants to talk to him or about him. Straight after that, he is back to biting the lead, growling and jumping at it/me. I have had to pin him down or hold him by the scruff a few times but he is quite big and strong and has been close to 'getting' me a few times. It sometimes happens too far away to drag him home and I have to deal with it there and then. He is a great big lovable lump most of the time and I have no problems dealing with him in the house, its just on walks and its really getting me down to be honest. Any advice would be most gratefully recieved. Not sure if a different lead/collar set up would help? Am open to all suggestions,

Thanks
Lorna

I had exactly the same trouble with Dale at that age. It was so bad on holiday last year one mother grabbed her little girl and crossed the street
I don't know if I dealt with it the right way but I found standing still and getting him to do some sit, stand, downs helped to calm him down. If he wouldn't respond to any commands we just stood still and I kept everything very quiet and calm, if possible.
With Dale it was just like a toddler having a tantrum if he didn't get his own way. He always started when we headed home or if he saw something he wasn't allowed to investigate.
Thankfully its all stopped now. I think he just grew out of it really certainly by a year, but it was a real worry at the time.

Do you do any training when out walking, or take toys or treats with you? It could be a good idea to start doing some basic training when out walking with him,

The other thing I did with Dale was to keep a toy specially for walks, a wubba because it was his favourite. Then with luck I could distract him with that and if he carried it he couldn't bite me

my OH cured our pup of this- in a rather weird way, he used to try to stand on deez s toes!! then while he was jumping about getting out of the way, he forgot about biting lead and messing about.
please dont think he's cruel, he never actually stood on his paws just pretended to try to get them. i thought he was mad when he told me, but it actually worked, and still does if he starts messing about when he's on lead, you do look a bit silly for a minute, both of you jumping round!

Hi Lorna grabbing the lead is common behaviour in puppies, many of mine have done it.
Two things to try, stand absolutely still when he grabs the lead, no word no eye contact and the lead grabbing usually stops because it is not rewarded with attention. Invest in a chain lead with a leather handle, puppies don't usually like the feel of metal against their teeth . (You can buy a lead like this one on the internet, 'Ultimate Animals' website is one supplier, they do a selection of lengths )

Thank you for all the advice, I will try this with Zigs. I do train him but just really in the house/garden not on our walk. I have tried to but he really does not listen yet when we are in public, too much to see/do. I am off out a walk just now and will try standing still and no eye contact to start with and see how it goes and will post. Thank you so much for the advice, really hope it works as I love the big lump to bits and really want to enjoy walking him and feel safe too!

I have had several dogs that did this, I stop it by making a "AH AH" noise, the dog stops to see what the noise is and I reward him for stopping by giving him praise.

I would suggest you to invest in a chain lead as mentioned above, I had the same problems and after having my puppy on the chain lead for a couple of months he never tried biting the "normal" leashes again.

Good luck

Quick update - Ziggy doing well. Not sure if this is curing the problem but it works for the moment....have started walking him really briskly with no eye contact and he gives up with biting the lead to keep up. he still has a wee try at the start of walk but things are going much better and I feel much more positive. Not got a new lead yet as I want to persevere with the extending one as he doesnt get off the lead yet. Hope to restart dog training classes as soon as his eye is 'fixed'! Thanks for advice

Lorna