Why does my dog bite when I put his leash on?
Their leash biting can be more of a ‘play with me’ act and not purely defiance or acting out. When it comes to leash biting, it could just be your dog is bored or he/she has a need to entertained. This is quite similar to wanting to play. Often, leash biting is a social behavior.
They’re not used to having hands near their face.
Imagine a person coming up to you and fluttering their hands around your face. They’re not being aggressive, but it’s enough to freak you out. Your dog could be experiencing a similar feeling whenever your hands get near her face. The air directly around her head is her personal space, and she doesn’t appreciate those boundaries being breached—even if it’s by her favorite person.
Being comfortable with human hands around their head is something dogs need to be taught. It’s an unavoidable part of their lives. They need their ears cleaned and their teeth brushed, and all that involves tolerating hands near their face. And don’t forget, putting a collar or harness on is a lot harder when your dog is doing everything they can to keep away from you.
Finding a harness that avoids the head area as much as possible is a short-term solution, but it won’t help your pup overcome their real problem. Starting puppies early by calmly touching their ears and lips is an important part of puppy socialization. But if your adult dog is already past that point, you can use desensitization conditioning to make them feel more comfortable. Find the line between where your dog is comfortable and where they’re not and slowly start getting closer. You can put peanut butter on your fingers for encouragement, but don’t move too quickly. The key is to take it in steps, and never move closer until your dog is completely comfortable with your current distance.