@jcboy,
Stopping when Mac pulls sounds like a good idea. It breaks up the tug-of-war between both ends of the leash. They have some good dog training videos on YouTube.
My favorite dog trainer is Brian Kilcommons.
Quote:World-famous animal trainer Brian Kilcommons has appeared on Oprah, 20/20, and PBS' The Gentle Doctor: Veterinary Medicine, and had his own national show on FOX-TV called Pet News. Among his clients are Diana Ross, Morley Safer, ASPCA president Roger Caras, Diane Sawyer, and others. He is a part-time faculty member at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and is the former Director of Animal Behavior and Training at the City of New York Center for Animal Care and Control. He is the only American protege of legendary trainer Barbara Woodhouse. Brian Kilcommons lives in Bedford, New York.
http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Kilcommons/e/B000AP777O/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
His book is great for any dog owner--.
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Owners-Great-Brian-Kilcommons/dp/0446675385
When my current dog became an adolescent, at about 13 months, she suddenly began acting a little crazy. She began lunging at me, repeatedly, with her mouth open, and was hitting me so hard with her teeth that she kept breaking the skin--I had little puncture marks all over my arms. And every time she got near me she kept doing that sort of thing. Trying to eat at the dining table was an ordeal--she kept standing up, and going at me with her open mouth. If she got on the bed, she was such a rambunctious in-your-face pest it was really unpleasant to have her there. I couldn't understand what had suddenly turned my sweet, very well behaved puppy, into a seemingly aggressive, somewhat frenzied, furry whirlwind, and nothing I tried seemed to help--not even Brian's book. No dog I had ever owned had suddenly begun acting this way and I really didn't understand it. And, in those days, there wasn't much help on the internet.
In desperation, I actually called Brian to try to get some advice. He wasn't home but I spoke to his wife, Sarah Wilson, who is also a trainer and co-authored the book with him. Very sweet, nice woman, who re-assured me that my pup hadn't gone off the deep end, and wasn't really being aggressive, and gave me lots of good tips about changing her diet, using time-out periods in her crate to settle her down, playing games to tire her out, and mainly advised patience on my part, because she said it would all pass. And her suggestions all worked, and my dog's wild adolescent stage did indeed, thankfully, pass. I offered to pay Sarah for a phone consultation, which was my intention when I made the call, but she just laughed and said she was glad to be of help. Really nice person.
I did find one good hint on the internet about dealing with my dog coming at me with an open mouth--Binaca breath spray. One quick spray in her mouth did the trick, she didn't like the taste and I never had to use it again. The next few times she approached me to do it again, all I had to do was pick up the Bianca and she immediately stopped. Then the whole crazy business just stopped and never recurred. Adolescents--both the human and canine variety--can really be a challenge sometimes.
