You really need a strong bond of trust to raise a Big dog. Odin likes to play a game with me when I get the leash, where he tries to prevent me actually getting it on until he concedes he’s cornered (or I get serious about there being no time for games).

And I realize it must look, to someone else, like he’s trying to bite my hand off! But he’s not. He’s making a play-gesture that doesn’t hurt at all. And I have complete trust in him when he “snaps” at my hand that we’re playing a game and it’s never his intent to hurt me.

(Okay yes there’s a tooth-hole in my sleeve, but he was a puppy when he did that.)

(And if you’re worried about hypotheticals… he doesn’t play this way with randos. Odin understands he can play rough with mommy and daddy but not people outside the house)