Why does my bread dough tear rather than stretch?

Too much flour in the dough.

Likely what wildflower said—but also could just be not enough kneading… try kneading it by hand after it comes off the dough hook for a few times, you may see it come up in stretch. If it doesn’t, add some water (a few ounces at a time) and knead that into it. It should recover pretty well.

Might want to let it rise longer too. Might not have enough oils (butter, oil, whatever you’re using) too. Might be the flour itself (esp if you’re making a 100% whole wheat bread).

Knead the heck out of the dough to relax the glutens. Knead for about 6 minutes, let the dough rest for 5, knead for another 6, etc until you strech the dough and it looks like a windowpane (you can see thru it).

Knead knead knead..make sure you also put it in a warm spot (like in the oven, but do not turn it on) until it rises.

I agree with everyone else knead that dough.

@smowmis: You knead the dough to develop the glutens.

Oh, and the dough hook sort of kneads the dough—it’s a good way to start. I still think that you need to knead the dough by hand to really get it to come out right.