Behavioral Issues

Hey eeeefarm, read that article you shared via link…..very interesting and enlightening! when one reads about spindle cells and the amygdala, one has to consider emotions to some degree in animals across the board! don't know about trees etc....???? 'nother forum ????

I have noticed my female besingi mix (18months) of age becoming more and more agressively towards me, children, and other dogs. She is very well socialized however she is becoming more dominant, wanting to nip at faces agressively when playing with dogs who too want to attack playfully at the face. However, she has become very aggressively to mommy when trying to keep her outside while I vacuum and she absolutely hates the vaccum and having the door shut closing her off from me. SHe tried to bite my arm (very agressive face with fangs out and fur up) last week and I had to use a broom in order to shut the door. Additionally, she snarls at children. Khloe and I are the only 2 in my household, so no kids and no one else. Only few friends and neighbors stop by but lately she is getting even more aggressive towards them, even if she knows them. I do not know what to do. We were kicked out of puppy training when she was 4 months old b/c she has severe leash aggression. She does work well with a clicker, but I dont always have the clicker on me. My vet today told me to come on here to see if you guys could potentially help or lead me to the right direction of contacting an animal behavioralist. He stated Khloe will only get worse if nothing is done. Additionally, I do not spank Khloe, I only use a clicker, but obviously does not show her that I am the dominant one. SHe also demands all of my time to the light up laser for hours on end and will not give up. Please help! Vonda

Good to hear about the changes: my experience is that when I learn more about dogs, our dogs respond also. They must have a sense of what's going on inside you. As to the ears: I interpret it as submissive behaviour or in human terms, politeness. In play or dog interaction, it is a calming sign saying: "I'm just kidding, I'm not seriously fighting". Turid Rugaas has a lot to say about calming signals, very useful. Enjoy!

In my experience it is less about the ears, but more about the habit of basenji's of touching another dog's butt with their mouths slightly opened as an invitation to run/play. Many dogs and their owners don't get this, and react accordingly. I always monitor up close when especially Lela starts interacting with a dog we don't know. Binti is more reserved, so less of an issue with her. See also books by Turid Rugaas: http://en.turid-rugaas.no/

@mixie: All good suggestions! We use the "elimination on command" stuff, so from day one she had a specific potty word, praise and treats for peeing. She is food-motivated, but only to a point. That first 27-hour standoff, she didn't get fed from the day before because she hadn't peed yet, and nothing good happens until everyone's had a morning pee. I tried offering every kind of treat, including her actual prey-model-raw meal, and she was more insistent on leaving the yard than eating. =/ I am curious about how upping her fluids would change things. She really drinks very little during the day, by choice. Maybe I'm just used to a dog with a less-efficient water-consumption protocol, and she really doesn't need to pee as much as I think she should. ;0) She's had four days on the Cipro, it would be handy if it's just a bladder infection and we see some changes from that! I just read this last post and if you are feeding her raw (as I do), then her urine output is a little less than the norm because the raw food is moist and our pooches (esp B's) don't drink as much. Though, you said she exercises a lot and since I also share the humidity factor like you, the fluid intake should make her bladder full. Take mental notes of when you feed, when she drinks, when she pees and you'll get in a rhythm. Like eeeeefarm mentioned, just don't push the issue, adjust to her 'pee schedule' and make it yours via commands, the crate etc. She can sense your frustration and it only adds to her not wanting to go in that backyard area….This definitely is one of those scenarios where digging for patience is needed! Give it time......continue to work with her as you want and it will get better!

I think it depends on the dog. It is funny, but yep the bear hug has worked with both Sayblee and Cara when they were into the wilds. (Arwen never gets wild in any way… far too dignified to be like that thank you!) If bear hugs escalates or they seriously try to bite you, then it isn't working. But most do hate being restrained enough that they get it. In fact I'd rather restrain than ever use a crate for PUNISHMENT. Now if you used the crate just to make him sleep in, yeah. But bad behavior then in crate sets up a bad connection. Hope things continue to go well.

Playing by mouthing is how she played with her littermates and Mom (or any other adults in the house)…. so it is totally normal... if too rough with her littermates/adults, they would yell/squeal at her... Takes time and patience to teach what is acceptable as what she is doing is normal for dogs. Will not change overnight... and likely will last till she is done teething....

That this arose at home but not on the street sounds like property protectiveness, and should dissipate once your dog figures out he lives there too, but you need to work on it if you want to avoid issues with other visitors. Can you remove yourself from the equation and allow the roommate to just "be" there, ignoring the dog until things settle down? Then, treats and food can reward more settled behaviour. IMO it would be a mistake to try to force the relationship in any way. A calm, matter of fact attitude should facilitate things. Definitely no approaching the dog or pushing attention on him. Let the dog set the pace. When he stops feeling threatened he will likely approach on his own. Any aggressive approach should be ignored if possible as long as it doesn't turn into an outright attack. (maybe leave a trailing leash on the dog as a way to take control if things really deteriorate, but I doubt that they will).

Oh that's sooo funny reminds me of my grandmother who swore if her quick march up and down the garden path didn't work(get her bowels working) she would use some soap, hope to never need the matchstick or the soap. jolanda ans Kaiser

Both Cara and Arwen keep their back toenails chewed appropriately short, but yeah if too short distract. You might even try using baby wipes when he comes in to wipe his feet down before he starts the licking.

@Chealsie508: fewf Pat, I was starting to feel like the odd man out! ….And guilty-- three and a half years of a minimum of three walks a day-- and I cant for the life of me keep Oakley from pulling or at the very least, having tension on the leash. I wish it would change but I have tried lots I hate hate hate having a dog pull on me. Maybe because I always have had Rottweilers and Chows, it is my number one training rule… no pulling. Period. Ever. The second a dog pulls we go back to training. As a result, my then 40 pound child could do obedience (well it was to train her, the dog was trained) with my 110 pound Rottweiler. And i do it without jerking. Ever. From rescued feral dogs on, persistent training can stop pulling. When I go to the farm, I put them on a LONG LINE and let them explore, I don't expect and they know that is more of a free time. But on a walk, no. Slightest tension and we stop and/or back up til the pulling stops. http://www.clickerlessons.com/looseleash.htm

I would definitely read this as him wanting attention and/or something you have that he wants. The frustration builds up and that gets him talking. (my boy is the same way if he is impatient with me about something he wants, usually food, but he only vocalizes, he doesn't nip.) When he does this, I would ask him for a specific behaviour (sit, down, something he knows how to do), and if he complies I would then pay attention to him, either play or patting or perhaps food if appropriate. If he tries nipping, (either you or the couch!) you need to remind him that that is not acceptable behaviour. Time outs are a good option, especially if corrections get him excited. But the bottom line is he wants more attention from you, and he gets his reward because his behaviour results in a response from you. I think I would try observing him closely and heading this off before it starts, probably by asking him to do something for me before he starts vocalizing and nipping. Keep him busy for awhile and he may decide he'd rather relax than bug you.

female til she squeeks and then lets go of her. Sometimes he uses this method to drag her out of the room. She has never done this to him.

I have found a great tool to help with nail cutting/drummeling. It's called the Calming Cap from the makers of the Thundershirt. It goes over the head like a hood and because the dog can't see well, it stays calm. About 20 or so years ago, I used to put a sock over my dogs head. It worked much in the same way. You might want to try it because it really works.

She now did this after getting up from a loong long 2 or 3 hr nap , after doing her downward dog and cat stretch , stretching down then back into a normal position she whined and turned to her left hind side , muscle cramp ?, stifle stuck?, is really weird I've squeezed every place it might be and nothing , she does go into a sit when I'm around her back end and squeeze her back end ? Could that be an issue ??

I spoke to a trainer. and she met with milosh, she said hes fine, not to muzzle him (which i wasn't anyways) and if it occurs again 'time him out' on the leash for 5min. till he calms down. and play with him after hes unleashed-repeatedly he will 'get it' and aside from the obvious that the springer and the owner are recluse at the park , speaks for itself. I wont peruse a solution with them any longer. I already have spoken to the park office and multiple people at the park and a trainer. and also here on the forums(although many don't agree here with my story). Milosh is a pretty healthy socialite and sour apples at the park wont stop us from having a good time.