Good for you for being proactive about the situation!
Nipping
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It is indeed a transference issue and other breeds are also prone to it. please don't blame yourself for not being 'put off'. Until the issue is resolved please make sure your children are out of her reach when she meets another dog. Does she nip you as well under the same circumstances? Quite possibly so. I've had some Basenjis which had the sweetest temperament and not aggressive to other dogs and yet have had them turn on each other if they're leashed and unable to reach their goal (a prey animal for example) so don't blame Nala. Under those circumstances I make sure that they are held apart from each other. I'm a bit wary of muzzles because in some ways it can make them worse but if you think it will set your mind at rest use one if you think best. As a matter of interest I prefer an owner who has never had a dog before because they don't come with preconceived ideas as to how a Basenji should behave or be handled. I hope you get her to a point where you can really enjoy her in every way.
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@_neekko_ We just got our first besenji, not our first dog, and she is extremely nippy. she is 13 weeks old and is extremely stubborn. I'm sorry that you find other basenji owners judgemental that can be very hard when looking for help. Wish you the best of luck!
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My advise would be that your dog isn't dog friendly and that's ok. You have to accept that and work with it. An off leash dog beach is not where she belongs if she doesn't like other dogs. It isn't fair to the other people and other dogs to have her there, and it doesn't sound like she likes it very much either.
Definitely get a trainer to work on leash agression, but for now try to avoid situations that set her off. Try to walk in areas with fewer dogs, and teach your children to give her space when she's agitated.
Give other dogs a wide berth, or reverse your course when you see other dogs so you're not putting her over her tolerance threshold every time you go out. Stay at a more manageable distance, and stay calm and out of her way if she does react.
If you start to freak out she's going to freak out more. If you try to calm and reassure her she's probably interpreting this as you telling her that her current behavior is exactly what you want her to do. I'd just avoid putting her in that situation to begin with and ignore her if she does begin to react until you get a professional in to assess the behavior and tell you what your next step should be. -
I would also suggest that you take you take her to a trainer. I took my basenji to Doggie School 12 years ago when she was 6 months old.- which was great. We did "meet and greets" and other activities with other dogs on leash and it was extremely helpful. My basenji did great at dog school and I found the whole experience to be benneficial to dog and owner. We never had any issues walking her until about 4 years ago. My husband was walking our basenji on leash and as he came around a building, another dog - a big black lab (not on leash) brutally attacked our dog. Since that encounter, my basenji was traumatized and is now "on guard and ready to attack" with other dogs. If I now encounter another dog while walking my basenji, I either pick her up or cross the street. She is still very friendly with other people but is in "defense mode" with other dogs. Since your dog is still young, a professional trainer would be best. Patience along with positive reinforcement and consistency goes a long way with basenjis.
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@_neekko_ I had the same problem with my Dog. I would walk her on leash & harness to prevent her from getting free. This was for HER protection as people would let their dogs run free despite the Leash Law. I would see a bigger dog coming toward us and I would scoop her up and hold her against my chest as the big dog would jump on me and I would fall holding my Dog. You just have to be one step ahead of her. Basenjis are pack animals and as she grows older she will be protecting your kids instead of aggressing against them. I have no doubt that you have a good Dog you just have to watch her and your kids. I do not believe in any form of Behaviorism. Behaviorists are Psychologists who were not smart enough to get into Med School and become Psychiatrists. Sorry, but behaviorism is a 'pseudo-science' where the subject is basically manipulated and forced into submission. Very dangerous for Animals, especially Dogs and Horses.
Antigone
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@antigone
Agree with your comment on "behaviorist"! -
@ember-the-basenji
What is it about white fluffy dogs my Basenji doesn’t like them either -
hello and thanks for sharing with us. I think that the issue is a general, putting boundaries for the dog. I recommend you will start with the basics, which are teaching the word 'no', 'sit', 'come', and crate training(!!!)
There are a lot of lectures on the internet and books. I could have recommended a lecture series, a book which I found by accident and helped me a lot and some toys, but from my past experience, people are sometimes paranoid and accused me of advertising, even I have totally no interest in getting any benefit, whatsoever from my dogs or experience. It was much better to train the dog earlier, but nothing is too late, just little more difficult and require longer time.
from the other side, you took a responsibility when bringing a dog, and should take responsibility for the not-best start. The good thing that training a dog is easy! you need to be patient and consistent. Very consistent. A no is a no. once she will know that, things will be easier. Btw - the training of no, and when you put a boundary never have 'discounts'. I would have recommended not to start on difficult issues, but just pick someplace, a room or a bed to practice it on her. its not so 'personal' and difficult behavior 'no' to her. -
@_neekko_ You need to research and read and research and read again and again. Basenji's are so special you cannot compare them with any other breed. You need to be at least half a smart as they are and two steps ahead and understanding this will help you. My George is 7 now and He's been in the family since he was 10 months old. I was lucky to have another dog, labrador, lurcher who taught George manners and socialising and as Hector was a gentle dog this helped. but even now recall can be difficult as George is such a foody I have to bribe him to come back but if he's found food...no way. Picnics are a nightmare as he will see & smell one from the moment we get to the park & before he gets out of the car. With this in mind I have to scan the park first before I let him off the lead, if I let him off. Hector passed last September and George has become closer to me and life is easier but I still keep learning all I can. You may find your Basenji hard work to start with but believe me eventually you'll have the most wonderful, loving, amusing, crazy dog ever. Good luck
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Our sweet girl Nala has twice nipped my children and made them cry today alone. It's basically if they get between her and another dog when we are out walking, she is aggressive to other dogs on leash while walking but I couldn't possibly let her off leash as she has no recall whatsoever and will run and run and run which won't end well. I'm unsure at which point I need to start worrying, it's not nice that she hurts the girls although I know there is no malice intended and she just knows what she wants but I find it impossible to train my basenji, she will also nip me if another dog is present and it's so painful. I let her off at the beach but she basically just chases other dogs relentlessly and it becomes embarrassing. My children are 5 and 9 and we adore our Nala but this is starting to get us down. I'm starting to wish we had listened to our breeder when she tried to put us off.
Okay, so without being there to witness it, no one can say for sure it's transferred aggression, but I'd bet on it. As eeeefarm said, teach your children to stay out of her zone. That keeps them safe. A muzzle keeps other dogs safe.. or people who might get in the bite zone.
Basenjis are often dog aggressive. You didn't cause it, but the breeder should have made sure you understood. If any blame, it goes on the breeder for placing a puppy with a first time owner she felt she needed to try to dissuade. She was the one responsible for her puppies, she didn't have to let you have her, and that's on her.
I disagree with several posters who say basenjis are different from any other breed. Nah. They have common quirks, but nothing about them isn't also common in a lot of other breeds. Almost every breed has a general collection of behaviors that are unique package... but the individual ones, no. Dog aggression, animal aggression, same sex aggression, opposite sex aggression, it isn't uncommon. You just learn how to manage it so everyone is safe.
You are trying to get help, and you aren't making excuses. Yep I'm judging you... my verdict is you are a person trying your best. (( hugs ))
Your children are old enough to get involved with training. There are millions of books, videos and articles. I like Mary's because she is so clear and easy, and most things you need to address are there. Working on obedience will improve your dog's confidence, and your children's relationship with her. Teaching her a "leave it" or "look at me" command, working on it several times a day for a few minutes until you have a 100 percent response. Work through all the lessons away from other animals.
http://www.clickerlessons.com/index.htm Note, basic obedience on the left... issues on the right. Mary is wonderful, you can write her for help if anything on her page isn't clear.
Teaching your dog to wear a muzzle isn't on her page, so hopefully someone here has instructions. Here in Israel, muzzling for public transportation is usually required and we use nice comfortable basket muzzles. If you can get a trainer to help you find and fit one for your dog, or if someone here with more experience can recommend, hopefully they will. I know that my basenji can come out of ANY muzzle we have used, even the vet's office muzzles, if she wants to and I'm not paying attention.
Karen Pryor's page is probably excellent but I am sure there are better ones that are more to the point.
https://clickertraining.com/muzzles -
@_neekko_ My girl nips occasionally, deliberately, but without malice... in the same way as she's scratching an itch and gets too close to the skin. Sometimes it bruises - and it would be really alarming for a child to go through that. I just say "ouch!" and rub the spot. She's done this 3 or 4 times. It's been quite a while since the last time. It would probably be difficult for a young child to be able to control their reaction, but if you can teach her by reacting (calmly and without much ado) that it's not fun for you... maybe it would help train her to stop. Maybe?
That said, I get that you think the nips are a reaction to outside stimuli... my only advise on that is for you to practice walking her (alone) with confidence and control. Focus on acheiving successful solo walks. If nothing else, it will give you a chance to observe your dogs reactions. Maybe your dog is stressed out because she perceives danger for your children and she feels like she has to protect them. (If the kids aren't there, is she still acting the same way?) Maybe your dog is anxious because of bad interactions with other dogs. (Is she still having issues even when it's just you and her?) Give her a lot of positive reinforcement (treats and praise) each time she passes a dog without a negative reaction.
Last idea: help your girls mend any anxiety they may have regarding the nips... smear a dab of peanut butter on the palm of their hands and offer the treat (one at a time). While your dog is slobbering all over your girls, get them to tell her what a good girl she is and give her lots of belly rubs after the gigglefest subsides.
I hope we get to hear more about what you tried and how it worked.
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@ceecee My Dog packed with older well-trained dogs for a full month when I took my vacation. Basenjis indeed are special and require a ton of patience. I knew they were House Destructive but my little homewrecker chewed on everything. I was on the Telephone and she was laying next to my feet. All of a sudden the call was dropped. I looked down and she 'Flipped' the phone cord as if to say 'Look what I did!'. She also climbed a tree at the Horse Farm which was ok because that is what they do when being used for Hunting. She was not very high up because I could climb up there with her. She did not want to come down and it took a group of us to bribe her with treats!
She was never in any danger, she climbed the Bookcases in my Home but I got her to stop that by taking her off and saying no, She would rather die than negotiate. Food was always a motivator and she never had a hungry day in her life! It will be 4 years since I lost her and I miss her every day. I rescued 2 Senior Cats from Death Row in New York City. They came from the same home but hate each other. They are good company but they will never be a replacement for my dog.
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@debradownsouth said in Nipping:
I disagree with several posters who say basenjis are different from any other breed. Nah. They have common quirks, but nothing about them isn't also common in a lot of other breeds. Almost every breed has a general collection of behaviors that are unique package... but the individual ones, no. Dog aggression, animal aggression, same sex aggression, opposite sex aggression, it isn't uncommon. You just learn how to manage it so everyone is safe.
Surprising enough or totally not, i agree with that. I have heard so many times "Basenji's are so special you cannot compare them with any other breed. You need to be at least half a smart as they are and two steps ahead and understanding this will help you", which I do not agree. They are hunters and have some characters of hunters, nothing too dramatic. As mentioned, I think, by me and Debra there is unlimited help on the internet. And you may consider going to some class, not because the trainer will tell you something you don't see thousands of times on the internet. but your dog can be with other dogs and learn from them and\or be more socialized, which is always good. I insist that if you have the patient, then it easy. I don't say it a short procedure, not at all, but as one smart guy wrote "Don't Panic" (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy),".
And its also fun when you see a progress, which you will see. -
@_neekko_ I was in Boston last weekend with family and we walked through Boston Commons and the directly adjacent Public Garden. There were many people walking dogs along with the many people who were just walking in the parks. (In other words it was crowded). I've never seen the muzzles where we live, but I saw at least 5 dogs with muzzles who were being walked in the park. And these weren't big head engulfing muzzles, rather they used a slender strap that crossed the dog's snout. I looked them up when I got home, they seem to be called head halters. I filed that information away, because I thought about how smart the dog owners were. Their dogs got a good walk and fresh air, but there was no danger of any biting ocurring.
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@ktiefen1 - Head Halters (think of a Halter that is used on horses) do not prevent biting and they are not considered any type of muzzle. Might help to prevent a bite, but that is not their primary use. They are used instead of a collar to control the dog with their heads, with directional control. I would never rely on a head halter to control biting.
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Formal training is definitely needed - but you need to find a trainer that is familiar with a number of different breeds (one of my first trainers was an aussie-shepherd person and never worked with hounds before - what a mistake that was).
If there are dog schools that offer the AKC Canine Good Citizen classes in your area, I'd consider these after you've taken basic obedience. Or ask about a "manners" class.
Forget the walks in crowded areas and forget the off-leash parks.
I also would not suggest the head-halters ("gentle leader") on basenjis - these dogs will suddenly "take off" towards a squirrel or other prey animal and the gentle-leader/head-halter can damage the neck (it works fine for dogs that are more people oriented). -
to end of my part here - Good Luck.
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@crazysenji Well said. Any breed dog on a leash will get frustrated, angry and even scared when they are hampered from protecting themselves (i.e. by a leash).
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@debradownsouth said in Nipping:
Okay, so without being there to witness it, no one can say for sure it's transferred aggression, but I'd bet on it. As eeeefarm said, teach your children to stay out of her zone. That keeps them safe. A muzzle keeps other dogs safe.. or people who might get in the bite zone.
Please don't be inpatient with your B....my guy, Rickie, which I rescued at 1 1/2 was a MONSTER....but as others have written, follow thur with every issue the same way. I never use the word "no"...but instead I got in his face and loudly said "stop" and used my to fingers to touch his nose ...it worked, but it takes doing the same training the same way each time, not just you, but every member of your home. Rickie quickly learned I would not tolerate bad behavior...they are very smart and really do like a consistent life style and they she will also learn that you will protect her under any condition. My boy is praised every day by others who know Basenji's we take long walks. I use a "training" leash when I need him to stay close by my side ( stores etc), it clips around your waist and you are hands free. My Rickie is now 10 and am so happy I worked with him diligently on his behavior issues!!!
Good luck with her. -
Training is great, but it helps to recognize when your dog is "over threshold", as in this state they are not thinking, just reacting. You need to anticipate situations and be alert to the signs to work with your dog effectively. Training has to take place when he is receptive to it, not when he is frantic and tuning you out. Appropriate distance from whatever is triggering him is crucial for learning to take place.
