Got agressive towards my daughter

[malti35]

Hi everyone,
I have two basenjies and the male 3years old decided he dont like my daughter (she was his best friend )any more.
When he see her he intends to darken his back and growl showing his teeth. Last Sunday while at my field and everthing was ok ,he suddenly went next too her and gave her two shap bites on her elbow and palm , some stiches had to be done.
Since then I am afraid to take him outside especially of the leash. What can I do..?any one experienced same situation?

[2baroos]

How old is your daughter?
Dogs do not usually “just” turn on someone they love

[coyohti]

Oh no! That's very concerning and I hope you can find some good input!

Basenjis are notoriously "one person" dogs. Is he usually with someone else in the family (you?) - meaning, who do you believe he thinks is "his person"? I ask because while my basenji otherwise adored my husband, when I was distraught or unwell she would become defensive if he did anything she perceived as him trying to separate her from me.

Another thing to consider, if your daughter is old enough, was she menstruating? I know, it's an odd question. I don't have any experience with male basenjis but my parents had a male Boston Terrier that would get weirdly defensive when it was my "time". It looked like aggression though I thought perhaps it was more his screwy way of trying to herd/control my movements. It's a weird possibility but maybe something to consider if other things don't make sense.

[Dagodingo]

First thing I would do is look for any health problems, vet visit, full blood work with a T4, some can make the dog aggressive and Basenjis are known for thyroid problems. Once you have ruled that out, look at the structure and make sure they are getting enough excercise and strong leadership. It may also be some kind of transferred aggression. How old is your daughter and has anything happened between then recently?

[Antigone]

@coyohti This is actually a great observation. My Mom has 2 Senior Mixed Breed Shelter Dogs and my Mom told me that her Male would not be friendly towards me. I shrugged it off and when I came into her Home the little Male Dog jumped on the Couch and put his head in my lap and went to sleep! No biting. Boy animals like me because I found out that I am estrogen dominant. The Geldings are the same way!

Oftentimes animals are being Defensive and NOT Aggressive. If your Male dog bit your daughter it may have been his way of 'Claiming' her. I know this sounds strange but I have seen how Animals react and it is rarely aggression.

You have gotten some great advice about getting him Bloodwork and making sure he gets extra exercise because we all know a tired Basenji is a good Basenji. If he bites your daughter again I would go to another Dr because Dog Bites must be reported depending upon what the State Law is where you live. If he is reported you could lose him. So be careful and try to determine what changed his attitude towards your Daughter. I think this can be worked out.

Best of luck!

[eeeefarm]

How old is your daughter? Has anything occurred between your daughter and the dog? If your daughter is young, consider that there may have been an incident you don't know about. When I was 7 years old and our Sheltie bit me, I told my father, who immediately asked "What did you do to the dog?" Busted! Yeah, it was my fault. Basenjis do hold grudges, so if something has transpired that you don't know about that could be the reason.....

And yes, definitely consider health problems. Apart from anything else, a sore spot that is unintentionally touched may result in the dog resenting someone because they have inadvertently hurt him.

[Zande]

First thing I would do is sit your daughter down and ask her, firmly, what she did to provoke the Basenji !

Basenjis normally love children - especially their own children (human kids they live with). It takes a good deal to upset a close relationship (on the Basenji's side).

I am always very loathe to sell a puppy into a family with young children, unless they have had a dog (ANY dog, but preferably a Basenji !) before. And I make absolutely sure the parents will not immediate side with the child against the dog because, in my long life with Basenjis, I am well aware the fault almost invariably lies with the child.

Getting this information might save you a trip to the vet !

[malti35]

Thank you allfor the advise, my daughter is 23years old and she adores hin, she babysit him when I go abroad...as advise here im doing blood test.
This week some one he never met (so no foul playing there ) a friend of mine came to talk to me as usual , he could not get near me as I am sure he would bite him, he was very agressive. One issue we are considering is that his mother which is also with me was on heat and we seperated them till she is ok to be with him.could this triggered his agression ?

[eeeefarm]

@malti35 said in Got agressive towards my daughter:

One issue we are considering is that his mother which is also with me was on heat and we seperated them till she is ok to be with him.could this triggered his agression ?

Oh yeah......definitely could be a factor. That information changes the equation somewhat.

[DebraDownSouth]

Get the dog checked. Ask your daughter to go very carefully over the events. That the dog bit her twice severely enough to puncture is a very very bad sign.

[senjisilly]

@malti35 Have your vet send the blood draw to Dr. Dodds at Hemopet. Very few, if any, veterinary labs run a complete analysis especially for thyroid issues. Dr. Dodds has been tracking certain breeds health issues for years, Basenjis being one of them. You will find the forms and other information at: http://www.hemopet.org/

I changed vets because, even though his in-house lab did not have the capabilities to run a complete thyroid analysis, he refused to allow me to send a blood draw to Dr. Dodds. Good luck.

[tanza]

Have to say, good thing that you got a different vet... that is totally unacceptable that your vet would "refuse" to send blood samples where you want them to go. I would report that vet if that happened to me besides changing vets. Same goes for Medications... at least in California, if you request a scrip they must give it to you. They can't refuse this and make you purchase from them

[DebraDownSouth]

@senjisilly said in Got agressive towards my daughter:

Very few, if any, veterinary labs run a complete analysis especially for thyroid issues.

Lots of very fine reputable places do full panel thyroid.. Michigan State, Cornell ( https://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/test/detail.aspx?testcode=THYPK9 )) etc.

Here are OFA sites: https://www.ofa.org/diseases/other-diseases/hypothyroidism/thyroid-labs

Approved OFA Thyroid Labs
Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC)
Endocrinology Laboratory, Cornell University, 240 Farrier Rd., Ithaca, NY 14853, 607-253-3673

Animal Health Laboratory
Laboratory Services Division, University of Guelph, Specimen Reception, 419 Gordon St., NW Corner Gordon/McGilvray St, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, CANADA, Phone 519-824-4120 X54530, Fax 519-827-0961

Antech Diagnostics*
1111 Marcus Ave., Suite M28, Lake Success , NY 11042, 800-872-1001
*only the Lake Success, NY location of Antech has been certified to process OFA thyroid panels

IDEXX
1345 Denison St., Markham, Ont, L3R 5V2, CANADA, 1-800-667-3411

Michigan State University
MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MSU VDL), 4125 Beaumont Road Room 122, Lansing, MI 48910-8104, 517-353-1683

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
483 Agronomy Rd., College Station, TX 77840, 979-845-3414

University of California Davis
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Central Laboratory Receiving, VMTH Room 1033, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, CA 95616
Phone: 530-752-VMTH (530-752-8684), Fax: 530-752-5055, email: ucdvetclinicallabs@ucdavis.edu