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Aggressive Behavior

Behavioral Issues
  • Behavior or change in behavior can be a sign of Thyroid problems. It is not a "cure all", but a full thyroid panel can determine if that might be the sourse of the problem. If they are not feeling well, then that obviously can change their behavior.

    And have you talked to your girls breeder about her behavior?

  • Exactly Pat. Kathy Diamond Davis, writer and trainer, had a dog who was very aggressive. Fought over thyroid meds because she was only borderline, found a new vet, put her on it and got a new dog. It isn't usually that dramatic but sometimes it can make the difference.

  • tanza how much does a thyroid panel useually coast?!

  • Cost of thyroid panel depends on your vet. I had one done on my first basenji and it was $50 about 15 years ago.

    One thing (actually two things) I've noticed about basenjis is 1. they don't like people crowding around them (this seems to be a big issue for mine) and 2. they don't like strangers putting their hand out to pet the top of their heads. I always tell visitors (new or old) to ignore the dog until everyone is settled down and I insist any children first hold out their hands so the dog can give it the smell test (I tell the kids the dog needs to smell if they have good or bad hands) and that petting should be under the chin until the dog says its okay to touch elsewhere. The kids seem to learn better than adults - more than once I've heard the neighborhood kids tell their friends the rules as we're coming up to them.

  • the only thing is i have only seen him aggressive towards dobermans, american native huskys, and some labs. and ( always) towards pit bulls, & bull dogs!. i understand the doberman because he got attacket by one in the park!, but i stoped it before it got bad!.but kids and other people i haven't had any problem with!, but idid noteist that they dont like big crowds around them!.

  • @davcoz:

    there are some people that he just does not like.

    These people tend to be the type that make my wife and I uneasy.

    Any ideas about this?

    **If these folks make you and your wife uneasy. Then why wouldn't you expect the same reaction from your B?

    He's lettin everybody know what he's feelin and your not sayin!

    :rolleyes:**

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    @JazzysMom: Let me ask you this, Pat {and all}….. I've always fed my dogs separately, esp. since Keoki came into the picture because he will scarf his food and run to see if he can get what the others have. I don't crate them, but they are fed in separate rooms which puts them about ten feet away from one another. Keoki has learned NOT to hover over the other dogs, but he does kind of watch and wait for either of them to finish and then he runs over to lick their bowls. I don't have a problem with that, as they all run from bowl to bowl at the end of the meals, licking whatever {icky} they can find there. It's funny because they all get the same food. Lately, in the mornings only, Jazz won't eat UNTIL Keoki finishes and and then she will growl and ruuuuun for her bowl. So, the last few days I have put her bowl near his {as an experiment}-- w/in maybe 2 feet -- and she will immediately eat while he does. He eats faster, and it's almost as if she slows down when she knows he's finished. She picks up one piece of food at a time to carefully chew it, with the occasional quiet growl to remind him that it is hers. What is up with that? Honestly…sounds like a fight in the making to me. Eating faster is the first level of resource (in this case food) guarding. She may be eating slower for any number of reasons...the first one I thought of was a calming signal to him? I doubt she is trying to tease him...but she may be trying to make a point...mine, calm down, mine, calm down... These kind of things tend to escalate, so IMO, I wouldn't even experiment with it. Why not feed them separately, like with doors in between? It has got to be less stressful for the dogs if they don't have to worry if the other dog is going to bully them for their food...or on the other hand, if they can bully the other dog.
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    And sometimes you have to "push" and/or demand for the complete test that is not usually done by the labs that your Vet might use…
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