Either you need to sit down with the behaviorist and get her to explain things better or get another behaviorist.
Eeefarm is right - rewards need to come when the correct behavior is achieved not several days later, regardless of whether the reward is one toy or three. Are you also working on general obedience at the same time? If not this might also help redirect your dog's attention to good behaviors.
And wearing a gentle leader all the time???? My dogs would have that off in 10 seconds. I've never seen the gentle leader promoted as a calming tool so I don't understand that suggestion.
I'll have to email her. What do you mean by general obedience? Like working on sit, stay, come, leave it, drop it…etc? If so then yes.. all of his meals are fed by hand... working on crate training, general commands (sit, stay, etc) and then his leave it and impulse control. I've also been working with drop it when we play fetch or to get him to trade a toy for another toy... and obviously when he has something I don't want him to have.
I'm with you in that I'm uncomfortable with him wearing a gentle lead all the time... although surprisingly it does calm him down but to the point where he just sleeps or stares into space and won't function with it on. I use it when we have company or on days I take him to respite with me (I work with a boy with down syndrome) and this helps to calm him down and make it easier to have him visit with company. I'll email the behaviorist and ask for more specifics.
Kids don't even think that far into the future! Doesn't sound logical to me. If you are using operant conditioning, the reward (or punishment) needs to follow the action as closely as possible to be associated with it. That said, it isn't really fair to criticize without the reasoning being explained.
Oh you guys are funny 
On Thursday while trying to put a new winter jacket on Basil he bit my lip and I had to get a stitch. I emailed the behaviorist and she said that he's not ready for group classes and that he needs more in home training. She didn't give any advice as to how to handle this in the mean time as she said she's fully booked until January. I'm kind of lost as to what to do… I feel like I have an incurable dog that I somehow made into a monster at some point. I've been working hard on his impulse control and drop it/leave it training. He's just becoming more and more irritable. I think I'm going to try to work on this how I think is right. I stopped using the soft lead and his toys are back into a bin that he has access to. I'm going to try to use a more loving approach and try to understand him more. We'll have to see how this goes. I'm also going to go through the Humane Society for his group classes instead of with this trainer. Although I'm going to wait until after his neutered as he will be this month and want him to have time to heal. Thanks for all your support, just thought I'd update you all.
If the behaviorist doesn't have it in her schedule to see you for several appoints then they are too overbooked to be effective to help you. You need someone who will do a consult, set up a plan, and follow up on a regular basis if you are going to make progress.
If Basil finds the gentle leader aversive then he may have started to make negative associations with touch. Also, leaning over a dog as most of us do to dress a dog in a coat is very invasive and can make some dogs respond in ways to get more distance. If Basil is good at impulse control and hand feeding, start making a requirement of feeding that your hand is on him for him to get his kibble. Start with your hand somewhere he is comfortable having it and as long as your hand is in contact with him he get to eat from the other hand. Then start to move you hand around his body. Watch for him taking the food with more force or pausing in taking food these are indications that he doesn't feel comfortable having that spot touched. You will need to work slowly on those spots to build positive associations by feeding while touching those spots.
If you have to dress him in a winter coat to take him out and it requires two hands then smear peanut butter or something equally thick and sticky on a clean part of the fridge so that he can lick it while you are dressing him. Human touching = food
If you are not already using NILIF, nothing in life is free, then start. He should be earning not only his food but also his other life rewards. If he wants to go out for a walk, then he sits and makes eye contact you open the door and release him to go out. If he wants to come sit with you then he sits and makes eye contact and waits to be asked up. Watch the video "Say Please By Sitting" http://drsophiayin.com/videos/SayPleaseBySitting.m4v
My suggestion: Drop that behaviorist!!! I don't think she understands basenjis and I don't like her methods.
Lvoss has great suggestions - the video especially. Hand touches while treating is an excellent idea, also include collar grabs.
Also reward reward reward all good behavior too - several small treats not just 1 piece.
And good that you are working on basic obedience - apply these as training moments whenever the opportunity presents itself (more work on your part) not just during "official" training times.
Thank you for your replies. I've started to implement the touch while feeding and so far it's working well. I find that he tries to inhale his food though… any ideas on how to minimize this? I'm going to look at the local humane society for some different trainers as my sister went there and I love the way their dog is trained.
Thank you for your replies. I've started to implement the touch while feeding and so far it's working well. I find that he tries to inhale his food though… any ideas on how to minimize this? I'm going to look at the local humane society for some different trainers as my sister went there and I love the way their dog is trained.
Put rocks in the dish, big ones that he can not swallow… he will have to eat around them. This is a trick used for many, many years with horses that inhaled their food since with a horse it can quickly cause colic.
Put rocks in the dish, big ones that he can not swallow… he will have to eat around them. This is a trick used for many, many years with horses that inhaled their food since with a horse it can quickly cause colic.
And if you feed in your hand while doing the touching?
Have less in your hand at a time and just refill more frequently. It sounds like he is still mastering impulse control.
Put rocks in the dish, big ones that he can not swallow… he will have to eat around them. This is a trick used for many, many years with horses that inhaled their food since with a horse it can quickly cause colic.
Awesome! Thanks for the tip, Pat, because Kipawa is a little bit of a Hoover.
They also sell bowls that have bumps in them to eat around…safer than rocks 
Worked for my lab x who used to inhale her food when she was a puppy. http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/brake-fast.html here's a link! They arent very expensive either. Hope it helps!!
I'm pleased to hear that hand/touch feeding Basil is having good results - this is my favourite method of dealing with Basenjis who tend to bite.
Turn the bowl upside down - he'll have to eat around the sides of the big indent and the food keeps moving – better than rocks.
My new Teddy is a wolfer and in the morning I feed him piece by piece; in the evening he gets a half in his bowl and the other half during training.
On Thursday while trying to put a new winter jacket on Basil he bit my lip and I had to get a stitch.
O.K. this to me is a HUGE red flag. Nipping or biting at the face, let alone hard enough to require a stitch, is simply not acceptable ever! And IMHO should have been dealt with immediately. Did you continue putting the jacket on him? If not, he has now learned that biting you means you will stop doing what he doesn't like…....not a thing you want to be teaching him, trust me. Without being there to witness, I can only speculate, but from reading previous threads it doesn't sound to me like this dog is a "fear biter". Or a resource guarder, because it seems he bites to get his own way, not so much to guard things. Did he warn you before he bit you? A dog that bites without warning is extremely difficult to deal with......that is what makes Pit Bulls so dangerous if they are bad. I know the consensus on this forum is for only positive methods, but it seems to me that when the line is crossed it may not be possible to "fix" this by just ignoring it. Of the five Basenjis, one Sheltie, one mixed breed and one Border Collie I have owned, exactly none of them would ever bite or attempt to bite on the face. Whether Basil's problem stems from training issues or temperament, it needs to be addressed.
O.K. this to me is a HUGE red flag. Nipping or biting at the face, let alone hard enough to require a stitch, is simply not acceptable ever! And IMHO should have been dealt with immediately. Did you continue putting the jacket on him? If not, he has now learned that biting you means you will stop doing what he doesn't like…....not a thing you want to be teaching him, trust me. Without being there to witness, I can only speculate, but from reading previous threads it doesn't sound to me like this dog is a "fear biter". Or a resource guarder, because it seems he bites to get his own way, not so much to guard things. Did he warn you before he bit you? A dog that bites without warning is extremely difficult to deal with......that is what makes Pit Bulls so dangerous if they are bad. I know the consensus on this forum is for only positive methods, but it seems to me that when the line is crossed it may not be possible to "fix" this by just ignoring it. Of the five Basenjis, one Sheltie, one mixed breed and one Border Collie I have owned, exactly none of them would ever bite or attempt to bite on the face. Whether Basil's problem stems from training issues or temperament, it needs to be addressed.
He did not growl before he bit me, but I don't think he meant to even come into contact with me because I was moving towards him, I think he meant it to be a warning snap because he looked surprised after the bite (I know it's silly to think I can understand him like that)… but with all of the times he's come to me and bit my leg, I know when it's intentional.
I agree with you that he bites to get his way which I tried to explain to the trainer because on a walk if I don't let him sniff around or go see a bike rider or something else he will sometimes come back and bite on my pant legs which he does not do at any other time.
I did not continue to put on the jacket at that time because my lip was dripping blood on my pants and the floor... I was a little distracted. However, I cut the jacket so I don't have to put his legs through holes which I believe is the reason he bit me. I still put the jacket on him, he now has to sit and if he sits nicely without growling, biting or anything then he's treated. I try to talk to him in a soothing voice while I'm doing this as well so that he knows he's safe. He has another sweater that he wears that just goes over his head and then velcos under his tummy which he will happily accept me putting on. This new winter jacket had to have his legs go into holes. I understand this is a handling issue and a well behaved dog would allow his owner to pick up his/her legs and put them into jacket holes. I am working with basil everyday.. when he's laying down calmly I stroke him all over... gently touching his head, back, legs and stomach.. gently holding and moving his legs slowly so he gets used to it. He is treated for these sessions. In the past few days, while going back to how I was dealing with his problems before the trainer I have noticed a positive difference in his mood and behaviors.
I am finding it difficult to deal with this biting especially on walks because if he bites me because I want him to keep walking and he wants to sniff around... I do stop but I don't let him go to where he wants to sniff and usually I take out a treat and make him sit, lay down and wait. Then I give him the break command, he's treated and we keep walking. I don't know if this is effective but I have reduced these episodes during our walks substantially over the past few months.
"In the past few days, while going back to how I was dealing with his problems before the trainer I have noticed a positive difference in his mood and behaviors."
Oh, I'm so glad for you.
Sniffing is obviously a high value behavior for Basil. If there are safe places for him to sniff during his walk, try asking for a sit and eye contact and them release him to "go sniff" so that he learns there are times and places for sniffing and that if he is polite he will get the opportunity.
Here is another video for how to help train for what want instead of biting. I think you are on the right path but it may be a long road.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c77–cCHPyU&feature=channel
As for the biting with no warning, most of the times people just miss the warning. When fitting harnesses, I have found that the most I am likely to get in the way of warning is stiff legs and a freeze, when you are being that invasive often the sequence is escalated and they may skip steps like the growl.
Thank you for the video. Do you think I can train this way without using a clicker.. just by treating? Yesterday I started getting him to sit before I allowed him on the grass and then treating him to coming to the sidewalk when I say "come basil". I think this might help deter his biting while walking as well. Thanks for the tips
Yes, you can train that way without the clicker. You can use "yes" as a marker instead. The nice thing about the clicker is that it allows you to better capture that instant of the behavior you are looking for when they are doing a lot of what you aren't looking for.
Yes, you can train that way without the clicker. You can use "yes" as a marker instead. The nice thing about the clicker is that it allows you to better capture that instant of the behavior you are looking for when they are doing a lot of what you aren't looking for.
Okay, where can you find a clicker?
