Skip to content

My B bit my kid

Behavioral Issues
  • Training both dog & child to respect each others spaces is so important. My son got his wish when Duke came to live with us. Duke 12 weeks, son 8 yrs. Wasn't about a week before we discovered we had taken responsibility for a devil dog - piranha - crazy, mean puppy. Son hated Duke because he'd been nipped (broken skin) and didn't get the cuddle bunny pup he'd expected. I did however advise son to feed and be the treat giver. Not too long after that, they became fast friends. But it took multiple reminders by me to son of what and what-not to do for safety. Also explained to son the cute little puppy needs to learn and be trained properly by us. When the time came, I enrolled Duke in Beginner's Obedience at Pet Smart. Brought son to every class and had him learn to train too.

    As far a cuddling - Duke doesn't like it. He stretches all fours straight out pushing away from hugger. Unless we're lying down, there is no holding Duke. He will however jump up on lap and hang over shoulder to look out window while I'm on the computer. Our new puppy, Daisy is a snuggle bunny. Yay!!

  • Dog "biting" kids… 9 times out of 10, the kids started it and the dog gave ample warning. Our Rocky grabbed our daughter's hand once when she starting playing with him too rough while he was trying to nap. He low rumbled (we told her to stop, Rocky not like that), then he low growled (stop, Rocky getting mad), then he just grabed her hand. Didn't break the skin but it was quick and for her, just the reprimand she needed. She was startled, not hurt, and she has never done it again.

    I'm not advocating teaching your dog to be agreesive with children or anyone else who walks in your door. The dogs view your kids like pups and discipline them as such.

    And for those out there who think I'm a horrible mom now, my husband or I are always around when the kids and dogs are together and we keep a very close eye on their interactions. If any of them start to step out of line or beyond the boundaries of politeness, the offender gets a time out to decompress and calm down. Both kids and dogs need to learn their boundaries. I often say I don't have two kids, I actually have four or five (but only two ahve two legs, the rest all walk on four!)

  • <>
    Ha, ha...another horrible mom here....the other day I heard Querk squaw..and Ethan shriek. I was in the next room for a SECOND! I said 'what happened?' Ethan says "Querk yelled at me!"...me: "what did you do to him?" Ethan: "I jumped on him on the couch" Nice....he's three...Querk's eight....can't really blame either one. But we talked about why Querk is allowed to tell him to stop doing something dangerous (not to mention irritating!).
    Luckily all of my dogs have WONDERFUL bite inhibition, and we have had very few snarking issues. But for the most part I agree with Rockyswoman...kids have to learn where the boundaries are...and *sometimes, *some dogs can teach that lesson when the parents' message is lost on the kid.
    Of course, we basenji people are a little wierd....most "normal" people would flip right out if their dog tried to reprimand their child ;)

  • I think it was a wake up call for Greggy. They both fogave each other. My ex husband however was not so forgiving. He demanded we get rid of the dog. I told him that was not an option. Dash is by no means an "aggressive" dog. Dash loves Greggy but Greggy hurt him and much like any other animal would he reacted. My ex has dropped it luckily. Not that it was an option. Dash is a second child to us.

  • Sounds lik the ex should be bitten-hard. Oh, did I say that in my outside voice? Ooooops!

  • Yeah - Duke used to scream when being pestered (to death) by son. I remember running into room where they were together asking, "What happened?" numerous times. Though, Duke was a very unfriendly puppy when we got him - I'd never known a puppy so mouthy with all those sharp puppy daggers! Ahhh - hands hurt all over just thinking about it. Couldn't touch him anywhere without being snapped on a limb. He has so outgrown it now at 1 yr 3 mos. Glad we toughed it out. I sometimes wonder where he came from. I'd bet he had very little human socialization. (poor baby)

  • It is funny that my basenjis, all of them, know when i am sad or they have done something wrong….like play a bit too hard....

    They always come up and try to cuddle with me as if they are asking for forgiveness....

    it sounds like you instinctually responded the right way.

  • I think the thought process Dash has is what makes me so amazed by this breed. I have never had a dog that thought as much as he does. He actually seems to think that something was wrong and try and make it right. Maybe I am puting human emotions on him. But there is something there.

  • Alani too knows when she has done something and tries to get forgiveness. When we play around and she bites to hard there's always an 'OWE' then I'll stop playing. She knows she's hurt me and will get in my face and lick me until I pet her and tell her it's ok. But she's very persistant with it, I've tried pushing her away (sorry, I was upset..felt bad later) but she'll jump right back up and get in my face until I forgive her. It's really hard to stay mad when she does this.

  • A cold Basenji is a cuddly one!

    Winter has it's advantages in cold parts of the world!

    I find Basenji's are like cats, sometimes they want tons of physical attention and other times. it's DON'T TOUCH ME!!!

Suggested Topics

  • My dog bit me.

    Behavioral Issues
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    7k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    :::Note: I’m not a professional trainer, I have a degree in psychology and im a teacher; a dog is like a 2-4 year old. Every dog is different though, maybe I’ve just gotten lucky, but what I’ve been doing has been working for me; maybe it will for you.::: LOL, not luck... good common sense. We do basic training to get solid responses in controlled environments, which gives a good base for expanding it to other situations. Like eeeefarm, I don't thing animal aggressive dogs need to socialize with strange dogs. I keep them separated. For the unexpected, working at home on basic commands (Leave It!, "look at me" to focus on you and understand the other dog is off limits, solid 100 percent down-stay) can help you avoid your dog getting revved enough to bite. That means you have to stay on top of things, change directions if necessary, and be firm and loud in asking others to not approach with their dog. Training is wonderful bonding, and it exercises their brains. http://www.clickerlessons.com/index.htm
  • B nipping at children

    Behavioral Issues
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    33k Views
    lvossL
    Children are often scary for dogs, they don't move the same as adults, they don't act the same as adults, so dogs don't know how to behave around them. You may want to check out this webinar that is coming up next week through the Family Paws Parent Education, http://jennifershryock.enterthemeeting.com/m/PS15862X
  • What does your B do all day?

    Behavioral Issues
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    7k Views
    wizardW
    Just before I leave for work, EL D goes crazy until he gets his kong toy with treats then he just sleeps until I get home. Then a walk and then he search the yard for squirrels and rabbits, unless he's hungry – he'll prance around the house carrying his food dish or sometimes throwing it. Sometimes he'll watch TV in the evenings or just tear up his toys. Every now and then he'll do the Basenji500 - though mostly it's when he needs to go potty.
  • Lucy bit a kid- Lawsuit pending?!

    Behavioral Issues
    98
    0 Votes
    98 Posts
    50k Views
    ComicDom1C
    @dmcarty: Once I showed a neighbor my "years of the American Basenji" books as I was researching a pedigree (long before online info) Her comment was - geez could we have that for husbands - with a list of things like - does windows etc. I work in the schools and I have to say the parents that I see that are off the charts are so far off the charts that they should have not reproduced. They far overshadow the majority that are good and responsible. There just seems to be a sense of entitlement that I don't remember when I was a child. "I'm entitled to whatever I want - and I can do what I want - there should be no consequences but someone better save me if I screw up." I saw the same thing when I was teaching in Chicago. Children can misbehave, throw things at teachers, staff, or others and get away with it. You used to be able to count on your principal to deal with behavior problems but those days are long gone. If you call a parent, many times you are not deal with in a nice way. On Parent Teacher night at least in the public school I was in, most parents never attend. Many times you are lucky if a child comes to school in clean clothes or food in their stomachs. At the school I taught at there were many kids on free lunch and some of free breakfast as well. Some of the kids would take home any food they could get for later or for others in their families. It was not a great situation. On top of this the behavior problems have made it almost impossible to teach at times. I have seen many kids passed through a grade just so the teacher could get rid of them and not have to deal with that child the next year. Its not surprising to me that these kids are running about unsupervised at a very young age. Unfortunately the rest of society suffers because of irresponsible people. The gangs have become the family and the younger kids are put up to more and more violent crimes because in many states the penalties for a minor are seen as insignificant. Jason
  • How Loud Is Your B

    Behavioral Issues
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    VanessaV
    @tanza: True… but don't let that put you in a false sense of security... nothing worse then "2" howling Basenjis!!!!! Ha! So True. That would be my worst nightmare :eek:
  • Ninjia and kids

    Behavioral Issues
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    3k Views
    No one has replied