I need all of your help, my basenji is everything I've ever wanted in a dog.. He has a relaxed personality and loves to snuggle.. Only downfall is that he doesn't like other dogs or kids, and I am about to have a baby. I think it's the way kids grab him and let him hard… Is there anything I can do to train him for when the baby comes? Thank you
New baby on the way
First and foremost: never let kids touch your dog unless they have your permission AND know how to approach and touch a dog. A dog is NOT a toy. If they don't know, teach them in a calm way - no shouting, running around etcetera, only soft patting on the back (if that!), maybe the chest, never the head - sensitive dogs hate that. Our Lela does NOT want to be touched by strangers - SHE wants to decide when and how physical contact is established.
You ALWAYS decide who, when and how. This might help your dog to shift attitude: he sees that you are in control and that he is safe, even in the company of kids. My B's respond very strongly (in a positive way) whenever I step up to the plate as the pack leader: there's thunder, they look at me, I don't blink an eye, they go back to sleep. A barking dog in a garden that we pass: I correct that dog with a few sssshh's: they keep calm instead of going crazy. We meet a dog walker's pack: they hesitate, I keep calm, make eye contact and guide them past it - no problems.
Good luck!
I agree with KJD… the first issue is you allowing him to learn not to like children because you allow them to manhandle him.
There are some good articles on preparing your dog for a baby, working with the dog once you have a baby. You need to get on this fast:
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/preparing-your-dog-new-baby
The humane society has some other good ideas… from having people with babies visit to making sure you have a sturdy barrier between your dog and the nursery. At no time should a dog have access to a baby unless supervised.
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/pets_babies.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
And Chow Chow Rescue's Vicki Degruy has a great article that very much applies to how you let children interact with your dog. As the saying goes when someone asks if a dog is good with kids, the answer is depends on how good your child is with the dog:
Hire yourself a behaviorist immediately…. should have done this when you first knew about the new addition to the family.