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How we got through the first years of "whacko dog" and some tips for you

Behavioral Issues

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  • MswinaM

    Dog Training

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    eeeefarmE
    What type of training are you interested in? Is this a housebreaking issue, obedience problem, or some behaviour you want to discourage? Since you have posted in behavioural problems, I assume you are having some difficulties with something. If you are more specific it might be easier to point you in the right direction, i.e. to an obedience trainer or an animal behaviourist.
  • P

    Couple of "Issues" with my Basenji

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    P
    I completely forgot about this topic, but I figure I would reply (after a 4 month hiatus) with updates. Thank you all for your responses. Marvel no longer bites (what a relief!). It stopped around the time that all of his adult teeth were falling out, so I assume it was related to the discomfort of his baby teeth. He will play bite every now and then, but nothing drastic. Marvel no longer wakes up absurdly early now that he's 6 months old, as someone pointed out. He typically gets up when we do except for the rare occasion here and there. Marvel has been marvelous and his behavior only gets better. The only "issue" we deal with now is his separation anxiety when we leave him in a crate. I'll probably make a separate topic on this. And he seems to be strangely attached/dominant to my girlfriends underwear when he manages to get a hold of it... Thanks! Peter
  • J

    Update on dog bite from a year ago :)

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    BuanaB
    @eeeefarm: I agree all children should be taught to be gentle with animals. And teaching your dog that being grabbed means food is a great idea, but the problem is it may not transfer to other people. I can grab my guy rather roughly pretty much anywhere, and he won't react…...except to play......but if someone else did it, there would be a different result. Even the most tolerant dog may "lose it" if a child manages to cause severe pain. Kids can be (unintentionally or otherwise) cruel. And lie about what they did afterward. Which is why supervision is so important. How to teach them to be gentle? A relative of mine says, "Get a cat. That'll learn 'em!" :) I think I know how we teached our son to be so gentle!!! Because of the last words you are saying! get a cat… You know, our oldest cat Spaiky is a einzelganger, a lonely boy that can only be handeled by me... He learned that to Ryan with a few hits with his paw when he wanted to pet him (he likes kids around him so he never uses his nails with them) Ryan never scared but he just knows, he only can speak to Spaiky to tell him he likes him.... hahaha Now I know! Thanks! :D
  • Tayda_LennyT

    Neighbors crazy dog dug into our yard and got bit

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    RivermoonR
    I hope nothing comes of it since it was their dog that was coming into YOUR yard and the parents are acknowledging that. Hopefully they'll talk some sense into their daughter too and she'll be extra careful about letting her little monsters dig. Putting bricks down should keep them out. Good luck!
  • AndrewA

    Introducing a dog with "issues" to basenjis

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    AndrewA
    Sorry I haven't responded to this post sooner; I got busy & forgot about it. I don't check the forum nearly as often as I should. To answer above questions: My girls have both been around bulldogs before. Oddly enough, a guy I dated about a year ago had one, and although not outwardly aggressive or anything, they didn't seem to love her. She was attention starved though (first among reasons why a relationship did no develop with this guy…), and was very overwhelming, barreling around chasing them. They just tried to avoid her mostly. At dog shows and stuff, they don't seem to be weirded out by bulldogs. Otto does better with dogs than people, and he prefers small dogs/puppies to people. My girls seem to love everything except some other female basenjis. Otto is neutered, Lola is spayed, and Callie is not as she is currently being shown. Because the times we can visit one another are few & far between & having one on ones would require introducing them on Otto's turf, I don't think its feasible to introduce mine to Otto one at a time before the move. All three are crated when humans are not around, so leaving them out together unconfined is not an issue. My dogs are intense in that often when they meet a new dog, they will "rush" the dog, sniffing, etc. On leash, I don't allow this behavior with strange dogs, but at dog parks, etc, they sometimes can be overwhelming to more submissive or nervous dogs. My dogs are constantly meeting and playing with new dogs and are very well dog socialized. Otto is less so, but, again, tends not to have a lot of issues with smaller dogs. The meds have made a definite improvement in Otto's mood, but he still bites occasionally when he's overstimulated. The most recent occurrence was during a visit with my boyfriend's dad. His dad unwrapped a present that was in brown paper bag material. Otto was interested & started playing tug of war with dad. Otto got a little too excited, and when dad tried to calmly end the game, he got bit. Thanks for all the tips. Hopefully, everything will go just peachy, but we're trying to be as prepared as possible, with any little advantage possible. And Andrea, we will likely be in Richfield.
  • K

    Help with having "doggie friends" visit

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    TuckerVAT
    Feed them separately and then remove all food. Food aggression is quite normal in dogs. My GF has an Old English Sheepdog and she is very food aggressive and eats like a pig. She'll eat Tuckers food if he's not guarding it constantly. I have a gate on my kitchen and I feed Tucker in the kitchen, gated, and feed Maggie (the OES dog) on the balcony. After they eat, we recombine them. There are still a few 'toy issues', but Tucker just gets up high and eats his rawhide where Maggie can't reach him. Proper management typically can resolve most problems. Her dog is allergic to pretty much everything. The meds makes her dog constatly thirsty and Maggie will drink until the bowl is empty (if allowed to do so) and then puke everywhere. (It's actually kinda funny…) We keep the water gated in the kitchen and only allow her short visits to the water. Either that, or we put her on the balcony with all the water she wants and let her drink and puke to her hearts content. ;) Yes, it's kinda weird, but what can you do?