This video ticks me off

[setidog]

Here is the guy's description of his video on YouTube:
"A bite filled dangerous look at my ex-girlfriends crazy dog Niles and his sister Lulu"…

Since the dogs belong to the ex maybe you can rest assured that he's not hanging around them anymore!

[BDawg]

Okay, I found this a little humerous. Sorry. The guy is obviously trying to imitate Steve Irwin. And if you notice, he is gentle with the dog the entire time– gentle and slow hand movements, calm voice. We can't pretend to know what the circumstances were-- maybe the B came from an abusive home. Maybe he just doesn't like to be moved (my guess). He's obviously a loved dog- the guy dresses him up in little tuxes and takes pictures.

We rescued one of our dogs from the pound. We don't know anything about his past. But I do know that he will make a similar noise as the dog in the video if you try to pick him up. He knows you're going to snuggle with him and strach his belly- which he loves-- but he'll still make the noise anyway. It's really weird -- but he never tries to bite us.

I don't know- I didn't think it was THAT bad.

[Alex]

It's not that bad and I also found a little funny in the beggining of the video, until the dog tried to bite his face. It started well and ended in a disappointment. I think I can probably get Chance aggravated like that, but it would take a lot of teasing and pushing his buttons.

We don't know where this dog came from, but he obviousely does not like to be told that he is staying at home…

[BDawg]

Well… when an animal warns you-- you should really take precautions. But it's not like the guy was poking him or pulling his ears or tail though. He was slowly touching his back.

It's my opinion that the Basenji needs to learn some social skills. It's not okay for a dog to have that strong of a reaction to gentle touches and a calm voice. The guy was doing the same thing to the TRI and we're not upset with him for that.

[Alex]

Yes, it's weird. I would not encourage that behaivour though by petting him. Eventually the dog will really bite his face.

[Quercus]

@BDawg:

Well… when an animal warns you-- you should really take precautions. But it's not like the guy was poking him or pulling his ears or tail though. He was slowly touching his back.

It's my opinion that the Basenji needs to learn some social skills. It's not okay for a dog to have that strong of a reaction to gentle touches and a calm voice. The guy was doing the same thing to the TRI and we're not upset with him for that.

Fine…dog needs to learn some skills...but do you honestly think that harrassing the dog into reacting is the way to do it? He is encouraging the dog to practice a behavior that nobody in their right mind wants to see their dog doing...

I didn't find anything remotely funny about it. If it was a child and someone was provoking him into that kind of anger we would call it abuse. And then to film it, and put it out there as a joke...yuck!

[Alex]

The guy who made this video must be really happy now, our whole BF community is talking about him. Maybe he will see the referalls in his youtube account from this forum thread and come here to explain.

[DiegosMom]

If anyone cares, this is a comment the guy left on his youtube wall for this video, "Niles is a happy but crazy dog. He seems more mad than he is. If I stop and move away, he comes over and starts at it again. I really am not abusing him, promise!"

[BDawg]

Querc… I just don't feel like the guy was harassing him. You should be able to touch and talk to your dog without him wigging out. As I stated before, he wasn't provoking him by pulling on him or doing anything inappropriate. The dog has an inappropriate response.

DiegosMOm- that's an interesting comment. Makes it seem a little like how my rescue acts... he loves us and loves his belly rubbed, but if you pick him up and expose his belly, he makes the noise. And it too sounds worse than it is.

[Quercus]

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[Porthos]

Well, I didn't mean to cause any arguments… Everyone has had some very good points. I agree with all of you, but something about it still bothers me.

[Porthos]

I've got it… I just watched it again and now I know what is bothering me with this video. If you notice, the Basenji got upset when this guy approaches Niles and not only when he pets him. Niles does not want him to touch him at all and that leads me to think that maybe he has been abusive to Niles... Just my opinion, I guess i will leave it at that...

[Alex]

Prothos,

I agree with you, I think the guy might have encouraged that type of behaviour and teased him in the past. The dog definitely does not want to be petted by him that way.

It's all speculation at this point, who knows what the real story behind this video and the dogs behaviour.

[JazzysMom]

I wonder if it's not the CAMERA that gets the dog going.

My brother used to have a dog that was wonderful, UNTIL someone pulled a camera out. Then he would go ballistic, growling, etc. He HATED cameras. We never did figure out why.
And there was an episode of the {Shhh–-} Dog Whisperer once where a dog got really nutso when the family pulled out their video camera. Made filming the episode interesting, but in the end the dog learned the camera was harmless.

AND, camera aside, this is what Keoki used to do when anyone, then finally it got down to just dh, approached when he was resting. We just kept on - talking to him, petting him, telling him "no" when the growling got too intense, etc. and now he seldom even growls at dh.

[Vanessa]

@Porthos:

I've got it… I just watched it again and now I know what is bothering me with this video. If you notice, the Basenji got upset when this guy approaches Niles and not only when he pets him. Niles does not want him to touch him at all and that leads me to think that maybe he has been abusive to Niles... Just my opinion, I guess i will leave it at that...

I agree with your comment. After watching the video it leads me to believe that the basenji just doesn't like him. To react so violently makes me think that his buttons are pushed often. What a jerk! I see it as a form of animal abuse.

[wizard]

I'm like Diego'sMom - at first I thought it was kind of funny but then clearly that guy was doing something that was agitating the basenji big time. I would never continue to do something if it set off my dog (any dog) in that manner.
And to be proud of it - what a creep!

[Quercus]

@JazzysMom:

I wonder if it's not the CAMERA that gets the dog going.

My brother used to have a dog that was wonderful, UNTIL someone pulled a camera out. Then he would go ballistic, growling, etc. He HATED cameras. We never did figure out why.
And there was an episode of the {Shhh–-} Dog Whisperer once where a dog got really nutso when the family pulled out their video camera. Made filming the episode interesting, but in the end the dog learned the camera was harmless.

AND, camera aside, this is what Keoki used to do when anyone, then finally it got down to just dh, approached when he was resting. We just kept on - talking to him, petting him, telling him "no" when the growling got too intense, etc. and now he seldom even growls at dh.

good point about the camera. A lot of dogs react strangely to that…especially video cameras because they obscure so much of your face.

But, still...not a good thing to allow your dog to practice, IMO....

[UnluckyDrabBear]

I know I'm in the minority, but my boyfriend and I think this video is hilarious. The reason we do is beacuse it was a relief to see another B that makes those same noises. We got Sophie three years ago from a shelter and she had clearly been abused. She looked and sounded like Niles any time she was touched while she was curled up and relaxing. She even bit my boyfriend once when he tried to move her from the couch. It has taken years of "pushing her buttons" (and by this I mean talking to her while touching/ nudging her while she is curled up) but we now rarely get the attitude, and she is much safer for kids to be around. I can understand it looks disturbing to those who have never had to deal with it, but sometimes IMO pushing them a little past their comfort zone is really the best thing for them.

[JazzysMom]

@Quercus:

good point about the camera. A lot of dogs react strangely to that…especially video cameras because they obscure so much of your face.

But, still...not a good thing to allow your dog to practice, IMO....

Right, I think he took totally the wrong approach. I just don't think it was necessarily a sign that any abuse had ever taken place.

[Quercus]

@JazzysMom:

Right, I think he took totally the wrong approach. I just don't think it was necessarily a sign that any abuse had ever taken place.

Oh, I agree. I don't think this dog was abused. And I don't necessarily think that he doesn't like his 'dad'. But he doesn't like the routine that is going on, for sure.

When I likened it to abuse with a child, it was in the context that we have a much lower tolerance for emotional 'abuse' with children than we do with dogs (or other pets)..as we should In no way would I really consider what this guy is doing as abuse…sorry if I gave that impression. But foolish....and dangerous for the dog if/when he decides it is okay to snap at humans...absolutely!