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Hard heads

Behavioral Issues
  • annandaelA

    I know Lance was a kennel pup, and was exposed to the house…but my GOD at 11months he is chewing like a teething 4 month old! It's driving me up the wall. I have to go and get some bitter apple. He's doing it right in front of me and he knows I'm the alpha. Sometimes I just don't get him. But I will prevail! I'm more stubborn than the Basenjis. ;)

    Haus Annandael Basenjis

    est.2004

    "Love, Wellness, and Quality"

    "We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan."

    –Irving Townsend

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  • youngandtiredY

    Sahara is only 8 mos. old and she is a chewer also, I know she has all her adult teeth by now. I provide her with plenty of rawhide bones, teething toys and such to keep her off my furniture and things. Just last week I found teeth marks on my new coffeetable, I was so mad. It is solid wood and was a bit expensive, and looked all around the table and found 2 more spots. They are deep nawing marks, my hubby will have to fix it. Today I found a metal slat in my window blind that she has chewed. I got so frustrated with all the chewed up things that today I ordered an inside electric trainer. I had to do something, I can't imagine the time she will have with my Christmas tree.

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  • annandaelA

    I'm worried too about my Christmas tree. Is he going to pee on it? Yikes, I am so used to girl dogs…this is my first boy since I was 19.

    Now he's chewing on the chairs that go to my dining room table. I squirt him with the water bottle and yell no when I catch him...but like that's going to deter a Basenji!

    Haus Annandael Basenjis

    est.2004

    "Love, Wellness, and Quality"

    "We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan."

    –Irving Townsend

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  • DebraDownSouthD

    @annandael:

    I know Lance was a kennel pup, and was exposed to the house…but my GOD at 11months he is chewing like a teething 4 month old! It's driving me up the wall. I have to go and get some bitter apple. He's doing it right in front of me and he knows I'm the alpha. Sometimes I just don't get him. But I will prevail! I'm more stubborn than the Basenjis. ;)

    Well, people think "alpha" means different things. Chewing is not an "alpha" type issue for dogs, its a natural desire that a real (ie dog) alpha wouldn't care to control. But even in "alpha" issues, such as food, you'll find that you might have an "alpha" most the time but the dog's desire for it will over run the alpha issue.

    That said, alpha isn't the issue. It rarely is. The issue is training. With most breeds you can discuss that rationally, logically, and work on it. I train dogs, aggressive big dogs. Training works. Sigh.. or sometimes it does.

    I used to hang my head in shame but now I just accept as a fact that Sayblee did more damage monetarily in her first 2 yrs than my Rotties and chows and rescues had done in the previous 17 yrs. She could cut a bra or slip strap so that it looked like SCISSOR CUTS in the time, no joke, that i took my eyes off her to answer the phone. Train, schmain. She wanted to chew far more than she cared about my training, alpha status, or anything else. I am simply grateful she outgrew it. Arwen was never as destructive but she will gut any and all woobies (stuffed toys). Its sad cause sayblee will squeek a toy forever, often up to 10 mins at a time. Connor, my 120 pound rottie, would carry his woobies outside in him mouth, back in, sleep on them. Since Arwen came, we can't have them anymore cause did I mention she guts them all?

    I could have simply posted the following and made this short.

    I feel your pain! :)

    And btw, good luck on bitter apple. I haven't had a dog yet who didn't think I was rewarding them with a yummy basting sauce!

    Debra

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    @Chealsie508: When he wants to play he bites too hard and also tries to run and nip at your bum or arm.. I always say no and off the couch he goes but it's a game to him, he tries repeatedly to get back up and aims for my hands… All in play but still, he will even think nothing of aiming for your face if that's right near him. Last night I had two people over and the entire time he kept biting their hands and lunging to play, I told him no, I held his mouth, he went in his crate... I'd like for him to learn to have a soft mouth and I'd like to have company over without them being play mauled. I should note that it's poor socialization on my part specifically that I rarely have people over my apartment so I don't honk Oakley knows how to handle people being in his house... Ok, from what you described he needs 1) you to initiate the play. he should not initiate it on his terms and be in control. Control his environment by being the one to play. Certain times of day, you will know the times because it will be when it is at your convenience and can spend quality time etc. If he tries to play, leave the room, don't even say "no", just ignore. When you ignore the 'bad' behavior and only give attention when it is 'good', the theory is -is that it should become extinct. 2) impulse control yes. Do so by the ignore and leave the room exercise, REDIRECT his energy with a sit-stay series or puppy push ups: sit-down-sit-down-treat! and on it goes…..stay-increase distance-COME! treat! FUN STUFF!!!! 3)have toy will travel...have one somewhere all the time, esp when you have guests. Have them throw it before the nip, and voila! humans in control. I know it is not as easy as writing this, but I have redirected some growlies toward the older dogs in the 'pack' or biting the doggy beds, or the new couch I have(or rug...) and it works! Patience, persistence, consistency are the keys....