Benny bit the neighbor!

[agilebasenji]

Oh, I feel so bad reading this post. I don't think being confrontational with you dog is going to get you anywhere (or at least not anywhere you want to go). See if your local library has "For the Love of a Dog" by Patricia McConnell (Her other book is also worth reading: The Other End of the Leash.) Sit down and read the chapter titled ANGER before you read anything else. Then read the rest of the book, but I think that chapter is really going to speak to you. Unlike Control Unleashed, these books are more mainstream and I know my local library has both of those books.

I'd bet this training method does not feel right to you, in your heart, in your gut. Is this really the type of relationship you want with your dog? Breaking the dog down. I promise you there are better, kinder ways of training. You are the one in charge of your relationship with you dog.

Having said all that, I'm not opposed to a Nothing In Life is Free model. My dogs do sometimes miss breakfast because of their own behavior. They are expected to behave before we go out the door. I don't have to be first out the door, I find that complicated, but they do have to wait for my verbal before they go out. If not, the door gets closed until they are acting how I want them to. (The basenjis are expected to stand calmly; the malinois has to sit because she's too wiggly to stand calmly, but in your case, i'd go with a sit for Benny) I also make my younger dogs work for their food. We practice sits, downs, stands, going to mat, staying on mat, etc and for everything they do, they get a little kibble. It doesn't take too long to go through 1/2 cup of kibble and it really is a bonding/fun time.

[agilebasenji]

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ian_dunbar_on_dog_friendly_dog_training.html

Watch. This will be the best 15 minutes of your day. I promise. I think I've watched it 3 or 4 times.

(And all of the talks I've seen on this site are wonderful, but this on is about dogs. Jane Goodall is also amamzing, as always.)

[sharronhurlbut]

Do let us know what the vet says.
I agree that long walks are a way to start.
Working for everything, food, love, rides in the car, is another good way to go.
Again, getting him into a basic gentle obedience class, one on one with the treacher, wouldn't be something I would rule out. It can help you to read your dog and help him learn to trust you, but it does take come time and work.
That "trainer" you saw, is a fool and should not be allowed to work with animals.
I can only imagine the damage that person has done to dogs and humans alike.

We sure do want to help you turn this around.

[Janneke]

@agilebasenji:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ian_dunbar_on_dog_friendly_dog_training.html

That's a great video! Thanks for sharing!

[renaultf1]

@agilebasenji:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ian_dunbar_on_dog_friendly_dog_training.html

Watch. This will be the best 15 minutes of your day. I promise. I think I've watched it 3 or 4 times.

(And all of the talks I've seen on this site are wonderful, but this on is about dogs. Jane Goodall is also amamzing, as always.)

Fantastic video…thanks for sharing that link!

[MacPack]

Wonderful video, thanks for sharing!

[tanza]

To continue with that trainer, someone in your family is going to seriously get hurt… winding up with this dog being PTS for biting, this is no way to train.... IMO

[nobarkus]

The key is to establish a good trusting connection/relationship with Benny. In my 33 years with Basenjis using force/dominance did not work period!! I stopped it immediately and used more positive ways to work with the dog. Have some fun outdoor adventures with him and play games with him. When you're in the yard throw something he'll chase after then go hide. Wear him out! Socialize little by little. Try to remain calm when you're around Benny as he will pick up on any negative energy. Reward good behavior always. Getting bit ten times with a pool of blood on the floor means that person is fired!

[Benny]

@lvoss:

In what way is he behaving like he is trying to be "dominant"?

Humping, the way he walks on the leash, he's not scared of anything… If I yell at him, he gets more rowdy often.

[Benny]

@nobarkus:

The key is to establish a good trusting connection/relationship with Benny. In my 33 years with Basenjis using force/dominance did not work period!! I stopped it immediately and used more positive ways to work with the dog. Have some fun outdoor adventures with him and play games with him. When you're in the yard throw something he'll chase after then go hide. Wear him out! Socialize little by little. Try to remain calm when you're around Benny as he will pick up on any negative energy. Reward good behavior always. Getting bit ten times with a pool of blood on the floor means that person is fired!

Oh yeah, he's not coming back into my home. Benny tried to bite my mom today (who is like his mom). He lays with her every night when she's in her chair and spends as much, if not more time with him than my fiance and I. Benny was laying in the chair that she just got out of, when she came back, she tried to move him and he growled and snapped at her. My dad yelled at him and he put his ears back and then jumped on her when she sat in the chair (to lay on her lap).

Biting strangers is one thing, biting my mom is a whole nother beast. Benny really needs help .

[nobarkus]

Sounds like a case for the Dog Whisperer. Have you seen him?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cffj0vOBWsc&feature=channel

[lvoss]

@Benny:

Benny was laying in the chair that she just got out of, when she came back, she tried to move him and he growled and snapped at her.

Considering what happened with the trainer, it is not surprising that Benny does not want humans to touch him. It is going to take some relationship building and trust building to help mend what happened with the trainer.

As for humping, many dogs hump not because of dominance but as a form of stress relief or because they are over stimulated.

[nobarkus]

I adopted a red/wht in 1994 at the age of 2. Oh man was he defensive and growley. If he was laying on the couch and you approached him he would growl at you like he was going to bite. I didn't yell at him "NO"! I just slowly worked my way at him little by little each time I approached until over time he trusted me. The first day I took him to dog trainning class he wanted to fight every dog around us. It took some time to calm him down.
Also please get his thyroid checked. A lot of time there's something wrong physically that can cause bad behavior. Maybe take him to a holistic vet. Don't give up.

[Benny]

He just growled at my girlfriend… who is his mommy. She went to pick him up off of the couch (to see if he would growl at her). I will get his thyroid tested... what types of treatments are available if he doe shave a thyroid problem?

[nobarkus]

@Benny:

He just growled at my girlfriend… who is his mommy. She went to pick him up off of the couch (to see if he would growl at her). I will get his thyroid tested... what types of treatments are available if he doe shave a thyroid problem?

They will see what his thyriod levels are from his blood work then if it's low put him on Thyroid pills. They will then check again in a few months. I had 2 on them.
Please check this link.
http://www.apubasenjis.com/bhealth.html

[nobarkus]

Also just a note about the red/wht. He was physically sick too. So after handling that he really started to change and became a fun dog. He still occasionally like to challenge a bigger dog but not too bad.

[nobarkus]

How long has Benny been like this? Did it start at a certain point in time? He's obviously feeling threatened by someone or something.

[Benny]

Started roughly 4 weeks ago… he started by snapping at a kid and an old man who tried to pet him on a walk. Then it progressed to him biting the neighbor, biting my neice, snapping at my nephew, my friend, and then biting the trainer... now today he snapped at my mom, dad, and my gf.... I approached him and did the same thing shortly after and he didn't snap at me. I didn't think he would, but I wanted to make sure of it.

[Benny]

I have noticed his fur got slightly lighter around that same time. We mentioned it to the vet and he said it was normal…

[nobarkus]

How long have you had Benny? How old is he?