The rw, Ringo I had (92-07) did not like larger dogs coming up to him and would jump them. I had to be very careful. I got him at 2 so I don't know what happened to him. When I first got him and he was laying on the couch I could not just walk up and stand over him as he would growl like I was a threat. It took a few years and he calmed down when he felt I was not a threat.
Does he just not like big dogs while on leash? if so it could be leash aggression/barrier aggression which isnt uncommon.
I would suggest hiring a good behaviourist to help you figure out what causes the behaviour and what can be done about it.
If you tell me where you live I may be able to find one for you.
I would recommend the article "He Just Wants To Say Hi" by Suzanne Clothier, http://www.nesr.info/images-english-shepherd/He-just-wants-to-say-hi.pdf
Ms. LVoss:
Thank you for that article. It does explain quite a bit and calls my attention to a few mistakes I have been making. Most often the trigger for AJ is a "big gallumphing idiot" and yes, Labs have been the most frequent problem. It has been when another dog rushes in at him with no sense of personal space, and yes, the owner is usually of the opinion it is my dog who is being rude. I will have to be more vigilant in watching how he is being approached and what he is telling them.
I got a little giggle out of the Mr. Rude story, the Lab who marked everything he had time to lift his leg on. I have a friend with a Boxer-Spaniel (?) mix who has not been neutered and not socialized with dogs at all who does this. The owner let his dog off lead while I was walking AJ. Well, here comes Gallumphing Idiot. He was bitten on his ear for his trouble. I tried to explain to the owner, who is my friend, how obviously rude his dog was, but his response was similar to that of the title of the article. He said, "All he ever wants to do is play." So his dog rushes AJ, stops every 15 feet to pee on something, and even body slams people. But that is a blatant case of rudeness and I am able to respond appropriately by removing AJ from the situation.
Last night, I missed the rudeness of the Basset and inadvertently placed AJ in a box. He was between two trucks and I was behind him. He didn't have anywhere to go. That was my fault. When the Basset approached, she had her head low and tail wagging, but she approached at a half run and came right up to AJ, stuck her nose in his face and he latched right onto it. Again, my fault for first giving him nowhere to go and second for missing the behavior of the Basset. Thank you for helping open my eyes.
BTW: It must be instinct or something, but I did not yell or punish AJ for what happened. I put on a show to calm the other dog owner, but AJ knows when I'm serious about something and ignored me. I walked him away from the Basset, he did his business and he still got the Really Good Bone when we came back to the truck.
I would look into a behaviorist if I was going to be in the same place for more than one or two days at a time and know where I'd be in three weeks. My job prevents this, but thank you for the advice. I will pay closer attention.
I would recommend the article "He Just Wants To Say Hi" by Suzanne Clothier, http://www.nesr.info/images-english-shepherd/He-just-wants-to-say-hi.pdf
Exactly…I was just trying to remember where to look for this article!
He is just being a normal dog, in an abnormal position of being on a leash (which is a necessity!)...don't be angry at him...I know that is easier said than done. If you wish to try to change his behavior, there are definitely ways to do it. Check out "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons.
Perhaps in the past he's been 'rushed' by a bigger dog and that is where the behaviour stems from? I know Kai has been 'rushed' by a bigger dog and invaded his space, as well as my Shadow who was also 'rushed' by a lab. I'm very careful when I take mine out because of the residual effects from this event.
People don't think dogs are rude and tend to have the attitude that 'all he wants to do is play', but most dogs don't see it that way. The think, IMO, that they are invading their 'space'. Dogs, as people, need to be taught manners. Shadow seems to be fine if a dog is not overbearing, but if a dog rushes him or is just goofy, he definitely doesn't like it.
Wow, just read that article. It is very imforative. Thanks for posting it.
That's an excellent article - I've 'favoured' it on my computer so I can refer to it in the future. I handle my sister's chow, who is so incredibly mellow. Any dog that rushes up to her is not a problem. She just waits for them to stop and do their sniff, and then usually just walks away with an attitude like "okay, now leave me alone". She is the ipitome of aloof. But I have seen scary confrontations at the dog park we go to. In those situations, it is up to all of us to know what to do.
I, too, read the "He's Only Trying to Say Hi" article with interest, as my shiba is exactly as you described AJ. He is quite protective of his personal space, primarily when he is on leash and rushed by bigger dogs or hyper puppies. Unfortunately, as I gather from the article and from my own interactions as well, the onus is on the owner of the "rude" dog to realize their dog is crossing unacceptable boundaries. And unfortunately, you can't just hand out a copy of this .pdf to every owner who lets his dog gallumph all over yours!
It does irritate me when other owners walk their dogs off leash, and their dog comes charging over to my restrained dogs. I can feel my shiba's tension very clearly in such situations, and I try to put myself between their dog and mine and calmly keep my pace, while making sure that my dog doesn't feel contained (which only heightens his anxiety). If the dog is charging with enough speed/mass, I'll stop and call out "Stay back," more for the dog owner's benefit than the dog or my own. If the other owner says "Don't worry, he's friendly," in regards to their own dog, a very terse answer from me, "My dog is NOT" is usually enough explanation to get them to call their dog back.
Not that I have to get into detail about how absolutely sweet and cuddly and even-tempered my baby can be at home, or off-leash, etc. The other dog-walker doesn't need to know all that. They just need to know why they should keep their dog under control, hopefully without a big lecture and hopefully before anything spins out of control.
Interesting article in that I have been mostly on the don't bother me side. Now with Buddy I am on the other side. He's calming down as I use calm control on him. I see at the dog park that he's getting better. He's definitely improved with the small dogs in that he doesn't overwhelm them but is just standing there. He can get overly excited, loves other dogs and has no fear. He's learning that all dogs do not share his excitement. Buddy when he's excited will jump up on me or people at home and grab their hand or sleeve. It's hard being on that side of the fence. I am using calm control and making him sit or stoop down with him to calm him down not using a raised voice or anger. We still have work to do.
Even though we can't change every owner of every rude dog, I think understanding why our dogs react they way they do is important. When people use the "My dog is friendly" line on my husband when he is walking the dogs his response is "I'm NOT!" Which seems to get people's attention more than when he says the dogs are not.
I usually shout that we are either in the middle training or that my dog was recently attacked and was traumatized. That works for some. Sometimes I end up having to just put myself between my dog and the rude dog and sternly tell it to "Go home". My dogs are reactive, several have been attacked by so called "friendly" dogs and even if they hadn't my experience is that adult basenjis have zero tolerance for rude behavior. Mine use body language and their voice to tell the other dogs in no uncertain terms to "move out of my space, you bleeping bleep bleep". Basenjis curse like sailors when they are PO'd. I am sure that some people think my dogs are aggressive and probably think I'm no peach either but sometimes politeness gets no response from the owner nor the dog.
And I am not above yelling… "The owner bites"!!! to people that are like that.... So I love lvoss's husbands response... it is too perfect
Basenjis curse like sailors when they are PO'd.
Sorry, this is off topic, but it always amuses me to hear of how people imagine their dog's "voice." Dogs with pottymouths are funny to me, not that I imagine either of my own having that kind of vocabulary. My shiba can be grumpy and prone to "yelling" in a loud and offensive manner, but I never imagine him swearing… at least nothing beyond what one would hear on the radio. And my B-girl has been far too much of a lady so far for me to to imagine her swearing at all! 
Sorry to hear about AJ's incident. Needless to say I wish I had the perfect advice..but I don't. That article sure was interesting and good though.
And I am not above yelling… "The owner bites"!!! to people that are like that.... So I love lvoss's husbands response... it is too perfect
I love that too!! I am gonna start using it! I hate to say my dogs aren't friendly, because they are…but me...not so much 
I love that too!! I am gonna start using it! I hate to say my dogs aren't friendly, because they are…but me...not so much
Wow, there's some mean a.. women on this forum,. 
Now Dan. I think basenji lovers love the breed because basenjis can do perfectly fine on their own (playing). I tend to think of myself as someone who can totally find comfort in my alone time. Any others on here the same?
Sorry, this is off topic, but it always amuses me to hear of how people imagine their dog's "voice." Dogs with pottymouths are funny to me, not that I imagine either of my own having that kind of vocabulary. My shiba can be grumpy and prone to "yelling" in a loud and offensive manner, but I never imagine him swearing… at least nothing beyond what one would hear on the radio. And my B-girl has been far too much of a lady so far for me to to imagine her swearing at all!
My Kristii was a "swearing" Basenji… to the point of "spitting"... I always told people you "don't" want to know what she is saying!
There used to be this guy and he had this rude GSD mix where I took my last 2 off leash. It used to bother my female bw Nika and she hated him as he was not fixed and well, her being a female. He would totally not even notice his dog pestering mine. Now add in one mean SOB rw named Ringo I adopted a year after getting Nika. Ringo would jump and scare the hell outta that dog to where the guy would put his dog between his legs when we went by. He used to point at Ringo and say with a heavy German accent "that's the devil dog" then point to Nika and say "that's the good dog". I'd would say "no, the devil dog is the good dog too".
I like the idea of me taking responsibility for being the grouch. Truck drivers are a rather thick lot. When I tell them my dog is not good with other dogs, they almost inevitably insist on bringing their ratty, filthy, scruffy mutts over to spread the mange wealth around to AJ. They almost always say the same thing: "He won't do anything to my dog. My dog can play with anyone."
Yeah, but what if I don't want my Basenji to catch mange, fleas or cooties from your dog?
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case last night. That Basset was really sweet…with people. She just came in a bit too aggressively for AJ and I didn't give him anywhere to go.
With the information I've received here, I think I can be a bit more proactive and confident with him. That will be good. Thank you to everyone.
