Lets forget about the day I had with the jerks I work with.

I took Pearl for a walk. She got away from me when she heard other dogs and ran to find them. She knows them, through the fence. Anyway sshe went in the neighbors yard, and was snarling at her dog. I did get her, but Pearl becomes possessed. I can't think of any other word to descibe it. She wants to rip the dog apart. Very few dogs will Pearl tolerate, on our street anyway. Well, I had her and she gets so upset, she twists and turns to get away. She bites at me and gets qquite angry My neighbor says, is she biting you? Well, yes cause she wants her way and wants to snarl at your dog. Well, I got her inside, and was really mad at her. She knows it too cause she is usually spoiled rotten.

I guess my question is, is this really normal? I have heard thst B's are not really social and are aggressive with otherdogs. Pearl sure is. Strange, she is so loving with the kids on the slock, and most of the adults, (meaning those people she knows, she loves)

What can I do?

If I am understanding correctly, the dogs she was reacting to were behind a fence? Barrier frustration is common in all dogs. Barrier frustration can escalate into barrier aggression. This is one reason why some dogs are very reactive on leash but get along well with the same dogs off leash.

Did Pearl slip her leash?

Sorry to hear about your rough day. Hope it gets better.

the other dogs was behind a fence, However, Pearl gets aggressive towards most dogs, (except at the dog park!) I always keep her leased while on neighborhood streets, cause of her aggression. I don't really get it because she was never abused or mistreated by people or other dogs. Pearls was not like this as a pup either. She is about 2 1/2. She is virtually perfect, except fot this! She is still loved beyond reason, by the way.

@AJs:

Did Pearl slip her leash?

Sorry to hear about your rough day. Hope it gets better.

Thanks! She got away from me and a young neighbor girl walked her and Pearl gort away frome her, pulled to hard and the girl let go of the leash, Pearl is a pretty strong girl!

The neighbor has a very mean dog who has attecked almost every dog on our cul de sac, but since I got Pearl, that dog has gone blind, cateracts.

Dogs can get so upset they take aggression out on those near them.
I have 2 b's. My girl is fine, my boy is reactive…IF he can't get to the dog he wants to
he will go toward my girl, or me.
It does sound like this is what happened to you.

That sounds like it, this has happened before, she wants away from me and back to the othe dog. I don't think she wants to hurt me, she wants away.

I can do almost anything to her, she trusts me and loves me, but that instict kicks in.

I'm sorry you had such a frustrating day. Hopefully you'll have a better day tomorrow. Keep on loving your sweet Pearl. Dogs live "in the now" - she won't be holding any grudges against you.

Many dogs have "leash aggression" when being walked,and it sounds like Pearl became very frustrated and took it out on you. We used to sing a little song "if you can't bite the one you want, bite the one you're with" (sorry, Crosby, Stills and Nash) when ours were younger. I used to get Topper's attention and have him sit and focus on me when another dog was passing and that helped. I suggest a strong leash and keep it looped over your wrist so she can't snatch away, in the short term. good luck, sorry it was a crummy day. At least no dog or human was injured!

Sorry you have had such a bad day with Pearl.
My first Basenji used to try and get the milkman when he leaned over the gate to collect his money. Because he couldn't reach the milkman he used to bite me instead, very embarassing.

Our girl would sit on the bed up stairs, see another dog out the window and she would rip up the sheets / comforter on the bed.

Sometimes she nips us on the leash as well. However I find that if we are calm & relaxed (leash to), so is the dog. Also I find if I ignore the other dog so do they for the most part. I also make them sit while other people or dogs cross our path on walks.

@MacPack:

Many dogs have "leash aggression" when being walked,and it sounds like Pearl became very frustrated and took it out on you. We used to sing a little song "if you can't bite the one you want, bite the one you're with" (sorry, Crosby, Stills and Nash) when ours were younger.

I know that song! Sang it a few times myself!

My boy basenji has the same problem when he's leashed and sees another dog on his daily walk. He appears to become overexcited and just start biting frantically at the leash, tugging madly, and running and hopping around. He's delivered a nip or two in the heat of the moment and needs lots of pats to calm him down. The thing is, I don't think he wants to be aggressive toward the other dog so much as he wants to meet the other dog. It's really a trial some days, though, unfortunately.

I would try what I posted previously.

Its a bit like riding horses. They sense how you feel. If you get all tense then they do as well. You ignore the other dog, they do as well. It has worked for me.

There are always exceptions however, like if the other dog is realy wild or they are jogging or running by. They seem to have a something running, must catch it switch.

I think it is a bit of a basenji thing, all the basenjis I know can act like this , one more often then the other, anyway I do not allow my basenjis to act like this and make sure they remember at those points that I am the boss, not that they care about that at these moments but if you do not do anything it is not good either LOL so I do not let them get away with it as they will remember that!
but sometimes it feels that it has no use at all
sometimes when they are on leash and they see a cat or another dogs they can get furious at well and can bite to each other out of frustration, i do now know the english term for this but it is well known doggy behaviour and ofcourse you must punish them when they do it, when he bites another dog this way the other dog will do that as well!!
so I think this is real basenji behaviour and it is pretty annoying! but you do not have to let him get away with it for nothing

when they are on leash and they see a cat or another dogs they can get furious at well and can bite to each other out of frustration,

Ours do that at the window all the time when a dog walks by.

Our male has a met a friendly cat on our walks and has just been fascinated with this new thing, this cat. If our dog gets to close to the cat, the cat hisses and bats in on his nose. They seem to be OK with each other.

@Barklessdog:

Our girl would sit on the bed up stairs, see another dog out the window and she would rip up the sheets / comforter on the bed.

You made me spit coffee on my keyboard. OMG and we love this breed why? LOLOLOL. Sayblee used to go room to room looking out the windows stalking the neighbor's loose dog. It was a little unnerving at first (she was my first basenji), but then I got used to it.

If you cannot hold onto your dog … and trust me we have ALL dropped a leash now and then ... you might go with a harness and 2 leashes, one clipped to your waist or with strap around your wrist. While you can't do that with a 100 pound dog, with a senji at least she can't drag you down the road.

Leash aggression and fence aggression are common with many dogs. Add our guys lack of brotherly love... bingo.

It is one reason I am absolutely rabid about loose leash training. The second a dog pulls on the leash, we go the other way. They learn quickly that pressure on leash gets them precisely what they don't want. We don't go for walks, parks, stores anywhere until loose leash walking is perfected. Then we go to distraction areas and work on it more. It can be taught at any age... have done it with feral dogs and ..lol.. Sayblee after she got her championship.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5986026_teach-dog-not-pull-leash.html

It is one reason I am absolutely rabid about loose leash training.

Agreed. My dog has learned to get his energy out by weaving around quickly within the limits of the leash, keeping it loose.

A few years ago we used a clip lead that when he jerked a certain way the leash would unclip! He would just freeze like (what happened?" I would grab him before he discovered he was free.

One time he got free and terrorized a little flopsy mopsy dog, doing the running circles, bounce around your prey, then go in for little strikes / nips. The owner was an old woman who totally freaked out (deservedly so). No harm was done.

OMG and we love this breed why? LOLOLOL.

I keep asking myself that and that is why I would never recomend a basenji to anyone- . I dont know anyone who could put up with it or who would be responsible enough to do what it takes for these dogs. My family thinks we are crazy.

Its that attachment they have with us & the almost human element to their personality, I think.

Barklessdog - bang on with the comment regarding horses. From a former rider, there is just so much information you 'telegraph' to a horse that if not aware, you have no idea of what is happening. Then you find yourself working way too hard to keep your horse in harmony with you. I believe dogs are no different. They pick up on your energy and give back what you are putting out there.