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Welcome to the forum
Thank you and glad to be here Thunderbird! I see you are from the UK. I'm a transplant to the US over 30 years ago (originally from Essex). My sister said she got snow today. This is such a great forum and I've gotten a wealth of info and ideas and everyone is so encouraging. I'm not going to give up on our Max! He has such great spirit. Nice to meet you.
What makes you think he wants to be in charge? What specific behaviors does he display?
I highly recommend the video The Language of Dogs, it is available at http://www.dogwise.com
Some dogs give more subtle signals that they are uncomfortable than others and the video is great at giving lots of examples of lots of different signals that dogs give distance increasing signals, distance decreasing signals, and calming signals.
Thanks I will get this. Well, he seems to wants to protect me from my husband the way he snarls sometimes if he comes into the room. He wants to jump up and lick anyone who comes in (no we don't let him do this). He wants to be on top of everyone. Body blocks us, is bossy, will stand stiffly over my other dog but she doesn't care because she knows she was here first and ignores him. I do make him sit and sometimes his bottom actually touches the floor!
It really can be hard to spot the signs a dog gives when its reaching discomfort.
It can be a yawn, a turning the head away, freezing, oh, so many things…lip licking..sigh. IMO, it would be worthwhile to get a person who knows this breed of dog to come and watch all the interactions.
You might have a reactive dog and just have to manage him...we had one who would bite, and over time, we learned when he was going to...
I admire your working to help him blend into the family.
Hi Sharron, Reactive his is! I thought this is were we were in terms of managing him and reading his body language, but then suddenly, like when he nudges my husband to pet his head, he'll snarl and lunge at him. Doesn't make my husband feel good. HB will stand and tell him to "go lie down" which Max does with his "I'm sorry I did that" look.
What Part of NC are u in .. I'm also in NC i by no means am a expert on that behavior however i've dealt with 2 difficult Basenji's and a cattledog/terrier mix . Sometimes having someone else see what he is like helps I know it did for me I didn't see certain things that a friend who helped me did .
Hi Phoenix - We are close! We're in Pinehurst/Southern Pines area. The kennel/crate was a dog friend suggestion that has helped as he feels safe in it (and so are we). We have learned to be cautious when we pet him. When Max wants to snuggle and nudges me to pet him I do. I will rub his belly and touch his feet (my husband can NEVER do this) to try to desensitize him. It is a certain look tho that he gives and I know he is about to bite and I can sense it so that is how we have learned to live with him. He knows it too and will jump down and be in low crawl position. I call this his having "bad thoughts" mode. This isn't all the time - he loves to play, tug, catch, and is so funny with our other dog Sophie. He can throw and catch his own ball too!
Well, at least it is nice to know that I am not the only one to experience this problem. FYI-It does not appear to be related to light or temperature.
We are going to see a new trainer in the next week and this is one of the things we want to work on, so I will update if we find something that works.
Please let me know what you found out at the training! Thank goodness I'm not the only one with this problem - my spaniel mix Sophie, 7 yrs does this, not my Basenji, Max who walks just fine. She does this when we walk around the neighborhood, digs in her heels, refuses to go left or continue on certain streets. I have picked her up and carried her past a few houses (I feel like a criminal) and it's not always the same area. I check out the obvious things like noises but it's very quiet where we live. She just has one favorite route and that's it and this gets boring for the rest of us. However, if I drive to our park trails and we walk, still on leash and no houses she is fine. This is nice but not always convenient! I know this is an older post.
Hi there - see you are in Wilmington! We're in Pinehurst, Moore County. Cute picture - is that Cody?
Thanks for the info and I will get him the test. I have low thyroid myself!
Hi Sharron, yes, both are fixed. He has been medically checked but probably not his thyroid so I will check that. We try to be consistent with both but should be more so, and we don't make them sit for the couch but do for meals and before going for walks. They both need to have more door manners as it lasts for a few mins then, pow, open door and it's a free for all. Or, I put them in "Kennel up" or in the bedroom so we can greet people. Usually Max will easily sit and look up for permission without being asked. He is so smart and is so good on walks and Sophie is the one who has problems there as she refuses to go one way or another if she doesn't want to, I think she has hang ups, but Max is just glad to be along. Gosh it's hard. But he def wants to be in charge. We will make him sit more before giving love or free couch. He knows "off" but we aren't as consistent as we (I) should be…. Thanks.,
We live in North Carolina. Max is our Basenji (or a mix). We?ve had him now a year after adopting him at around 18 months. No info on him except ?doesn?t like children?. Sophie our spaniel-mix is 6years and she and Max always have got on great and play yet she is dominant one and he will rolls over to her and it?s her house. No issues there. Vet said Max is an Alpha dog, no question. Has typical Basenji traits but we were told he was a Jack Rat Terrier mix so we're not exactly sure. After a few months Max started showing his dark side. He started growling and lunging at my husband whenever he came into the room (or moved). 98% of the time Max is completely normal and friendly with him and everyone but we know we have to watch him. He has growled at me if I move when he?s sleeping or if he doesn?t like a certain touch. My HB has forgiven Max so many times (it was an "it?s me or the dog" in the beginning! Since we don?t have kids he has tolerated him but cannot trust him. Just last night, HB was at dinner table tho not eating and gently just scratching Max?s head while looking at tv since Max went up to him, suddenly Max lunged at him. He growls, shows teeth. If HB comes in room is starts when Max thinks he hears him with a low growl and lots of grumbling, and turns into a nasty growl. Other times, he'll bring HB the toy and they'll play and he'll always greet him with joy if he comes in frm the outside.
Max is always very ashamed of his outbursts and will low crawl to a "bed" area. At night both dogs sleep in our bedroom. At end of bed I have a covered (matches drapes!) crate for Max and he loves to go "kennel up" at night. We don't use it as punishment and had to have it to protect my husband as in the morning if HB walks out and walks back in the room Max would growl and lunge. Sophie is of course on the bed and ignores the commotion.
If people come to the house (we know it) and Max greets everyone joyously but we?re always just a little bit afraid. He snapped at my young niece when visiting me and has snapped on a neighbor. This is only 1 or 2% of the time. He is fine at the dog park with other dogs, mostly a loner, or will play with Sophie. He has a wire loose somewhere. We can't put him down and I love my HB for tolerating him. HB tried all the tips of the tv shows, like high value treats, and tough body energy, etc. Has anyone else had similar problems or got advice? Do we in fact have a Basenji? He looks like one! Thanks!
Thanks Sharron. I did down load some to an album and as my signature but I must have done something wrong and I don't see them. I try to figure it out.
My husband and I have two dogs, both were rescues. Sophie (a spaniel mix) that we got as a puppy and is now 6 yrs (yes, spoiled), and now Max we got a year ago. They thought he was a Jack Rat Terrier mix and maybe a year and a half. I think he is a Basenji and we've had him now a year. Max and Sophie get on so well and there's no problems there. Sophi will put him in his place if he gets too much and they play well. It was about three months when Max started displaying dark moments and agressive hostility towards my husband. Vet said he was an Alpha dog and to work with a behaviorist. It was almost a "Me or the Dog" for a whlie and I would have hated to have got rid of my husband after 28 years (just kidding) but we have survived until now with adjustments like a crate for Max at night. I will not trust Max with kids but it's just us and we can learn to live te a "special needs" dog. At this point I guess I should I post details and questions about this at the Behavior Forum? I just wanted to intro ourselves as found this site today and there's some good advice here and we need it. Thanks.