Chance's Not So Nice Behavior….hmmmm

[tanza]

@renaultf1:

When I first got Ruby, if you touched her while she was resting you would get an unfriendly grumble. However, if she was on the couch or on my bed, she was promptly moved to the floor. She learned that if she wanted to stay in the comfortable spot, she better be nice or else she'd lose the privilege.

Additionally, I did what Jazzy's Mom did just to prove to her that she wasn't running the show…because I knew that she could be a crank, I would pet her any time she was lying down because I wanted her to not react to being touched while sleeping. Now she is great. Although, once in a while she will let out a big sigh if she is being "bothered" by me.

I will say, that I tell anyone in the house to talk to the dogs before walking up to them if they are sleeping...just so they won't be startled. Once their eyes open, and even if they close them again, they are fine to be touched by anyone in the house.

Very well put…. that is exactly what I do, growl and you lost your priviledge to sleep in bed or the couch... you get the floor....

[myran]

I agree totally with Jazzy NO treats it?s my house and I sit lie ,stand where ever I feel like and you have to claim your space in a dog?s world.Also it is of utmost importance that you can take food or bone whenever you feel like cause one day it might be something dangerous that could hurt or kill them and at that moment you must be able to remove it from them.I?m lucky i?ve never had any issues with my two not with food or bones or anything they find I make a special noice that I taught them as puppies which means "drop it this instant" and they do.When I go to bed Myran can already be there but he immediately knows that he has to stand up and wait til I positioned myself then he may return they?ve been taught to be lifted even fast asleep without a grumble.
I don?t want to sound selfrighteous but I think it?s important we teach new basenji owners that the "school of wellbehaving "starts the instant your basenji arrives to your house.

[wizard]

My first basenji would shoot off the couch if touched when he was sleeping (never seen a dog move so fast) but never growled or nipped. My second basenji didn't like being touched and would definitely get snarky. When he slept in the bed with me and that happened I'd dump him out of the bed. He eventually learned to cut it down to just a little growl. My current basenji doesn't care one bit if touched or picked up - thank goodness. I agree with JazzysMom - wouldn't want a visitor to get nailed accidentally just because they sat too close.

[Tayda_Lenny]

Somehow both Tayda and Lenny are very tolerant of being moved touched/petted/moved around while sleeping. They'll get snarky with each other if one is sleeping and the other comes over to lay down on the same pillow, but they never get snarky with me.

Actually it's funny, right now, since it's cold out, they are always competing for who gets to sit in front of the heating vent. Even though there are multiple vents in the house and they all have pillows in front of them, they always want to sit where the other one is. If tayda is laying in front of a vent, Lenny will go over and play bow with her until she leaves the vent to either fight with him or play with him and he will jump onto the pillow and lay down. Then, Tayda will play bow to coax him out. repeat. repeat. repeat.

[KiroGurl]

i must be very lucky!!! kiro wakes like an adorable angel… seriously... i move her all the time and handle her often. she stretchs and gets a little smile....
but ive been waking her up since i first got her ..... i always give her good morning kisses and love and wake her just like i would any other family member....
we are all morning people.we all wake very nicely together....so maybe its learned behavior... or just a emotion that is noted by them....from you maybe if you wake them nicely with words first and gentle gentle touches they will enjoy it rather then get mad.....

[Ninabeana26]

If he gets snarky in bed I do simply push him off the bed. It's more when he is lying in certain spots sleeping & I call him to come to bed but he doesn't want to move that I bring out a treat. I rarely use treats though because more often than not, he will get up when I keep calling him & petting him.

[renaultf1]

@Tayda_Lenny:

Actually it's funny, right now, since it's cold out, they are always competing for who gets to sit in front of the heating vent. Even though there are multiple vents in the house and they all have pillows in front of them, they always want to sit where the other one is. If tayda is laying in front of a vent, Lenny will go over and play bow with her until she leaves the vent to either fight with him or play with him and he will jump onto the pillow and lay down. Then, Tayda will play bow to coax him out. repeat. repeat. repeat.

Sounds like my house. They have a huge dog bed in front of the woodstove. Ruby will share with Brando, but god forbid he touches her when he goes to lie down. Once she has allowed him on the bed, he will act like he is going to go to sleep, and right as soon as Ruby closes her eyes, he will start slowly poking her with his paw and her noises start to grow with each progressive poke. Eventually, it will be an all out snarkfest, and the more snarky she gets, the more he tries to entice her to play…it is pretty funny to watch, because obviously her noises mean nothing to him...it is like he is laughing at her. However, if Brando is the first one on the dog bed, Ruby will plunk herself down and put her head right on him, and he never makes a sound.

[KiroGurl]

thats so sute..i wish i had two B's

[shep_18]

yup, my dog does that too. He likes to sleep on the couch (even though i shouldnt let him! lol) and if someone stands behind the couch over the couch he starts to growl. Usually if i sit next to him on the couch he will let me but will usuallly get pissed off, give one growl and then jump off the couch….and then somtimes he doesnt care at all when i sit next to him.

[rnasto]

Ohh….that would not fly in our house. Indy has only ever biten out of anger 2x once for dh and once for me. I do not generally do this but I gave him a good swat on the nose for that and then did exactly what you are doing. I call it "remedial" dog training. The next step is to reach into his mouth and take food out. This can be particularly important. Earlier this year Indy got some wire mesh and almost choked, I was able to reach in a get it before he did any dammage.

[Vanessa]

I would never dare try to take food away from any of our dogs. We give them food but don't want them to think they are getting it taken from them…..That's why I got bit in the first place. I learned my lesson. Now if I need to take something away in case of an emergency...grab a different treat. They will drop whatever they currently have and want whats in my hand.
Lesson learned.

[sharronhurlbut]

rnasto..this is regarding your post..

I don't hit the b's ever…most rescue dogs come in with hand issues, because hands cause pain.
We work on hands only giving good things, to help them overcome what they have gone through.
I would suggest you find another way to deal with your dogs behavior.
IMO, it would be better for both of you.

[tanza]

@sharronhurlbut:

rnasto..this is regarding your post..

I don't hit the b's ever…most rescue dogs come in with hand issues, because hands cause pain.
We work on hands only giving good things, to help them overcome what they have gone through.
I would suggest you find another way to deal with your dogs behavior.
IMO, it would be better for both of you.

I agree… with any breed.. I would never "hit".. Exchange is the way to go...

[tanza]

@Vanessa:

I would never dare try to take food away from any of our dogs. We give them food but don't want them to think they are getting it taken from them…..That's why I got bit in the first place. I learned my lesson. Now if I need to take something away in case of an emergency...grab a different treat. They will drop whatever they currently have and want whats in my hand.
Lesson learned.

Exactly…

[Vanessa]

@tanza:

I agree… with any breed.. I would never "hit".. Exchange is the way to go...

Your forgetting one thing…they have a tendency to hit us :p

[rnasto]

There are very few times when I will do this to Indy and a swat means one finger with a tap on the nose I guess I should have specified. But there are some things that are not acceptable, and he needs to know that they will not be tolerated.

Biting out of anger is one of those things that our house does not tolerate and is met with a swift response. Most other things are met with a distraction and a soft "no", an exchange, or a distraction. I have NEVER hurt him intensionally (I have accidentally steped on one of his paws like everyone here has).

Sharon you do bring up a good point though, if he was a rescue the response would be different depending upon the dog's issues.

[nomrbddgs]

I have always trained my dogs to let me take their food out of their mouth. It definitely helps, especially when they have a dead bird they are mangling. None of my dogs have ever bitten me in anger. (there is always, ALWAYS, a first time and I would never be stupid enough to believe it can't happen) However, I've had these dogs from puppies. With a lot of rescue and older dogs, Sharon is right, hands do not equate with good things. The exchange program is better.

[lvoss]

I use the exchange method at home but I also work hard to teach my dogs to have a soft mouth so if I have to stick my hands in there I am less likely to be seriously bitten.

I lived in a college town when I first got Nicky and you would be amazed at the things that college students just toss off their balconies. I often had to take things out of Nicky's mouth and they were high value items like tri tip roasts.

[kiroja]

Same here Arlene. There are times when bribes won't be affective or can't happen soon enough. So mine learn from the get go that I can give and take as I please. They have always been wonderful for me, even if they're getting a little cranky with another dog when they have a really special treat. Because of course you've all seen the round robin game. They each get their own bone, etc. but the grass is always greener on the other side so they have to go around stealing each other's a few times before finally settling in to actually eat. lol

Mine also learn a good "leave it" command. It really helps keep them from snatching up little things that you wouldn't be able to pull from their mouth like a dropped pill. Also when we play with toys they learn the "drop it" so I can always take stuff from their mouth.

Of course if you're starting out with an adult, rescue, or poor temperament, then you may have to go about things a different way.

[renaultf1]

@kiroja:

Because of course you've all seen the round robin game. They each get their own bone, etc. but the grass is always greener on the other side so they have to go around stealing each other's a few times before finally settling in to actually eat. lol

Ha, ha, ha…yes I've definitely seen that one. Brando ALWAYS wants what Ruby has, even if he doesn't like it (carrots, stingray tails are what come to mind that he doesn't like). He'll steal hers, and have his treat (usually a bully stick) and then he has everything. So of course, I have to intervene because he will tell her off if she attempts to get her treat back, even though he just wants to look at it :rolleyes: and not eat it.

The trade up usually works, but so does off or drop it (mind you, he doesn't let it go the second I ask, but his grasp on it definitely lightens and then eventually he drops it), but it is an ongoing battle until he decides to just enjoy what he has. Worse comes to worse and a trade doesn't work, or if it is an emergency, I can put my hand in and remove something from his mouth (and the same with Ruby) without any fear of a bite or a growl. My biggest problem with Brando he is super strong, so until he gives up (even slightly), there isn't much I can do to physically open his jaw, so that is why the off or drop it are key.