Lots more information needed here. As Debra asked, how old? How long have you had this dog? Is this a new behaviour and if so how recently has it appeared? What training have you done with this dog? IMO, it isn't unusual for a Basenji to object to doing something it doesn't want to do (or when asked to cease doing something it does want to do!), but usually this will be only a grumble and if it has escalated to biting or threatening to bite you need to deal with it, and if you aren't confident then you need help from a qualified trainer.
Attacks when he doesn't get what he wants
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In my household, a dog who latches on to something that is off limits gets an immediate verbal response, "Is that yours??", followed by a removal of said object from his mouth. Period. I don't have time to p***yfoot around in the event the dog gets hold of something dangerous to himself, and if it costs me a nip in the process, so be it. (so far no dog of mine has had the temerity to attempt biting me in circumstances where he knows he is in the wrong, but I am not timid, or intimidated, and they have all clearly understood it is something I am not prepared to tolerate.)
I realize I am tempting the flame throwers here, but sometimes you just have to say "no", and that is that.
edited to add: I will use the "trade" concept to retrieve something that I have given the dog. In that case, it is "his", (as opposed to something he has stolen) and if I want it back it is only fair to replace it with something…..hopefully in his eyes of equal value. (I would do this with a bone that was getting dangerously small, for example)
That is all well, and good….and for the most part this is what I do as well, after I have worked with a dog to ensure that they aren't going to guard....but with a dog that is a true resource guarder, walking up and snatching something away, just isn't going to cut it. It will escalate the dog's desire to guard...particularly against other people and dogs.
I don't expect that most pet people will have this level of comfort walking up and taking something from a guarding dog, and I don't want to even think about my kids trying it. I want a dog that thinks, here comes a person (ANY person) if they take my treasure, something good is going to happen.
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I personally have a HUGE problem with the idea of removing a dog's meal after you have given it to him. This amounts to teasing, IMHO. I realize some people like to "train" the dog to give things up this way…
In my household, a dog who latches on to something that is off limits gets an immediate verbal response, "Is that yours??", followed by a removal of said object from his mouth. Period. I don't have time to p***yfoot around in the event the dog gets hold of something dangerous to himself, and if it costs me a nip in the process, so be it. (so far no dog of mine has had the temerity to attempt biting me in circumstances where he knows he is in the wrong, but I am not timid, or intimidated, and they have all clearly understood it is something I am not prepared to tolerate.)
edited to add: I will use the "trade" concept to retrieve something that I have given the dog. In that case, it is "his", (as opposed to something he has stolen) and if I want it back it is only fair to replace it with something…..hopefully in his eyes of equal value. (I would do this with a bone that was getting dangerously small, for example)
I agree. I don't take a dog's food. I teach them early by picking it up, putting something REALLY yummy in it. They learn early and fast that my taking the food is GOOD.
Will man the fire hoses for you. There are times when getting something from a dog FAST is the only option if it is an item the dog can be hurt with, or every very expensive. Which is why teaching a dog very young to drop it is so critical. That this incident was over a tea bag concerns me. It may be that an experienced owner could fix this, but I have to agree with everyone, this pup needs a professional veterinary behaviorist for evaluation if you can afford it.
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Mine are trained from puppyhood to let me take anything from their mouths. I had an experience when one picked up a cooked chicken bone that some idiot had thrown on the ground - if I hadn't been able to just take it out of her mouth she might have choked. Having said this nothing works if you aren't quick enough. A neighbour put out a juicy piece of raw meat filled with strychnine - one of my Basenjis grabbed it and before I could get to her swallowed it!!! I now also teach 'drop it'.
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Mine are trained from puppyhood to let me take anything from their mouths. I had an experience when one picked up a cooked chicken bone that some idiot had thrown on the ground - if I hadn't been able to just take it out of her mouth she might have choked. Having said this nothing works if you aren't quick enough. A neighbour put out a juicy piece of raw meat filled with strychnine - one of my Basenjis grabbed it and before I could get to her swallowed it!!! I now also teach 'drop it'.
Did it kill her?
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Trade is something everyone with a dog should teach.
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Yes, Andrea, she died in a very painful way over three days.
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Yes, Andrea, she died in a very painful way over three days.
That is so sad…why did your neighbor do that? Intentionally to hurt your dogs?
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Yes, Andrea, she died in a very painful way over three days.
That is so very sad… and honestly... regardless how much we try and teach the "exchange", something like raw meat... it 10% of the time might work, the rest... it is pure luck.
And same as Andrea, why did your neighbor do that? And more important if there was a good reason, did they tell you before hand?
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There was no good reason and although we reported her to the police they couldn't take any action. Even writing about it now I can remember every detail. It's very hard to forgive somebody like that but she was mentally ill. Thank goodness she moved away some years ago..
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There was no good reason and although we reported her to the police they couldn't take any action. Even writing about it now I can remember every detail. It's very hard to forgive somebody like that but she was mentally ill. Thank goodness she moved away some years ago..
my goodness Helena i feel so shocked by this. I'm a person who doesn't like conflict but would not like to be responsible for my actions if someone harmed one of my pets. i'm so sorry this happened.
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Patty this is heartbreaking and disgusting. How can there be so many sick people out there?
