Basenji Nipping Kids?

[Mantis]

I think it is a dangerous thing to tell pet owners all they have to do is be alpha, and their dog will respect them. Too many people think that means manhandling the dog into submission.

Not what I was implying, but I suppose lots could be lost in translation when we share our experiences and opinions.

Please dont beat or spank your dogs to assert yourself as alpha in any inhumane manner. And, for the record, I have never met a basenji that didnt want to be alpha…in my opinion...

Sounds like you are doing great with your basenji now!! Have fun.

[ayeshaandwoodysmom]

I have an older basenji that I am having problems with. Ayesha was a rescue and is 9 years old. When my granddaughters come over( they are 4 and 3) she is ok, for a while. Then she starts growling and bareing teeth. I had the girls give her treats yesterday. She is not food agressive with me, but the oldest tried to hand her some food she had dropped, she growled and nipped at her. Ayesha has a special place in my heart, but I won't put up with this. Please help!!

[Mantis]

growling at the kids is their way of controlling them.

I would teach the kids a few tricks that your basenji knows and let the kids give her a treat once she does what they ask.

[Mantis]

you will either have to communicate to your basenji that the kids are in your pack and not hers, or they( kids) will need to communicate it.

[dash]

@ayeshaandwoodysmom:

I have an older basenji that I am having problems with. Ayesha was a rescue and is 9 years old. When my granddaughters come over( they are 4 and 3) she is ok, for a while. Then she starts growling and bareing teeth. I had the girls give her treats yesterday. She is not food agressive with me, but the oldest tried to hand her some food she had dropped, she growled and nipped at her. Ayesha has a special place in my heart, but I won't put up with this. Please help!!

Do these kids love with you? If they only come over every so often can the dog be crated just while they are there? Or at least put her away when she starts to get unwilling to tolerate the kids. Does she have somewhere to escape from the kids. some kids like dogs so much they want to hug them and kiss them. Dogs are always real hip to that.

[jys1011]

She probably has her limits as an adult…so if she's had an hour or so with the kids then just put her either in a crate or a room where the kids cannot access so she can have her alone time. Just like older people...older dogs can tolerate but so much time with little ones.

Good Luck!

[Mantis]

that is true

[ayeshaandwoodysmom]

I put her in the front room and closed the door. The girls haven't tried to hug her, just gentle pats. They have dogs at home(labs), and just want to pet her. I have finally just told them not to bother here.

[JazzysMom]

Jazz is not really fond of kids {although she is awesome w/mine, and a few others}, so If the kids go outside to play, I let her run the house; the kids come in, Jazz goes outside or in her crate.

As with people, some dogs just don't like the company of kids. It's safest for everyone not to force the issue, IMO>

[JazzysMom]

@Quercus:

<_>

Be aware that if she is growling because she is nervous about the toddler, having him sit on her could make it worse. I think you could accomplish the same goal, by having her sit and having him pet her. If she truly is afraid, forcing her to tolerate him may make her much more likely to bite him when you aren't looking.

Dogs growl for a reason, and if you force them to supress the growl, they may just bite next time with no warning.

And I would NEVER EVER want to teach my son that the answer to deal with a growling dog was to sit on it…... jmo....._

_
Ditto that , Quercus. I think that's a really scarey way to handle the situation. Surely did nothing to endear the child to the dog, and probably gave the child a dangerous idea for how to deal with aggressive dogs._

[tanza]

@JazzysMom:

Jazz is not really fond of kids {although she is awesome w/mine, and a few others}, so If the kids go outside to play, I let her run the house; the kids come in, Jazz goes outside or in her crate.

As with people, some dogs just don't like the company of kids. It's safest for everyone not to force the issue, IMO>

Two of mine are not fond of children.. while they are OK at the first few minutes of greeting them… after that they are in their crates and happy to do so....

[jys1011]

Topaz will never be fond of anyone..especially kids. And that's fine with me. I know her limits and for everyone's sake I just manage the situation. When it comes time for my own kids we'll have to do the same. Topaz is just off limits that's all. It happens…they're very much like humans...you like what you like & if you don't than that's just a fact of life.

Now C3PO loves kids & people & can't get enough attention. Unless of course you're wearing scrubs theeeeeen he's not too fond of you LOL

[RockysWoman]

I too have a B that is great with select kids (mine and a small handful of others) and while his is tolerant of most children, he'd rather just be by himself and go to sleep.

I know kids being kids want to be all over the dog and play and run and fetch and tumble and and and… but I have found 2 things in my experiences: 1) when in doubt, remove the dog from the situation. Its stops the problem before there even is one; and 2) teach the kids how to approach the dog, and then at the first sign of testiness on anyones part, remove the dog. (I guess it's just really one thing I've learned...)

Anyway, while b's are great with kids, not all B's are great with all kids. Just know your dog and it's limits. Watch for the signs and when dog starts getting testy, remove it to it's safe place and tell the kids "doggy in a time out. Let's leave him be for now."

At least that works for me! Best of Luck!

[jys1011]

RockysWoman-Sound advice

[Lovelace]

For now we keep the baby gate between our Furkid & the baby (10months) Or an adult needs to be holding our son. We try to teach our 5yr old & 13yr old to constantly remind Moses that in the family pack he is low man. Our B is doing great.
I would love advice on how old my youngest should be before I can let them be together. For now we are thinking 3years or older - kids don't mean to be cruel but sometimes can hurt an animal on accident and it's only natural that the dog protect itself.

[Quercus]

Do you mean the dog is never near the baby? Or only when someone isn't directly supervising?

I think four or so is probably an okay age to leave them together in the other room…depending on the dog, and the child. Some kids should never be left alone with a dog and vice versa!

[Rita Jean]

I for sure do not know the answer but I would think that with everything being new this was just a little to much at first. Could be they love there new family so much just afraid maybe they were going to get taken away.
Please give them time and space and I am sure they will come around. Good Luck and let all of us know.

Rita Jean

[Lovelace]

@Quercus:

Do you mean the dog is never near the baby? Or only when someone isn't directly supervising?

I think four or so is probably an okay age to leave them together in the other room…depending on the dog, and the child. Some kids should never be left alone with a dog and vice versa!

Moses, the basenji, is only around the baby when someone is there holding him. Otherwise they are seperated by a gate or screen. We let them sniff (on occasion lick! yuck)each other thru the "pack&play" screen. Even then I guess someone is usually monitoring them.

[Quercus]

@Lovelace:

Moses, the basenji, is only around the baby when someone is there holding him. Otherwise they are seperated by a gate or screen. We let them sniff (on occasion lick! yuck)each other thru the "pack&play" screen. Even then I guess someone is usually monitoring them.

Well, let's see…I think you could probably let the Basenji be around the baby whenever there is a grown up (or teen?) in the room...unless the dog has shown you he is uncomfortable around babies.

We have two almost 11 month olds (can y'all believe it!) and our dogs are around them all the time, when we are in the room, at least. Mostly the dogs ignore the babies, unless there is something irresistable dripping out of their mouths! The dogs all have a fairly responsive "leave it" command, and we use it if they try to lick the babies...but occasionally they will get in a couple slurps (particularly Blondie, Bella and Hippo).

We have always just been of the school of thought that it is better for all to get used to each other...sometimes the babies get knocked over, and sometimes the dogs get a little pinch...but they are all fine with that. We supervise always, and we have pretty well behaved dogs (for the most part!). I think if you try to keep Moses away from the baby too much, you will end up creating a situation where the dog is really crazed to get to the baby, or nervous about the baby...you kind of want him to feel like 'okay this thing is part of our pack now, no big deal'

How do your older kids demonstrate that they are dominant to the dog?

[jys1011]

Ditto Andrea

I have a couple of 12 month olds roaming the house too. We did it slowly for MY sake. I know my female was having anxiety with the new arrivals so I decided to ease her into it. I did short intervals of time with the dogs/babies in the same room 10-15minutes a day & worked our way up. Set up the dogs/babies for success. Don't try to multi-task during this "socialization" time (for lack of a better term). Focus on the dogs behavior & keep an eye our for cues of stress.

Teach "Leave it" or "back" (that's what I use) when they lick or want to mess with the baby. Smelling is ok as long as they walk away after a few seconds and reward reward reward the good behavior.

I also did things to de-sensitize the dogs that I know my girls will eventual do like pull on ears/tails/take the dogs' toys/etc. & reward for good behavior (no growling/yelling/etc.).

There's also rules in our house:

Don't bother dogs while eating
Don't bother babies while eating
Don't bother mommy/daddy while eating (this one is for dogs AND babies)
Dogs are not allowed to play with babies' toys EVER
Dogs are to walk away from any baby items floor (typically things thrown from high chair including bibs/plates/spoons/shoes/socks/etc.)