HOMER

As some of you may know, I've have Homer for a little over 2 years now. He was given to me by an acquaintance who's inlaws didn't want him anymore, as they were splitting up. I believe he had a couple of different homes, although he was only 1 1/2 years old. I already had two Lab mixes and didn't need another dog, but I had lost my Basset when he was 11 a couple of years back and missed him terribly. When I saw Homer, I couldn't resist. He has been a handful since day one. I had a behavioralist come in because he was growling and wild. She said his aggression was out of fear and that someone must have abused him. I had him in obedience school twice and he does a few commands. He goes after my cats all the time so I have to keep them out of his way when he's out of his crate. He does get along with the other dogs though. He has a BIG problem with resourse guarding and growls at people he doesn't know. I have been atttacked by him three times in the 2.5 years I've had him. This would happen when I would take away something he wanted and perhaps stole, or as in the other evening when he wanted one of the cheese and crackers near me and I said "no". He went completely nuts! Growling, trying to bite, etc. I had to have someone pull him off me! Then he is very sheepish for days on end, knowing he was very bad. On top of all this, I love him to pieces and he can be very loving and sweet. My heart if breaking because I don't know what to do! I can't give him up to anyone for fear he will harm someone. I don't want to put down a perfectly healthy, beautiful Basset. What to do?? I was given the name of someone who does indivicual training, and I'm thinking of calling him. I wonder though if after all this time he can actually help.

If anyone has any experience with this behavior in a Basset, please let me know. I'm so depressed at what has happened and don't know what to do.

murraysmom

You will have to manage him 24/7, or put him down.

I know this sounds harsh, but I speak from experience. My husband's late wife's dachshund could be vicious but my husband couldn't even think of putting the dog down because it had been her dog. We managed him until he died at the age of 17 a couple of years ago. IT WAS VERY VERY HARD.. He was never allowed out in public without a leash and muzzle, he was crated when we had visitors, etc. That being said, we were taking a chance that I was never fully comfortable with.


Good luck with this, my heart really goes out to you.

shallhb

Consulting an animal behaviorist--I assume that's what the individual trainer does whom you mentioned--really is by far the best option at this point. I haven't had any experience with a Basset like this. A professional trainer is the person to consult. Good luck with it--It sounds very hard.

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Sharon Hall

Grace (puppy in training)
Bella, UD, VER, TD, RE, CGC
Pearl,UD, TDX, RE, CGC (Waiting at the Bridge)
Samantha, Theodore, CGC, Louella, Zeke and Arty, Bassets All; (All Waiting at the Bridge)

Vision

I'm not an expert or anything, but I don't tolerate a dog with an aggressive attitude. If its affect is making you unhappy, I'd rectify the situation any way necessary.

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Marquis de Lafayette brought Basset Hounds to the United States as a gift to George Washington

Aruuuu

This is a difficult situation. Calling in a behaviorist is a good move, but it doesn't mean there's going to be an easy fix. If a dog is hard-wired for aggression, it won't be trained out of him. And some abuse cannot be erased. Good luck, and please keep us posted.

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If stress were exercise, I'd be in great shape!

Maggie's Mommy

I had a similar situation as Murraysmom. My German Shepherd was not at all agressive to us but to everyone else. We got him as a young pup, 2 weeks before my Mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I did not have the time or mind set to socialize him. All my time was for my Mom. This just made him protective of his home, his things and us. We had to supervise him 24/7. Never letting him near company or a child. It was very difficult. I felt guilty because we failed him by not socializing him when it was crucial. So we wouldn't put him down. He lived to be 9 years old. It was so hard to live with a dog like that. It's like having a loaded gun and never knowing when it will go off. I think if you can't supervise him you have to put him down. Maybe some others will share their thoughts or experience on this. Good Luck to you.

sadeyes2

Sorry about the trouble with Homer. I think he has crossed a boundry actually attacking you for your food. Resource guarding is bad enough but I think this is definately a big step up from that.

I don't think a trainer is the answer. It sounds like you need the help of a PROPERLY QUALIFIED animal behaviourist. I would contact your nearest veterinary college or university and enquire about this, or even your vet could recommend someone qualified with experience.

When I had the behaviour problems with my westie, I phoned the veterinary university and saw a behaviourist who was a vet, she then done a 3year study of wolves in their natural habitat, and finally she taught this subject at university, and believe it or not ,she was cheaper than others who had little or no proper qualifications.

Sorry to rant on, but I know how fond you are of Homer and if you haven't already then I would take him to an expert.

biscuit

i agree with sadeyes about the *trained* animal behaviorist. you might also want to join AGBEH, a yahoo group for people with aggressive dogs. i'll post the link to the group later today.

you also want to make sure it's fear aggression and not aggression --- they're two very different things.

Yogi has fear aggression, but he has never bitten anyone nor shown the least inclination to bite. instead, he growls and puffs up and tries to get away to hide. he also has some other stuff going on --- he's very, very noise sensitive, so much so that a car backfiring a block away will send him running to the front door to hide.

one thing you really want to do first is learn how to manage the situation. true, i'm not sure how you would manage a situation when he believes the cheese and crackers on the plate are his and not yours (!), but it sounds like that's the kind of thing you need to figure out.

dogs like this sometimes have other stuff going on --- with Yogi, i know he wasn't properly socialized before i got him, but he's also a very sensitive dog, which is true of many dogs with fear aggression. he's not a dominant fellow at all and definitely has some kind of sound thing going on and some issues with anxiety. a lot of exercise really seems to help with him. i also have clear rules laid out, even though i'm actually a very lax disciplinarian ::blush::

i consulted an animal behaviorist and he ended up wanting to work on Biscuit, not Yogi. Biscuit was showing off for him --- running through the room trailing socks like a flag, flinging them about, looking exceedingly charming, doing his usual --- and the behaviorist seemed to think Biscuit needed to just sit like a good dog without making a peep. haha! so i ended up going it alone with Yogi. there are still problems but, in general, he's just a big gentle giant and lovebunny. his fear has really lessened, but it's still there somewhat.

HOMER

Thank you all so much for all your suggestions. I spoke with a woman I know who has been to visit and has met Homer and really loves him. She does agility with her Golden. She and her husband even purchased an RV to drive to competitions. She is very knowledgeable about dogs, behavior, and training. She also has many friends who are doing the agility thing and have rescue places for various breeds and people who foster, she being one as well. She is going to ask around and see if she can find a good home for Homer. She strongly feels that there is someone out there who will love Homer to pieces and take good care of him. I told her everything about him, most of which she already knew, and she will be sharing this information with everyone as well. We agree that he needs someone without cats or children, as well as someone who will be stern with him. I am the type who loves a cuddly, warm dog that is not hyper or demanding. I had a Basset who I rescued years ago that was just like that. He passed on about 4 years ago at age 12 and I missed him terribly. He was my first Basset and I just assumed that they were all layed back like him.

This is breaking my heart something awful. I am so attached to Homer and love him so much and this is going to be so difficult, but after thinking that my only option was to put him down, this is a lot more bearable.

When I'm hound-less, I will be missing this board very much. I think it would be too painful to hear about all these wonderful, beautiful Bassets and not have one of my own. You guys are really great.

murraysmom

If you are going to follow this course, please be sure that whoever takes him agrees to return him to you if it doesn't work out, and lets you monitor the situation. A dog like this can end up in horrible circumstances if the person who takes him realizes they can't handle him after all. Peace.