[ArthurMom]

We adopted a 4 year old Basset in June. He's a very sweet and loving dog. However, some destruction and aggression issues have popped up. In terms of destruction, Arthur is beginning in recent weeks to eat toys and other objects. He likes crayons, anything wood, and wrestler toys. Arthur has also started marking in the house, including peeing on a bag of potatoes and next to my husband and I's bed.

Aggression, though, is the bigger issue. Whenever we want him to move off of somewhere (i.e. a bed or the couch), he shows his teeth and growls. He also does this if we try to get him back inside before we have to leave to go to work or wherever. It has come down to him ttrying to bite us. When it's real bad, he barks real loudly and has occasionally lunged at us as well. He does not, thank goodness, try to bite our son. Th most he doespecially at hmm is growls.

So any suggestions on what to do? We love this dog and will do whatever it takes to make it work. I try to take a few times each day to throw his toys and chase him around the house. And when it's not the middle of our cold Kansas winter, my husband will take him for at least one walk. A part of me wonders if things have gotten worse because he misses his walks that help spell the high amount of energy he has. I look forward to all suggestions!

 

[ArthurMom]

Ha! Yeah...potatoes were in the kitchen and it was late Christmas Eve.

 

[ArthurMom]

We have given him a rawhide which he loved for a while. Not sure what else he would like, but I''ll run to Petco this week to see what is available.

 

[ArthurMom]

So a treat could equal cheese? We've discovered he doesn't care for treats.

I I'll check this video out after work today.

 

[ArthurMom]

I think the trying to remain calm is something I definitely need to impart. It used to be he would growl at me if I even came to bed at night and he was laying there. We used to tell him to get off if he growled at all, but that just seemed to make him more aggresive. So now when I come in there, if he growls, I just tell him to calm down and make it clear to him that I'm not there to make him get up necessarily.

I don't mind Arthur up on the furniture and beds; however, I do want him to know that when it is nighttime that he needs to either go lay somewhere in the living room (couch or recliner) or in with our 7 year old son as Arthur actually likes to sleep in the closet where there are blankets on the floor. And the closet seems like a really comfortable place for him as well because I usually find him there most mornings.

Is it weird, too, that he goes nuts when my husband or I put our socks and shoes on when we have to go to work? I'm to the point where I either make sure he's in another room or that he's outside before I put my shoes on in the morning. He growls and barks and shows his teeth. I'm not really sure what to make of it...