Help me decide if I keep this foster I've got

I've been thinking about the issues and possibilities, both negative and positive.

Simply put the biggest issue is that B.Basset can only safely be around experienced dog people until it is seen if his issues can be managed at all and my world includes many inexperienced dog people and non-dog people. From what I have seen using a muzzle appropriately would protect all involved...a long as when I ask him to wear it we don't end up with issues.

Using a muzzle appropriately would have prevented today's issues. If he had been wearing it when we were in a casual situation where my attention was not totally on him and those around him, would have meant that either he wouldn't have been in a position to be startled into nipping, or he wouldn't have been able to nip when startled. If he had been wearing a muzzle the human behaviour around him would be more cautious, less likely to startle him. If he hadn't been startled into being protective, he wouldn't have seen the need to react to protect me after. If he hadn't been startled, triggered to protect, controlled, triggered to remember his fears of punishment, would he have seen the mini poodle as an annoyance not a friend? Who knows but in any case he would have had to deal with them without nipping, possibly discovering that they weren't situations to be fearful of.

B.Basset is loving, bright and eager to please. Worth the effort perhaps.
He's got his head on my knee now, subdued, I see no sign that he no longer trusts me, or that he feels he's gained dominance with his behaviour. Rather the opposite he's quick to obey now.

It just occured to me that the fact he attacked the shoes to defend me not the legs might tells us a couple of things. If his behaviour with the lead snap and collar ring is defensive, as suggested in another post, he was being very specific about what he felt was dangerous, the shoes. Also he chose to attack not the vunerable human legs. Possibly a good sign? Was he defending not attacking?

So tomorrow we'll see how he is about wearing the muzzle he came with for nail clipping and ear cleaning. Its a heavy plastic wire cagey thing. I hate the thought of seeing him wear it, but before I give up on him its worth a try.

The thing is I'm not afraid of him, a little concerned that I'll get nipped again. I'm more afraid of the human commotion if I get this wrong.

I know some can't, shouldn't be saved, the kindest thing sometimes is to give them peace. Doing that can cause its own human commotion though.

Time will tell. Its back to bed for both B.Basset and I now.

My family have had Bassets (mostly rehomes apart from my current pups and two others from pups) and never once have we seen any agression of any sort in any of them, or others that we have known over the years.

Perhaps your foster Basset needs to be with someone who can give him one to one attention where there are no other dogs in the house because Bassets are not known to be aggressive and I have heard the Dog Whisperer say that they are the most docile and least agressive breed he has ever come across! My two Bassets grab each other around the neck but they are playing with each other! Was yours 'playing' with the poodle and the poddle being smaller may have made it look agressive?

Can you try him with a softer type of muzzle rather than a hard plastic thing that he will find uncomfortable and it might annoy him!

Edit: Is this the same Basset from this previous post?

http://www.basset.net/boards/genera...me-help-challenging-basset-rescue-foster.html

Yes, it is the same basset.

The more I think about it the more I suspect he is just scared and defending himself the only way he's found that works. It also fits that he is always eager to slink off to his crate after any issue that requires discipline. Probably he's learned that means an end to the punishment. Poor guy.

I think it was jealousy that triggered the attack on the poodle.

Apparently he came from a two dog home with lots of male to male sibling play, so he also probably has no idea of appropriate play behaviour either.

If he tolerated the hard muzzle, and I feel he can stay with me I will get a softer one. Before all this happened I had been considering if a haltie would allow me to control his head the way one does with a horse. I believe that would be enough to make him stop and behave. He will leave food on counters or on the ground with "off" and a training lead snap (tug). It doesn't take much to correct him he is so eager to please. In a week he's given up greeting every one by jumping up. It happened so easily I didn't even notice it until I was reviewing everything I knew about him when I woke this morning. I needed to look really honestly at what I thought about keeping him, the risks, and if there really is potential to modify his behaviour enough for a placement in an experienced single dog home. At the moment the jury is still out. One day at a time for now.

I does help that I can post here. Thanks for doing jury duty folks!

If he tolerated the hard muzzle, and I feel he can stay with me I will get a softer one

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A soft muzzle is only for temporary use. If you plan to use the muzzle for any length of time the only choice is a basket muzzle which does not interfere with breathing and cooling via panting.

It also fits that he is always eager to slink off to his crate after any issue that requires discipline

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I rather doubt that is the case. more often than not a crate is a safe haven, That is it goes of to the crate because it is the one place he feels safe. Corrections/discipline with a shy fearful dog is only going to create a dog that becomes increaseingly fearful around you.
Given the emotional state of these dogs they do not associate the correction with their behavior but rather the behaivior of eratic humans, who are then not to be trusted. Avoiding situations in which the dog behaves badly in the first place, and create situations in which the dog will behave correctly and rewarded for are the only safe ways to deal with fear based aggression. You are quite right in the assesment that when he acts out it is the only behavior he knows for those situations so you need to teach him more appropriate behaviors not punish the inappropriate behavior, which generally leads to a acceleration in aggression not an abatement,


Guidelines on the Use of Punishment for Dealing with Behavior Problems in Animals American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior

Punishment can suppress aggressive and fearful behavior when used effectively, but it may not change the underlying cause of the behavior. For instance, if the animal behaves aggressively due to fear, then the use of force to stop the fearful reactions will make the animal more fearful while at the same time suppressing or masking the outward signs of fear; (e.g., a threat display/growling). As a result, if the animal faces a situation where it is extremely fearful, it may suddenly act with heightened aggression and with fewer warning signs. In other words, it may now attack more aggressively or with no warning, making it much more dangerous

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AGGRESSION BEGETS AGGRESSIONPunishment Can Increase Aggressive Behaviors

Keeping people and animals safe from your dog.

How to use Gentle Leader & Halti Head collars

CANINE STRESS SIGNS

Thinking the Way Animals Do

I hope you will persevere with your Basset because they are just the best dogs in the world, so affectionate and gentle.... just look on YouTube and see some Bassets with very young babies. When my kids were babies and in those soft cradle seat thingys, my Bassets at the time would sit like bookends either side of them and all the Bassets I have had have all been as soft.

I feel that given time and patience, you will improve the situation for both of you and often when dogs are rehomed, I think it takes them time to settle in and realise that they have found their forever home and are not going to be pushed elsewhere! It's probably his nervousness and insecurity causing him to nip as they're not aggressive by nature... completely opposite in my years of owning them and knowing lots more belonging to friends!

Good luck... and I think that with you posting on here, other people's replies will give you the confidence to keep persevering and your dog will feel much more secure and confident. Here's one of my two soft Bassets....

Just quick update for those who are wondering, for now B.Basset stays. Its taken him most of the day to settle into peaceful contentment instead of watchful, mournfulness. Hounds do that so well and bassets maybe best.

He will with a 5 minute or so game of "mouth it" allow me to put the muzzle on him. I have done so twice today, seems like enough for one day.

He is back to sucking on the lead snap and collar ring, but will allow me to use the lead to pull it out of his mouth and to the back of his neck where he can't reach it. Lots of praise for each time of course.

He's had a brief few minutes in the same room as the poodle. I got about 30 seconds of being able to pat both before the stillness and staring started between them. So I sent the poodle to bed and Bailey to find supper in his crate. Again lots of praise while they were wagging at each other.

W. the guy who B.Basset nipped took the time to make up today and B. was prepared to wag and let him. He was however unsettled by this guy's tendency to look at him directly in the eyes. Today he listened when I asked him to back off. Gee I wonder why?

Thank you all again for helping me find the balance between the emotions and logic and make a sensible choice.

slbj.mouse said:

Yes, it is the same basset.

The more I think about it the more I suspect he is just scared and defending himself the only way he's found that works. It also fits that he is always eager to slink off to his crate after any issue that requires discipline. Probably he's learned that means an end to the punishment. Poor guy.

I think it was jealousy that triggered the attack on the poodle.

Apparently he came from a two dog home with lots of male to male sibling play, so he also probably has no idea of appropriate play behaviour either.

If he tolerated the hard muzzle, and I feel he can stay with me I will get a softer one. Before all this happened I had been considering if a haltie would allow me to control his head the way one does with a horse. I believe that would be enough to make him stop and behave. He will leave food on counters or on the ground with "off" and a training lead snap (tug). It doesn't take much to correct him he is so eager to please. In a week he's given up greeting every one by jumping up. It happened so easily I didn't even notice it until I was reviewing everything I knew about him when I woke this morning. I needed to look really honestly at what I thought about keeping him, the risks, and if there really is potential to modify his behaviour enough for a placement in an experienced single dog home. At the moment the jury is still out. One day at a time for now.

I does help that I can post here. Thanks for doing jury duty folks!

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hello, I too rescued a basset, she was loving with me and others, discovered over time my house was not the place for her, with alot of thought placed her with a family member, she is living happily now with 4 other dogs, sometimes no matter how much we love them sometimes we over love and bring out the aggression in dogs, I have rescued many dogs over the years and sometimes they don't fit. I have 5 dogs right now in my home all are rescues. as for the muzzel remember your basset is a hound , if you take away his nose you can cause more aggession, have seen this with other hound groups, his nose is his inbred thing. a haltie could also cause aggression in him...I commend you for your efforts, was your poodle also a rescue? are you sure your poodle is not sending him signals, I wish you luck , have you contacted a trainer in your area to see if they can help. the attacking of shoes tells me he has been kicked watch for triggers, with my basset she had aggression when I got her, with her it was fear, sounds like that is what you are dealing with, when he reacts try to make him sit and you protect him, telling him it is okay, with my little girl she is now 2 and when I walk her if something frightens her she sits, and watches , no growling and when she knows she is safe with the situation we move on. remember too this is a hound the way to thier heart is through their stomach, walk with treats when they act correct praise and treat and affection. good luck keep up the good work, I am sure he is worth the effort..and so are you