[Lincoln's Dad]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum but have to say that this is a fantastic outlet for information on Basset Hounds and I really enjoy reading about all the wonderful Bassets and Basset owners out there. My wife and I have a 4 1/2 month old Basset named Lincoln. He is quite a handful but we love him to death. We have had a few issues with him that I wonder if anyone has any experience or knowledge around. First, we think he has some dominant aggressive tendencies. We found a breeder that we thought was reputable but turns out that may not be the case. She has not returned any of our messages or emails and we are very upset that we did not research breeder selection better then we did. A very valuable lesson learned. We also got Lincoln at about 6 weeks old, which we later learned was probably too early. Anyway, we are first time dog owners, so we learned a bit the hard way about these things. We think his dominant aggressive issues stem from being removed from his mother too early. We have had a behavior specialist in and she did not feel any of his behavior would prevent him from being a normal dog down the road, but we are still concerned nonetheless. Anyway, a few things I wonder if anyone has dealt with:

1. He can demonstrate dominant aggressive behavior at times, especially when you try and make him do something he doesn't want to. He does not like his crate and growls and snarls when he thinks he is being picked up to go in it. I am not sure why he hates his crate so much. We are wondering if we did not introduce him to it in a more positive way. He does not exhibit the traditional dominant aggressive behaviors (Toy guarding, Food Guarding, etc....) We recently got a new crate and hope a change in environment will help and we are starting over again with it slowly.

2. He can get really crazy sometimes when he plays. He gets this extra hyper gear where his nipping goes into more hard biting. When we try to tell him no in a stern voice, it only seems to spur him on further. I am wondering if he will grow out of this with persistence from us in telling him "no". He has responded to this better lately, so we are wondering if this is just the puppy in him still.

3. He can be very stubborn when walking. When my wife and I walk him together, he responds very well. But when we try to walk him on our own, he can be extremely difficult. He will walk 10 feet and then catch a scent and stop and when you try to go further he refuses to move. Even after he has given up on the scent, he will just sit there. I don't like dragging him at all, so it can be very, very frustrating. I know Bassets are scent dogs and walking with their nose to the ground always proves to be a distraction. Has anyone had any experience with this and any ideas on how to correct it??

Would appreciate any feedback!!

 

[Mikey T]

The single best thing you can do is check out theAssociation of Pet Dog Trainers website and/or Certification Council of Pet Dog Trainer and find a local trainer or puppy class. Many of the techniques that work with other breeds are a miserable failure when used on basset hounds.


1. Trying to label agression as dominate, fear based teritorial in the long run does little good. To treat the problem one does not need to actual know the cause but if one thinks they know the cause and treat based on that it can back fire is that is not the cause,


2. Do not get into a physical confrontration with the dog unless 1, you are willing to fight to the death because the dog is, 2 you want to teach the dog the way to get your is through physical confrontation.


3. Yes you need to work on desensitiving and counter conditioning the dog to the crate. Every time you force the dog in the create he will like it less. see Crate training and crate training If you have not done so finding a class on clicker training specifically shaping behavior it would be a goop idea to take it, You can search the web on shaping behavior but seen and doing is a much better way to learn than by reading. Until you have the new behavior toward the crate you are going to need another method of safe isolation such as a puppy safe room instead of the crate.


4. as for the mouthing behavior, no it is unlikely to get better unless adressed. See Insights Into Puppy Mouthing
since you know how your puppy responds to the stern voice why continue with that method? How bout ending the game before he gets too rambunctious? or leave, or have the dog leave, when he bites too hard?
One of the problems with leaving the litter to early can be a lack of bite inhibition,

5. a stubborn basset how weird Keep in mind when trying to gain a baset's cooperation telling then because I say so has little effect, It works with some other breed but not a basset. You best have a pretty darn good answer or you will likely fail. You just need to make cooperating in his best interest, Some times a little tickle on the back end can get the dog moving were pulling on the lead only gets then to pull back harder. Consider reducing his food ration by 1/2 to 2/3 and use it for train in such situation. Food is a mighty motivator for the basset . In this case he need not know it cam from you just drop it a foot in front of him.


The dog is entering adolescence which is a stage he will be testing boundries, You need to be consistent in those boudries, what is and is not acceptable behavior, But keep this in mind, When dealing with unacceptable behavior it is far easier, faster and more reliable to train an acceptable behavior to takes it place rather than rely on punishment to end the unaceptable behavior. This is because eventhough pushment can and will work if applied correctly the dog general just substitutes and equally or even more unacceptable behavior in it place.

Teach the dog to chew on a dog toy rather than no mouthing sit quitek on the floor rather than not to jump while greeting guest. etc.,

the following links are general in nature but hopefully will show you another approach to training that will work better for your hound

Hard to Train?
A look at "difficult-to-train" breeds and the reality of what shapes these canine minds.


10 TIPS FOR DEALING WITH PROBLEM BEHAVIOR

TEACHING SELF CONTROL

Relationship based training

How Much Does Your Dog's Cooperation Weigh?

Leadership Basics

Stopping Negative Behavior Positively

"You Won the Prize!"

Punishment: How not to do it.

Punishment or Negative Reinforcement - Draw your own conclusions, Pardner


The

 

[Lincoln's Dad]

Wow, that is great information, thank you so much. We have had Lincoln in an obedience class already and it went pretty well. I like the idea of replacing negative behavior with positive behavior rather then telling him no. I will definitely focus on working on that with him. Thanks again for the insight!

 

[Rubydoo]

Can we see a picture of Lincoln?

Janice and little Ruby

 

[Lincoln's Dad]

Sure, here he is!

 

[BubbaLeroy]

Lincoln is a beauty. On the crate: when he isn't in it, leave the door open and set a treat inside when he isn't able to see you do this. His nose will soon tell him there is something delicious inside. Let him find it on his on, do not shut him in, and then let him leave the crate on his own. Say nothing to him. Do this fairly often during the day, use part of his food kibble if you wish. He'll soon learn this is a good place, there are treats inside. Do the same with his favorite toys, placing them inside, so he'll have to go in there to get them. We did this with Bogie and it really helped him accept the crate. Ours is a wire crate. He did not like the plastic crate that he couldn't see out of and was much happier with the wire one.
We have Bogie's crate by a window so he can see outside, and it's also where he can see us when he's inside it. He now considers it his den, and goes in there on his own to nap. Of course he has a soft pad to lay on and a blanket to snuggle up with.

When he nips at you when playing, immediately turn away and walk away. He'll soon learn that when he starts that he loses his playmate. You have to be consistent with this. When you tell him "No" he is still getting attention from you, and that is what he wants, your undivided attention.

Good luck with Lincoln.

 

[Houndsong]

Yes, I can see by the way he's comandeered the couch at such a young age that you've got your hands full. Wait until he's old enough to drive.

 

[Lincoln's Dad]

Thanks for the advice. Yes, we have started over with the crate doing just what you have said here. Putting treats in and leaving the door open and creating a positive environment for him in the crate. I like the idea about not showing him the treats and letting him discover them himself. We usually show him they are in there so he will go in, but I like the idea of him "discovering" them as you say and having them be a surprise. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Lincoln's Dad]

It is funny you say that because I thought that exact same thing when I uploaded the picture because that is one of the few times he was up there. He can't get up on his own anyway. I understand the fundamental reasons for not letting him on the couch or bed or other furniture and we do not let him do that other then on one or two occasions. Sometimes when you do it you forget, but I understand being diligent about it is part of successful training. I think in this situation we were just trying to get a nice photo of him.

 

[Elvismom]

You've been given some good advice and I can't add to it. But I do want to say that Lincoln is adorable!!

It's well worth the effort of training when Lincoln is young - that way you'll have a happy relationship for many years. Consistency is really the key.

Give that beautiful boy a big smoochy kiss from all of us.

 

[Houndsong]

The couch remark was in only in jest. Actually my last Basset Harold was at first very fond of getting on whatever furniture I had last been on, in the exact spot I had been on it. Of course he did this when we weren't looking, and would get down when told to. Later, he stopped getting on the furniture, until we moved west, and then he developed a fondness for sleeping on one of our nice leather couches at night (who can blame him?). So we compromised and he was allowed on the couch when we put his blanket on it at bedtime. He learned this very well, and would not get on the couch unless the blanket was on it. For example I could leave during the day for several hours and return to find him and Henry lying in their dog beds (Henry btw would never get on the furniture unless in the rare occasion he became upset). So I thought it was a neat trick to learn about the blanket.

 

[Mikey T]

. I understand the fundamental reasons for not letting him on the couch or bed or other furniture and we do not let him do that other then on one or two occasions. Sometimes when you do it you forget, but I understand being diligent about it is part of successful training.[/b]

Changes are your fundimental reason is flawed.

Unless the reason is one of the follow

1. You want to minimize pet hair on the sitting serfaces of the furniture.

2. the dog is not tollerant of people moving and jostling him while on the furniture.

3. you are concerned about repeatitive stress injury caused by jumping off the furniture.


Now if you are concerned that have the dog at the "same level" as a human is some how going to make him dominate than that fear is miss placed

Debunking the Dominance Myth

The concept of dominance — or “alpha,” meaning the highest ranked individual — originally came from some studies of wolf packs in the 1940s. The concept was catchy, and when it trickled down to popular dog culture, it took hold with the power of mythology. It quickly became “common knowledge” that domestic dogs are naturally dominant or will become so if their people tolerate certain behaviors. These dogs, it was claimed, will constantly challenge and test their owners until they are forcefully shown human leadership.

So-called dominance exercises were — and in some circles still are — widely recommended to prevent the dog from taking over the entire household. These exercises include not feeding him until after you’ve eaten, letting him through doorways only after you, forbidding access to furniture, and not playing tug-of-war.

In reality, there is no evidence that these procedures prevent dominance aggression or any other behavioral problem. One study found no correlation between playing tug-of-war or allowing a dog on the bed and the development of aggressive behavior.[/b]

So if you like have the dog on the Furniture with you there is no reason not provide you understand that is where he will want to be when you have guests over as well. It is much easier for the humans and dogs to understand clear cut unambigious rules. Dog allowed on furniture or not allowed on furniture easy. Dogs not allowed on furniture only when Aunt Jane vists is exceedingly hard to train.

 

[shakerag]

Oh! Lincoln is a beauty and thanks for Mikey T providing excellent facts to be absorbed. Being armed with some solid 'leads' always pays off----thanks!
don

 

[Yogi's Mom]

He is adorable! One thing we have done with the wire crates is drape a blanket over the top and sides making it more den like for the dog. The blanket would go a little over half way down all the way around so that the dog could still see out all the way around the crate. The dogs really seemed to like that. We also put a blanket inside which made it nice and comfy for them. As for the nipping and biting, whenever our dogs would do that play time would end immediately with us walking away from the dog. Yogi picked up on this very quickly but our shepherd took a very long time to break of this (he is more hard headed than any basset I have ever met!). Also, whenever one of the pups was being really obnoxious we would up their exercise level. Hope things start looking up for you.