[Lola Lu]

Hi! We have 10 month old Basset named Lola. We love her so much but I have some concerns. She is sooo Hyper and can get aggressive. We have 2 small children and Lola jumps on them and nips (not trying to hurt then but she does) and she nips at my husband and I and jumps on us. We keep trying to play with her and cuddle and pet her but everytime we do she gets so wild and hyper nipping and everything. I take her for walks and she gets lots of exersize in our backyard. A friend suggested spray bottle for when she jumps but that doesnt seem to work. She doesnt listen at all. I know bassets can be stubborn . We love her so much and dont want to lose her, but at the same time I cant have her hurting my kids. Any advise? We want her to be a good family pet!

 

[Arry]

You should look into obedience training, or read up on how to prevent nipping. If you don't get a handle on it while she's young it will be a big problem, and no fault of her own. It is our jobs to teach them what we expect of them.

What we are doing with our pup is letting her lick our hands, etc. When she puts teeth on us we yell "OW!" and that startles her. That is what a dog would do to correct her as well, yip or growl when too much is too much. It stops her dead in her tracks. She then looks at us like, "what happened?". lol But she stops, and that is what you want.

Also, when she jumps on you push her down and tell her no. Then ignore her. Never pet her when she jumps on you. If you pet her at all when she jumps on you then you are reinforcing that is a way to get pet. I have one dog that used to jump. I started telling her no and making her sit before I would pet her. I tell her I don't see her when she jumps. LOL It worked, and she was a rescue with some bad habits, but she doesn't put her feet up on me anymore. If she lapses I just tell her to sit.

 

[Wworm]

Oh, sorry to hear about the tough time with your puppy

I really do think it is a combination of the pup's temperament and also how we treat them. The former because, for example, my 7 month old has never, ever jumped, so jumping on people is something we don't have to deal with (at least so far).

The latter because a previous experience stands out sharply in my mind. Long ago (before this current basset hound), I took my old puppy to obedience training class. For the life of me, I couldn't get him to sit during the session that we were learning this. Then the instructor tried it (with my dog!), and she got him to sit on the first try! so obviously, my dog could sit, but I wasn't giving him the cues that were working.

anyways, I do think it can be a combination, so it'll be good for you to think about and figure out what you can and cannot change about the situation...

From what I've read, I've concluded that nipping is a problem and should be nipped (excuse the pun) in the bud right away. And it seems like it is something everyone in the family should try and get on top of right away, teaching the puppy it is NOT ok to nip. (don't know how old your children are and if they are old enough to teach the puppy...)

Re: the latter (because that is the part you can do something about), I've made a couple of my own observations studying my dogs' behaviors (just my opinions):
--I have some control over my dogs' hyperness. If I am talking to him loudly and excitedly and running around, he is more likely to get hyper. If I am quiet and silent, he tends to calm down too. Don't know if this would be easy to do with the children, since children tend to have a lot of energy. But if they are old enough to understand, might be good to tell them to talk to the puppy in a calm way and not to "edge on" his hyperness. Can even put a leash on the puppy or ignore him until he's more calm (ie. walk to another room and not play with him)
--Actually, when I am petting my dogs (and esp any dogs that are strangers), I am actually petting them in a strategic way. Though I like dogs and want them to feel loved by petting them, at the same time, I am also petting them in a way that shows them who's boss (I am) and that shows dominance. I am petting them on the tops of their heads and closer to the back of their necks (making it more difficult to bite me from there). For my own dog, I rub his neck all over, too (neck is actually very vulnerable place for them), in a way that makes it difficult for him to bite me if he wanted to. Sometimes, I would pet the top of his head with one hand and pet the bottom of his jaw with the other; then he really cannot bite me, because if he tried, I would apply pressure so he can't open his jaw to bite me. I would also pet his back a lot, so my hands are away from his mouth so he can't bite me. Also, at times, I would roll him onto his back and pet his tummy (so he knows I'm the dominant one).
--I mention this because I was alarmed when my basset puppy (who is now 7 months) showed some nipping/biting tendencies when I first got him. My previous dog never ever bit or nipped, even as a puppy. Only half a dozen times, he would put his jaw over my hand, but never, ever press down. I think those were times that he was a little mad, and was showing a little aggression.That is all he ever did. He was not interested in sinking his teeth into me; maybe because he knew not to (his mamma taught him?) or because he didn't want to (because he loved us-- that's what I want to believe!).

But my basset puppy would, esp when he got put in the crate and we tried to comfort him by petting him through the crate. I would tell him a very sharp "no!" or do what Arry says with the "ow!" (we made it a high pitch one, like puppies/dogs make when they are hurt-- ie. like if you accidentally step on his tail or paw) which would startle him and get his attention for a moment. If your puppy nips, I would stop everything and make him pay attention to your reprimand (put him on leash if needed). I talk to him in my "angry and loud" voice that is intimidating and causes him to stop what he is doing and stare at me. (don't know if that would work for yours). For behavior I really didn't like, in addition, I would go to the kitchen and grab 2 metal baking pans. I would come back to where he was, clang them together and tell him "no, no!" in my angry voice. It worked because my dog really didn't like the clanging of the pans (don't now if it will work for yours, but you may want to try it). My dog really knew what he did was BAD! (it might seem mean to do that, but really, I've only had to do it 2-3 times so far, and mainly for housebreaking, and it totally worked. he just has to see me grabbing the pan and then he knows he's in big trouble. nowadays, I feel like it was so unpleasant for him, he never wants to do anything to get me into that angry, scary state. no housebreaking accidents so far)

--I mention that how we treat our dogs can impact their behavior, also because I am seeing it in my pup now. I am totally against nipping, so I do NOT let him do that with me. I don't pet him in away that lets him easily nip me; i don't play with him when he's too wild (ignore him until he settles down); I give him firm "no"'s when he has tried with me.

My roommate, though, thinks that he is just "playbiting" and not aggressive (we disagree on this), so doesn't stop it all the time. She lets him gnaw on her hands at times.

Guess what? nowadays, he tries to playbite her at times, but he never tries to playbite/nip me. Here's a great example of same dog, different behaviors with different people.

Actually, my dog is very sweet. He is interested in meeting all people and all dogs, and has never come close to nipping anyone before. Just that i noticed that when he is mad at us (esp in the crate), he was starting some nipping/biting behavior towards us, which to me, needed to be nipped in the bud. Obviously, it was ok for him to act this way with his litter before he came to me, so I feel like it's important to teach him otherwise.

Hope some of this can be helfpul to you. Totally agree that your childrens' safety is first. Also, I agree w/Arry that if nothing you do works, getting professional help sooner rather than later is best.

 

[Lola Lu]

Thank you both for your suggetions they were very helpful! We will continue to work with Lola Lu! I know she is still a puppy and she just gets so excited and not realizing how large she is jumps. Our kids are 3 and 1 so she can over power them very easily. She is sweet but hyper ha. I am hoping with time and training the hyperness will calm down!! She is a beautiful dog by the way! She is a Lemon basset! I have never seen one before she is just beautiful.
Thanks again!

 

[bubbad]

What they are saying is that your the tone of your voice says a lot to your dog. High piched voices will get a dog excited,like when children squeal.Low piched voices cause a puppy to slow down or stop and look because it is reminisant of a growl.When the puppy nips a low growling "Noooo" can work. The puppy is older and becoming more independant so a trainer would be very helpful. Your dog is exhibiting perfectly normal puppy behavior but because he/she is now almost a year old it is not as simple as dealing with an 8 week old puppy.

 

[Mikey T]

There are three reasons the vast majority of dogs do this

1. She has been rewarded for doing so. The way kids react to a jumping dog ie phushing them away, shrieking etc actual are things that the dog takes as encoraging more rough play. To be honest it is nearly impossible to change how kids will react it is on of the reason all interaction between dogs and young childerent need to be supervise. Do not allow the dog access to the kids when it is in hyper mood, puppies energies levels are very easy to perdict on have the kids and dog together when the dog is tired and more calm. Any action like pushing the dog running away, high pitched squeeling is only going to encourage the dog to continue.,

2. the second and most all annoying dog behavior can be labled as such is a lack of impulse control. This is something dogs need to be taught. Formal obedience class can help a bit but their focus is never on impulse control. A class specific to good manners is a better choice,. second there are a number of exercises that can help one of the simplest is in the video below

Guidelines for teaching self control

Quick Fix for a Jumping Dog

Impulse Control

Lowering Arousal

Any Dog Can Live Calmly in a House - Even Yours!

Protocol for relaxation

3 the lack of appropriate physical and mental stimulation. Contary to popular myth basset puppies are not couch potatoes and need lots of physical stimulation . When the do not get it the tend to act out even more. The basic rule is a tired puppy is a well behaved puppy. As there is the myth that walking the dog is good exercise. Quite the contrary the pace is to slow to do much in the way of exercise however sniffing etc can be very mentally stimulating for the dog. General exercise for dog/puppies is best accomplished off leash that way the risk of over doing it greatly reduced because it is much hard to force the dog. So dog parks etc when appropriately supervised is good exercise for dogs. Other can include fetch and tug of war.

TO TUG OR NOT TO TUG:
SERIOUSLY, THAT'S STILL A QUESTION?

Tug of War

Dog owners have been admonished for decades to never play tug of war with their dogs because of the risk of it increasing aggression and/or dominance in the dog. Even many dog resource people such as breeders, trainers and veterinarians caution against this game. This is partly a failure to discriminate between agonistic behavior (conflict resolution & defensive aggression) and predatory behavior. Also, many people have issues about witnessing intensity. Intensity is not aggression, however.

Played with rules, tug-of-war is a tremendous predatory energy burner and good exercise for both dog and owner. It serves as a barometer of the kind of control you have over the dog, most importantly over his jaws. The game doesn't make the dog a predator: he already is one. The game is an outlet. It’s intense, increases dog focus and confidence and plugs into something very deep inside them. The big payoff is in lowered incidence of behavior problems due to understimulation and a potent motivator for snappy obedience. There is a maxim in training: control the games, control the dog. It's also extremely efficient in terms of space and time requirements.

Scent Games

Kong Stuffing Pointers

Buster Cube



Managing Your Dog’s Behavior

Here are some important rules for managing your new puppy or dog:

Confine any puppy or untrained dog to one room, like the kitchen, to make dog-proofing the room and supervision easier
Supervise like crazy: feedback about both housetraining and chewing lapses has to be immediate. Never punish a dog late: it is ineffective and abusive. If you don’t have time to supervise (or train or burn energy etc.) don’t get a dog.

Help him get it right most of the time: provide stuffed chew toys and praise him when he uses them, take him out often (every hour for a young puppy!) and praise & reward him immediately when he performs outside, enroll in a reward-based training course to teach you how to communicate with him.

Don’t reward whining or barking when the dog is left alone by returning to the dog – this teaches him that whining works and that you can be manipulated. Get him used to being alone by coming and going ZILLIONS of times for very short periods the first few days you have him, all done very matter of factly​

Burn your dog’s energy, both physical and mental! Tired dogs are well-behaved dogs. Teach him basic commands and tricks with treats, play fetch, tug and hide & seek with his toys, take up a sport like agility or flyball, get him out daily for walks & runs, trips to new places and give him regular opportunities to play with other dogs. If you work long hours, consider a walker, or day-care​

the video below demonstrates tug played by rules but it goes on to illustrate the first point I made about jumping, that natural human reaction especial those of kids actual reinforce the bad behavior, in this case however it is used to build play drive.

Play Biting in Puppies

Puppy Play-Biting

No Bite!

Puppy Biting - Have Patience

Puppy Adolscence - or Demon Spawn

Every puppy of every breed -- and every adolescent of every species that raises its young -- goes through the same thing at adolescence. Adolescence is an important, necessary transition period between childhood and adulthood. As infants, these creatures were completely helpless, completely dependent upon their mothers for everything -- food, comfort, safety. In childhood, the creatures begin practicing the skills they'll need later.
However, they do it right there with mom in sight, so mom can protect or help as necessary. They instinctively know they aren't able to take care of themselves, so they stick close.
The eventual goal is, of course, adulthood. Complete independence. Mom won't be there to make decisions -- or to alleviate them of responsibility for their mistakes. The real world will be applying consequences, and those can be harsh (even fatal). The animal will, perhaps, become a parent herself, and must have all the knowledge and skills to raise the next generation. Adolescence is the transition between the safe practice of childhood and the
independent, butt-on-the-line reality of adulthood. Adolescence is the time when "Because I said so" simply isn't good enough anymore -- Nature *demands* that they test boundaries and consequences and decide for themselves what decisions they want to make. It's not dominance or rebellion. It's growing up.
Yes, even pet dogs *have* to go through this period. "But he won't be making decisions -- I will," you protest. Actually, I doubt it. Unless you're planning to be there, directing his every move 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you need your dog to know how to make decisions. More importantly, you want him to make the decision *you* want. And you want him to make this decision even when you're not there to back up the decision.


...The first thing to do, then, is tighten up on your management. Off-leash probably needs to be restricted to fenced locations. Restrict the dog to the room you're in (again!). Make sure to crate the dog (or confine it in a place where you *absolutely* don't care if there's damage -- including to walls, molding, and floors) anytime you can't actively watch him.
The second thing to do is make sure the dog is well-exercised physically and mentally. They're going through a growth spurt, in addition to massive mental development. They need to exercise ALL of those muscles. Get that up out to a safe place where it can truly run. Play games like fetch and retrieve that really work the dog. If you've got a doggy daycare, put the
dog in daycare once a week and let him play himself silly (as well as learn to speak dog fluently!).
It's imperative to continue dog-dog socialization through adolescence. They are going through massive changes, and they need to learn to relate to their species on a different level. Lots of dog-dog aggression shows up in adolescence not because the dogs are innately aggressive, but because they are changing mentally and physically and haven't learned to communicate effectively as a teenager.
Train, train, and train some more. When the dog is at his "worst" go back to basics -- set him up to succeed. You may not make a lot of progress as far as reliability and precision during this time -- at least not on the surface. But you *can* make a lot of progress as far as setting a foundation for future learning. This is when you teach the dog that you are the giver
of all things and that making the choices you like results in GREAT things.[/URL]

Should You Use “Nothing in Life Is Free” with Your Dog?

A dog on NILIF gets nothing--not attention, not food, not walks--without earning it either during a formal training session or by responding to a cue such as “Sit” or “Down.” No collecting ear scritches just by resting that big doggy head on your thigh while you’re trying to write your next article. It sounds so grim—and yet it really shouldn’t be. This week, the hows and whys of “Nothing in Life Is Free.”

...Actually, taken in the right spirit NILIF functions as a teaching program based on reciprocity and exchange. My friend and mentor Pat Miller calls it “Say Please”; other dog-friendly trainers use “Learn to Earn.” And as far as I’m concerned, most dogs should get all the ear scritches they want for free. I’ll describe the exception later on.

The big insight behind a “Say Please” program is that we, our dogs’ people, hold the key to pretty much everything a dog wants in life--walks, attention, tasty treats, a game of tug. When we use rewards to train we’re applying that principle. A “Say Please” program takes it further, by structuring daily interactions so that, as often as possible, Dogalini gets what she wants in exchange for doing something you want. The more of these informative and rewarding interactions Dogalini has, the stronger her good habits will become.

 

[Annie714]

As a note, I just now (I know, bad momma!) started trying the techniques shown in the "It's yer choice" video that Mikey posted above with Annie, who is 6 years old. She got it on the first day.

She will sit nicely now and "wait" to get her treats or her bowl of food. Though I still think it was cute when she danced on her hind legs to peek into her bowl before I set it down. It's nice now though that she listens like a little lady

 

[afest]

Yeah, the "It's your choice" video was very helpful for my puppy also.

 

[Nichole]

My basset who just turned 3 on Sunday came to us for the reasons you are talking about. Her previous owner did not have time for her training and she was rambunctious and stubborn and jumped on the kids. So instead of dealing with her they stuck her in a crate in the basement. When we got her she was 1 and VERY much behind on her training. It has taken a LOT of work and effort but she was trainable. Just don't give up. Our girl is now very good. She's still bad for jumping on company. She gets so excited when someone comes in, we have not been able to cure her of that. We requests all of our guests to sit on the couch for a second and greet her. She then calms down and decides they can enter the house and do as they please and won't jump on them again. I will say my husband has more success with Chiquita than I do. I try to be firm but my voice does not always make my girl stop the first time while my husband just saying her name will almost always stop her in her tracks. We are probably not as strict with her as we should be but she listens to what we want from her most of the time.