Serious QOD
Allow me to set up the scenario that I want serious feedback on.
I have 2 dogs, bassets. One we got as a puppy and the other was a rescue. The rescue, lulu is as friendly with adults as friendly can be. She is an attention whore and basically is or thinks she is the alpha. Period. Not alpha dog, but alpha. I’m pretty sure between Lulu and it is a tie in her mind between her and I. She doesn’t respect Mrs. Hotviti and when repremanded by her for various dog misgivings she will pee somewhere in the house without fail.
My kids are afraid of her and don’t like to shew her off the couch or take her outside to go potty. She starts fights with Roscoe our first dog. She pretty much starts them whenever we have company over. Whenever there is food around. When she gets shewed off the couch and Roscoe happens to be in her path and generally when she is in a bad mood.
All this goes on and now, my son Dominic has been snapped at twice by Lulu, both resulting in injuries. The first one she struck at his head and broke skin. The cut started above his eyebrow, down his eyelid and onto his cheek. We dismissed it as our fault. she was sleeping and my daughter was around, not me, her peer.
Last week. I was on the couch next to Lulu and she was resting this time and Dominic again surprised her. She got him again, this time on the lip and it broke skin.
What would you do?
Get rid of her.
As hard as this is to say… I think Lulu has to find another home.
Lulu needs a good home with adults and no children. Sadly.
I’d put that dog down (not pass her along to someone else) or take her to a shelter and let them know she is food aggressive, has other nasty behaviors, and you have a young toddler who has been bitten twice. You are asking for more serious injurious behavior if you keep this hound.
I believe bassets are notoriously difficult to train. That aside, if she is not way down the line in the ‘pecking order’ if that can not be established she must go. The food aggression is one of the most serious issues here….she could hurt a toddler significantly if he even came near her bowl. You might try some dog training, or videos by professional dog trainer (Ceasar what’s his name) but for my money I would remove the dog asap by whatever means you prefer.
Please note I am an avid canine lover, however, I have high expectations of them and their behavior. To date I have successfully raised three German Shepherds, one Golden (this breed is known to be great w/children), and one Llasa Apso (not recommended for kids, nor families as these have high maintenance coats).
Do not take my word for it contact a professional or your vet for advice…..this is my opinion only.
Good Luck!
P.S. Remember dog bites are puncture wounds and because the tissue is punctured they are difficult to repair and often result in life long scars. I know, my neice was bitten on the cheek by a food aggressive Akita Hound (think Nicole Simpson’s dog..large) when she was five and bears the scars to this day (she’s now 22). Her parents had the $$$ for the best of medical care but unless she wants to under go more reconstructive surgery she must face the scars every morning for the rest of her life.
DV,
You need to break her of the crap and unfortunately it’s going to take some time and effort. Agressiveness like that is a sure sign that the dog is 150% thinking he/she is the dominant one. Also what do you do as far as exercise for her? Does she get walked in excess of an hour? We recently got a shepherd and she is a bouncing 9-12 month old. Full of energy so I make it a point to walk/exercise her for an hour and 1/2 or more in the morning and atleast 1/2 an hour at night. Lace those Caesar Rodney 1/2 Marathon sneaks and take her for a run, I took mine out for a 3 mile jont the other day and she was asking for more. Build it up and if it’s still not enough, add a vest on her and put some water bottles in it…It sounds like to me she’s got some steam to blow and she doesn’t have an outlet for it. Try the exercise before you make a decision and absolutely do not have her around your boy until you’ve got her reigned in… I can certainly understand the concern especially with the baby and all. I was nervous with the new dog around the kids too but It’s easier to reign them in when they are tired then when they’re full steam.
If you do decide that it’s too much, let me know… Shoot me a message on FB and we can set something up for Last Chance Ranch which is a rescue up my way. Don’t take it to the local SPCA. If Mike Vick can get a second chance, she deserves a shot at it too and we can help.
broken foot shortstuff. and she’s a basset bro 🙂
this is her second chance by the way, she was a rescue. Actually, it is her 3rd rescue if I recall. And we have had her for about 3 years.
Dogs need to know who’s boss; not through force, but intelligence.
DV: There is probably a basset rescue group around, too. They would know the breed and could place her in a home without young children.
Do you watch the Dog Whisperer? He really seems to know his stuff. It will take time, effort and patience to train her. If you don’t think you can handle it probably the best thing you can do is give her to a rescue organization.
Yea, yea… Basset… Ok, so she can’t run maybe a jog? lol…
Geezer has a good point, there is definitely one of those around… It’s probably particular to the breed but I’m still a proponent of exercising her… If you can’t walk with her, have someone do it… An hour’s walk will do anyone with anxiety and agression some good. Absolutely a big fan of the Dog Whisperer and he’s got books out there too… He’s where I got the exercise thing from… A must have for animals…
It sounds like the dog needs to be ‘re-homed’ to a household without children or other animals. I would recommend tetnaus shots for anyone in the house who may get bitten by her as well. Dog bites are just plain dirty and dangerous…regardless who is at fault. I have 4 dogs. One of my males is a total prick with the other male dog. Even though he adores everyone with 2 legs, he literally hates his brother. I got bit breaking up a fight and had to get a tetanus shot because mine was outdated. Stupid me, I went to the medical aid unit and they turned the bite over to the SPCA who in turn came to my house and quarantined my dog for 21 days. To make matters worse, they said one more bite and he would be removed from the house and destroyed as a dangerous dog.
My solution to the problem is cumbersome for most people. I literally keep the dogs separated at all times. They NEVER interact. If for some reason I forget who’s where and Mr Nasty gets a chance, he attacks his brother with a vengence. Dogs are a lot like people…sometimes they meet someone they just don’t like…sort of the way I would feel about Cheyney or Rumsfeld or Limbaugh.
Sometimes behavior training can help but it requires a huge committment from EVERYONE who lives in the house and that’s hard to come by since most families can’t all agree on what to eat for dinner.
Good luck with your dilemma. I can appreciate how difficult it is to think about giving up on one of your ‘pack’ but sometimes it’s the best solution.
Sorry, DV. I agree with Susan. Dogs that are repeat biters, in the face, and drawing blood should be put down. If you try to train her and it doesn’t work, the consequences of discovering the training hasn’t worked could tragic. All it takes is a quick snap back to try to test who is alpha.
I have had dogs all my life, and I recognize that this is a heartbreaking decision, but any dog that has bitten children twice is too risky for anybody.
Dude, I can’t believe you even need to ask this! The dog attacked your son. Get in touch with Shortstuff TODAY.
In the meantime, keep the dog in a kennel when you son is up and about.
Is this a death panel?
People first. The dog goes “to a nice family with a farm” (the line we got as kids when our shepherd, who bit my 6 year old sister) suddenly disappeared.
Do you like Korean food, DV?
ikid ikid…
I heard Not Brian eats korean
Some dogs just shouldn’t be around children. I would contact a rescue group, explain all of his tendencies and let them decide if they can find someone to take him. A friend of mine does pomeranian rescues. She has had a couple of dogs that were aggressive and done quite well with them, BUT, she has no children. Definitely wouldn’t keep an aggressive animal around with kids.
Ask Michael Vick.
I contacted a friend of mine who has THREE bassets and sent her your situation. She said:
PLEASE suggest he contact Sandy Gera at Tristate Basset Rescue at adopt@tristatebassets.org
The dog obvioiusly doesn’t belong in your house, but for pete’s sake, killing her should not be an option. She could be happy somewhere else, hopefully.
I wasn’t thinking of putting her down june. Thanks for the contact info.
I’m with June – somewhere out there is a patient person with no kids who is willing to make a hobby of showing this dog who’s boss while still taking good care of it. You see them on Animal Planet a lot.
In the mean time, put that dog in a proper dog crate. Dogs (esp. Bassets) are generally lazy creatures and are quite content spending most of their day sleeping in their own cozy little bed – the fact that it has bars around it is irrelevant to the dog until it gets hungry, wants to pee, or wants to be by your side. The dog will whine at first because it has been kicked out of the alpha position on the couch – but not out of a desire for “more freedom”, as many humans misinterpret, seeing things as a human would rather than a dog. Make sure to walk the dog every two hours when you are home, and at least once the walk should be nice and long. The dog will be excited when it’s time to be let out, and will learn to cherish the time spent with you. Feeding the dog inside the crate will place a protective barrier – nothing will come between the dog and the food, the dog won’t be allowed near any other food, and no one will be able to come near the dog while it is eating.
Keeping your dog in a crate 90% of the time is not ideal but it is a practical solution and it is NOT inhumane as long as it is clean and comfortable in there, and as long as you keep up with your responsibility to walk, feed, and give fresh water. Dogs are den animals and do not feel the sense of confinement that humans do, although they do not like to feel isolated from their human/canine “pack”, so you will need to provide attention/affection accordingly when the dog behaves.
There is a Bassett Rescue organization that might just be able to take the bitchy bitch off your hands, rehabilitate her attitude and get her resettled in a better environment.
http://www.bassethoundrescueleague.org/
thanks x, regarding the nature of a basset, I have 2 and have had them for about 5 years. I’m well aware of the level of activity they desire 🙂 And yes she is crated and hates it.