In need of some serious help

[Quincy]

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Hi,

I'm in need of some serious help. I have a 18 month old basset hound, who started out great with his training and classes and now he is literally turning into a nightmare.

He has started biting and I'm not sure why. He has bite me which has scared my arm and he also bit my dad last night and all we tried to do both times was move him.

It's not like one snarl and bite, it looks like he literally sees red and goes for it. The time he went for my arm i had to pull him off it. He learnt the on off command while we did his clicker training so i have no idea why he is doing this.

My mam has now said if this happened again he will have to go.

He also jumps up at people all the time, this is not in an aggressive type of way just an excited way but he can hurt people by doing this as he is very strong and if a child wants to pet him outside he would easily hurt them.

Also while cooking and trying to eat our meals he would literally dive on us to try get out food and when we try move him so we can eat he will again growl and try go for you.

I have contacted a few dogs behaviorists about this but at the moment i cannot afford it as Ive just relocated, so i was wondering if there is anything i can do in the mean time to get him back under control.

When he wants to be he can be the nicest and most affectionate dog going it is literally like he has a split personality

Thanks for any help and advice you may give

 

[gypsysmum2]

He is still the nice dog underneath but he has one or two issues over certain things. They are dangerous issues though.

First thing to do is to get a vet to check him to make sure he has no hidden pain anywhere.

Next, consider training him to wear a muzzle. A Baskerville muzzle is humane as he will be able to pant and drink while wearing it. Put something tasty, like cream cheese, on the inside and let him lick it all off. Repeat until he is happily putting his nose right inside it. Then pop it on him for short periods making a lovely game of it with lovely cream cheese treats. Most dogs come to accept muzzles fairly readily.

Next make sure his diet is not rocket fuel (did I say Bakers?). Take a look at the website "All About Dog Food" to get an idea of good quality dog food.

Does he get enough exercise for his needs? I know breeders say certain breeds do not need loads of exercise but they do need the stimulation of going out and about and doing doggy stuff.

It sounds as if he may be a resource guarder. This means that he guards something that he values. He values the sofa so he guards it and will use aggression to do this. As you have taught him the on/off command can you go back to training it again? You may have to get the clicker out and reward him for obeying. If this is difficult or dangerous, then you could try blocking his access to the furniture by putting items on them when they are vacant so that he can't get on at all. Give him a nice comfy bed and reward him for using it. Smile at him and tell him how clever he is when he is in his bed. Be careful around his bed as he may guard it too.

With your meal times, for everyone's comfort I would work out a way to exclude him from the dining area. if you eat in front of the tv then he may have to stay in the kitchen or, if he is crate trained, in his crate with a nice stuffed Kong or similar toy/chew.

Over time I would teach him a "settle" command where he learns to lie down somewhere and leave everyone alone. You start with a couple of seconds in settle and reward it, then a few more seconds and reward it then move on slowly to ever increasing times of "settle". It is very easy to forget to reward it so put out some sort of marker to remind you to reward him for remaining "settled". If he gets up just put him back and start again, making it a bit easier before moving on. Don't forget to reward and release him when everyone has finished eating or watching tv etc.

He is an adolescent and that will be contributing to his behaviour. It does not mean that he will grow out of it though. As he has gone through with a full blown bite you will need to tread very carefully around him and make sure, above all else, that everyone is safe. You might like, while you are training him, to leave a long line attached to his collar so that you have some control over him in difficult situations.

Whatever you do, do not think that challenging him will teach him a lesson. Dogs do not have morals and so do not know it is "wrong" to bite.

Aggression is an instinctive reaction, not a conscious decision. This means that he does not plan to do it, he just does it when he feels he is losing something he values.

You may well have to manage this behaviour all of his life. By far the best course of action is to call in a behaviourist from either COAPE or APBC as soon as you can afford it. They will be able to give you more detailed advice tailored to your dog and your circumstances.