[Dailydrool] Basset aggression

[Nancy Rife]

We had serious aggression problems with 3-1/2 year old Solo after we got him from HCBR and seriously contemplated putting him down. He's our fifth Basset and we've never had one with an aggression problem.  We were really perplexed by his behavior and decided that's probably why he was abandoned.  After the last episode, my husband was so distraught he almost took Solo up to the vet and had him put down.  We couldn't risk the wellbeing of our granddaughters or anyone else for that matter; instead, we decided to give him another chance and enlisted the help of an animal behaviorist.  This lady is no quack - she knows her stuff.  She has a Masters Degree in Animal Behavior.  She said Solo was resourse guarding which can be anything from food to toys, or wherever he chooses to sleep.  He bit my husband three times, drawing blood each time.  It always occurred while he was sleeping or if he was moved from the place where he was sleeping.  At that time he was allowed to sleep anywhere he felt like it whether it be on our bed, the furniture, or someone's lap who happened to be sitting down.  We soon learned all of that was wrong, wrong, wrong!  Off the furniture, out of one's lap and off the bed.  We bought him a small doggy bed for the floor close to where my husband sits on the couch and when it's time for us to go to bed, he goes to the doggy bed provided for him in the garage.  We have a storeroom/workshop that's heated and air coditioned so it's real cushy for him!   He barks and barks to get out but we're told to ignore it and he soon stops.  If he barks in the morning, we ignore him and he soon stops and we let him out when it's convenient for US not him.

The Behaviorist also told us not to play any games with him that would cause him to become aggressive - like tugging on a toy or wrestling - nothing to get him too excited, and we changed his diet to a higher quality of food so he wasn't getting too many carbs.  A couple times a day, we're supposed to take just a couple of minutes and have hiim sit, stay and reward him with a treat when it does it right.  We're also supposed to teach him DOWN, but we haven't been too successful with that yet!

Anyway, all of this is to teach the dog who the alpha is, who the leader of the pack is and isn't.  When feediong, the first bite of food must be hand fed from him and if there are any other dogs in the house, they must be fed first.  All of this is working and he has made great progress.  It just takes time.  We warn all visitors not to disturb him when he's sleeping just to be on the safe side!  And we explain to children who visit not to tease or torment him.

 If you absolutely can't handle her aggression, find someone in rescue who can deal with her appropriately and try another Basset - they're such wonderful dogs!


Nancy J. Rife
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