[Dailydrool] aggressive and biting behaviors

[Saraberry at aol.com]

Guys, if you have bassets who start to show aggressive snapping or biting  
behaviors, especially to people, but also to dogs, it is really time to get  
professional help for your dog before you end up with an injury or  lawsuit.
 
Professional help usually starts with a visit to the vet to rule out any  
medical.  Frequently, especially with an aging dog, medical is going to  show up. 
 So start with a vet consult.
 
Then if the vet says that everything is good, you can ask the vet for a  
referral or you can ask people you know in your area for a referral, or post to  
this list for a referral.
 
Dogs can show this out of fear, overt aggressiveness, past experience of  
what works, guarding, startle reflex, etc., sometimes it is more than one  
problem.
 
Not every trainer is good with aggression issues and there are different  
types of aggression issues, so ask them first if they have had much experience  
with this kind of issue.    Ask them what they will do if the  case is too 
difficult for them?  They should immediately tell you that they  would refer the 
case to a colleague who has more experience.  Any other  answer is not 
acceptable, especially if they tell you they can solve anything  themselves.  Not a 
good answer.
 
Also make sure you note down what happens before an incident, what happens  
during and what happens after, as detailed as you can, because the more you can 
 tell them about what occurs in detail, the sooner they will be able to break 
 down the behaviors and find the starting point for training and  management.
 
Frequently management is part of the solution.  If you have a dog that  does 
something scary, avoiding those situations where the dog has done the scary  
thing in the past can only help.  Chances are that is it NOT a fluke and  the 
dog will present in the same manner the next time.  So if people  approaching 
the car sets your dog off, don't ask people to approach the car  anymore.  The 
difficult part is that this is also the solution for  barking.  To set up an 
environment where the dog doesn't get "practice"  barking while the training is 
going on.  This usually means day care or  blocking access to an area like 
the front door or window if it is  happening during the day.
 
Obviously management, either with tools like anti-bark collars or  separating 
dogs, can only go so far.  Training is the other part of the  solution and 
that needs to happen soon as well.
 
Exercise for a dog is often part of the solution as well.  Dogs that  are 
well exercised tend to have much less of any given problem.  For a  normal health 
and age basset, that is more than walking a half block and back,  though that 
may help an elderly or infirmed dog who seldom gets outside.   Good, moving 
exercise of an hour and a half a day, or an hour in the am and an  hour in the 
pm will make a world of difference to any normal dog's  behavior.
 
If your concern is that the trainer is too expensive, think about the  
expense if your dog attacks someone or dog.  It is well worth the expense  to nip a 
problem like this in the bud before the dog ends up euthanized and you  end up 
in court.  Dr. Ian Dunbar even classifies a level one bite, as a  snap toward 
a hand or body, so keep that in mind.
 
My prayers and thoughts are with anyone with a problem basset like this,  for 
you, but primarily for the life of your dog.  
 
Sara Watson
Bluefence Bassets
APDT Member
SFSPCA Behavior and Training Intern
 
 



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