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<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My prayers and thoughts are with anyone with a problem basset like this,
for you, but primarily for the life of your dog. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sara Watson</DIV>
<DIV>Bluefence Bassets</DIV>
<DIV>APDT Member</DIV>
<DIV>SFSPCA Behavior and Training Intern</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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