well I have a 1 1/2 year old basset hound, she is adorable.. But she snapped at me last night for the first time since I got her.

She had her face in my girlfriends Dinner plate and she yelled at her and told her to get down, at that point she snapped at her. She yelled for me in the other room and I came in and when I told my dog "bad girl", she showed me her teeth. I then grabbed her by the collar and put her in the cage for a "time out"

So my question is, where to go from here? I have always grabbed things outta her mouth (rubber bands, plastic, she eats everything) but now I'm worried about getting bit (I NEVER worried about this before).. I am 6'4 240 pounds, obviously I'm not gonna get thrown down and mauled by a 45 pound hound dog hehe, but how the heck am I gonna show her who's boss again and get her outta this habit (if it becomes one)?

thanks

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Dogs are pack animals and they need to know where in that pack they belong, rankwise. I don't know why she has not snapped at you before, you didn't mention if your girlfriend just came into the picture, that could be a reason since your dog now needs to know who comes first. Here the solution, and please don't laugh, it works. Whenever this happens again grab her by the scruff of her neck, shake her (genlty but firmly) and growl back at her really loud. The logic behind this: this is the way dogs are taught by other dogs within the pack. Believe me, I got 2 Rottweilers (250 lbs. combined) and I had to show them right away who is the "Alpha Dog" in my house. Forget about time out (BTW, spanking will only make it worse), try what I said and ignore her for a few minutes. Then go back to her and tell her everything is fine.

Worked for me.

Alf

PS. Forgot to say, this goes for your girlfriend too. If she doesn't show your dog she's first, your dog will assume your girlfriend is at the end of the rank.

[This message has been edited by Alf (edited 05-16-2001).]

 

I think you did the right thing. She snapped and you became the alpha-male by discipline (ok, you didn't shake her by the scruff), but you did apply some disciplin.
Alf is 100% correct (obviously a learned canine owner) on the pack animal mentality. You have got to be the pack leader.
Reason she snapped: just a guess, you were taking food from her mouth and she wanted to test you.
Have fun, sounds like a pretty cool dog. You oughta post the pics of this dinner stealing hound...


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heh, good idea alf.. I will try that!!

I also forgot to mention that we startd giving her "meat bonz" biscuts and she LOVES them, she absolutly goes bonkers for them!! I noticed she is now lurking around constantly looking for food

those biscuts are history

thanks again!

 

Another thing to do is establish dominance over them by laying them on their side with their legs away from you, and while kneeling, grab their front legs w/ one hand and rear with the other. The dog might squirm a bit, but will eventually relax(I'll guess abouut 30 sec.s).

It's smart to do w/ a basset, but really important w/bigger dogs. My weimaraner will stay put indefinitely if I just hold his front paws now, and he'll allow my 9 year old daughter to pull him around by his collar. Your girlfriend ought to do it(to the dog!) too.

If your dog loves meat bonz, you should give her one and take it back for a moment or two before letting her eat it. Don't put up with a dog that growls. It doesn't get better as the dog gets older. You really don't want the dog to bite a kid who tries to pet her while she's eating.

I had a basset hound too. It barely moved after dinner except to go to the other side of the room after it passed gas.



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hehe Alf - thought you were going to say that patrick needed to hold his girlfriend down and growl at her to show who's boss!

 

well I already got one girl under control!! haha, no growling nessesary

yeah Clancy, she's a total sweetheart and never ever growled or did anything to indicate meaness..I can't even get her to get mean with me even if I try, it's only with 1)tablefood 2) rawhide 3) meat bonz so I think those 2 will go.

I'll try and see how the dominance thing goes tonight.. when I play with her, she understands who has the upper hand always.


we'll see how it goes

[This message has been edited by patrickjp (edited 05-16-2001).]

 

Shoot that durn thang
lol j/k sent one to obediance school that worked good


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When I was a kid I had a beagle that would do the same thing. I just left him alone while he was eating Poor dog got distemper and didn't make it to a year My fiance and I plan to get a dog(s) as soon as we get off the road. So far the plans are for a basset,yellow lab,and a couple of cats. We're gonna have our hands full then,lol.,,,,,98

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Now,if it only looked like this in real life

[This message has been edited by 98SCREAMER (edited 05-16-2001).]

 

Well, since we're into dogs. let me show you my kids...

 

Good looking dogs, Alf! I'm a Lab man myself, but I've always like Rottweilers too! No kids of my own for the moment anyways, just need to get some sod down in the yard!

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Speedy has gotten ugly with me only a few times, never bitten, just a snarl and curled lips (do dogs have lips?) Anyway, he has never shown aggression. Just protective of food on very rare occasions. Your dog will be fine. (this picture makes me want to go to bed just looking at it)

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[This message has been edited by Jumpn (edited 05-17-2001).]

 

hehe looks just like my puppy! (minus the belly, I'm sure that will come later)

well I tried clancy's idea of laying her on the side and grabbing her legs (front and back separately) and the first time my dog kinda squirmed, then looked at me like "ok, ya got me". The next time I did it, she immediatly became docile and submissive.

I'm thinking that was really just a "few and far between" incidence, she is so playful and happy, does'nt have a mean bone in her body..

thanks again for the advice guys!

btw, beautiful Family ya got there Alf!

 

I've had a few dogs in my time, I have to agree the spanking doesn't make a difference. That was my mistake many years ago.

VOICE!!!!! Dogs know the difference. If you're like most (remember I say most not all) you probably give her alot of love. When you're standing over her with the "ster

 

Ok, first, if your dog spends the day and night in her cage when no one is home, then putting her in there when she is bad is a NO NO!! Then she will think that when she is in there, she did something wrong. You want her to like her cage. It's like her "bedroom". If she starts to bite or looks like she might, never extend your hand from under her face, always from above her head. This way she knows you are in control. Forcfully, but gently, grab her by the scruff and close her "snout" and bring her to the floor and tell her "No Bite" until she gives up and stops squirming. Once she stops trying to get away, immediately release her mouth, and praise her by scrubbing her neck, or head, or patting her on the sides or back. When you pet her or scold her from under her face, that's a submissive approach, and she thinks you are not in control. All dogs have a dominance issue, and this should be taken care of within the 1st year, but it can be dealt with later, just takes more work. After praising her, immediately give her the opportunity to do it again, and repeat these steps until she stops. As soon as she stops trying to bite, praise her. Make sure to say "No Bite" or something like that. Dogs also need to learn the words "Bad Dog" as opposed to "Good Dog". be sure to only use one or the other accordingly, otherwise she will be confused, and not learn. Also, make sure when taking her outside to do her business, that she sits and waits for you to go out first and waits for your command to exit the home. Otherwise, everytime the door opens, she will haul a$$. I have a 6 month old German Shepard/Border COllie mix right now. She took 2 weeks of obedience training. I think it only helped me learn how to train her better, rather than helped her. She can "sit", "lay", "sit-up", "stay", "down", "come", and she knows "outside", and her name "Sydney". I have taught her not to run out the door when it opens and only to wait for my command (or my wife's). I am currently teaching her not to go from carpet to tile floor. I'm trying to teach her this to keep her out of the kitchen. She's doing pretty good, but with 2 cats in the home, and their food is on the counter, she is having a little trouble understanding why they are allowed up there, and she isn't. Once we get our new house, I think she will do much better. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.
Lariat4wd@yahoo.com

[This message has been edited by lariat4wd (edited 05-17-2001).]