Question:

I have a 1 1/2 yr old Basset female that is fixed. She is a real sweety but for some reason does NOT like my kids. I have a 11 and 4 yr old daughter and she has bitten both of them 3-4 times now for no apparent reason. I got her because I thought Bassets were gentle dogs and she is with my husband and I and usually with the kids but for some reason out of the blue she will bite the kids. Not sure why. Can you help??

ANSWER:

The first thing you must understand is that there is always a reason for a dog to bite. You may or may not understand the cause but there always is one. I say this to caution you. People who say that there is no reason for a certain behavior immediately block of the creativity and reasoning power necessary to fix a problem like this. The second you affirm that there ‘is no reason’ your mind shuts out the possibilities and causes because your mind has always been convinced that there is no reason.

The second thing to understand is that it is dangerous to choose a breed based on perceived characteristics. Every breed has certain characteristics that are somewhat specific to that breed. There is no such breed, however, that is ‘good with kids’. Every dog of every breed is an animal and his or her behavior is dependent on genetics, socialization, and training. In every breed you will find representatives that are great with kids and plenty of other representatives that are not. When searching for a dog it is important to evaluate each individual separately and not make assumptions based on a breed.

Here are a few things to do to help restore the peace in your home:

• Obedience training. The fact that your dog is willing to bite your children shows a big lack of respect not only for your kids but also for you. Obedience training is a tool for gaining respect and dominance. If your dog is obedient to you when she would rather do something else it shows that she is putting your will ahead of her own. The more she does that the more she looks to you as the leader. The more she looks to you as the leader the more she will respect your possessions. In your case, the dog should view the kids as your possessions and that she has no business doling out discipline.

• Supervision. Your dog should not be alone with your kids. Period. This is a good rule for most dogs but with a dog that is not fond of children it is an absolute must.

• Set your dog up to feel more comfortable. When your kids are in the room have your dog in the corner lying down and staying. This way your dog will be able to experience your children from a calm state of mind rather than a state of mind that leads to biting. Teach the kids not to approach the dog but to rather bend down and allow her to approach them. Put her in scenarios where she doesn’t feel annoyed or dominated by the kids.

Good luck.

Ty Brown is an expert dog trainer, author, and speaker who specializes in obedience training, behavior modification, protection dog training, and narcotics dogs. To learn more about Ty and the dog training services he offers, visit www.dogbehavioronline.com