Dear Miss Ruby,
We adopted Tessa last year. Tessa appears to be sensitive to the cold and will get frozen when she goes outside in extreme weather. Any advice
what to do?
Tessa’s Mom
Dear Tessa’s Mom,
First make sure Tessa is not outside too long. When weather is cold as it has been, allow her out only to do her business. If you don’t wish to go out
with her, use a rope attached to her leash and then let her out. This will give you control of the time she is out and help keep her attention on matters at
hand. You say also that she tends to get side tracked when outside and this method helps you to tug and remind her to get on with it. When left on
their own, a basset’s nose will tend to take command and they will roam here and there. Then they get cold and still did not accomplish their mission.
They will wander to the furthest portion of the yard and seem like they just cannot get back. They will stand there with a paw lifted and we run to
rescue. We use the long leash method here when the weather is really bad and I get reeled in when my nose leads me astray.
We assume that Tessa’s paws are not cracked and sore. If you do see that they are, contact your veterinarian for advice to help that problem.
Assuming the problem is tender paws, the next move is to cover those paws. There are booties just for dogs. They can be found at all large pet
centers or catalogs. It is important to take your basset shopping in order to find the correct size. While we are speaking of paws, let us not forget those
toenails. They should be kept nice and short and this will make putting booties on much easier. Until you can get to the store, try using toddler bobby
socks or even infant socks. They are not protective against wet but will help some when just going out to take care of business and give an idea of how
they will handle booties!!!
When Tessa comes inside, make sure to check between her pads for any packed snow or ice that may be packed in those crevices. Simply use your
finger to remove.
We hope you will find this helpful – and, Tessa, give booties a chance!!
Miss Ruby
We adopted Tessa last year. Tessa appears to be sensitive to the cold and will get frozen when she goes outside in extreme weather. Any advice
what to do?
Tessa’s Mom
Dear Tessa’s Mom,
First make sure Tessa is not outside too long. When weather is cold as it has been, allow her out only to do her business. If you don’t wish to go out
with her, use a rope attached to her leash and then let her out. This will give you control of the time she is out and help keep her attention on matters at
hand. You say also that she tends to get side tracked when outside and this method helps you to tug and remind her to get on with it. When left on
their own, a basset’s nose will tend to take command and they will roam here and there. Then they get cold and still did not accomplish their mission.
They will wander to the furthest portion of the yard and seem like they just cannot get back. They will stand there with a paw lifted and we run to
rescue. We use the long leash method here when the weather is really bad and I get reeled in when my nose leads me astray.
We assume that Tessa’s paws are not cracked and sore. If you do see that they are, contact your veterinarian for advice to help that problem.
Assuming the problem is tender paws, the next move is to cover those paws. There are booties just for dogs. They can be found at all large pet
centers or catalogs. It is important to take your basset shopping in order to find the correct size. While we are speaking of paws, let us not forget those
toenails. They should be kept nice and short and this will make putting booties on much easier. Until you can get to the store, try using toddler bobby
socks or even infant socks. They are not protective against wet but will help some when just going out to take care of business and give an idea of how
they will handle booties!!!
When Tessa comes inside, make sure to check between her pads for any packed snow or ice that may be packed in those crevices. Simply use your
finger to remove.
We hope you will find this helpful – and, Tessa, give booties a chance!!
Miss Ruby
Dear Miss Ruby
We recently adopted a basset and love her dearly. However, we are having a couple of issues with behavior. We have owned other dogs before but
enters our bedroom when she is asleep and has even nipped at our 4 year old boy but I think he may have been messing with her. Any advice would be
appreciated.
Bella’s family
Dear Bella's Family,
We learned from a later message that Bella is not a year old yet. She should be enrolled in basic obedience training which helps train not just her but
you as well. The things she is doing are not unusual for a basset pup but she does need help from you to help teach her what you want of her.
Counter surfing is not only a messy problem but one that needs to be controlled against other potential dangers lurking around. Until training begins,
we suggest that Bella not be allowed in the eating area until food is cleared from the table. The younger children should never be allowed to have food
in their hands around Bella who has a nose to pick up that scent from anywhere in the home. Bella will grab for the food not having a clue there is a
hand at the other end of the food. Your child will not be happy about a stolen sandwich either. There are certain foods dangerous to dogs. Chocolate
we are all familiar with is one a child may have often in their hands.
Until you find a trainer, make sure you follow simple rules of keeping food out of reach and watch the younger children so they do not give their own
treats to Bella. Reward for good behavior and change negative to positive reinforcement.
The growling when awakened from sleep may be a simple startle to her not seeing and knowing who is entering. She may also be protecting her area.
We assume she does not go further with the growling once she knows who enters the room. Crating is really helpful in many ways and having her own
“room” for sleeping gives security.
We will pass on any other information later. Please keep us informed . We wish you all well.
Miss Ruby
We recently adopted a basset and love her dearly. However, we are having a couple of issues with behavior. We have owned other dogs before but
enters our bedroom when she is asleep and has even nipped at our 4 year old boy but I think he may have been messing with her. Any advice would be
appreciated.
Bella’s family
Dear Bella's Family,
We learned from a later message that Bella is not a year old yet. She should be enrolled in basic obedience training which helps train not just her but
you as well. The things she is doing are not unusual for a basset pup but she does need help from you to help teach her what you want of her.
Counter surfing is not only a messy problem but one that needs to be controlled against other potential dangers lurking around. Until training begins,
we suggest that Bella not be allowed in the eating area until food is cleared from the table. The younger children should never be allowed to have food
in their hands around Bella who has a nose to pick up that scent from anywhere in the home. Bella will grab for the food not having a clue there is a
hand at the other end of the food. Your child will not be happy about a stolen sandwich either. There are certain foods dangerous to dogs. Chocolate
we are all familiar with is one a child may have often in their hands.
Until you find a trainer, make sure you follow simple rules of keeping food out of reach and watch the younger children so they do not give their own
treats to Bella. Reward for good behavior and change negative to positive reinforcement.
The growling when awakened from sleep may be a simple startle to her not seeing and knowing who is entering. She may also be protecting her area.
We assume she does not go further with the growling once she knows who enters the room. Crating is really helpful in many ways and having her own
“room” for sleeping gives security.
We will pass on any other information later. Please keep us informed . We wish you all well.
Miss Ruby
We have had several messages lately about basset behavior problems. All have the same underlying problem dealing with
grabbing food or growling at this or that. See Bella’s message (below) which seems to say it all. We felt we needed to make a
statement about the necessity of training the correct way. We bassets have a way of getting what we want and that leads to
problems if there are no rules to follow. We love our families and want to do whatever it takes to make them happy but we make
mistakes while we learn. Some of my basset friends have had bad lives and learned some behaviors to protect themselves or to
survive.
With love and patience, they have found happy homes too. Okay, the thing we need is training. There, I said it!!! It can be fun to
learn and I got treats when doing what I was asked to do so I am definitely for doing good things!!!!
Sometimes people forget that we are driven by our noses. Usually it is food!!! Help us not make mistakes. We are never too old
for training. We may not be able to learn new tricks but we can learn what makes our owners happy and that works for everyone.
Miss Ruby D
grabbing food or growling at this or that. See Bella’s message (below) which seems to say it all. We felt we needed to make a
statement about the necessity of training the correct way. We bassets have a way of getting what we want and that leads to
problems if there are no rules to follow. We love our families and want to do whatever it takes to make them happy but we make
mistakes while we learn. Some of my basset friends have had bad lives and learned some behaviors to protect themselves or to
survive.
With love and patience, they have found happy homes too. Okay, the thing we need is training. There, I said it!!! It can be fun to
learn and I got treats when doing what I was asked to do so I am definitely for doing good things!!!!
Sometimes people forget that we are driven by our noses. Usually it is food!!! Help us not make mistakes. We are never too old
for training. We may not be able to learn new tricks but we can learn what makes our owners happy and that works for everyone.
Miss Ruby D
Dear Miss Ruby,
Winston is our 2 yr old basset who we have had since he was 5 months old. He is a very healthy boy with no medical problems. Winston seems to think
he is the official ear cleaner for the other bassets. Several times a week, if not daily, he will take the ears of the other bassets and chew on them, not
hurting them at all. He will take each ear
and put the entire ear in his mouth and chew and chew on it. It will be dripping wet from slobber when he is done. The other 2 bassets are females and
he also licks the inside of the ears on our female bloodhound. He is the only basset that I have ever seen that does this. Can you help me with this
problem or explain why he does it?
Answer:
You say that Winston has not been neutered. We do not know if the others are either and this can make a difference. Neutering makes a lot of
difference in behavior problems and we highly recommend this. It seems Winston, being the handsome guy he is and with all of his manliness intact,
has a thing for female’s ears!!! It doesn’t sound as though the girls have a problem with it but humans find it a bit disgusting. Humans think differently
than we do about odors and stuff like that. Ear cleaning should really only be done by owners or veterinarians in order to keep any bacteria from
getting into those ear canals. Perhaps Winston’s mother cleaned his ears as a pup and he really liked
it and simply is passing this on but I doubt it. There is something in it for him sort of like some dogs who like to eat feces!!!
You want to get him interested in other things than ears. The idea is when he appears to start the cleaning process, do not allow it. Simply get his
attention from going in that direction. It is a must to get his attention before this happens, then praise him and reward him with a little kibble treat and
find some other activity for him. He seems to want to lick and chew. Find something for him to do just that. There are chewable toys which contain
treats. The idea is to provide fun and interest with a treat to be had.
Most pet stores will have many types. Check out this website for some of these ideas: www.drsfostersmith.com Once on the site, simply look under
Canine and toys to find these. Some I find interesting are: Dogzilla toys, Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug, Atomic Treat Ball and Everlasting Treat Ball. All have
information for size of your dog. Some will have videos such as for the Wiggly Giggly toys.
We never want to overlook anything. Have you mentioned this habit to your vet? We wish you all well and hope we have been of help to you.
Miss Ruby and Ginny
Winston is our 2 yr old basset who we have had since he was 5 months old. He is a very healthy boy with no medical problems. Winston seems to think
he is the official ear cleaner for the other bassets. Several times a week, if not daily, he will take the ears of the other bassets and chew on them, not
hurting them at all. He will take each ear
and put the entire ear in his mouth and chew and chew on it. It will be dripping wet from slobber when he is done. The other 2 bassets are females and
he also licks the inside of the ears on our female bloodhound. He is the only basset that I have ever seen that does this. Can you help me with this
problem or explain why he does it?
Answer:
You say that Winston has not been neutered. We do not know if the others are either and this can make a difference. Neutering makes a lot of
difference in behavior problems and we highly recommend this. It seems Winston, being the handsome guy he is and with all of his manliness intact,
has a thing for female’s ears!!! It doesn’t sound as though the girls have a problem with it but humans find it a bit disgusting. Humans think differently
than we do about odors and stuff like that. Ear cleaning should really only be done by owners or veterinarians in order to keep any bacteria from
getting into those ear canals. Perhaps Winston’s mother cleaned his ears as a pup and he really liked
it and simply is passing this on but I doubt it. There is something in it for him sort of like some dogs who like to eat feces!!!
You want to get him interested in other things than ears. The idea is when he appears to start the cleaning process, do not allow it. Simply get his
attention from going in that direction. It is a must to get his attention before this happens, then praise him and reward him with a little kibble treat and
find some other activity for him. He seems to want to lick and chew. Find something for him to do just that. There are chewable toys which contain
treats. The idea is to provide fun and interest with a treat to be had.
Most pet stores will have many types. Check out this website for some of these ideas: www.drsfostersmith.com Once on the site, simply look under
Canine and toys to find these. Some I find interesting are: Dogzilla toys, Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug, Atomic Treat Ball and Everlasting Treat Ball. All have
information for size of your dog. Some will have videos such as for the Wiggly Giggly toys.
We never want to overlook anything. Have you mentioned this habit to your vet? We wish you all well and hope we have been of help to you.
Miss Ruby and Ginny
for fear Oscar would bite the collar and swing Gizmo around. He is biting his neck skin causing breaks in the skin. I know he is trying to play but it is
getting too rough. Oscar has retaliated when Gizmo
Reply
We do not know how long you have had Oscar or what may have happened about 6 months ago but it appears nothing has changed in order that Oscar
know this is not a good thing to do. We want to teach good behavior using positive techniques. We also are not sure if both of your dogs have not
been neutered or if it is just Oscar. In any case, both should be neutered. Training is very important no matter the age of a dog. It will take patience
and vigilance on your part to help correct this problem since it has been going on so long. It can be corrected. We have consulted with our
behaviorist/trainer, Jan Carlson. Below is her response to this question. We hope you find the information helpful and are able to correct this problem.
It can be done.
Miss Ruby
Response from Jan Carlson, Trainer/Behaviorist
I would strongly recommend that the dogs be neutered.
I would work on positive association training with Oscar. When Gizmo is with Oscar and Oscar is behaving appropriately, Oscar should then be praised
and rewarded with a small treat. This should be done before Oscar gets into his rough mode. This rewarding should happen when Gizmo and Oscar first
come into the same area before Oscar has a chance to get too goofy. Make Oscar realize good things happen when Gizmo is around and he acts
appropriately.
You want to interrupt the cycle of rough behavior, letting Oscar know that it's not appropriate. .IF you get mad and try to punish Oscar, he will associate
the punishment with Gizmo. In his mind he gets punished when Gizmo is around therefore he will like Gizmo less and less and the aggression ( or, at
least inappropriate behavior) will more than likely get worse.
Putting a leash on Oscar is very good advice. Let him drag it. When get gets a bit too rough with Gizmo, give a little bit of a tug on the leash and tell
Oscar "NO" and then let him go back to playing. Then try the advice above. Try not to let the behavior get out of hand before they get to this point.
When and if it does continue to get out of hand, always use the leash as the tool to separate and to discipline. I use the word discipline loosely here.
Discipline means getting the dog under control before it gets too bad. This is done by pulling him away and distracting him with another command such
as sit. You want to find a behavior you can distract him with and then immediately reward him for. Get his mind off of the other dog and find something
more appropriate for him to do and be rewarded.
Never ever use the dog's collar to discipline them. So many people want to grab a dog by the collar when telling the dog "NO" for something he/she is
doing. This may stop the behavior for the moment, but it is causing a new worse behavior.
This can often teach the dog that hands are a bad thing. Eventually someone can go to pet the dog or handle the co href="http://www.APDT.com"
target="_blank">APDT.COM and see if there is a trainer in their area.
getting too rough. Oscar has retaliated when Gizmo
Reply
We do not know how long you have had Oscar or what may have happened about 6 months ago but it appears nothing has changed in order that Oscar
know this is not a good thing to do. We want to teach good behavior using positive techniques. We also are not sure if both of your dogs have not
been neutered or if it is just Oscar. In any case, both should be neutered. Training is very important no matter the age of a dog. It will take patience
and vigilance on your part to help correct this problem since it has been going on so long. It can be corrected. We have consulted with our
behaviorist/trainer, Jan Carlson. Below is her response to this question. We hope you find the information helpful and are able to correct this problem.
It can be done.
Miss Ruby
Response from Jan Carlson, Trainer/Behaviorist
I would strongly recommend that the dogs be neutered.
I would work on positive association training with Oscar. When Gizmo is with Oscar and Oscar is behaving appropriately, Oscar should then be praised
and rewarded with a small treat. This should be done before Oscar gets into his rough mode. This rewarding should happen when Gizmo and Oscar first
come into the same area before Oscar has a chance to get too goofy. Make Oscar realize good things happen when Gizmo is around and he acts
appropriately.
You want to interrupt the cycle of rough behavior, letting Oscar know that it's not appropriate. .IF you get mad and try to punish Oscar, he will associate
the punishment with Gizmo. In his mind he gets punished when Gizmo is around therefore he will like Gizmo less and less and the aggression ( or, at
least inappropriate behavior) will more than likely get worse.
Putting a leash on Oscar is very good advice. Let him drag it. When get gets a bit too rough with Gizmo, give a little bit of a tug on the leash and tell
Oscar "NO" and then let him go back to playing. Then try the advice above. Try not to let the behavior get out of hand before they get to this point.
When and if it does continue to get out of hand, always use the leash as the tool to separate and to discipline. I use the word discipline loosely here.
Discipline means getting the dog under control before it gets too bad. This is done by pulling him away and distracting him with another command such
as sit. You want to find a behavior you can distract him with and then immediately reward him for. Get his mind off of the other dog and find something
more appropriate for him to do and be rewarded.
Never ever use the dog's collar to discipline them. So many people want to grab a dog by the collar when telling the dog "NO" for something he/she is
doing. This may stop the behavior for the moment, but it is causing a new worse behavior.
This can often teach the dog that hands are a bad thing. Eventually someone can go to pet the dog or handle the co href="http://www.APDT.com"
target="_blank">APDT.COM and see if there is a trainer in their area.
Just a puppy or a behavior problem?
Cold Feet !
Ear Licking
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