nervous puppy?

Question
First I want to thank you for helping us.  Are Basset Hounds exceptionally nervous?  All I have to do is talk to my puppy and she squits and pees.  I got her from the pound when she was 8 wks. old and am thinking that maybe that was very traumatic for her?

Answer
Hi Roberta,

Barring a medical condition, what you're seeing is called submissive urination.  It can be caused by nervousness OR excitement...the good news is, most dogs outgrow this.  You don't say how old she is now so I can't give you much of a time line for that growth.  :)

There are quite a few things you can do to help her overcome this.  

1.  Don't be harsh in your corrections.  If she urinates, ignore it unless she is actually peeing in the house (as if she has to go to the restroom).  You, I'm sure, know by now when she's doing this out of fear and not out of potty training issues.  Ignore it and clean it up.

2.  Don't be harsh in your corrections.  If she misbehaves, calmly correct her.  If she nips, distract her, if she jumps, turn your back.  Don't yell.

3.  Help her build confidence:

- enroll her in an obedience class where she can socialize with other humans and animals, even if you think she doesn't need it.  If she's been to a basic class, enroll her in the advanced.

- buy her interactive toys.  Kongs, Buster Cubes, anything you can hide treats or food in.  This will stimulate her mind.

4.  Don't display dominance when unnecessary.  Don't hover over her (hard to do with a Basset)...but squat to her level when communicating with her during play or down time.  Don't  put your hand on top of her head.  Don't stare directly into her eyes.  (All of these things you can do after she's gained a bit of independence/confidence).  If you are training her, some of these things may be necessary and that's ok.

5.  Try to keep your voice calm when speaking to her.  High pitched female voices often excite a dog.  Try to keep your voice from going too high or too low.

6.  Don't make a fuss when you leave or come home.  A true leader does not ask permission to leave or make an announcement upon return.  When you need to leave, leave.  Don't make a production.  When you come in, ignore her for 5 minutes or however long it takes for her to calm down.  Don't make eye contact, don't speak and don't touch.  When she and you are both settled, give her brief attention and then continue about your business.

No...Basset's are not exceptionally nervous.  :)  There could be several reasons for her instability.  She was at the pound for a good portion of her learning stages and yes, something could have been traumatic for her.  It could have been as simple as being locked in a cage, it could have been as severe as being abused (before or during the stay at the pound).

She could also have been bred to parents with poor temperaments.  Unfortunately, when you rescue a dog, they often come with issues that there's no hope of tracing back to anything...we just don't know their history.

Good luck with her and if any of this is confusing or raises more questions, don't hesitate to contact me again!