Meet Zebedee, a Bloodhound with Baby Teeth

Zebeedee is the newest member of our canine pack. He is four months old, and yes, still has most of his baby teeth. He is growing like a weed, and surprises us with how much good food he can pack away in a day and still be lean (which is a good thing).

Zeb came to us after his owner gave him up due to his aggression issues. "A puppy with aggression?", you say, and the answer is yes, puppies can sometimes exhibit the same types of behavior problems we face with adult dogs at times. Zeb was fierce around his food bowl and other objects he prized. He would snarl, bark, lunge, and even bite if given the opportunity.

How did it start? We are not sure, but Zeb is reported to be the runt of his litter. He may have had to fight for his share of resources early on. His first owner could not handle the difficulties this posed in managing and training him. He gave him up in the hopes that someone else might be able to put in the time the little pup needed, and have the skills to address the problem before the puppy got too big to handle safely.

So the puppy came to live with us. We gave him a new name, Zebedee, and the fun began. Now, when I say, "fun", understand that I mean that in more than one way. He is not a typical puppy; he came with certain challenges that must be addressed, but in other ways he is most certainly fun to be with.

The first step was to teach him to be calm and polite during feeding time. This is, of course, an ongoing process with a dog that had his level of aggression at the sight, sound, or smell of food or a bowl or anything remotely similar. But quickly he learned to sit still and quiet (while on leash) until his bowl was placed on the floor and he is released to eat. Meal times are much better this way!

Zeb is learning to relax while eating, to eat quietly, and to allow movement in the area where he eats. Food is never taken away while he eats. He may be taken away from food if he misbehaves, or food can be added to his bowl when he is eating quietly or sitting quietly. Feet can also be a source of new food, rather than a challenge to his bowl (that can be tricky, but fun!).

Zeb will allow for some items to be taken calmly from him, but we must be careful to manage him every moment he is out of his crate so he cannot get items that are unsafe for him. When he prizes an item, he can be quite a handful. But he is learning to self-discipline, to calm when asked to settle, and we are making progress in building good character in him in this way.

In addition, Zeb is great in the car and gets plenty of opportunities to meet other dogs and people and new environments. He is slowly learning to respect a lead (a challenge for a nose on four legs). He plays with another dog in our pack on a daily basis, and is learning to respect other animals he meets. He has plenty of things to learn yet, but he is enjoying it all!