Basenji Training

@yaleezaforeva said in More crate/separation anxiety issues. 12.5 week old puppy: @zande its a little harsh to suggest we're treating him like a toy that we're "putting in a cupboard when he's inconvenient for us." as mentioned, we're simply trying to get him comfortable with us being away as we'll eventually have to do so when going to work...during that time, we'll also be ensuring that his time apart isn't for a full 8 hour day, especially as a young puppy, and rather broken into at least two intervals with one of us coming home or a dog walker or a family member. as it stands, he also likes being in his crate overnight right beside our bed (safe space) so that doesn't seem to be an issue whatsoever.. plus we're simply just trying to understand what the best approach is for him to be left alone when we go back to work. we really appreciate your upfrontness and transparency about this...maybe you're suggesting the right approach...we're new at this and so we'll message you to discuss further! again, we appreciate you taking the time to provide advice. If you are home then trying to equal that to when you are gone will not work... IMO... they know when you are at home and when you are gone.... being in his crate at night next to the bed is totally different then in his crate (other for eating) if you are home and moving around. All of mine were/at crate trained... but if we were home, they are with us... I didn't have to crate them during the day as we set up the house with their own dog room... and that room was set up to remove anything important.... BE ADVISED however it if is their dog room and they destroy something, it is on the owner... ours also have access to the backyard via a doggy door, but we have a secure backyard with 12' fences. I will say that with our very first two Basenjis many years ago, they had a crate in the laundry room with a doggy door to outside. At the time we did not have baseboards and found that stripping the wall paper was a great past time.. LOL... and that is the way it was... as we gave them that area... results was to install baseboards... LOL... problem solved

Sounds reasonable to me, too. Yes, there will be times you need to keep her away from trouble when you can't supervise. As she gets older, you can train her to stay away when you are cooking (if that is your wish) rather than being underfoot, and hopefully you can begin to trust that she won't get into trouble while you are distracted. The problem is when people constantly use the crate instead of observation and teaching the dog what is acceptable. Pups cannot learn the rules of the house whilst confined to a crate!

@yaleezaforeva said in New puppy... Crate anxiety!: Our little boy is named Benji OMGosh! I'm in love!!

@Zande - “in life with a Basenji, you have to adapt to them far more frequently than they do to you?” Lol! You got that right! By the way- I have the slip-on Sketchers for walking my B - and yes they are comfortable!

I would never use a harness...and I do not recommend its use for any pups that I place, especially on a young dog of any breed... it restricts their movement and can lead (IMO) to problems later on as they need to adjust their strides to compensate for restrictive front end movement... Especially for any dog that might be a show dog and a pet... (as my are).... Try a head harness that works like with horses...

@zande said in Korben biting our feet and I don't know how to stop him.: Positive punishment is giving in to him. You are giving him exactly the attention he is seeking. Basenji do not like being ignored or shut out. That IS a form of punishment to them ! Agree, they don't like to be ignored. That comes under the heading of negative punishment. But there are things they like less. Depending on the dog, the skill of the trainer, and the punishment meted out, positive punishment can be extremely effective, but timing and choice of consequences is critical, so it's not something I recommend. Punishment is a loaded word, but it is the word used in operant conditioning. It evokes some terrible, painful consequence, but might be something as mild as a well aimed water pistol, which for some Basenjis (and some cats) would be reason enough not to repeat the action that caused it.....while with others it could turn into a game of trying to nail the feet and escape the spray. Without knowing the dog it's hard to guess what the result would be, which is why I am not suggesting it. The very best form of positive punishment is self inflicted, e.g. electric fence for livestock, invisible fence for dogs (if they don't learn to run through it), because of the consistency which a human trainer may lack. The consequences for most are unpleasant enough that they don't care to repeat the action that causes them. Horses seldom challenge electric fence if it's working properly, although some seem to detect when it is turned off!

It's a slow process, be patient and consistent with her. We adopted Bolt 6 years ago, he's 12 y/o and 3/4 Africain. We don't know his history, but at some point he got into a dog fight. He has the scars to prove it. When we walk, there are certain dogs that will trigger a violent reaction from him. Over the years I've gotten very good at reading other people, and how they walk their dogs, plus reading their dog's body language. A high straight up tail tightly wagging will send him off the rails. I've worked extensively with him to the point that he is manageable when he sees other dogs. I usually make him sit, or give as wide a distance as I can allow. BUT, he is a biter, so I'm extremely cautious when I'm around other people. All bets are off if that other dog is not leashed!! It does get better, and yes you can teach an older dog new behaviors, I certainly did.

Main thing to remember is that any good trainer will not even try to train the dog. He/she should train YOU to train (and understand and read) the Basenji. The trainer needs to know Basenjis, yes. But don't expect them to perform miracles unless you work hard to learn !

Exactly as it should be ! Happiness well deserved :grinning_face:

A dremel is a one-off expenditure ! And you can do his nails weekly instead of making costly appointments ! Some Basenjis are definitely cuddle-boys or girls. Some more aloof. My Keeper is very much in the former category, Hoover is very much more aloof. The Cat That Walks By Itself. In the house Loki is probably trying to be a lap dog because if he is - well, he is getting more attention than the Yorkie, isn't he ! Basenjis are great strategists. You'll have great fun with the pair of them !

And the titles AND photos are on the pedigree website for all to see ! Thank you !

@debradownsouth LOL about the bra straps! I know what you mean though; Olly just neatly chewed through the front strap on her brand new raincoat..... it was the first day she wore it. Grrrrr! That leash fix is a great idea. Going to be dropping by my local home depot this afternoon!! Yay, you!

AS DonC says,"the question of whether they WANT to...". I had one that after about a mile would lay down on his side and refuse to move. More than once did I have to carry that pain the butt Basenji, on my shoulders native style, home.

he checked out fine at the vet... said while unusual, it's not unheard of for shelter dogs to have pee anxiety/adjustment issues for the first month and since he is otherwise fine to just give it a few more weeks. he really peed in the park on a pile of leaves yesterday afternoon for the first time and was praised so loudly everyone else around me was laughing... but then peed on the rug in my apartment lobby again this morning. at least he's not too shy to pee in front of my anymore and thank goodness i live in a very pet friendly building! :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing: so we'll keep working on it! and anyone else ever adopts a basenji mix from the shelter and also has this issue you'll know you're not the only one!

Trust you have a doggie door to the outside that she can use

Take it REALLY REALLY slowly. Be sure to make good things happen when they are together and getting along. It took me 7 months to get my 4 yr old basenji rescue (who has a very high prey drive) to coexist with an old cat. If there is a bad experience, it can set everything back months, so be very careful to set up good experiences and avoid bad experiences.

@erica-ruth said in My basenjis have a new yard, but won't poop there. Any recommendations?: I can set my watch by second poop My first ever Basenji, Donner, back in the very early 1980s learned from very young that as soon as he'd emptied, we'd turn and head back home. Lady, who arrived in the household just four days after Donner and long before we totally dog-proofed the garden, so walks were necessary, did her business as and when she needed to. But Himself no - to prolong the walk he'd hang on for (sometimes) miles ! When the first litter came along, we did totally fence the entire garden so as to keep the pack safe. It was only later, after several litters developed a penchant for fresh vegetables straight off the plant, Brussel Sprouts, sweet corn, cucumbers, raspberries etc, that we had to fence off the vegetable garden to protect it from the marauding hordes. The herb garden had to be isolated too, or we'd have even sweeter smelling puppies than normal.

@ryanp said in Walking: @ktiefen1 Hello - would you please share the type of harness that the behaviorist recommended? I have two basenjis and they're hunting instinct for squirrels and cats is taking its toll on my shoulder and back. Thank you! Behaviorists aren't in agreement on much of anything. Gentle Leaders have a lot of fans, but I'm not one of them. I believe in going back to step one and teaching your dogs not to ever pull on the leash. If someone is disabled or for some reason really needs one, that's different. But training your dog is best. If I had to use one, I'd back it with a harness or collar, especially walking 2 dogs, since getting out of one might be easier. Should add some DOGS need harnesses, not collars or head harnesses if they have neck injuries or even some eye issues. And even though I am not a big fan, they can provide more security. This article is from professionals and they prefer harnesses, as well as tell you how to choose: https://activepet.co.uk/dog-harness/ Abstract The effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) from dogs pulling against a collar or a harness was evaluated in 51 eyes of 26 dogs. The force each dog generated while pulling against a collar or a harness was measured. Intraocular pressure measurements were obtained during application of corresponding pressures via collars or harnesses. Intraocular pressure increased significantly from baseline when pressure was applied via a collar but not via a harness. Based on the results of the study, dogs with weak or thin corneas, glaucoma, or conditions for which an increase in IOP could be harmful should wear a harness instead of a collar, especially during exercise or activity.>> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16611932 For harnesses, there are currently a lot of articles about research on harnesses, which work best with the least inhibition to natural movement. This is a great article on it for anyone on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notes/tierphysiotherapie-brigitte-jost/reflections-on-chest-harnesses/1369929759778331/

Have you tried a petcam? You could watch what he's doing on your phone and see if he settles down after a while. It's possible he quietens down and naps when he knows you're gone and starts crying again when he hears you returning. You can find monitors that allow you to talk to your boy or dispense treats, but the basic ones do the job!