He should adjust in time to losing his companion. However long that takes is questionable though and he will continue to be angry and feel neglected and reflect that anger with destruction just out of loneliness. It may improve with time and may not. You have to ask yourself is this fair for your dog? I would spend nearly all my time with him when I was home taking walks, etc. and if you can't do more than 2 hrs. it may be best to find a better home for him where he has a better environment. If his new home is a better place where there is a yard to run, and owners that can spend more time with him he will gradually accept the new home and owners. I know that is hard but may be the best. When your living situation improves you may think about owning another dog.
Other than that, working 2 jobs leaves the dog alone too much to be fair so you need to get someone…the same person all the time... over to your apartment to spend time with him if you don't want to give him up. He can bond to that person and that will help the loneliness somewhat. If you decided to give him up, the new owners could come over frequently for walks and visits before you gave the dog to them so that the dog would consider them friends before adoption, that would help the dog transition. I would not give that dog to an inexperienced owner though. That could end in disaster. It will do the same things with the new owner although it should get over the transition quicker because it will be in a better environment. Also, was your husband the dog's leader? You now have to be a positive leader for him because it sounds like he lacks leadership.
Anti-anxiety medication for separation anxiety. 14 month male B.
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@eeeefarm I know that is the accepted way of doing things, but I have to wonder if dogs in fact have any sense of time ? Ten minutes, 30 ? Main thing is they have the confidence to know you will come back.
I'm arguing against myself here ! I would never leave a dog longer than 4 hours absolute maximum, even if they were with a buddy.
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When I was in my teens I used to babysit for people when their kids came home from school but the parents didn't get home till around 6:00. I wonder if teens still do that? Maybe you could get someone to come to your home after school and stay till you get home. Just a thought! Good luck.
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Would a dog sitter be an option? I am in Toronto area and there are plenty of people who provide dog sitting services at their homes. Please consider that before medicating your dog.
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@ellenw - LOL as a latch key kid... I was the same....
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Interesting research on music as a calming effect? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938416306977
Our Basenji Paladin could not be left alone, we tried everything, one thing sort of worked rescue remedy and touch tell massage. We had many pet sitters. Our new Basenji is so carefree and problem free it's a miracle. Miles is Basenji # 5 so maybe we just learned from all the others....
Also, a list of reads and research including the use of Bach Flower Remedies,
Recommended Resources
Articles on Don’s Blog
Alone Training – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2014/08/01/dog-training-alone-training/Preventing separation anxiety – Teaching your dog to cope with being alone – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2016/03/14/dog-training-preventing-separation-anxiety-teaching-your-dog-to-cope-with-being-alone/
ADAPTIL
/DAP COMFORTZONE – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2014/08/14/canine-behavior-adaptild-a-p-comfortzone/Understanding, Identifying and Coping with Canine Stress – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2015/11/01/canine-behavior-understanding-identifying-and-coping-with-canine-stress/
Pet Behavior and Wellness – Pet Behavior as an Essential Component to Holistic Wellness – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2016/10/28/pet-behavior-and-wellness-pet-behavior-as-an-essential-component-to-holistic-wellness/
Your Pet’s Behavioral Health Is As Important As Their Physical Well-Being: The New AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2015/08/01/pet-health-and-wellness-your-pets-behavioral-health-is-as-important-as-their-physical-well-being/
Introduction to Canine Communication – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2015/04/05/dog-training-introduction-to-canine-communication/
An Overview of the Bach Flower Remedies – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/2015/06/22/bach-flower-remedies-an-overview-of-the-bach-flower-remedies/
Good Luck, you will get through this!
ariadne scott -
My apologies in advance for being so blunt. This is only my opinion which you are welcome to take or leave.
An elderly dog might do okay with being left alone for 8-9 hours/5 days a week, but it will be sheer torture for a young, active basenji to be left alone (whether he/she has separation anxiety or not). Drugging him is a sad choice.
If you really love him, find someone to keep him during the day, find a daycare where he fits in or rehome him.
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@Pawla, you are absolutely right and at the risk of being rude, I don't understand how anyone can expect any dog, let alone a pup, to handle being alone for that many hours on a daily basis. It can work if you have multiple dogs so that there is company, but even then is far from ideal. As I suggested, having someone come and take the dog out a couple of times during the day is one possible solution, but no to leaving a dog alone for that long every day. Maybe an old "couch potato", but even then, it's an unreasonable amount of time without a bathroom break, apart from anything else. And drugging a pup? Really? A vet approves of this?
Time for rethinking priorities and perhaps consider rehoming the dog with someone who has time for him.
"In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"
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@eeeefarm - I will disagree to a point... Now granted I have a different set up and my first 2 Basenjis were home alone for 8 hours a day because we both worked. Yes, they had each other but also they had a very large doggy room with access to the yard with their doggy door. We have 12' privacy fences and gate are padlocked from the inside. Our home is set back from the street and there is no need for anyone to try and enter the yard. They had and (still have) a large window that they keep watch on the street and all that goes on.... there was never an issue with them or the litters we raised. We always had at least 2 but up to 6 at times. In fact on the days that I was home more than just the regular weekends for holidays, by the third day they would look at me like "hey are you not going to work?... we need our beauty sleep! Once our office moved close to the house, I would come home at lunch time... or if we had litters on the ground. Also since we did not have children, when home from work all the time was spent with the pups and they were always with us all evening and totally part of the family including when we had litters..if you have children then that is a totally different situation. All of our Basenjis were/are well socialized, Ch show and coursing dogs and very well adjusted. So it can work depending on your home and how you can set it up. Now that I am not working, they spend the majority of the day in their doggy room even though they have access to where ever we are. But I will agree that a puppy in a crate all day is a bit much especially if at night you expect them to sleep in a crate... I always recommend that if you have to crate during the day then they must be with you at night, including sleeping in bed or in a doggy bed but in the room where you sleep. And if you do work, then you need to have a pet sitter to visit with the pup/dog every 4 hours. Take for a walk, etc...
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@tanza, I hear what you are saying but it's entirely different to leave a dog that has company and access to outside and a large space inside, which is an entirely different situation than what @yaleezaforeva is suggesting. The fact that they are considering medication and are apparently having difficulties with even short duration separation makes me think that at least with this individual young dog things will have to change a great deal for it to work out. It does make me wonder about what has led to the current situation, and also whether there has been any consultation with the pup's breeder regarding any genetic predisposition or early weaning that may be contributing factors.
I would agree that with the right circumstances you can probably leave multiple dogs for relatively long periods of time (isn't that what doggie daycare essentially does?), and I have left 2 Basenjis and a Border Collie in a secure dog run back in the day while we were gone several hours, but I don't believe I have ever left a dog for 8 hours straight without any human contact. For a solo pup, no way!
"In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"
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@eeeefarm - I don't disagree with you and in many cases agree, just pointing out that if you set up your home and can set up your home, it can work.
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@tanza: you said it all in your first sentence "I have a different set up". Your situation is FAR from what yaleezaforeva described.
No 18 mo old basenji (with or without separation anxiety) should be left alone for 8 to 9 hours alone for 5 days a week. Period. It is cruel and unusual punishment.
The owner should find a way for Benjie not to be alone so many hours or rehome him and get a stuffed animal.
I truly don't mean to offend anyone, but I care about the basenji. I promise not to say another word on this discussion.
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@pawla - Not a disagree, just saying that it can work if you can set up your home to work with the pup....
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@tanza it can work if you can set up your home to work with the pup...
But if you can't ? (or find it easier not to)
