Basenji Training

Endeavor, you represent the dangerous part of CM. People without a lot of experience don't see with the same eyes. He is actually borderline abusive, imho. He is dangerous to the dogs and to the audience. His techniques will eventually get someone killed and certainly dogs euthanized. Rather than reinvent the wheel, how about you read this thread :) http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=9598 At the very least, the OHIO STATE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE on professionals' opinions of Milan. :) http://vet.osu.edu/education/quotes-experts

It's difficult to comment with advice on separation issues when you have no idea of her background. It seems to me that something has happened to her in a house when she was alone in the past as you say Loki is quite content to stay in a vehicle. Having the other dog (very handsome) may help but you are wise to check that out first - the worst scenario - you could have 2 dogs screaming! Sorry to be flippant. I would agree with Moth about the possible need for a behaviorist. Welcome to the forum to you, Loki and possibly A N other.

This a very interesting article, Andrea. I'm not a professionla trainer and only have little experience in the field of professional dog trainers here. Those I do know mainly use positive reinforcement but I also know some old school trainers who while professing to now use positive reinforcement do rather confuse the two. I love and totally agree with his statement that 'training is not something we do to our dogs: its something we do with them'. This I think sums up completely the way we need to train our Basenjis for the best results. Toughand Prissy, thank you for posting that excellent video link.

Well, it does sound like you are doing the best. This is just a forum and the info given and then taken into action on your part may be miles away because they (we) are not living right there…. Just keep up the best that you are doing. Wish you all the best....it can be frustrating beyond what we would understand because the situation you have with Basil is similar BUT WAAAAY different then we ever had;;;;we never had Basil!!!!!!!!! I am (we are?) behind you and wish you good luck. It is a handful. Knowing you get on the forum to vent is why it exists I guess....Take the info and apply it as best you can before the behaviorist or trainer gets involved. Remember, dogs, even Basenjis can learn something all over again with the correct input-HANG IN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kudos!!!:)

Do let us know what the vet says.

While it's sometimes easier to hope that the older dogs will teach the little one, that doesn't always happen. While I had it work with Apache, it didn't with Zuni. When I was house training Zuni I would leash her up and take her out into the yard and just wait until she went, then praise and treat. There were many times she wouldn't move, so we just stood there until she moved and went or went where she was. It can be a real pain, especially in the middle of the night…but that doesn't last forever. Any accidents in the house were just cleaned up and not acknowledged. When we lived in the city, the dogs did prefer to go while on walks, but would, if they REALLY needed to go, go out into the yard.

My Gossy pulled tremendously for a long time and I tried all kinds of tips from different collars to harnesses – once she started wearing a harness, she slowed down noticeably. I have the EasyWalk (and measured her exactly as described) but it has so much hardware (metal adjustment buckles) that it kept slipping down her legs and she'd trip. Finally I put it on backwards (so the front strap goes over her back instead) and it works much much better - course that defeats the purpose of the original design but it does keep her in check. However, the thing that really worked the best ... I put her in a 3-week class on loose leash walking and wow what a difference that made. Effective and consistent training!

Me too, Pat - I swear by it.

You might want to look into the Jumping Chollas Agility Club; they are a nice group of people, and use overall good training methods for basenjis. I can't think of anyone off hand training their basenji for agility in Phoenix, but a couple of us from Tucson show up and run our dogs at the JCAC trials. The Phoenix Field and Obedience Club does a great job putting on obedience trials, and they do offer training classes. I can't verify the training methods used, so you would have to check and see if they are agreeable to you and how you want to acheive your goals with your basenji. There are a lot of nice people in that club as well, so just getting to know some of them can lead you to training classes or instructors with whom you should be comfortable. Again, I don't know of anyone in Phoenix actively showing basenjis in obedience right now, but we Tucsonans show up and show off our kids in Rally and regular Obedience. Good luck with your furkid! Katy Scott

@DebraDownSouth: A relationship is a 2-way street. Learning to communicate both ways with your dog builds communications. I guess a control freak who simply makes a dog do what they want, when they want, still has a relationship. But when I see people who work their dog–- be it obedience, agility, herding, whatever-- usually those who succeed have built a relationship of communicating and trust. Very wise words! And also, what a lot of people lose sight of is that you are always teaching your dog, even outside of your formal training times. You are teaching him, and he is teaching you. The best "educator" of dogs I have ever seen was Chuck Eisenmann. He communicated constantly with his dogs, and his first rule was simple, "Learn to observe your dog as he observes you, never overlook a single glance or movement". I can't imagine ever achieving the level of expertise that Chuck achieved…...I don't think it has ever been matched by anyone.....but I have learned a great deal by reading his books. :) For those who don't know Chuck: http://www.naturally4pets.com/smart-dog.html http://tomhawthorn.blogspot.com/2010/12/chuck-eisenmann-trainer-of-littlest.html I was privileged to see one of his demonstrations…..absolutely amazing! :) Now, this was a man who had a "relationship" with his dogs!

Spammer, folks don't click on the potty link, it's a spammer selling a product.

I think incorporating some crate training if none is being used will help. If you take him outside and he does not go potty, when you bring him back in, he must go in crate for about twenty minutes or so and not be allowed to roam or play. Then outside again to potty spot. If he does not go again repeat in crate for twenty minutes then out to potty spot and naturally praise like crazy when he does go. The idea is to get him to go potty when you want and where you want. I felt using the crate was extremely beneficial. Chris Battistelli

L O L that was FUNNY.

@Chealsie508: Thanks Pat and Lisa, I'll look into that. Another question though- there is a novice rally event happening on the 6th in MA near us, would that be something I could take Oakley to?? Thanks for your thoughts Rally events are AKC events… The club premium will usually note that any dogs that are not entered should not be on the show grounds. That said, many of us take puppies and young dogs for socialization. If this event is outdoors, that makes it much easier, since there is usually lots of room. Indoors, not so much because it is a smaller area and during OB or Rally the "crowd" and other dogs should/need to be quiet as to not disturb the dog that is working. If Oakley does well around other dogs/people (being quiet..ggg) then I would say go for it! Maybe not if indoors until you know how he might react.

@MacPack: Nicky really loves frisbees, as chew-toys. LOL, our neighbors have two Aussies. They play frisbee all the time with those two…. day before yesterday I came home and in the dog room was a really, really chewed up frisbee type "flying ring" toy.... LOL... must have come over the fence... Oh well... hope they didn't think they would get it back

Congratulations!!!!

@agilebasenji: No scolding or fussing, just put the pup gently in the crate so he can "reboot" so to speak. If you've made the crate a rewarding place to be, using the crate for a short time out should not cause him to hate his crate. Otherwise, you could remove yourself, but leaving a b puppy in a room by himself is not too wise. I actually remove myself when my dog decides she'd rather not do a training session with me. (But she's 4.) No fussing, no scolding, no begging to play with me, I just quitely walk out of the yard and leave her by herself for a little while. otherwise, Linda gave some great advice. Okay, that's a good idea then… I think it could help him calm down.

@tanza: LOL…. teenage years for a Basenji are from about 9 months to ...????? LOL :D Noted…but I think we are pretty lucky. Watson is a sweet boy. He was not the pushiest one in his litter ;)

@Moth: Once my pup learned sit…he was expected to sit before his meals were handed to him. Another thing I like to do is give them their meals in food dispensing toys so they have to work a little to eat their meal. It's good for mental stimulation. Ahh Yes, the dispenser! I have a round shaped globe I found at PetSuperMarket, it has a plastic separation piece that allows for kibble. The clear plastic then has another hole. Uzie has to 'roll' it and is intermittently rewarded with the escaped kibbles. I use it to keep him occupied while I feed the other two. He then gets his other half of breakfast in his bowl. I wish I could get his excited dance on the way to the feeding grounds!!! His front legs go up while he is jumping on his hind legs and I bust out laughing every time! I get him to 'sit' on a carpet piece, place the bowl down and he has to 'wait' til I say "ok" to eat. When I introduced this to him the first time, he sat, but when I lowered the bowl he went for it. (some dogs go crazy running around, but they get the idea you are not moving til they settle down and wonder what the heck you are doing with the bowl in the air!!) I picked it up, and he had to understand that 'wait' meant wait til it is down on the ground. (do not use the term 'stay'-way different!) If he moves towards the bowl, it goes back up in the air…. A few seconds then a few more, three months later he waits til I say "ok", even around the corner. Patience! Persistence! Consistence! So in time, he has 'waited' until I can walk a few feet away then say "ok" for the release and his time to engulf.:D

Salis.. EXCELLENT photos!!