@zande - Agree Zande.... I did do a search... I use your site almost every day!
Off leash??
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Basenjis are sighthounds and they will chase what moves. Even dogs with good recall can get caught up in the chase and truly not hear you when you call because they are so intensely focused on the chase. Because of this trait, there are not many places where it is safe to let basenjis off leash because you would need an open space well away from traffic with a low likelihood of flushing game. Some people have access to these types of areas but many do not.
Recall is an important thing to teach all dogs irregardless of whether you ever plan to let them off leash. I start teach recall using name response. I call the pup's name and when they start turning towards me, I click and then give their treat when they get to me. As I continue with the training, I raise the criteria for the click so that they have to be coming to me when I say their name with speed to earn treat. I practice this lots and lots and lots. I reward heavily for responding to their name. You can make it a game. Hide in different rooms and call their name and reward them for finding you. Call them between two people in different rooms. When they are out in the yard playing call their name and reward well for leaving play to come to you. Take them out to parks on a long line and when they get several feet out from you call their name and reward coming to you. You can work towards being able to drop the long line but have it there so if you need to step on it you can but reinforce coming to their name. Practice, practice, practice.
I have taught this best with Rio and she will be turning to come to her name before she even realizes why but it took lots and lots of reinforcement. There needs to be a really good reason to leave the thing they are doing which they really want to be doing to come to you. Use really good treat chicken, cheese, hot dogs, whatever is super motivating for the dog.
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When we got our first Basenji they told us "DONT LET HIM OFF THE LEASH" we didn't do that but always feeling a bit down about it…
When we got our second Basenji (we learned a lot since our first) we put him off the leash immediately when we got him and he learned it very well.
Thanks to him, our oldest Basenji is able to walk of his leash too.I have to say, we love at a ship so we are on many different places and we won't let them off the leash before we know if there is any traffic, people with other dogs or other wild animals (if there are, we don't put them off the leash)
Chafuko is able to walk off the leash when we are at show and my husband is training him in the ring.. he loves that kind of private attention. -
When my first B was young, we took him to a field to run him loose. He was great at recall (he also had 2 other breeds to teach him) and we even let him off when we went to beaches etc. What I have discovered is that Bs are fine at recall when they are young - maybe up to 18 months or more - then they get wise and cannot be trusted.
This has been my experience too. It works until it doesn't. My dogs are off lead to do agility and lure coursing, but there is something for them to focus on. I would never trust my dogs off lead on a hike where there are lots of critters for them to encounter/chase. Of course where I am, a hike may include cougars, coyotes, snakes (okay not now with all the snow on the ground), and rabid skunks (yes, that was on the news last night). Not to mention other people/dogs. There are some off-lead dog parks in the area, but with 4 dogs and 5 acres to myself, I don't really feel the need to go there.
I would say if the OP is interested in training a superb recall, get a booklet/video called Really Reliable Recall. You can find it at dogwise.com. The author has trained Afghans and whippets using this system. AND practice, practice, practice those recalls (good idea for everyone!!)
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I totally agree with Ivoss about when and where to let Basenjis run, no matter how well trained you think they are. It's easy to get complacent because they are good at recall but remember please, that if instinct takes over (and it easily can) no amount of training will get them to come away from the chase.
I have seen so many tragedies (fatal and also life damaging) over the years with Basenjis whose owners had disregarded the fact that they are a hunting dog - just relied on their obedience training. - Most of these have had inexperienced owners but one belonged to a very experienced breeder who had their Basenjis free running in the forest for 40 years (some of you on the forum will know this lady). I do know that there are Basenjis whose huntiing instincts are less strong but always be aware, please.
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Possibly it will change when she is older
But i know her mother is exercised off lead with her "pack" of gundogs and has a good recall so maybe its genetic too lol -
Possibly it will change when she is older
But i know her mother is exercised off lead with her "pack" of gundogs and has a good recall so maybe its genetic too lolHaving a good reinforcement history really helps. The more they are reinforced for recall the better they get at it. On the other hand, the longer they go without reinforcment the weaker the response will be. So if you are able to take her out frequently and when you are out you are reinforcing frequently there will be a high probability that she will come when called because she knows there is a high probability that she is going to be rewarded for doing it.
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We have fenced dog parks here so I have let my training go, but I trained this pack, and my previous pack (5) to come to a whistle (like a sports whistle). I did it with high value treats and all 5 got it within about 15 minutes. I was able to trust them at a field near our home, near a non-busy road. The sound of the whistle carries much farther than my voice, so I could let them go a good distance, they would turn on a dime and return when I blew it. When I got Topper, he trained just as easily. Nicky was harder and I didn't work too hard on Ed as we had nice fenced parks by then.
I am a firm believer in the whistle, we still keep one hanging by the front door!
That said, I would not trust any basenji, no matter how well trained, near any road or other danger, all it takes is one refusal to cost their life.
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Thanks everyone for the comments and info. I agree, and I dont intend to walk Ayo off lead because I live in the city of Santo ODmingo and its is hectic. No wide open car free spaces. I was more concerned with situations where he could run out as I open the door, or teaching him to sit and stay while I pick up after him on the sidewalk, and also when I go out of town to the beach or country where he can roam I want him to come when call and also stay if I need him to. I am trying to start early with his training and I have noticed that having another dog helps himlearn certain things like come. My friend has a Pomeranian and they play tgether when I call her to come she comes right away and he follows !! Thanks a lot for the info. I was worried because this morning i opened the door to get the paper and he ran out and I was chasing him on the sidewalk, luckily he didnt try and corss the street. I am now fencing my small porch and teaching him to sit and stay when i open the door.
thanks a lot for comments and iput, will keep you poted on progress.
Dmey -
We have a 6 foot high solid wood fence in our backyard. When I get my basenji, that is where he will be off leash, and even won't be left alone. My sister takes her mellow, aloof chow to a contained off leash area in a park, but I'm hesitant to do that. For me, it would be the same as letting a todler 'loose' next to a street. I absolutely couldn't live with the consequences.
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I have a place I can take zoe off leash far away from traffic and she is fine, always comes when I call. But if she manages to get out the front door she runs. In fact she did this last night and I was so afraid for her as she ran farther then she has ever run. The few times she has escaped before she just ran around the neighbors yard then decided to come. Last night she ran down the street and had me chasing her until a neighbor brought out his dog so she would run over to play. I could see she had the devil in her. Her whole attitude was so joyful she was not planning on coming anytime soon she was having too much fun but the stress of seeing her out like that had my heart pumping in fear. I was so scared I wanted to just yell at her when I finally caught her but I didnt because I knew it would just make the next time worse.
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Hello dmay! You asked for some input about what to do for recall. All the input above is good. Here is what I suggest as it works "most" of the time for me. 1) condition them with a whistle and food/praise reward-even if it takes him 15 minutes to come home….(of course you would have to start in a safe area and I am not writing a 'book' about training here, so it is short....) 2)if he is off leash, and you see him 'thinking' about running somewhere, make silly loud calls(don't say COME! I use "THIS WAY") and run the other way pretending something is so much more interesting than what he wants...! 3)Watch his gaze, intercept his little mind BEFORE he runs, and make something worth his while to go to instead of the other direction. Like I said, this works most of the time. Try it!
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Here is something else: http://www.basenjirescue.org/REALITY%20STORIES/default.htm
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Re: off lead - even those that are 'reliable' off lead, in an area with little to no traffic are at risk. If you are willing to take that risk - so be it - it is your decision and your responsibility. However let me share 2 situations:
1 - Very isolated area only a couple of vehicles a day- way up north in Cook MN. The ONLY place the family let their Basenji off leash and he was fine - for several years when they visited there in the summer. One year - first visit of the summer they let the dog out to run - and he ran and ran - then a big gravel truck came and he was gone. Lesson - even in an isolated area with few vehicles - it only takes one.
2 - City area - dogs never off leash. Someone leave the door open and out they go to pounce on the first dog they see - trying to play. That dogs owner not amused tried to pick up his dog and got bit. Those dogs ended up in big trouble, were confiscated and classified as dangerous dogs.
So assess your situation, make sure you have trained your dog for recall - but understand the risks and no - I NEVER have my dogs off leash or never behind a fence.
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They just don't know cars..there was a post this am on another list about a 1 yr old b who dug out of the yard, and was hit and killed.
Its a tough way to lose a beloved family member. -
DMCARTY, right on about first training your basenji (and being confident with it) for recall. That is totally a lifesaver, in addition to being familiar with the area you may be letting your dog off leash. For example, we live near agricultural land. There is one 'public' area that is grassy, that would SEEM like a nice place to let a b off leash. But one end of it is a medium busy street, and the sides of it are thicket, which for sure a basenji would just barrel through, and I couldn't. I think I'll have a variety of sizes of leashes instead, and will train for consistent recall.
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I wish we had fenced dog parks here…or even dog parks period! Can't wait to move to Florida
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There are fenced in dog areas here. But the fences are often just chainlink, which a basenji can easily climb over. For me, it will be leash only. I couldn't bear to lose a special friend.
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Here's my puppy buyer's experience on off lead. He had her off lead for about 6 months. He lives in nothern BC, so it's quite cold most of the year. As soon as it started to warm up-I'm talking around 32 F- she took him on a merry chase for an hour and a half. He said he'll never do it again. He also thought she was reliable, he knows different now.
One of the top winning obedience Basenji's, Sparky, is 15 years old. Mary would still never trust her off lead, as she knows it's just a chance she doesn't want to take. Usually, when a Basenji sees something that is more interesting than you, which could be a leaf, they are focused on the task and not you.
Another woman had her Basenji for about 5 years. He took off last fall and has not been seen since. And she also thought he was reliable and a momma's suck.
It's your choice, but just be aware of the consequences that could happen. Even the most reliable Basenji is really, well, unreliable!
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My first basenji never needed a leash. She just went wherever we went. She did try to chase a motorcycle once and got squashed toes for her efforts. Abbey is a different story. With her no leash means bye bye basenji.
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One of the top winning obedience Basenji's, Sparky, is 15 years old. Mary would still never trust her off lead, as she knows it's just a chance she doesn't want to take. Usually, when a Basenji sees something that is more interesting than you, which could be a leaf, they are focused on the task and not you.
It's your choice, but just be aware of the consequences that could happen. Even the most reliable Basenji is really, well, unreliable!
Yep, I've mangaged to put over 30 titles on Digital the brindlewonderkid (most were agility titles where the dog performs off leash) and I would NEVER just take him off leash for a nice hike. Of course he's now 13 and has some hearing loss, I think, but his prey drive is just tremendous although it has lessened in the last year or so.
