Thanks for the advice. It's definitely helped!
Shy Simon
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Sounds like Simon is just what as needed… IMO.... if he helps fill the void then sounds like it works for both him and your family....
As far as being shy, try not to react... my one new puppy is a bit to the shy side. When she came home she was not used to hearing the neighbors dogs bark... and would high tail it to the back porch... I just totally ignored it, continued doing what I was doing in the yard... after a few minutes she forgot all about the barking dogs... I do the same on walks, I just keep walking and talking to her to continue her focus on me and not on what ever she is thinking is "scarey".... And I don't try to introduce her to too much at one time.... we have had lots of puppy play days with other Basenjis at different houses and lots of car rides... a puppy class might be good for him too.
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You will probably want to pair new experiences with food. So rather than feeding him out of bowl for now use feeding to reinforce things he may be shy about. So handling him while feeding, going to a local park and feeding while he just watches the hustle and bustle. With the handling start with gentle handling and build up to rough handling so he associates all sorts of touch with being fed and good things happening. With the visits to new places start out at distance from the activity and build to getting closer and closer to it.
Puppy classes can be wonderful places for providing new experiences and building confidence.
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Debbie is a wonderful person. As difficult as Zelda's loss has been, it sounds like a great opportunity - for both you and Simon.
Just curious, do you know - is Simon out of her Dora & Tango breeding?
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He's a Mara pup, a dual sire litter.
He does seem to be settling in. He definitely thinks I'm the mama duck. He's had no housetraining accidents so far and is great with crate. I think he's going to be a really nice member of the family.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to put them into place right away.
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I'm pleased that you have found some happiness and what a great chance for Simon. Have you any pics
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Also do things around the house like drop pots and pans, make noise, play the TV loud, so that when they hear noises that startle them, they begin to take them in stride… if you make no big deal out of it... they will learn that it is OK .....
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Post some pics of Simon. He'll develop into a fabulous Basenji applying what Pat and Lisa have advised.
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sounds like you and Simon need each other.
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Sometimes the best dogs are the ones that just "happen to" you, not planned at all, but there they are and there's nothing to do but take them home and love them.
Simon sounds like a wonderful antidote to your pain.
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I have learned with having rescue dogs that they will "react" to things fearfully, and we don't know why, so..
Instead of trying to comfort the dog, you say, in a bright happy tone, "did that ? scare you?" silly boy, look here is a treat, ok,oh, it happened again, *same bright tone," do you want to go whatever the dog likes, play with toy, walkes, etc so the noise which causes fearfulness, is shown to be no big deal, in fact, good things happen when the car horns blare, or the thunder cracks etc.. It takes time, your being bright and chipper and the dog learns to take the clue from you.
I hope that helps you, it has worked for me. -
Sometimes the best dogs are the ones that just "happen to" you, not planned at all, but there they are and there's nothing to do but take them home and love them.
Simon sounds like a wonderful antidote to your pain.
I totally agree with MacPack. Things happen for a reason. Shy Simon will soon turn into a totally wonderful dog for you. He will never replace Zelda, but will earn a special place in your heart too.
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To add to what tanzinia said. We trained both our pups to gunfire. We started by frrding in their crate with the door open. When the pup had a good rythem going we would tap lightly on the wall behind. If there was any reaction stop and wait for eating to resume. Repeat. We got to the point where a board ontop of the kennel could be slammed with a metal object without as much as aflinch. Now loud noises are no problem
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Here's Simon, from the day he came to Gloria's, and a week before we brought him home.
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oh, oh, oh, i do have a thing about brindle boys. they are wonderful!!
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(Thanks, Verb, for posting it
)This picture, of course, was from a session where he and the other boy and Zelda were all doing some stacking and learning, so it's a bittersweet process to go through the many photos. There are several where Zelda is watching Debbie and Gloria stack the boys.
All three pups were being knuckleheads
It was a fun day. -
oh, oh, oh, i do have a thing about brindle boys. they are wonderful!!
I swear, he already thinks I'm the goddess of the universe. He gazes at me adoringly. I call that wonderful indeed.
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What a wonderful coloration he has..he is lovely!
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I swear, he already thinks I'm the goddess of the universe. He gazes at me adoringly. I call that wonderful indeed.
Well, my brindle boy is the finest creature on God's green earth. (And such an easy dog - always has been from the day I got him at 10 months old.) I hope you end up just as in love with yours. You deserve the happiness.
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Here's Simon, from the day he came to Gloria's, and a week before we brought him home.
he moves really well and stacks better than this, but there was a lot of commotion that day. I think he is super cute.
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A week later. We're following the advice here. I tend to go a little goofy-nuts with research and joined a shy dog list on yahoo. The coolest thing I have learned so far is that Simon is barely shy at all. Yes, he is a little. But man, there are some severely shy dogs out there in the world.
We are, luckily, a clumsy household, so there is plenty of clanging and banging, and he barely seems to notice this anymore. He likes the people in our lives, mostly adult children and their buddies, and the little kids across the street. I have been taking him down the street to watch and listen at the playground. He seems to think that's fun
I think a lot of his initial concerns were a response to transitioning from rural New Hampshire to suburban Virginia. The trash trucks are still Wicked Scary.
But I suspect most of our focus for now will be on his nervousness about strange dogs. Just neighborhood walks, which we can't really avoid, are still pretty hard for him. (Again, compared to the shy dogs on the shy list, he's downright outgoing!) We bring a lot of treats and talk and tell him about the airplanes and so forth. I hope this is going to be enough to make him at least relaxed about walking, since we are walking fiends.
He's doing great. He adores clicker work. He wants to chase the long-suffering cat. He is funny
He's snuggled up next to my leg watching me type this.
