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Crate Training 8 week old Basenji

Basenji Training
  • Hello from Tokyo! I just got my basenji yesterday after researching the breed for over six months. Ive had dogs all my life but they were family dogs, so I never had full responsibility of the training, and I never crate trained a puppy before. Also, it is hard to know ehst to do when there is so much contradictory advice everywhere. Im really hoping to get some advice about my puppy.

    I'm trying to crate train him ASAP. The first night I put him in the crate he wouldn't stop howling REALLY LOUD. I was worried because my landlord lives downstairs, so I put his crate by my bed and soothed him with my voice. It helped him quiet down but I don't think it helped quicken his crate training.

    Today I played with him a lot, and he slept in my arms after. Was that a bad idea? Should he only ever sleep in the crate?

    Also, today I tried putting him in the crate and leaving him by himself. Of course he would cry, but I was told that after he stops I can come back a praise him. The problem is that he soils the crate and then whines even harder… So I naturally come and clean the crate, but that also means that I am reinforcing his crying behavior by coming to him while he is not quiet, right? So... Should I just leave him in his crate until he stops whining regardless of him soiling his bed?

    Thank you so much

    P.S. I'll post pictures soon. Nothing like Cherry blossoms in Tokyo as a backdrop for a Basenji :)

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    tanzaT
    @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
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    @Lisa67: Thank you. I think we are doing a bit better than 75% so hopefully it wont take forever to train her. I guess when someone asks where I got her they mean the "kennel" name? I'm really new at this, sorry. I guess the correct reply is SunDiata Basenjis. Kennel name or breeder name…. and I know Chris and her Basenjis. Congrats and again welcome
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    Yes, my girl was well socialized. It's not that my voice is so startling to her. It's more that she doesn't like to be scolded and will find a way in the not too distant future to repay me with her opinion. Since I learned a while ago to not do this, I haven't suffered her wrath in some time but when I did it could be anything from finding she had peed or pooped just out of my sight to finding something I value that had just been totally shredded. I found that I could scold her reasonably for what she had done but then I needed to immediately reinforce my love for her so that she knew she didn't need to rebel against me. This has worked well for me. Shouting at her would always reap me a grim reward in the end.
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    When you feed him in the crate and close do you walk away? I had a foster that was terrified of the crate and also suffered terrible anxiety w/peeing in the crate too. So I would feed him in the crate and then close the door and sit right there with him. At first I only closed the door half way, did that way for about a week then was able to close it all the (without latching) for another week. I would sit right next to the crate and praise him for eating his meals. Then I would scoot a few feet back at one meal, move back at the next and do that for a for a few times. Then I would stay at the few feet back. It is a slow process but it really really helped him in his crate training process and getting him over his fear. I was soon able to feed him in his crate and walk away. He was running to his crate and sitting for his meals. He still had his anxiety for long periods w/the peeing problem but we even worked on that were we could leave for short times and he wouldn't pee in his crate
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    Yes husbands can be a trial at times. When my Kalya was dying from lymphoma hubby said no dogs for awhile! Kalya left on tues. for the bridge, on sat. we got a Basenji/Aussie mix, who was gonna be put down, and then3 months later got Mata Hauri Samuel to co-own. Now hubby is going in sept to the BOCA to see the african exhibit and meet some friends. Said he would love to at least see a tri! ggggg Carole