Kiki,
I will be the first to say many years ago when I my first basenji she was stubborn and did not want to go outside when it was raining, even though she came from a breeder that said she was house broken. For two years I struggled and tried everything. I would stand outside with her for hours only to come back in and she would promptly poo on my carpet.
It wasn't until years later I learned a trick that has stopped this from happening even with rescue dogs I have fostered. I have previously been attacked on a public forum for suggesting it so I am sticking my neck out but I found with an adult and a stubborn one this can help.
Take a soft book of matches and the dog on lead outside to the place in the yard you wish him to pooh, then tear off one match and put the sulfer end of the match in his anus. The match is soft and won't hurt but he won't like it and will wiggle a bit. Once the match is in he will bear down to push it out and poo or pee will usually follow. As soon as he poops/pees give him a command prompt (I use Hurry, Hurry) from here on each time he potties outside use his command word the minute he goes. After a couple times take him outside to the same spot and give him his command word. If he doesn't go in a reasonable time repeat the match trick and use the command word when he goes with praise. Usually a couple times and they get the idea.
From there you should be able to open the door let him outside and give him his command word, but for quite sometime I would watch him either outside of from a window even once he starts going outside to be sure he goes and not to set him up for more accidents in the house.
Basenjis hate to have anything on their butts and they will usually get the idea very quickly.
If you have questions about the technique please feel free to contact me personally and I can answer any questions.
The important thing is to be patient, not to repeat the command too many times and remember this may be new for him and he may not have understood what you want so far. It will also help to train him physically and mentally if you put him on a schedule for water and food intake and when he goes outside just until you get this under control. Lots of these schedules can be found online.
Another tip, if you hesitate to bring him in the house because he pees, use a belly band with a panty liner in it. Then if he pees it won't soil your house and you can catch him in the act without damage being done. It can take the pressure off both of you if you aren't always stressed about him having an accident. Once he is trained the belly band can be put away. I use them when intact males visit my house because they smell other boys and it can sometimes trigger leg lifting. This takes pressure off everyone involved. I keep a basket of belly bands in my front hall and if anyone is nervouse about their dogs we just put one on. It takes a few minutes for a boy to get comfortable but they usually forget about it fairly quickly.
Best of luck
Therese
EXACTLY Therese!!!!!! I too have been "slammed" on a public list (and even on this Forum if you seach the old posts) for suggesting this… but I have used it for years.... so if anyone is going to "jump" on you for this... you will have to include me.....
Thanks Pat, nice to know you have my back.
Kiki, I also would mention I don't believe in picking up everything to keep dogs from chewing. I believe you leave things down that are already chewed and use the damaged items to teach him not to do it again.
Since you sound dog experienced you are probably familiar with distract, redirect and praise. This works really well with basenjis, I also have a huge basket of dog toys (many shapes and sizes) for the dogs in my house to pick from and I use a spray bottle to teach them to avoid items that belong to me. I keep several spary bottles around the house until a dog can be trusted to have them handy. When you spray a basenji I find it works best to then act as shocked and scared as him so he determines the action caused the water spray and not you. If this boy hates wet like you say, he should learn quickly from this technique.
Again, good luck. Husbands can be tough to win over, mine said no more after the first basenji, then no more after the second, he bought me the third one and now I have to wrestle him to give up puppies. Hope your boy wins him over.
Therese
I personally think it's crazy to put the sulfur end (or the other end..) of a match in a dogs anus. I mean… Have you tried it on yourself? What I've tried on my dogs (and myself) is excersice. And it works, really.. Standing outside for hours won't work.. Take the dog for a run, trust me.. It will poo if it has to. Otherwise leash the dog to yourself in the house to make sure nothing is done on your carpet. Yes, it will cost a bit more time and energy, but I think a dog is worth that.
About the chewing, I'm all for making sure your dog can't make mistakes. So picking up stuff would be my idea. If he gets anything you don't want him to have, tell him no and give something he is allowed to chew. He will pick it up soon enough. Just make sure he is able to loose all his extra energy outside on walks or bike rides or play dates etc. Tired Basenjis are good Basenjis..
Kiki
I'm sorry if you took my comment on a 'minor' incident in the wrong way - this is a problem that can be fairly easily dealt with but there is no instant fix. You yourself mentioned taking him back or I would never have mentioned it.
I personally don't use Pat's or Therese's methods but they have worked so that's obviously good. I know plenty of people with other breeds that do use this method too.
You've trained dogs before you say and so obviously have had plenty of experience with house training. Basenjis are one of the easiest dogs to house train, in my opinion as they don't like to be dirty normally. I agree that in other ways they can be tricky for the first time owner.
Yes the background training (or non-training I should say!) does make a great deal of difference and indeed even a well house trained puppy may lapse when going to a new home.
However the method I've described works equally well and I have had many Basenjis over the years who have come to me as adults from a kennel environment and who have had no house training at all.
I do appreciate too that your husband gets uopset - not everyone is accepting of such problems I've had plenty of experience of cleaning carpets after 'accdents' too - you are not alone.
It still comes down to patience though - with the dog and with the humans!
I also suggest that you keep a record so that in later times you can look back and see how your Basenji has progressed! It will give you a great sense of achievement!
I've heard it works well….I say whatever works and if your for it then do it and if you aren't then don't....but since kiki asked for suggestions I am glad Therese braved the crowd and brought it up. All suggestions have validity
I've never tried the match trick myself (I don't have any matches) but I've seen people use it at shows. One person used a blade of grass and it seemed to work for them.
I've used the ends of leaves, teensy sticks (very teensy!!!! I don't want to hurt mine!) in the anus pre-show or just when its freezing cold & 8" of snow & I want to go back in the house. Unfortunately, it backfires with one of mine (the one who is easily distracted & sometimes holds poo until its emergency levels & if I happen to be in the shower she will go in the house). HOWEVER, this is rare, she never pees in the house, so its not a pain to clean up.
Crate training did the trick for us. For Lola's 1st year, I was living with my then boyfriend. He would come home, shut himself in his room, and let the dogs run around. Lola was a puppy, and since she had nobody to take her out when she asked, she learned not to ask. She would go on a rug in the living room every single time she needed to go. When I was home, I kept her on a schedule that prevented this, but I worked long hours.
When Lola was 14 months old, after over a year of using a rug as a toilet, we moved out on our own. I was out of the house for 11 hours every day. Within a week of following the strict schedule and crating her while I was gone, she mastered potty training. It really makes a HUGE difference to have everybody in the household fully on board & in agreement with how to train (not to say this isn't your case)
Amen to that Carrie, great reminder!!!… if the entire holdhold is not on board, potty training will never happen. That is why it is so important, I think, to meet the entire family when you are placing a pup... you really can learn things about potential owners. I remember one time when a couple came and the husband immediately got down on the floor with the pups... the wife... stood plastered up against the wall frozen for the entire time. Never once touch any of the Basenjis. When they got up to leave, she was out the door like a shot, he lagged behind and made a comment "all I have to do in talk her into it".... for which my response was "at this time I would not considering placing a pup with you until I am comfortable that your wife really is on board".... Needless to say they didn't get a puppy from me. However, they did get a puppy from someone else and within 3 months the pup came back because the wife was doing all the work and she hated the poor pup.....
I totally agree, Pat, I've had that experience myself - as you say the whole family should be on board that's why I always insisted on seeing the whole family when placing a pup.
