Potty Issue

[renaultf1]

@Nemo:

The litter box worked well for this and she basically transitioned herself off of it. It was a nice tool to have.

This is a really good point. In my case, like Nemo, Aaliyah transitioned herself off of it. By 5 months she would use it only a couple of times per week and the rest of the time she would hold it until I came home. At 6 months she stopped using it all together and would just hold it. At that point I took it out of her expen so she would have more room to play (and climb the expen like a jungle gym :D).

[DexterDex]

My fiance is gone for 14 days and then is home for 14 days, so the time when he is home is no problems at all because we share the tasks. Also, I am not saying that I want to be free to meander about with my friends, I am just looking for a way to ease the rush I have on the days when I go to class (two days a week) and the day I have work. I did think about the fact that I would have to come home between breaks, and I figured that since I only live ten minutes away from campus that it would be a breeze. However, I didn't consider traffic (which is high around campus in between classes), and those sort of things that lead me to be running a little late/rush. So I DID think about the potty every few hours issue, I just didn't realize that my plans of handling it wouldn't run as smoothly as planned. I had heard that -although several people advise against it- some people get their pups to potty outside when they are home and use puppy pads when they can't be home soon enough. I figured that if I COULD get this to work, that it would be a huge help, I don't think that that should make me a bad owner. It sounds like many replies believe that, however. And when I say I have been held up in my apartment don't get me wrong, Dexter has had plenty of time to play outside, and has even had his first doggie play-date, which he loved. So HE is fine… I just meant that his potty restrictions make it feel as though I can't get out long enough sometimes to accomplish much.

[Nemo]

I think you're doing fine, Dexter. Even the best made plans don't always turn out.

[DexterDex]

Nemo and renaultf1, the ex-pen idea that you mentioned was something suggested to me somewhere else too. I figured that that could work for us maybe. Thanks for that! I agree with you Nemo that sometimes it is just not practical for a person to be able to be home every single day without being gone for more than a couple hours at a time. I find it hard to believe that everyone who gets a puppy can do that. I am not trying to be rude, but I just don't see how me searching for an easier route is necessarily so wrong.

[renaultf1]

@DexterDex:

Nemo and renaultf1, the ex-pen idea that you mentioned was something suggested to me somewhere else too. I figured that that could work for us maybe. Thanks for that! I agree with you Nemo that sometimes it is just not practical for a person to be able to be home every single day without being gone for more than a couple hours at a time. I find it hard to believe that everyone who gets a puppy can do that. I am not trying to be rude, but I just don't see how me searching for an easier route is necessarily so wrong.

I think you are doing fine. I remember when I brought Aaliyah home, she was my first dog that I had as a puppy. I was worried about everything and whether I was doing everything right. It is only natural for there to be an adjustment period - and just remember that it will pass and it will all become second nature. In my case, it wasn't school, it was work that made it impractical to run home every day - so that was how I arrived at using the expen. Since you don't have a breeder you can use as a resource for these questions, it is only natural that you come here asking advice - and I don't think you are being rude.

[DebraDownSouth]

Dexter, before you get upset with the responses, look at your post:

it has become really stressful
Also, it is not very fun not being able to go anywhere for more than a couple hours because I have to go back home to let him out so often.
I know I should have thought of this beforehand, but I didn't.
I've pretty much been held up in my apartment for a week now, and it's getting to me.

It sounded like more than asking for help in the pottying, but "buyer's remorse." No one said you are a bad owner. But you do have to decide overall if this is a good fit. That was my only point. As you are here longer, you'll realize that if I PERSONALLY thought you were a bad owner, I'd have pulled no punches and said so. I think you are trying to sort out what is right.

As for other comments to me from others… I admitted I have a young male bias. I just think young men often are more changeable than females. And I admit freely that is my own bias, not "fact."

I have placed with TWO vet school females with grueling schedules who had family or roommate/family back up to help them out and one vet tech. And I said I KNOW great young male owners. But I'd have made sure you really had plans. I'd probably have told you to spend 2 weeks rushing home AS IF you had a puppy and try it out before hand.

If the litter or litterpan with pads works for you, and that is the ONLY misgiving you have about keeping this pup, that's one thing. I just felt your post indicated more than just the one issue and was trying to convey you can make choices to rehome if that is what is best for you and your pup. I wasn't trying to push you to do so. We all hope (for once in a 100000000 posts I am confident I can speak for everyone!) you decide you can work it out and have this cutie forever. I just wanted you to consider that you don't HAVE to, and that deciding you made a mistake does NOT make you bad.

And let me add this also... please remember my breed is Rotties, not Basenjis. You place a basenji with someone who neglects it, it's horrible but a bit different having a 25 pound or 125 pound dog to take back, retrain and hope upon hope to find a good home for. And bad habits learned with an unsocialized Rottweiler can, quite frankly, move into the danger zone.

[Patty]

Dexterdex please be patient and although the potty issue may seem difficult now I'm sure it won't be that long before you resolve it. You'll be looking back and wonder why it seemed such an issue.

I can't comment on using puppy pads and whether they make housebreaking more difficult or not but obviously some of the others have had no problem with them. I have been very fortunate in that my bitches have always housetrained their puppies. They do lapse of course in new homes but it makes them much easier to deal with.

[Kipawa]

@DebraDownSouth:

Dexter, before you get upset with the responses, look at your post:

it has become really stressful
Also, it is not very fun not being able to go anywhere for more than a couple hours because I have to go back home to let him out so often.
I know I should have thought of this beforehand, but I didn't.
I've pretty much been held up in my apartment for a week now, and it's getting to me.

Dexter, these comments are what stood out to me in your initial post. I commented out of concern for both you and Dexter. I hope you understand that. I would never make a comment to be mean. Here where I live, I donate money to a shelter that takes in unwanted animals and re-homes them. Some of the things you said are heard very often when dogs come into the shelter. Animals are a huge responsibility and just like planning for a human child, I believe the same amount of thought should go into planning to bring a pet into a home.

All that sad, you sound as if you are concerned for Dexter. That is more than many pet owners. So stick around here and be a part of the basenji community. We'll help out any way we can.

Are you going to be taking Dexter to puppy classes? We are enjoying them. The mental stimulation really tires Kipawa out!

[wizard]

I had a dog when I was in college/graduate school so I know from experience that this is a huge committment and it definitely changes your life priorities.
It sounds like you really want to make this work - so you'll have to make some hard choices about your life style. Mostly … have patience, patience, patience.

Don't look at the piddle pads as a long tern solution - I think that's a bad idea. Basenjis can hold their urine for many many hours but the puppy needs to learn this (think human toddler). Basenjis do well on the reward system so reward lavishly when Dexter potties outside but don't get angry when he piddles inside (I was going to say "just suck-it-up" but not literally :D) . If he is using the pads or newspapers, gradually move them to the door and then outside so he learns that is where to go. And when you are home, gradually lengthen the time before you open the door.

It will take some time to have a well-trained potty experience.

[DexterDex]

Well, I decided not to worry about the puppy pads because he tore up the first two that I placed down within the first few seconds that I turned my back haha. I have a friend who lives up the street who told me that if I cannot make it back in time, he would come and let Dex out for me. Also, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law both told me that they would be fine with watching Dexter for a day if I really wanted to do something. I'm not saying that I will do that often, but since I only see my fiance half of the year, I DO want to be able to go to dinner and a movie once in a while with him. Also, I decided that even though Dexter despises car rides, I will still be able to take him places if I want to get out. I took him with me to a friend's house who has a Yorkie and he had a blast, and it wasn;t nearly as much trouble as I had assumed. I think I just needed to take a breather. It is stressful for me to have to get accustomed to this alone while my fiance is at work, but I know that we can do it.

And by the way…I'm a girl. Not a boy. lol

[Basenjimamma]

Sounds like a great plan…jepp Pippin enjoys eating those puppy pads more than using them..well when he was tiny at least..he is done with housebreaking for the most part..very now and then we might have an accident...but he is 17 wks..so I think that is norm..

[DexterDex]

Sounds like a great plan to me too! The only thing I would worry about is that I know if my mother-in-law watches him, she won't follow proper potty-training protocol lol. Her dogs (which are like 7 and 5) both potty on her floor still, and she isn't one to try and change that. So I would worry that Dex might…I don't know...pick up their bad habit and set us back?

[curlytails]

@DexterDex:

And by the way…I'm a girl. Not a boy. lol

laugh Sorry for being off with my gendar. I had thought you were male, too. I think because you posted a sweet picture of a girl with a puppy around the time you first got Dexter, and I read the context to mean that was your fiance depicted in the photo.

Anyway, it sounds like you have some viable options lined up. Good luck, and thank goodness for understanding family and friends. Just remind yourself that you're in it for the long haul, and the puppy period is SUPPOSED to be trying, but you'll get through it!

[DebraDownSouth]

ROFLMAO, okay so I wasn't alone thinking you were a guy. LOL. Sounds like you have some good back up folks, so just get them on board for vet runs if necessary and life will be good.

[DexterDex]

Nope! Haha. The girl in the picture was me! I will definitely have a backup vet bringer lol.

[wizard]

When you have other people check on your Dexter, make sure they understand that basenjis are not like other dogs. They soon learn to bolt when there's a door open to the outside so they can go chase that squirrel that just ran across the street while a car is coming along. Diligence is necessary with these beasties.

[Kipawa]

@wizard:

When you have other people check on your Dexter, make sure they understand that basenjis are not like other dogs. They soon learn to bolt when there's a door open to the outside so they can go chase that squirrel that just ran across the street while a car is coming along. Diligence is necessary with these beasties.

I bought a couple of these. One goes on the outside of the front door and one goes on the inside. Note: the dog on it is a basenji!

http://cgi.ebay.com/BASENJI-Dont-Let-Dog-Out-DOOR-HANGER-Safety-DOG-/380235071278?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5887c6bf2e

[Walter]

Hello Dex. House breaking can be tough and the last thing I will do is question your abilities…there are always solutions to every problem it just takes time and effort. Anyone taking classes should know this! I had an excellent breeder who started very early with my Basenji "Scarlett" at litter box training...Basenjis seem to take very well to it at a young age. I realize it may not be ideal and trust me it doesn't let you off the hook for any miss steps. When pups are real young the distance they can handle when they need to go is just a few feet. So litter box training can be key to success with house breaking! Use all the steps you would use for regular potty training but instead of going out use the box. How many times has a dog peed or pooped on the floor as your preparing to get leashes on or a coat and shoes. Later on in life they will progress to naturally growing out of the box method and you can take the boxes away (one in each room when there young), With no box they will let you know they need to go. My girl will walk over to the door sit down and look at me patiently when she needs to go...no training or bells needed! Plus having them litter box trained works well if you must crate them for an extended amount of time...if you get a big enough crate you can fit a box inside. BTW, never use regular litter as for cats, use an all natural non-treated pellet that can be found at any feed store. I wish you the best!

[DexterDex]

Well, I hadn't really thought much about litterbox training, but thankfully we won;t be needing to look for alternative options to outside pottying. Things have all seemed to work out great over here. I think it just took me a little while to get accustomed to everything, but everything is running smoothly now. Thanks everyone.