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Hi from IL…Need some advice

Behavioral Issues

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tregtyler
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Hi, I am looking for some advice on situation below. I am unsure and worried about any negative impact this may have on my beloved Chet and Bebe: I have a boy (chet) who just turned 16 on Christmas eve and a girl (bebe) who turned 15 last Halloween. I moved from CA to IL one year ago and have been home with the pups for that entire year. Prior to my move, my ex wife and I shared custody of the pups for 4 years once we were divorced (my ex and I get along great so there was never any stress at home, even after we separated…our shared custody was trading off each week and we lived pretty close to each other this was all in the SF bay area). Prior to our separation, my wife worked from home, so the pups are used to having someone around most of the time. Over the last few years, we both worked regular jobs, so have had a full time dog sitter stay with the pups during the day. For the most part, they have not been left alone in the house for more than two hour at the most. My ex said good bye to them almost exactly a year ago and still lives in CA. Since I have been in IL, I have been in care-giver mode and worked from the house 95% of the last year. When I have left for work travel, my folks or a good dog sitter stayed with them, again, never leaving them alone for more than a hour or so at any given time. Just a little more info...both pups are in great health for their age. Chet has definitely slowed down but Bebe acts like she is still around 8 years old. Fast, bolts up the stairs and still has some puppy in her. Just in the last few weeks have I noticed a little slowing down and coordination issues. But nothing significant. All that being said, here is my question that I would really appreciate any support. I need to go on a two week trip and was thinking of having my ex come to my house and watch them while I am gone. Since they have not seen her in over a year and might not see her again after she leaves, I am wondering if this would cause a great deal of stress or confusion if she re-enters their lives for two weeks. She would stay at my house so the surroundings would be consistent and I think they would love to see her, but not sure how much it would impact them once she leaves again. Also, since they are at an advanced age (we are so blessed that they have been with us so long as it is), my guess is that it would be the last time they would see their mom. I am going to continue to work from home and be with them full time until the inevitable arrives. My biggest concern is that I have no idea whether seeing their mom for two weeks is a good or bad idea. I am really torn over this and would love any advice, input or experience that anyone may have had in a similar situation. I truly appreciate any comments!!! TT
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Dog Behaviorist/Trainer needed

Behavioral Issues
• • • Boonesmom

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@elbrant With my first B (who educated me on the art of the basenji lol), I did not initially give him enough walks. It really didn’t do either of us any good lol. A tired basenji is a good basenji rings true and also a tired basenji is a happy content basenji 🙂

It also does the humans a lot of good to get out in nature and walk, both mentally and physically. Good long walks and mental stimulation are probably the easiest fix for most problems.

One thing that is also important is to get past the “master” phase / idea. Many dogs adore their owners as their master and just want to please their owners. I think the crucial stage with a basenji comes somewhere around the two year stage, where I reach a “special understanding” with them.

There is this bond and understanding where they start to trust and understand that I am the ultimate master of them, but without trying to quash their unique spirits. So on the big stuff they have to trust me, but they can still get away with the small stuff. It’s really hard to explain that to people who have not experienced that as new owners. If they get past that difficult stage they will be hooked, but it isn’t always easy to believe that you will get past it and some just don’t want to put that much effort into them.

I remember my first basenji and wondering why I had such a strange and crazy dog. Which then made me read and research what was “wrong” with him lol.
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Need some creative thinkers for confinement "anxiety" issue

Behavioral Issues
• • • Timesthemyth

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Ha, I know, forum posts are like a novel sometimes - except sometimes you don't always find out what happens at the end. There are lots of posts here where I'm like "well, what happened?!"

The long and short of it: we have a "success story".

He's always been kind of a strange dog, never doing things by the books. For his anxiety…...nothing I did really helped him.

I originally put him on Prozac as a last resort, but overtime he just improved on his own; I know it's not due to the medication, because he's been off of it for awhile.

He still hates confinement but he's learned that once he's in...he's not getting out. SO he basically goes through cycles where he'll whine for about a minute or two every so often (30 minutes to 2 hours) or so then goes back to sleep, until I get home. It gets better and better each time.

One of our biggest issues I think was him being able to escape, and that fear was feeding off itself. In the beginning he would pull out all the stunts to try and escape, some of them working of course. Once I made it so he could not escape, the major destruction and psychological issues died down. I ended up putting wood pieces around the crate (as suggested above) and that helped immensely to fortify the area.

He still does cry, and rip things up while I'm away...sure. But, as long as he isn't endangering himself, getting too worked up, or making a huge racket? It works.

After we got that solved. I moved onto trying to get him to be ok in a crate - which has been successful. He goes into it fine, lays down and doesn't cry a whole lot, or try to escape.

I think his 'anxiety' is not unusual, or inappropriate. Just a natural fear that dogs have of being alone, confined, and in a new space. I also didn't go over 30 minutes when I was teaching him as a puppy....big mistake.

Things that have helped: Music, not having the light on, making the pen one giant bed (instead of allowing an area where he could stand), leaving random tissues around in the pen, not letting him out of the pen directly after coming home, giving a single cookie before leaving and returning if quiet, having the area be inescapable obviously, and brushing his teeth if he comes out of the pen right away.

Things that didn't really help: thunder shirt (was working until he ripped it up), medication, mirror outside of the pen, leaving delicious food or toys inside the pen, DAP diffuser, etc.
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Nouno needs to stop thinking about food….

Behavioral Issues
• • • nouno

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He told me that he mashed it up with his normal food. Nouno was eating everything when he was a puppy. Now he decided not to eat cucumbers ,potatoes and citrus fruits.
Regards
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Help, we need advice re training classes please

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• • • thunderbird8588

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Helena, we still have a long way to go with Kwame but i feel more relaxed about him now. The support from people has helped along with the advice. It was such a relief not to go to classes with him on saturday, i felt like a load had been lifted off my shoulders. I guess i felt we should keep going because Malaika has done so well with them. It took a while to become apparent that the enviroment was wrong for him.
Kwame and Malaika do try to avoid having the leaders on and occasionaly on the walk will try to wipe them off on our legs 😉 however i feel they are worth persevering with as the effect is so dramatic and our walks are transformed.
I am keeping the harness in mind though if neccasary, it's good to know there are options.
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Need advice with random chewing while at work.

Behavioral Issues
• • • Hoot

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Basenjis are known for chewing and even my older/elderly dogs must be crated because of it. I was hoping it would lessen as they got older-it has somewhat but not totally. They like to chew the cover on the sofa and chair!

Jennifer
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New to the basenji world, need HELP!

Behavioral Issues
• • • red hot remington

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@DebraDownSouth:

Andrea, great post. I have taught many dogs bite inhibition at a much older age, though… only thing you wrote I don't heartily agree with.

Yes, I understand that it is possible but I'd like to know more about it. Generally it's accepted that teaching remedial ABI is difficult to do at best, at least amongst the trainers I know, talk to and read. Dunbar says he's done it but I tried to pin him down at a seminar and he was evasive. I was hoping to get specifics, training program and how to test it or pointed at one. He said to buy his DVDs. I did.

Best I could find was teaching a better ritualized bite and jaw prudence and done my best to scour books and websites as well (and speaking with colleagues, natch). What I found didn't really satisfy me. I mean, when I think of teaching ABI, I am thinking of teaching it so that it holds up even under duress since that's when it's most important.

For instance a colleague was recently contacted about a Level 5 biter. If it's possible to teach reliable ABI in adult dogs THAT dog should be a candidate for sure. I'd love to assist someone teaching it to a dog like that, or in training a dog that has poor ABI with other dogs. How could you train and test that safely or humanely? What is the liability there? Pretty serious, I would think.

I do remember my first basenji experience though. I have trained and worked with dogs my entire adult life. So imagine my surprise when squeaking caused her to bite MORE, lol. Change of tactics. Life offers us so many opportunities to learn new things. 🙂

Ah yes, I've had one of those. I changed to a calm "too bad" and then removing myself. Worked MUCH better. Depends on the dog.

EDIT: I just looked at the site you linked and what she is talking about is what I refer to as 'jaw prudence'. When I use ABI, I'm referring to how hard the dog bites when it bites, not if it puts its mouth on you. For instance, your Rottie I would say had great ABI but iffy jaw prudence. OTOH, there are dogs with great jaw prudence but the one time they use their mouths they do it will full jaw force. I'd much prefer the former.

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Hi from IL…Need some advice

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Dog Behaviorist/Trainer needed

Need some creative thinkers for confinement "anxiety" issue

Nouno needs to stop thinking about food….

Help, we need advice re training classes please

Need advice with random chewing while at work.

New to the basenji world, need HELP!