The NILF program is exactly the sort of thing your basenji needs. She has hit teenage time and like human teenagers is pushing authority. In this case, don't push her off the couch or yank the afghan from under her or any of those sorts of manuvers. Start by getting her attention just before she is going to jump onto the couch by offering a treat diverting her attention away from the couch. If she decides to come for the treat, she gets it, and then gets to be on the couch as a double reward; if she decides to complete her jump to the couch instead, she doesn't get the treat. Once she starts to look at you first ("asking permission") before she takes the couch then the reward becomes the couch. And to get her off the couch, use the reverse. Offer her a treat in such a way that she has to get off the couch to get it and click as soon as she decides to get off Once she understands that, add the "off" word. You might have to use treats just for this exercise that she wouldn't get any other time to make this more enticing to her. You might also want to introduce mat work so that she has to go to her mat or afghan or whatever, on the floor, instead of getting on the couch in the first place.
Marking problem
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I didn't answer your question. The dog does know that he is marking…he just isn't paying attention to where. If you correct the dog IMMEDIATELY, he will understand that the consequence is for the act that he just committed. The same as how any correction works. The problem with correction is that most people aren't paying enough attention to their dog to have meaningful and timely correction...and corrections have different impacts on different dogs, so it is hard for most people to have the effect they want using corrections.
But yes, the very best way to avoid it is to train your dog to have his mind in the moment, even when distracting things are happening. I like to use a "watch me" behavior, so that I can get the dog re-focused when they start to flake out.
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Honestly, "testing" the boundaries is a way of life for a Basenji, IMO…. Neutered/spayed or not.
TY so much for making me spit sunflower seeds onto my monitor.
I deal with many people who expect neutering to be a magic fix for adolescent behavior. They are then puzzled and dismayed when the dog is still doing the things after the neuter.
Exactly. Decreasing the hormones helps some, but not all that much. In fact I think the greatest male hormone rush is between something like 5 to 8 mos, then it levels off, so by the time people see a problem, it usually has more to do with the age than the hormones.
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Did you know:
Marking serves as a way to claim territory, advertise mating availability, and map out the hierarchy of the pack.
It also works as a more efficient way for a dog to protect his turf than having to physically challenge every dog that approaches.
Although male dogs are more likely to mark urine than females, a female dog coming into heat or during it will mark to let the guys know she's available.
Dogs with feelings of insecurity may mark their territory as a confidence-building exercise
So with this in mind, the next time it happens, try to observe the situation in context. It may be a combination of scenarios. -
The only time Mojo did that was on my husband. He was sitting down in front of the fireplace, sitting next to one of his friends. I told my husband I thought it was because he was jealous of him spending a lot of time with his friend, and marked him to let the other person know he was "taken"!!! My husband is Mojo's favorite and is always trying to get his attention!
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Well Kipawa is the son of my boy Sober. We refer to Sober as our lead dog in our group. He is that because he and the other dogs have determined he approaches new things first (amoung other behaviors) and he trains manners in our young dogs. The other dogs in my house have a clear respect for him and even new dogs are quick to submit to inspection from him. I avoid calling him dominant because that word seems to draw fire in the dog world with new training methods and I don't really know that describes what he is.
Sober is also a therapy dog and exceptionally good with small children and the tiniest of dogs. He completely respects me and my husband and without much formal training is probably one of my best trained dogs.
That said he (who Kipawa is very much like) is very strong willed. He is fair but stands his ground on things and will try to take over a situation with someone he feels is not equiped to handle things. He was a juniors dog for 2 years and he seemed to take the junior under his wing and teach him how to show, people who know him were amazed to watch him lead that junior around the ring, and that was what he was doing.
I like what our trainer tells us, we make deals with our dogs as they do with each other. My deal with Sober is I take care of him and he trusts me, he follows my lead respectfully. But I also know that deal includes him stepping up to take over if something were to happen to me, he would quickly take the lead then.
When Fran took Kipawa we warned her consistant fair ongoing training would give her a Sober in her house, but letting him take over or encouraging it will likely give him license to challenge situations. I think she and Darrell understand this and are doing a great job. I think continuing what they plan will be great and they will have an amazing adult dog when he is finished.
Kipawa is out of a line that matures very slowly and for his health and well being we believe in his case it would be good to wait to neuter him when he is fully mature. I don't believe behavior is greatly effected by neutering a young male, we have had intact and neutered brothers that were here and there was no difference in behavior, they were little clones of each other at 2yrs old.
Kipawa's grandpa on his mom's side has peed on people, he likes to pee up and if you don't walk him to something to pee on he will pee on what is close and upright. If given a choice (off lead) he will not chose to pee on a person. But I have also seen he and Sober pee toward each other through a fence, if watching it appears to really be a "pissing match".
I have over the years seen males pee on females during breeding season but not often. I have also seen dogs pee on each other in error, one didn't move when they are both sniffing the same spot.
I always remind myself of what someone once told me, to us things smell bad or good but to our dogs they just smell different. They answer what they smell in a couple different ways, mouth it, roll in it, curl your lip at it or pee on it. I do believe there are as many theories as to why as there are trainers in the world.
I think the key is chaning the behavior, by peeing Kipawa out (maybe only a dribble will remain as would with my boys) it will likely not cause as much embarassment or damage while the behavior is corrected. If Kipawa has his dad's bladder (which he did when he lived here) he can pee quite a lake if left to his own.
You guys are great with all the info you have passed on, I love reading this thread and even encouraged Fran to ask about when people neuter males and why on the forum.
I agree, if there were a like button I'd push it…not that I like pee but I do like the topic.
Therese -
Theresa, here's a secret. It's not the bladder. I am sure that some dogs simply have a hollow leg they store "marking pee" in. They have to. I don't think there was ever a time Connor didn't have pee left to mark. But his mother also marked, especially when she was in heat, but always she went out and peed over where the other dogs peed.
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LOL Debra…. good description "Marking Pee"!!!! and agree it is stored in a hollow leg!
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Theresa, here's a secret. It's not the bladder. I am sure that some dogs simply have a hollow leg they store "marking pee" in. They have to. I don't think there was ever a time Connor didn't have pee left to mark. But his mother also marked, especially when she was in heat, but always she went out and peed over where the other dogs peed.
Love that - hilarious. But males aren't the only ones. My B mix "marks" constantly when she comes across somewhere another dog has peed. I never saw a female do this before, but have been told it's not that unusual. She also must have a hollow leg because she never runs out of "marking pee." VERY glad she can't pee up someone's leg, because she probably would.:rolleyes:
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LOL re read my post, Connor's mom was a marking queen.
I know a LOT of Rottie bitches who mark, btw. -
@Therese:
I avoid calling him dominant because that word seems to draw fire in the dog world with new training methods and I don't really know that describes what he is.
Sober is also a therapy dog and exceptionally good with small children and the tiniest of dogs. He completely respects me and my husband and without much formal training is probably one of my best trained dogs.
That said he (who Kipawa is very much like) is very strong willed.When Fran took Kipawa we warned her consistant fair ongoing training would give her a Sober in her house, but letting him take over or encouraging it will likely give him license to challenge situations. I think she and Darrell understand this and are doing a great job. I think continuing what they plan will be great and they will have an amazing adult dog when he is finished.
Kipawa is out of a line that matures very slowly and for his health and well being we believe in his case it would be good to wait to neuter him when he is fully mature.
I think the key is changing the behavior, by peeing Kipawa out (maybe only a dribble will remain as would with my boys) it will likely not cause as much embarassment or damage while the behavior is corrected. If Kipawa has his dad's bladder (which he did when he lived here) he can pee quite a lake if left to his own.Therese
I am so thankful, Therese, for you and Kevin guiding us with Kipawa. As you mention Sober's peeing ability, Kipawa is definitely the same. He does have a healthy, big bladder. He gets a good pee right before we go to bed around 10:30 p.m., and upon rising at 7:30 a.m., he is not interested in going out right away to pee. He needs/wants his 'loves' in the morning. We do that 'within' our morning routine. I have a coffee first, at which time he sits with me, and after that he goes out for his first morning sniffs of the day and a pee. Then he is fed.
We are using the technique of 'peeing him out', and that is really working for us. After about 4 good long leg lifts, he usually only has drops left. Then when those go, the problem of peeing on people is 'eliminated'.
Kipawa is also going to be a therapy dog like his Dad Sober (meet and greet paraplegic and quadriplegic folks). He is very loving to any human he meets. We are working very hard on the 'good neighbour' requirements and we have accomplished many of them.
And we have decided to leave Kipawa intact until he is fully mature. Over the last week I have spoken to and read so much information on the detriments of neutering. As Therese said, being fair and firm lets Kipawa know who the leader is. Perhaps that is a better word than dominant - just indicate your dog is a 'lead dog'.
