In addition to all of the above posts, there are definitely basenjis who will not be crated. I have one. Went through all the correct procedures trying to crate Shaye as a new puppy. We got her a wire crate, the right size, put a soft piece of our clothing in it, put it next to our bed at first so we could touch her through the bars - she screamed all the time she was in there, did her business wih her butt against the side so it would go outside, peed all over the place and sat in it, even though we were very slow and careful with it. The eventual result was she broke nearly all her baby teeth biting the crate, never calmed down in it, would not go in to eat, get treats or anything else. Her personality has never changed; she still backs off if she even sees crates other dogs are sleeping in. She is now nearly five, and she does not act like that when she needs to be kenneled at a daycare place, she seems to know it's different there, although if possible she will try to climb her way out at first. When she cannot, she will calm down and rest for the hour they put her in there during the day. Be patient, but if it just never works, so be it. Once Shaye got a little older and we got her a companion, she has been totally trustworthy while we are gone.
Toys to keep them busy in the crate?
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I'm looking for any recommendations for toys/treats/etc. that I can give Dexter in his crate when I have to leave him. I like knowing he has things to keep him busy when he isn't sleeping!
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Watson loves a stuffed frozen Kong toy. I usually mix kibble with a spoon or two of plain yogurt and a bit of natural peanut butter and then freeze overnight.
Nyla bones are also safe toys for in a crate if the dog likes them.
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Voodoo only likes things that are eatable, with other toys he loses interest really quickly if I ain't playing with him. So think I would also settle for giving him a kong filled with some yammy-stuff, or a big bone he can chew on.
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Busy Buddies - all 4 of mine love them. Also large knuckle bones and dental dinosaurs (brontosaurus is the house favourite).
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Bully sticks – but you need to find thick ones (hahaha apparently bigger is better??) the thinner ones they will go through very quickly. They really have to work at the thicker ones.
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We love the big (12 inch) bullies, they last a long time. Take away when they get about 2-3 inches long to prevent swallowing. They can't bite off chunks so as long as you remove the short pieces, they are not a choking hazard. And I have never met a dog that didn't like them!
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Sterilized bones stuffed with peanut butter
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Max refused to eat or play with anything while in the crate-not even his Fav treat.He thought if he ate it I wouldnt come home I guess.
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Thanks for the suggestions! I needed some ideas for this week so I'll be sure to try a few.
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Busy Buddies - all 4 of mine love them. Also large knuckle bones and dental dinosaurs (brontosaurus is the house favourite).
Yes, Kipawa has the white Dental Dinosaur, which is his fav crate buddy!
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Gossy won't touch the nyla bone type food toys.
Any toy that can slip out of the crate bars won't work (the spinning top things for instance).
She's loves frozen marrow bones or frozen yogurt-peanut butter-filled bones and they wont' roll out of the crate. The frozen marrow bones keep her occupied nearly all day! -
So do you guys mainly order online, or go to your local Petco/Petsmart for marrow bones and yogurt/peanut butter filled bones?
By the way, thanks for all of the replies! You guys are awesome!
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What about deer antlers? What does everyone think of them?
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Oh yeah I have heard about antlers…..I have not tried them yet myself (maybe I will when I am feeling a little more hungry)..but I would like to know if the dogs like them or not. Tucker has softer teeth and I would think that these are maybe too hard for him?
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Mine love deer antlers and they would get them more often if they weren't so expensive. I also have tried that Tibetan yak cheese and they love that but it doesn't last long enough considering how expensive it is - mine finished it off in a day (and according to everything I read it is supposed to last longer than that). Honestly, bones from the butcher or the dental dinosaurs are what I use most often - they last the longest.
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Mine love deer antlers and they would get them more often if they weren't so expensive.
Can I ask how much the deer antlers cost?
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I gave up bones for chewing on when my vet showed me cracks in my dog's teeth. She just chewed too aggressively. I wonder if antlers are softer?
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i buy antlers on ebay, and they're not expensive. i do worry about their hardness, though. suki just chews them every now and then - they're not her favorite.
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Cricket gets elk antlers. We have a family member that runs an all natural dog food business, so I get my pick of the antler chews. I always get the ones that are cut in half, and throw them out when she is done all of the marrow. She goes crazy for them!
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The antlers, here anyway, are pretty cheap - maybe a $1 or 2 for 4-5 inches. But mine won't touch them after they've chewed into the first inch or so.
Marrow bones I get at the grocery store.
Peanutbutter-yogurt bones I make myself using old marrow bones – a bit more yogurt (not flavored or at least only vanilla) than peanut butter and then I mix in some kibble. One cup of yogurt will make about 12-16 bones depending on bone thickness.
