Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Talk
  3. Toys to keep them busy in the crate?

Toys to keep them busy in the crate?

Basenji Talk
  • krunzerK

    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.

    Owned by Becca and Tucker![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

    BRAT rescue

    0
  • MacPackM

    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!

    Anne in Tampa

    Chipley, Missy & Lucky

    Topper, Nicky & Eddie in the clouds

    0
  • P

    Sterilized bones stuffed with peanut butter

    0
  • 2baroos2

    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.

    0
  • J

    Thanks for the suggestions! I needed some ideas for this week so I'll be sure to try a few.

    0
  • KipawaK

    @renaultf1:

    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!

    Fran Harder, BAB

    With Barney in my heart

    0
  • wizardW

    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!

    0
  • J

    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!

    0
  • K

    What about deer antlers? What does everyone think of them?

    0
  • krunzerK

    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?

    Owned by Becca and Tucker![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

    BRAT rescue

    0
  • renaultf1R

    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.

    0
  • KipawaK

    @renaultf1:

    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?

    Fran Harder, BAB

    With Barney in my heart

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    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?

    Debra

    0
  • T

    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.

    0
  • K

    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!

    0
  • wizardW

    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.

    0
  • BarklessdogB

    Our vet said that bone chew was bad for thier teeth, that it loosenses them from the gums?

    0
  • K

    @Barklessdog:

    Our vet said that bone chew was bad for thier teeth, that it loosenses them from the gums?

    Is this true? In the wild wouldn't dog chew on bones anyways? Mine loves all bones. Usually I get my marrow bones from the butcher.

    0
  • BarklessdogB

    What about them eating the shards of the bones?

    0
  • wizardW

    Both my breeder and my vet said bones are fine and help clean teeth but the bones are NOT cooked. As a result there are no shards. I have given turkey/chicken necks but never the other bones from birds as they tend to be skinny and fragile to start with.

    0

Suggested Topics

  • E

    To keep or not to keep?

    Basenji Talk
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    2k Views
    N
    While I applaud you for wanting to rescue this little Basenji, they are not doghouse kind of dogs. They want to be with their human pack as much as possible, and keep in mind that just because they are an African breed, this little girl may have been out of Africa's climate for many generations and may not fare well in intense heat. My black and white girl does not do well in our FLorida heat for example. She prefers the air-conditioned sun she lies in inside the house. Basenjis are escape artists as well, and she may be able to get out of your yard. If you cannot keep this self-cleaning, low shedding dog in the house with you and you cannot locate the owner, Then Basenji Rescue and Transport is a good place to turn to find to find this little girl a loving home with Basenji saavy fosters and adopters. Best of luck to both of you.
  • K

    Crate story

    Basenji Talk
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    3k Views
    Shaye's MomS
    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.
  • A

    Peeing in crate

    Basenji Talk
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    3k Views
    A
    No, Pat - she had them separated for at least 2.5 weeks (maybe longer). I don't take him out immediately when I see he has peed, because often he is sleeping - I put him in his crate and don't watch him, but go about my business or leave the house for a short time, then when I return, he has peed. Or, he does it when one of us comes down to let him out in the morning or in the middle of the night. I think I was wrong with what I said before about it being a longer time after feeding that he pees (or maybe it is just sometimes) - tonight, I fed him in his crate with no bedding, so I could observe what happened. Sure enough, 3 minutes after eating, he pees. I did remove him, mop it up, put in clean bedding, then put him back in, where he curled up and went to sleep. Should I consider feeding him out of his crate for now? ANY suggestions are really welcome. His sister is doing great with housebreaking. They are both incredibly easy to train on everything else - 5 minutes with a clicker today and they run and jump in their beds at the command "place." I don't notice any of the littermate codependence stuff - being very vigilant. We can separate them with no problem - walk them separately, train them separately (and together). They like to be with us as much or more as with each other. This housebreaking thing is my biggest anxiety right now. Keep any suggestions/advice coming… Please. Thanks in advance.
  • Katrina02K

    Crate Question

    Basenji Talk
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    2k Views
    Katrina02K
    thanks heaps, now that i think about it wire would be best, i agree it would probably only last a day
  • renaultf1R

    Crating Question

    Basenji Talk
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    2k Views
    rnastoR
    The only reasons I would not crate little bs with big bs is (1) I don't want any fighting so you would have to play that one by ear (2) If the little one potties in the crate accidentally the big b has to suffer too. But I only have 1 so thats all I could think of
  • S

    Crate size

    Basenji Talk
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    17k Views
    rnastoR
    Indy has a "Large" size wire crate from walmart. We decked it out with a king size comforter, two fleece blankets, and a life size "puppy" stuffed animal. Then we throw in a deer antler and two of his favorite stuffed toys and tell him to have at it. So far no problems. The other cool thing about this crate is that dh made him a "deck" ontop. We put the kennel next to the couch so he can climb up the top and onto the deck. He hangs out there and looks out the window all day long sometimes. When he was younger we put the divider in, but once he showed us that he knew pottying in his crate was not ok we just let him have all the room. So far so good.