Basenji packs
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Has anyone studied or can explain basenji packs?
Questions?
I know there are exceptions to everything but….
How many does it take to make a pack?
How many males and females?
How did you build a pack?
Pack hierarchy ?
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I am pretty confused what you are asking. A pack can be anything from 2 to a billion. Even in wolves, pack sizes vary.
Basenji pack studies? Again, confused. Basenji packs are artificially made, dynamics and variables make them not something I'd think you can actually study. Some have 2 that can't get along and must be separated, same or opposite sex, others have a dozen that gets along with mixed. It boils down to the owner's ability, the individual dogs, the house dynamics and a billion things that come down to wait-and-see cause nothing is set in stone.
You can do whatever you want, but if the dogs decide they want to fight, you don't truly get to change that, just manage. Truthfully, it's not different in many other breeds. Opposite sexes have a better chance of getting along, but that doesn't always work! Lines that are less dog aggressive helps, but that doesn't always help. If you want more than one dog, get opposite sex and see how it goes. Want a 3rd… depends on the 2 you have for which gender and again, see how it goes.
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The most important thing to establish is that 'YOU' are the Alpha Dog, and your desires are foremost. Our little 'pack' is made up of 3 B's between the ages of 22 months, a male, 4 years, a male, and almost 9 years, a female. Bitty, the female, dreams of being the leader of the pack and is snarky if the boys bother her. Mr Baroo ,the 4 yo male, has always been a really laid back guy, but as he is older he will put Buddy, the 2 yo in his place, which sometimes results in a minor skirmish, lots of snarling and wrestling, but normally a few seconds later they are buddies again. If it lasts longer I usually give each of them their cigars, lol, their nylabones which they both love chewing. They normally end up lying next to one another and will quite often swap 'cigsars'. But most of all you have to establish that you are the Alpha Dog.
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You can be the alpha dog, and it will NOT stop dog aggression. The old school (and often punishing) idea that you can MAKE your dogs do your will simply by dominating them and being ALPHA is, thank goodness, going by the way of the dodo bird. Except losing the Dodo was a big loss, alpha domination-not so much.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_12/features/Alpha-Dogs_20416-1.html
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That odd sound you hear Debra, is me chuckling. I have to admit that at my advanced age i would be considered a DoDo, and thank you for noticing.
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For what it's worth, I have noted that in households with a strong human leader/boss/alpha/disciplinarian (pick one!) there are less squabbles among dogs, at least when the human is present. My neighbour has Rotties, had two bitches that hated each other and would fight, but they didn't do it when she was around. She did have to be careful that they could not get together in her absence. ;)
Interesting anecdote: If my mare is bothering my old gelding and I notice it, I can break it up by yelling at her out the window! Guess I am "alpha" in that herd.
