New update: Tika is no longer in heat! Yay! Remy got neutered and is doing great! We got a dog trainer to come in assess the situation and she thinks it is starting to improve compared to how I described it when I booked her to come. Only Maia seems to need the muzzle, she seems to be very unsure of the puppy. We are working with her to build her confidence. The puppy doesn’t seem to have any stress with Maia around and won’t start anything. The muzzle is on just in case when I am home alone as I don’t want anything bad to happen when if I can’t separate them. The puppy is getting lots of training time to help her learn how to behave properly. With 2 people here we can have the girls on short leashes and they are fine together. They did have a small altercation of snarling but no biting and no one got hurt. The older female backed down and walked away. As much as I want her to be the top dog it seems that the puppy has a much more dominant personality. If they figure out the pack hierchy hopefully everything will settle down. The trainer says there are no pack instincts in domesticated dogs, but after having 6 basenjis I can’t agree with that in regards to basenjis. We can walk the girls together without muzzles now so I think things are more positive and they seem to be improving every day. When Remy is healed from his neuter I will get the puppy spayed and hope that calms things down even further. So far there is a lot more peace in the house. Please anyone let me know if there is anything else I should be doing to keep these girls on track. Thank you for all your advice and guidance! I am so grateful for this forum as what is normal for other dogs is not so much with these guys!
Basenji mix and martingale collar
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I don't know too much about the martingale collar other than it put pressure evenly around the neck. I currently have a harness I tried on my basenji mix, but he still tries to pull it off like a jacket I would like to bring him to my barn with me. However, I either will need to get a gate and put him away or get like a stick to put into the ground(not a stick whatever the long leashes that are anchored into the ground). My dogs head is smaller than his neck and can get out easily. Will a martingale collar one help and two will it work if I am not totally near him for an hour or so in some shade outside on a long leash. Or am I better with a gate. Soo many questions I know thanks!!!
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Martingale collars are meant for dogs with small heads relative to their necks, but I wouldn't want to tie a dog with one if I wasn't handy to keep an eye on him. Can you just put him in a stall while you work, or would he howl and scream? If so, a Basenji proof gate might be best. (is he a climber?)
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A martingale is ALL I will ever use with Oakley, he is a puller and an escape artist. He has gotten out of every collar and harness I have tried but never the martingale, I will say it hasn't done much for his pulling (but that could be my fault)..I can't say enough good things about the martingale style collar
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Martingales are only for when you are walking them, he will immediately slip out of it if unattended, as he will figure out that all he has to do is loosen the tension on the lead and the collar will slip right off.
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I had a feeling that it would not work if he was tied up however after this post I am going to get a martingale collar for walks I think they come in such pretty designs and just look so nice as well as being functional. I would put him in a stall, but I feel he would dig and mess them up and unfortunately its not my barn so I Dont have an extra empty stall I could use… alas I will figure it out may just get a gate/fence. As I know him more since i've only had him a week I will know how to keep him content if I am not right next to him. Maybe will get a portable crate... just doesn't seem as much fun
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One solution if you are working around (not with horses or other animals) is to "wear the dog", i.e. tie his leash around your waist so he accompanies you. I have used this strategy when I was moving houses and had a lot of people coming and going, open doors, etc. My guy hates crates, so that was not an option. Can be a problem if he is a leash chewer, however!
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My boy is a real escape artist, and I mean real - Julius K9, loads that people have recommended as being for 'Houdini dogs'. He also chews through leashes, including a beautiful, very expensive leather and brass….which he neatly chewed into 8 inch lengths when I was foolish enough to leave it below 6 feet up....the only thing I trust my boy to be tethered in is his current harness - a Ruffwear Webmaster. For walking, yes, a martingale (and oddly enough, Butu has never worked the trick when slack), but I'd definitely not trust him tethered. I'd get him one of these, and probably a chain and trust him in an open stall where he can see you and you can chat....I'd make the chain long enough that he could stand in the entrance, but could go inside the stall if he wants a sleep, drink, food from his bowls....do not let him near tack, horses feeding stuff, horse's anything - and I'd be cautious about hay too.... Chealsie508 - have you tried these (Ruffwear Webmaster?) If this hadn't worked I was going for a Ruffwear Doubleback, which costs a serious amount of money (but when I think of the number of useless harnesses I've bought..) but is the nearest thing I've seen to a doggie straitjacket - it's used by those people who drag labradors rock climbing....
http://www.ruffwear.co.uk/dog-gear/harnesses/doubleback-harness