@jordandwilly - Thanks for clearing that up.... 9-5 is just fine, IMO.... I work and have always had to leave mine when I was at work, never an issue. That said, we were able to set up the house that access to the backyard (with 10 to 12' privacy fences) with a doggy door and a dog room in the house for them, Locks on the gates so there is NO access for anyone. Dogs sleep 90% of the day so being at work doesn't bother them... never have mine even when I had a litter in the house (And have been in the breed as owner/breeder for 35+ years). You can hire a dog walker to take them out mid day..which is a good solution. and give them a mid day meal depending on their age. I do not and never have used free feeding, period. Especially if you have more that one... you never know what/who is eating what. And you can set up camera's on line to watch them from "afar".... LOL. Keep in mind people that many of us need to work and have day jobs. The most important thing is the time you need to spend with them when you are home. Example would be, if you have young children and you work... when you get home you are going to spend your time with your human children... NO dog would be happy if left out... they need their time also because they are a family member and need as much time as a human child. Again in my opinion
Basenji Toy Recommendation
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Hi everyone!
Stitch is a year and a half old now. She is doing great! Much to the surprise of us, she LOVES to play fetch with toys. Not particularly tennis balls but for sure those stuffed doggie toys. Only problem, is when she's done playing fetch, she likes to tear them to pieces. I have repaired a bunch of them, a bunch of times! I've looked for more durable toys, but she gets them just as easy as the cheap ones. Do you guys have any recommendation of a good basenji-proof squeaky toy?
Thanks guys!
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Sadly I haven't found a basenji proof toy, toys only last if as soon as Kaiser starts to de stuff them I take it away, but there's no fun in that. Now we just have bits and pieces(the outer material, arms and legs) which we stuff back into the more whole toys and then he gets to de stuff them again and again, we throw all the original stuffing(and the squeakers) away the first time he pulls it out so at least it's easier to tidy up and safe. His little Kong ball has lasted and of course his Kong that you stuff food in, but they aren't as much fun as gutting soft toys. So we buy cheap and let him destroy which he seems to need to do, better than him using our soft furnishings. Good luck.
Jolanda and Kaiser
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There are some that have crinkly stuff inside them instead of regular stuffing. Those have lasted us a lot longer. I spend a lot of time patching up the regularly stuffed ones, but to be honest, Cara is fine if I remove all the stuffing, secure the squeaker and give her the outer shell.
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I buy the un-stuffed stuffed toys for them. They seem to last awhile, though the squeakers don't. The best are the ones called "Skinnies", Teak actually brought one with him when he moved in in 2009 and it's STILL HERE! It doesn't look as good as it once did, but it's still a favourite.
-Joanne -
in our house!
We have managed to save one puppet-stick your hand in-and that facinates them for about 3 minutes. Mine have never been big on toys so I usually only use a frozen Kong and the odd paper bag with tissue paper in it. If you have an old oven glove that will be a good try. Good Luck! -
We have had two stuffed toys survive. One is a moose toy made by Kong. We brought it to her when we went to go pick her out of her litter at four weeks. We left it there with our scent on it. Her Daddy stole it and ate the antlers and one ear off of it!
The other toy is a stuffed bear that came with a perfume bottle. It was professionally gift wrapped under the tree, waiting for my friend to visit… She would not leave it alone! She loves that stupid bear!
Other than those two, she destroys everything. I recently found a geometric (hole-y) ball, which I shove a buffalo blue bone in, then a whole bunch of stripped material, and she loves destuffing it! Of course you have to watch her when she plays with it to make sure she doesn't try to swallow the fabric. -
I second anything Kong made. Don't remember what they're called but they are animals, and they have like tentacles coming off them. I have a medium sized fox one still completely intact from when I got it as an x-mas gift two years ago….I bought an 'xtra large' rabbit one for him - it has two squeakers in it. Still unblemished as well. Those toys are fairly well made.
Nonsqueaky toy that can take a beating = Tuffy toys. I use mine for fetch, works pretty well.
The stuffless toys can last awhile too, but are usually pulled apart pretty easily; I have one that is still going strong with both squeakers.
Otherwise all of our other toys have been ripped to shreds.......or ignored. Thrift store toys in bulk!
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After having dozens of formerly stuffed toys that were just husks laying around, when we saw the Skinneez toys without stuffing, we bought some immediately. We will still buy a stuffed toy every once in a while, but know we will be vacuuming fuzz off the floor soon.
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Only problem, is when she's done playing fetch, she likes to tear them to pieces.
Or you could just intervene and remove the toy once she is bored with "fetch". My boy was trained this way (I can't take the credit, his breeder had him for his first three years and she teaches all her Basenjis which toys are "chewable" and which are off limits!). He does not destroy toys, even though I do not put them out of reach. I wouldn't expect a confirmed toy destuffer to change his or her ways, but it can be taught if started early. Otherwise, strict supervision can extend the life of toys, and also increase their "worth" as a reward. Restricted access makes them much more attractive!
Here is Perry with two of his "original" toys he has had for seven plus years, and a new one recently acquired.
