Older Basenji Behavior

[Nancy Berry]

@evelyn Hi ~ it's me again. I haven't been able to stop thinking about your ole' gals problem of peeing & pooting in the house despite taking her out more often & on longer walks. Your Vet did get a urine sample & checked for a urinary tract infection, right? (I know you said she's been checked for everything but a UTI doesn't always show up in blood work) If you truly feel like she's doing it on purpose, mostly on the sofa ~ think about any changes that you or your spouse might have made lately - that uses the time that she has come to count on as "her time with her humans". If there are no changes, give her time to try using the potty pads. Give her loads of extra love & lots of reassurance that you're not mad or upset with her. She doesn't want to let you down or upset you. If she stops peeing on the sofa (I'm guessing that's the worst place she's peeing), then you have your answer! Praise her for being so good again, sneak in a few treats too! But if it continues or gets worse ~ I really hate to say it but, she might be trying to tell you that it's close to time for her to go. I hope with all my heart that it's a change in your routine or a UTI. If I were you, I'd still try the potty pads. Watch for other behavior changes, change in appetite, is she sleeping more or laying there with her eyes open. Look into her eyes, are they still bright or are they dull ~ like she's not really there. You won't like it but you may have to make a very hard decision before long. Love on her as much as you can, she only wants to please you now days! And at her age, you should please her also! Oh the joy they get, even if it's just your hand on her when she's laying next to you on the sofa! Keep us posted! {{Hugz}}

[eeeefarm]

This does sound like "canine dementia". One of the symptoms is "Frequently soils in the house, regardless of the frequency she is brought outside." You might want to discuss it with your vet. Good article here.

[Nancy Berry]

@eeeefarm That is a great article!! I bookmarked it ~ Thank You eeeefarm!!

[DebraDownSouth]

You might also ask your vet about temporary hormones. Sometimes, even with canine dementia, hormones help control incontinence. There are also doggy diapers that can help.

[2baroos]

Sometimes nothing works- we went to the Vet several times and it was just age. You could do diapers but I would think your B would rip them off. I went and got some plastic crib liners and put those in a few places where my boy sat and lay down. He refused to go outside sometimes and when his eye site failed he was even more afridi of the dark.

[Nancy Berry]

@2baroos It's so very sad when any breed gets old & you aren't sure if you're doing right by your companion or not. My Yorkie went deaf & blind. I think the blindness was the worst! If she couldn't see light shadows, she would cry & had real tears coming out of her eyes, until I picked her up & laid her on my lap or on my chest (she only weighed 2 & a half lbs.) but she'd shiver & shake for a long time, even though I'd cover her up real good. She died on April 4, 1998 ... on Psalm Sunday. I've never been sure if I did right by letting her live or should I have had her put to sleep. She ate good...I sat & cut her dry, dog food into tiny pieces so she wouldn't choke! She still had most all of her teeth except maybe 5. I found out, no one but you knows when it's time to take your loving companion to the Vet or just let them pass peacefully at home, where they lived out their life with their humans. They don't "try" to make it hard on us ~ that's our own doing! I just hope I can find another fantastic girl while we still have our last good yrs. to spend together! I sure wish I'd have been a more suitable adopter for one on here that really "took my breath" when I saw her picture!! That was really a shock, losing my breath from looking at a picture of a "dog"! But when they grow old, we owe them just as good of a life, if not even better ~ for all the things they've done for us, things we've never been aware of. If you can't love them ~ you don't need them! And the Basenji is a most special companion. Just bcoz they start having "old age problems", you don't take them in & have them put to sleep! We don't do it for our Grandparents or our parents (even if that was legal)! But when the time comes, we know if it's the right thing or not! It's for sure that we love them to the end & even after. I'd be so happy if I had to clean up some pee left on my floor again. I'll always have my memories though ;=)

[evelyn]

@Nancy-Berry we are fefinately going to try the P pads her urinalysis came back fine just a slight rise in kidney issues but nothing clinical. And very good for her age. we also read the article that someone else posted and so many of those behavior sound like her. Especially with the confusion , pacing most of the night. and all the other behaviors I had never even connected to her pee/poo issues. We are definitely going to try a change in food get some anti-oxidants in her as well as getting some omega-3's to try to help with brain and cognitive function we definitely would never put her down for just peeing on our furniture. I believe now the personality changes may be confusion. She is clumsy falls off her "purch" which we have corrected so she can't hurt herself. Tries to enter the house through the side of the door that the hinges are on and can't figurj e out how to go around it. Jumps up on the couch and misses (miscalculates distance). Jumps up in your lap then be surprised your there. THANK YOU ALLLLLL! for all the great advise. Hannah is such an amazing member of our family. We just have to work through the frustration. Having a plan helps that.

[Nancy Berry]

@evelyn I'm so glad you're going to make what-ever time she has left, good & comfy & with her humans! Brings tears back to my eyes but I'm not sure I'll ever be able to stop them, unless I get another Basenji. It sounds like you've made all the plans you'll need & yes, it's going to be extra work but you already knew that & you're ready to do it. Good for you!! Hannah has a great pair of humans! :)

[DebraDownSouth]

@evelyn
You might get a doggie ramp and see if you can get her to use it. Hope things help.

[evelyn]

@DebraDownSouth we've tried doggie ramps she is just too stubborn. Physically she is in great shape the vet said he would mistake her for a 7yr old. So it's just the behaviors and now what we believe is confusion.