Becoming a 2 basenji house...tips?

Basenji Talk
Log in to reply
  • T

    Currently have a 2 yr old basenji male and picking up a 9 week old basenji girl to join the family! Any tips or stories about the first few weeks with 2 basenjis at home together would be appreciated!

    0
  • R

    At the time I was bringing home an 8-week old basenji male into a house with an 8-year-old basenji female. The most practical advice I got was from the breeder. The breeder stated that I should introduce them (given the known issues I had in the past with my girl not permitting other dogs around her things) by walking in the door, setting the puppy down and immediately going over to my 8-year-old girl and greeting her in the normal manner. It helped that my good friend was at the house and keeping her occupied. My new puppy eventually found his way over to us and although she was startled to see him, she went to him, smelled him and then played with him.

    The bottom line is that her advice was to make the situation as nonchalant as possible. And it worked. They have become the best of friends... mostly :)

    0
  • tanzaT

    Be ready for the noise, it will sound like the puppy is being murdered.... remember the tips when you have a puppy and mouthing issues.... yelp loudly .... that is what the adult basenji is doing... teaching the pup manners... unless you see real reason that the pup is being hurt, don't let them work it out.

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    @tanza said in Becoming a 2 basenji house...tips?:

    unless you see real reason that the pup is being hurt, don't let them work it out.

    Pretty sure she meant DO let them work it out. :)

    Congrats on your new puppy!

    Debra

    0
  • S

    My boy was so lonely we got him his half sister the next year. At first he thought cool something to play with. The first night he was like, shut it and let me go to sleep. The next day after being chewed on all night he looked at me like ok when is she going home? That night he was depressed like I get it she is never leaving. The next day we went to work and put them in a giant kennel together. We came home, she had. Bruise on her hip and they had worked it out. Best friends until the day they died. My current basenjis are litter mates, we got one and the breeder kept one. 5 years later out beagle died and we needed another dog for our basenji. I brought him home and hey looked at each other sniffed and curled up on the couch together. Basenjis are very pack oriented and would rather have a buddy then be alone. They are very easy to introduce new animals to. Good luck!

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    @Sass7656 said in Becoming a 2 basenji house...tips?:

    The next day we went to work and put them in a giant kennel together. We came home, she had. Bruise on her hip and they had worked it out. ... Basenjis are very pack oriented and would rather have a buddy then be alone. They are very easy to introduce new animals to. Good luck!<

    I am very glad you had a good experience. But anyone reading your post needs to know you lucked out. You could easily have come home to a dead puppy. Basenjis may or may not easily meet another dog.. it depends on the dog and on the dog they are meeting. Please never assume that your style of introduction is in any way a safe one or what any breeder or trainer would recommend. Locked in and having to "work it out" is a recipe for a disaster.

    Debra

    0
  • tanzaT

    @DebraDownSouth - Thanks Debra, exactly what I meant

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • tanzaT

    @Sass7656 - Many a Basenji would prefer to be only dogs..... and certainly I agree with crate training, I do not believe in leave 2 in one crate regardless of the size.... next to each other but in separate crates.... I agree with Debra, you could have just as easily come home to a disaster....

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0

Suggested Topics

  • elbrantE

    Basenji Life: Apartment vs House

    Basenji Talk
    6
    2 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    eeeefarmE
    I think ideally you have a yard, but of course also take the dog for walks. Having to go out immediately when you get up can be a nuisance and every Basenji I have had will "go pee" in the backyard, although getting them to defecate can be a different matter. And rainy days can be a problem. Yes, you can keep a Basenji in an apartment, but bear in mind if you have an issue with separation anxiety your neighbours may not be happy when you go out!
  • E

    Introduce a cat to 2 adult basenjis

    Basenji Talk
    9
    1 Votes
    9 Posts
    3k Views
    B
    You're doing a great job introducing the cat to the basenjis, I would continue to do what you're doing, but don't leave them alone just yet. I would keep them in different rooms while you are away. Also, as another person said, the cat and the bird will be more of a challenge, since the cat is more likely to hunt the bird. Keep the supervision going with all three species. My basenjis always wanted to chase cats they saw outside, but did not chase the cats we had, because they had been socialized and they thought of the cats as part of the pack. Estás haciendo un gran trabajo presentando al gato a los basenjis, yo continuaría haciendo lo que estás haciendo, pero no los dejes solos todavía. Los mantendré en diferentes cuartos mientras ustedes estén ausentes. Además, como dijo otra persona, el gato y el ave serán un desafío mayor, ya que es más probable que el gato cace al ave. Mantener la supervisión con las tres especies. Mis basenjis siempre quisieron perseguir a los gatos que vieron afuera, pero no persiguieron a los gatos que teníamos, porque habían sido socializados y pensaban que los gatos eran parte de la manada.
  • S

    Is she a basenji

    Basenji Talk
    23
    0 Votes
    23 Posts
    9k Views
    W
    lol usually when you breed a bigger dog to a smaller dog the Male is the tiny one. Its just dangerous to do it the other way around. As far as DNA breed testing I would go for it if I could. But i am just interested in those kinds of tests. We offer them at our clinic but i haven't ever seen results for them.
  • nobarkusN

    Have you seen these 2 Basenjis?!!

    Basenji Talk
    29
    0 Votes
    29 Posts
    10k Views
    L
    Nemo's on to something. A good B&W could pull that off without an accomplice though.
  • lovemybarooL

    Adding basenji #2

    Basenji Talk
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    3k Views
    jys1011J
    I would have to agree with the others. Surgery is pretty tricky especially if the dog is on meds. Some medication is mood altering. If you could possibly wait at least a week to bring in the new dog that would be ideal. Males usually recover pretty quickly and are back to normal within a week. This will give your pooch some much needed rest & healing time. To introduce the dog I would have them meet in neutral territory some sniffing & such & afterwards I would take a nice long long long walk around your neighborhood…like 2hours at least. Let them get used to being together with you on your walks. I would even make it a routine for a while until they get used to the pack order. I would also suggest RULES from Day #1. Establish the rules of the house so both dogs understand that you're the boss & these are the rules...My rules I don't allow the dogs to hoover while I make their meals. They have to be sitting calmly until I'm done. They eat in separate crates & before I put their dish down they must sit & give me eye contact. I do the same for treats and toys...everything is given only if they sit calmly & give eye contact. There's no jumping on me EVER...if they do this they get my back which they hate because they love mom's attention :) Good luck to you :)
  • red and white fureverR

    Rou's Tips For Basenjis

    Basenji Talk
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    5k Views
    rouR
    I have had several inquiries in regards to our basenji book, so I thought I would compose a few paragraphs about its origin. Sometimes I get carried away when I write, but Rou's book is not so verbose as this posting! When my daughter Sophie was in second grade, she and I created a 36 page, full-color children's book entitled "Rou's Tips for Basenjis". Rou is our red and white companion basenji. Sophie and I were inspired to create a book showcasing many of the delightful aspects of owning a dog, in particular, a basenji. I was a typical girl growing up. I loved all creatures, cute and furry. When I was seven, I had my tonsils removed. I dreamt about the moment my parents would enter the recovery room and present me with my get-well gift: a fawn. It was a real disappointment to receive an Etch-a-Sketch. The need to love a creature cute and furry seized Sophie approximately the same time. Our family never even discussed owning a dog until Sophie bought a complete set of Tintin books for her sixth birthday. Within hours, the girl was enamored of Snowy and pined for her own very clever, small dog. For the next year, we visited animal shelters and dog shows. We discussed the issue end-less-ly. Since several family members have allergies, we narrowed our dog search to include only hypoallergenic breeds. At a Portland dog show, we met an enthusiastic, responsible breeder & her crew of award-winning dogs. We couldn’t even pronounce the word basenji properly. However, we were impressed that the breed is 5000 years old. It was no wonder the basenji had endured: they neither barked nor shed; they were intelligent, personable and clean. Intrigued, we read a stack of great books about the history, the build and the show qualities of the basenji, yet we weren’t able to find much information geared towards children. We continued gaining knowledge about basenjis and their needs; we visited a new litter basenji puppies and fell in love with them. A sweet, beautiful, agile red and white girl was an ideal match for our family’s personalities and lifestyle. In February of 2004, our family was delighted to bring Roussi the Basenji into our lives. It quickly became apparent that the name ‘Roussi’ was a bit too tricky for a young child to annunciate. Sophie’s front teeth were still in the process of growing in. She couldn’t say the ‘s’ sound. The poor kid repeatedly had to tell people “No, her name isn’t Ruthie! It’s Roussi!” It didn’t help that the two words were pronounced virtually identically. It drove Sophie crazy. Ultimately, the name was shortened to Rou. At the tail end of the year, Sophie’s teacher assigned Challenge Projects to her second grade class. Although 'weather' was the theme for the month, her teacher encouraged her students to pursue whatever Terrific Idea inspired them. Sophie and I love art and books. Perhaps a Challenge Project could combine both passions. If Sophie and I were to actually compose a book, I was concerned about the battling temperaments of two independent, strong-willed females. However, I am fortunate that my daughter still wants to spend time with me. How long that will last, I can’t be sure. We agreed to write Rou’s Tips for Basenjis. The To-Do list was a bit daunting. Sophie illustrated the entire story with her wonderful whimsical drawings. I’d say, “I need a bathroom scene!” Clipboard, paper, pencil and click eraser in hand, Sophie would disappear. When she returned with her mini masterpieces, I colored them and cut them out. Placement on the page was a mutual decision. We discovered that working as a team and having to compromise was not always easy. I have never had a tougher art director than Sophie. When you’re seven and a half, you know what you like and what you don’t and you’re not shy about expressing your opinion. Once the drawings had been completed, we took advantage my husband's skills as a professional photographer. Though his specialty for the last fifteen years has been photographing inanimate high-tech objects, he agreed to take all of Rou’s pictures. We spent one Saturday afternoon in the studio with a hefty chunk of cheddar and a happily cooperative dog. Countless hours later, we self-published Rou’s Tips for Basenjis. The book was made entirely in Oregon, printed on recycled paper, with a sewn binding for additional durability. You can visit Rou's website www.roudog.com. For those that can’t get enough of the breed, you can visit Rou at www.dogster.com/dogs/399665 and meet her fabulous Pup Pals. Here are a few lovely comments about our book: "I felt that the interpretation of Rou's thoughts may be the greatest insight ever into the Basenji mind." ~New York "This is a great book that truly gives a true depiction of Basenji personality. A very entertaining book that will make you smile." ~A Registered Therapy Dog "Sure, it might be a children's book (my daughter certainly loved it), but it's also a good primer on basenji behavior for new owners… sort of like "What To Expect With Your New Basenji" ;)" ~The Florida Coordinator of Basenji Rescue & Transport So, if you made it all this way, congratulations! If you have any other questions, we are always delighted to respond. Thanks for your interest! Best wishes, The Rou Crew: -pamela, Sophie & of course, Rou