Skip to content

Older puppy socializing

Basenji Puppy Pen
  • Anyone have any ideas for me?

    I already have started taking Lance around in the car…and down to the dog park. I was thinking about taking him down town as we have a nice pedestrian area and allowing people to pet him if they ask.

    He's great with everyone...but strange noises are still freaking him out. I don't want TWO scaredy dogs in my house!

    My Collie is nervous enough for the ALL of us! :(

  • I would teach a really strong attention or "watch" behavior. When you go out take a bunch of yummy treats…if he starts to get nervous, ask him to "watch" and reward him. Pretty soon, if he gets nervous he will immediately turn to you. I would also supply the people who are going to pet him with treats. Good luck :)

    A couple great books are "The Toolbox for Remodeling your Problem Dog", by Terry Ryan, and "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons

  • Thanks. Maybe I should teach "Watch" to my collie too!

  • I don't know how you are handling the situation so this is just general advice for situations of this kind.

    It is human nature to want to comfort creatures who are frightened but saying "it's ok" and petting a frightened dog often leads to the opposite results one hopes for. The dog often considers this as reinforcement of the behavior and they grow worse, not better.

    It is better to ignore any fearful behaviors and instead focus on praising the dog whenever he shows signs of confidence or happiness. I have used this technique with dogs in the past and have found it to have a high success rate.

  • Lexi gets nervous when there are loud noises- fireworks, loud bangs, etc… But otherwise she's a pretty confident girl. Still aloof with strangers, her motto is: You may look but may not touch! ;) hahahaha!

  • How old is your puppy?

    I would say that Caesar is such a good natured basenji for the following reasons:

    fixed at 6months
    went to basic obedience training at 7months old at Petsmart
    started going to off leash dog parks and learned to socialize once a week

    I found basic training to be an extremely fun experience which helped me communicate better with Caesar. He listens, he is social, he is active.

  • @Mantis:

    I found basic training to be an extremely fun experience…

    Boot camp? That's the best idea so far!!!:D

  • Basic Obedience Training, LOL at Petsmart….it is more like basic training for the owner....managing frustration....

Suggested Topics

  • My puppy is born!

    Basenji Puppy Pen
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    8k Views
    N
    @Fran… aw :) Yeah, I can't wait to experience being dogpiled by the whole litter :) @Lisa; I don't plan on showing, but I'm sure my pup and I will visit shows often. I like the environment and the certian level of "Crazy" that I get to behold at dog shows, but I don't have the time to finish a dog, so I'd be doing the pup a dishonor by even attempting to get him show-ready. Kyle and Steve have remarked that they're going to make a handler out of me, though... so who knows! lol
  • Looking for a puppy? Check this out!

    Basenji Puppy Pen
    11
    0 Votes
    11 Posts
    5k Views
    khanisK
    Yes, Nicole that would be good info to add…. but that is going too far at this point. Like Pat said... people have to want to read it. This was just meant to be something that people can START with... Those are basic pages that if someone was looking for a basenji, the would be able to see that the BYB or PM they are considering does NOT fit into .... hence... not the best place to go. Throwing too much info at a person so quickly will be more than enough to make them turn and head for the hills... or buy the first puppy they see... then come looking for help with all it's problems later. BABY STEPS.
  • Puppy size?

    Basenji Puppy Pen
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    tanzaT
    And I have flown American and Continental with Large size Sherpa
  • Adult Dog Socialization

    Basenji Puppy Pen
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    7k Views
    jys1011J
    Try to find an animal behaviorist near you…they can definitely help. Check out this website. www.iaabc.org
  • Puppy weight

    Basenji Puppy Pen
    25
    0 Votes
    25 Posts
    32k Views
    lvossL
    L'Ox is on the small side. He is only about 16.5 inches at the withers. He may gain a little more height and will probably continue to fill out for next couple of years but he will always be a small male.
  • Puppy to Adult Food

    Basenji Puppy Pen
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    14k Views
    JazzysMomJ
    See, that's why I have no problem recommending Jumoke to potential Basenji owners {slaves, whatever}. Everything is so thorough. After talking more w/Bryan, I am in the process of switching Jazzy to Eukanuba low-fat diet because he felt that while she was getting enough puppy chow to maintain a healthy weight, she was not getting chow every day to fulfill her nutrient requirements. {she has a tendency to chunk up, and he was unaware of the quantity of food she ate each day}. He did the research for me, and recommended the food that he feels will most benefit her – and she likes it. She is getting Pet-Tabs also. I'm glad the question came up because otherwise I would have never gotten around to discussing her diet w/him. So, a big Thank you to Bryan for all his hard work, and also to whoever it was that posted the original question and got the discussions going!