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How we got through the first years of "whacko dog" and some tips for you

Behavioral Issues
  • @harold >

                    debradownsouth..
    

    -i had a cockapoo "DOG" not a bird. a cockapoo is a dog that is a mix of cockerspaniel and poodle. maybe you are thinking of a "kakapo"
    which is a large flightless bird also known as an "owl parrot". Never owned a bird.

    Okay, I cannot believe I read cockatoo instead of cockapoo. My apologies.

    Last I'll say on autism. I have worked with people with it, with parents of autistic children, on state associations for mh/mr. Casual labeling is derogatory. In the old days, people who were differently abled were called "retarded" and it became a hurtful mean slur. Autistic is going the same route. I understand you didn't mean it that way, so again, we can simply agree to disagree that people who are not actual behaviorist or psychologists/psychiatrists for people, should be putting such a label.

    There are ways to work with your dog to instill more confidence and make it's like better. Please stick around. Try to at least understand the dismay at the diet is because people see it as so unhealthy. You get to say buzz off and do what you want, but please recognize the concern from others.

  • @antigone said in How we got through the first years of "whacko dog" and some tips for you:

    I am only trying to get others to understand the Risks of feeding RAW

    The stop ambusing everyone's posts and make your own thread. Eating dog meat, rants about raw food, etc isn't the topic. Eating dog meat isn't a basenji board topic period.

    As for saying I don't like what you say... I don't like with you give false information as facts. But I'm going to work hard at ignoring it and trust others to check your info.

  • I hope that you noticed, @Antigone that the original poster has left the "building" due to his post being hijacked...... yet again. Could you please stop doing that?

  • @tanza The Original poster contacted me via email. He left because he AGREED with me about Sourcing the Raw meat. He knew about the USDA and THE FDA making a Rule regarding Antibiotic and Steroid use in Animals that was Voluntary. He himself has health issues and he had problems with an injury that became infected and it took a long time to get something to resolve it.

    He did not have a problem with me.

  • @debradownsouth I am not ambushing posts. Basenjis are being slaughtered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. THAT is a valid topic for this Forum. I am working to stop it but you prefer to ignore the reality. No breed is immune from being eaten. ISIL is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and they are eating the Basenjis.

  • @antigone STILL NOT A TOPIC FOR THIS THREAD OR BOARD

  • @antigone said in How we got through the first years of "whacko dog" and some tips for you:

    @debradownsouth I am not ambushing posts. Basenjis are being slaughtered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. THAT is a valid topic for this Forum. I am working to stop it but you prefer to ignore the reality. No breed is immune from being eaten. ISIL is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and they are eating the Basenjis.

    @Antigone, please start your own thread if you want to talk about this, valid or not it DOES NOT BELONG on someone else's thread.

  • @tanza I guess I will never understand why the ways these Dogs, and all Dogs, being eaten is not a valid topic. I am disgusted at the thought and am working with others to stop it. I guess even if I gave a link to a petition that nobody here would sign it. That is just sad.

  • Harold is one lucky pup to have found you and your wife!! Sounds like a wonderful family. Thanks for sharing the story with us!!!!

  • @antigone - Seriously? No one said that it was not a valid topic... just don't hijack someone's post. Start your own

  • @patty and others that reference a responsible breeder: I got my Jessey (my friend dubbed him the Jester because of his loveable zaniness) - who is my second Basenji - from a responsible breeder and he was well socialized by her and then me. I took him to the dog park which he loved at first, but then after many visits, he became scared. He used to walk the neighborhood, but then became scared. Any boom/bang/bounce - he bolts home. My other Basenji was nothing like this. Jessey has his pack of BFF's but is usually snarky to other dogs (typical B!). My point is, it's not always the breeder. Dogs - like humans - can develop "head issues". It has been very frustrating for me having a neurotic dog, but I've come to accept that's him and would never love him any less! The vet gave me Solliquin to try, but I've been hesitant. Anyone out there tried it?

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    TimesthemythT
    Ha, I know, forum posts are like a novel sometimes - except sometimes you don't always find out what happens at the end. There are lots of posts here where I'm like "well, what happened?!" The long and short of it: we have a "success story". He's always been kind of a strange dog, never doing things by the books. For his anxiety…...nothing I did really helped him. I originally put him on Prozac as a last resort, but overtime he just improved on his own; I know it's not due to the medication, because he's been off of it for awhile. He still hates confinement but he's learned that once he's in...he's not getting out. SO he basically goes through cycles where he'll whine for about a minute or two every so often (30 minutes to 2 hours) or so then goes back to sleep, until I get home. It gets better and better each time. One of our biggest issues I think was him being able to escape, and that fear was feeding off itself. In the beginning he would pull out all the stunts to try and escape, some of them working of course. Once I made it so he could not escape, the major destruction and psychological issues died down. I ended up putting wood pieces around the crate (as suggested above) and that helped immensely to fortify the area. He still does cry, and rip things up while I'm away...sure. But, as long as he isn't endangering himself, getting too worked up, or making a huge racket? It works. After we got that solved. I moved onto trying to get him to be ok in a crate - which has been successful. He goes into it fine, lays down and doesn't cry a whole lot, or try to escape. I think his 'anxiety' is not unusual, or inappropriate. Just a natural fear that dogs have of being alone, confined, and in a new space. I also didn't go over 30 minutes when I was teaching him as a puppy....big mistake. Things that have helped: Music, not having the light on, making the pen one giant bed (instead of allowing an area where he could stand), leaving random tissues around in the pen, not letting him out of the pen directly after coming home, giving a single cookie before leaving and returning if quiet, having the area be inescapable obviously, and brushing his teeth if he comes out of the pen right away. Things that didn't really help: thunder shirt (was working until he ripped it up), medication, mirror outside of the pen, leaving delicious food or toys inside the pen, DAP diffuser, etc.
  • Update on dog bite from a year ago :)

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    BuanaB
    @eeeefarm: I agree all children should be taught to be gentle with animals. And teaching your dog that being grabbed means food is a great idea, but the problem is it may not transfer to other people. I can grab my guy rather roughly pretty much anywhere, and he won't react…...except to play......but if someone else did it, there would be a different result. Even the most tolerant dog may "lose it" if a child manages to cause severe pain. Kids can be (unintentionally or otherwise) cruel. And lie about what they did afterward. Which is why supervision is so important. How to teach them to be gentle? A relative of mine says, "Get a cat. That'll learn 'em!" :) I think I know how we teached our son to be so gentle!!! Because of the last words you are saying! get a cat… You know, our oldest cat Spaiky is a einzelganger, a lonely boy that can only be handeled by me... He learned that to Ryan with a few hits with his paw when he wanted to pet him (he likes kids around him so he never uses his nails with them) Ryan never scared but he just knows, he only can speak to Spaiky to tell him he likes him.... hahaha Now I know! Thanks! :D
  • Neighbors crazy dog dug into our yard and got bit

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    RivermoonR
    I hope nothing comes of it since it was their dog that was coming into YOUR yard and the parents are acknowledging that. Hopefully they'll talk some sense into their daughter too and she'll be extra careful about letting her little monsters dig. Putting bricks down should keep them out. Good luck!
  • "look what i can do"

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    KipawaK
    @Mango: I can't wait to have a little B ripping around the house… guess I'm a masochist, but it does sound like a lot of fun. Yes, exactly Mango. I too await the day where the Basenji 500 takes place in my home. It should be fun - we have hardwood floors! :D
  • Help with having "doggie friends" visit

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    TuckerVAT
    Feed them separately and then remove all food. Food aggression is quite normal in dogs. My GF has an Old English Sheepdog and she is very food aggressive and eats like a pig. She'll eat Tuckers food if he's not guarding it constantly. I have a gate on my kitchen and I feed Tucker in the kitchen, gated, and feed Maggie (the OES dog) on the balcony. After they eat, we recombine them. There are still a few 'toy issues', but Tucker just gets up high and eats his rawhide where Maggie can't reach him. Proper management typically can resolve most problems. Her dog is allergic to pretty much everything. The meds makes her dog constatly thirsty and Maggie will drink until the bowl is empty (if allowed to do so) and then puke everywhere. (It's actually kinda funny…) We keep the water gated in the kitchen and only allow her short visits to the water. Either that, or we put her on the balcony with all the water she wants and let her drink and puke to her hearts content. ;) Yes, it's kinda weird, but what can you do?
  • "Conquering"

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    N
    I think you're Mom's on the right track. By adopting a 'submissive' pose, you're making the dog anxious. She thinks she's expected to do something, but she's not sure what. She would prefer it if you would act like a grownup, so she won't have to! What is inoccuous or meaningless to us can be very significant in 'dog culture.' Basenjis are all about the pack and have a lot of ancient customs we don't always understand. It's part of their intrigue and charm.