Tell us a bit about your Basenji - and meanwhile, Welcome !
First time Basenji owner with new puppy
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I do pick him up and let him sit with me. That's not an issue. Training is most definitely more for me lol I have been trying to feed him 2 meals but what do I do if he doesn't want to eat in the morning? Today with my new crate training schedule, he hasn't cried more than a minute or two once he's left alone which is great. He's eaten some treats left in the cage each time he's crated. I do want him to sleep with me, for the duration of his whole life so I'm axing the night crating. He holds his bladder all night long and pees as soon as I get up, wake him up and take him out. He's had a couple accidents which is fine. I do not repremand him as I have read a good bit about the breed over the past year or so. Just about my whole house has been puppy proofed so I'm not worried about safety so much but he can't go down stairs yet, only up so that's a worry for now. I have a "cuddle buddy" heart beat simulator stuffed animal to leave with him when he's in the crate. It also holds hand warmers inside which is nice. He tore the tongue off of it last night. I was kind of happy about that. I'm leaning towards him just not adjusting very quickly and getting used to his new dad's schedule.
Also, I do not feel comfortable with revealing the name of the breeder I dealt with (snitches get stitches) but I will say that I do have a very experienced breeder that I've been dealing with as far as using her as a wealth of knowledge. She's been great and said most of the same things you guys did. I just wanted to get some insight from more Basenji owners. Two heads are better than one. I do not care whatsoever for the breeder I got my puppy from but I wasn't able to grt one from the breeder of my choice since one of her dogs didn't get pregnant. I opted to go with a different breeder she told me about who had what I was looking for (tricolor male). This is more of an emotional support animal for me than anything. Hence why I jumped the gun instead of waiting a year for a puppy I wasn't guaranteed to get. His last shots were on the 20th, I picked him up on the 22nd. His stool is loose but he has had firm poops too. -
Hey, Jerome, looks like you are on the right track! Do be careful with a pup (or any dog for that matter) when they tear up toys that they don't ingest something potentially harmful. Otherwise it is normal for them to chew on things, but if you start early by removing something they are ripping up and replacing it immediately with something that is meant to be chewed it will help the pup distinguish the "legal" chews from things you don't want destroyed. Spend as much time as you can with your pup when he is awake, and give him lots of snuggle time with you when he is sleepy. It will build the bond between you. Do try to be consistent with any "house rules", what is allowed and what is not, so there is no confusion. I agree, don't chastise him when he has an "accident", but if you are observant you can keep these to a minimum and he should soon understand that outside is where to relieve himself.
With feeding, put a small quantity out for him and if he doesn't consume it in a short time, take it away. Stale food can be off putting and it's better if he learns to eat promptly when food is available. All the Basenjis I have owned have had good appetites, but I have heard there may be picky eaters out there, I just have not ever seen it myself.
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@jerome_inya_home What you describe is fairly normal for a pup from my experience. Basenjis like to be with their owner or another basenji, they do not like being alone. Crates are useful but many don’t do well for more than a few hours a day alone.
Basenji pups are very demanding and can be hell for the first year. If possible I would free feed him and Fromm puppy food would be a good choice or another puppy food. Puppy foods are different from regular foods I believe. My advice would also be to not let him have items he can ingest when unmonitored. The dangers, medical bills and stress of an operation are something to be avoided at all costs.
Basenjis are a dog, however they should be classed as something else, Because nothing prepares you for them lol. Whatever you can do to minimize or break up the crate time will help I am sure.
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@jerome_inya_home
OMGJerome! Your Basenji is absolutelyADORABLE! He looks so sweet and innocent. Good luck with your new baby - it is always an adjustment with a new pup. You’ll get a lot of support from this forum. BTW - what’s his name? -
OMG! Such a handsome boy!!
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Jerome, I think you're going to be fine. But honestly 10 weeks is too young to be placed. I know people do it at 8 weeks but people do a lot of things that don't make a lot of sense. So yes, things are scary for your little guy at the moment and you're both paying a price for that.
Leaving him out of the crate is fine. Some dogs like crates. Some don't. You CAN get them to like their crates. I'm sure you can find some YouTube videos on the games you can play. Doesn't have to be long. In fact short sessions are better. Maybe 5 minutes or less. I would NOT be concerned about his lack of interest in treats or toys or treats. I'm sure an interest in treats will appear! LOL Haven't found Basenjis puppies to be that interested in toys unless they're destroying it or taking it from another puppy. Having him interested in humans is actually a good trait which not a lot of Basenjis have.
As you shape his behavior keep in mind that negative reinforcement generally doesn't work well with dogs, and less well in Basenjis than most dogs. Always try to come up with a positive way to get the behavior you want. (This is easy to say and not so easy to do, so you may need to put your thinking hat on).
This brings us back to the first point: his age. Honestly I don't think training at this point would be very useful. He's just too young to make sense out of it. Wait a few weeks. In fact I don't think reputable places will let you bring your puppy to training until they've gotten all their shots.
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@kembe his name is Kane
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Hi Jerome,
Kane is adorable! All I can say is lots of love and patience. I find that my two Bs understand English perfectly and are excellent at communicating. Keep an open mind and build the bond when your home. Definitely let him sleep with you. They love to cuddle and feel secure. My Bs always sleep with someone in the family. There is no other place they’ll rather be but close to their human. Take him everywhere you can with you so he can experience the world. Enjoy every puppy day as they grow up fast. Good Luck! We’re in Morris County, NJ. -
@elbrant said in First time Basenji owner with new puppy:
at 10 weeks old, his belly is still quite small, 2 small meals/day is fine. Don't try to switch to one meal a day until he reaches adulthood.
At 10 weeks of age, the puppy should be on 4 meals a day, decreasing to three and then two over the next couple of months. I am collecting a 9 week old in two days time. He is on 5 meals a day, with supplements from a helpfully lactating grandmother. I will alter the times of day he gets fed and also decrease the number of meals while increasing the quantity - but slowly - gradually !
Ours have always had two meals a day - makes it easier to control their weight and gives them two major points of interest in 24 hours !
@eeeefarm said in First time Basenji owner with new puppy:
who did you get your pup from? I'm concerned that you couldn't get a straight answer about the food, and the breeder should usually be your most important source of information about your pup.
Yes - the breeder should be your first port of call for whatever reason. It worries me that you aren't getting enough help and advice, especially with regard to food.
What is Kane's registered name - who are his parents ?
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Many of the comments are spot on.... And yes too much crate time is not a good thing. As noted if someone is there then he needs not be crated. At this age, 3 times a day for feeding at least. At 12 wks you can go to 2 feedings (at least that is what I do and recommend to new Basenji parents). It is a concern that the breeders didn't or wouldn't tell you exactly what he had been eating? I find that really odd. When I send new puppies home, they are sent to a small bag of food that they have been eating along with toys and something that has the litter's smell on it... (blanket/towel, etc). Also before you picked him up he would have had his first shots... therefore had a Vet check up? Where is his crate during the day? At night where is the crate? What kind of crate are you using? Not sure that I understand what this comment means? During the day I'm doing one to two hour incriments (with toys and treats) starting today could you explain? He is too young for doggy day care, but that is an option when he is older. I am one that never uses dog parks.... I find them more of a hazzard then help.
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@zande said in First time Basenji owner with new puppy:
At 10 weeks of age, the puppy should be on 4 meals a day
Thank you for correcting me! Breeders have such a wealth of knowledge!
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@tanza Yes, he's had some shots. His crate is in the living room and stays there since I'm opting to let him sleep with me. I have two crates, one from my previous toy fox terriers which is about the same size as my bigger crate with the divider in. He seemed to like the little crate better currently. I mean I'm paying someone to come by for an hour every other hour to let him out and play with him while no one is home.
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@elbrant and if he won't eat?
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@jerome_inya_home - Not elbrant, however unless sick they will not stave themselves... put the food down for 10 minutes, if not eaten take it away until the next feeding time. Do NOT free feed
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@elbrant - for sure... breeders know... so please understand that given incorrect information can be harmful... If you don't know and you are not a breeder with experience, please state that....
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@jerome_inya_home said in First time Basenji owner with new puppy:
and if he won't eat?
Not eating is definately a concern. But we don't have all the information. There are a lot of variables that could change any of our recommendations.
- You said he was eating 2 meals/day, then suddenly only 1 meal. Right?
- How big were those meals. Did you measure or weigh the kibble?
- Are you mixing the food with any liquids, or canned food?
- How long are you leaving the food out for him to eat? Is it available for a half hour, or a half day?
But then, you also mention that you give him treats when he is in his crate. Other times, too? Treats have calories, and depending on what treats you offer... it is possible that it would be the same amount of food as the "missing meal". (Don't forget that your dog sitter could be giving him treats also.) Could that be why he only wants one dinner?
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@tanza said in First time Basenji owner with new puppy:
for sure... breeders know...
I've said it so many times, I thought most everyone knew I wasn't a breeder. I'm just a dog lover who finally found the perfect breed. I do, however, value the breadth of knowledge breeders posess. And I recognize that I don't know everything (about everything). egads! No one does, do they?
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With respect to his eating, if you're concerned he's not eating, and at this age you are right to be, get a scale and weigh him once a day AT THE SAME TIME (before the first meal for example). If you have a good scale you can weight yourself, pick him up, and then weigh the two of you, but his weight is such that a separate baby/pet scale would be much much better. He should still be putting on weight at a pretty good rate. IOW he should weigh more on Wednesday than on Monday. (You like to see an increase every day but measurements can be off because of you, the equipment, or the active dog, or natural variance -- or all of the above. The two day measurement should be more reliable).
As long as he's gaining weight and looking good then you should be fine. If not then you may have a problem. FWIW from the picture he's adorable and looks healthy. Super cute actually.
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@elbrant of course I measure the food. He gets fed at the same times every day. If it goes from two meals to one or three, it's because he didn't eat when I put the food out, not because I'm switching his schedule. No obviously I'm not giving him excess treats and neither is the dog sitter. He may get 2 or 3 zukes bites 2 or 3 times throughout the day. He also likes the teething ring treats I bought which are limited to about an inch long piece I allow him to eat per day, the circumference of the treat is about 6 inches.
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@donc good idea about weighing him each day. I do have a scale that's quite good. As long as I weigh myself first so I know the tare, I won't be a variable in the total weight of he and I. Thank you, he is such a little mush.
