Screaming must stop!

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  • I allowed my children to share my bed until they were ready to sleep independently, but was adamant I wasn't going to do the same with a dog...didn't take long for her to join us ,😄


  • @jkent I grew up with a breeder... my Mom. We had a pack of Shelties. They all slept downstairs in crates. Dogs were rarely allowed upstairs and only when supervised; and were never allowed on a bed. Ever. As a kid... I thought this was THE dumbest rule ever. Never made any sense to me at all. We didn't have to sleep in a cage. Why did our dogs? I swore that when I got my own dog it going to be a Blue Merle (cause Mom wouldn't breed them) and it was gonna sleep on the people bed... with me. Fast forward years later. Finally got my Blue Merle, flew he and I to Mom's house, once there at her house he slept on the guest bed with me. I guess I've never been a big fan of being told what I can't have. :vulcan_salute: :face_with_stuck-out_tongue_closed_eyes: :thumbs_down:


  • @JENGOSMonkey, our family dog growing up was a sable and white Sheltie. He didn't get to sleep on beds or get on furniture or for that matter go into the carpeted living room, but being a Sheltie he respected the rules of the house and slept on his mat in the hallway, except if there was a thunderstorm, when he would make the rounds of the bedrooms looking for solace, but alas, only being told to go back to bed! But he was a wonderful dog, and like most Shelties very easily trained and obedient to a fault. Completely different to a Basenji!


  • @eeeefarm Shelties are the best! We bred Sables, Mahoganies, and Tris. I remember when we had three bitches all whelping at the same time. There were puppies everywhere. After about week three or four we'd crawl in the whelping boxes to hold pups and let them crawl on us. By weeks six, seven and eight... that was really fun because now they had teeth. Having one bite you everywhere is one thing. Try six attached to hands, feet clothing, hair, ears, nose. My favorite puppy of all time was a tri that I named Tar. I was in grade school and had a once a week paper route. Small paper. Tar learned to fetch and return a paper... at eight weeks old! I was crushed when Mom sold him. She had good reasons why we couldn't keep him, but being a kid... I wanted to scream when I came home and he was gone. Dogs can't sleep in the bed, can't have the dog I want, can't have a Blue Merle... all I get to do is pick up poop. :disappointed_but_relieved_face: I got over it. Mom certainly instilled in me a lifetime love of dogs and for that I'll always be grateful. Definitely Basenjis from now on though. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:


  • @jengosmonkey - Have to say, at one time I had 5 in bed with me... have to say it was a wee bit crowded... LOL.... I am very glad that my current Basenjis prefer their crates (which are in the bedroom) to the bed. They only time they come to sleep in bed is when they are not feeling well...and if only one is not feeling well 90% of the time the rest follow...sigh...! LOL... not bad in the winter but in the summer... way, way to hot, like having hot water bottles in bed with you!
    very easy to tell when something is going on with them... and while is it fine for a couple of nights, I am very happy when they decide to go back to their crates! LOL


  • After two horrendous episodes of crate defecating and pacing in it...... my 11 year old son talked me into taking our 11 week old Felix jumping in bed with him. I set the alarm for every few hours but was sure there was going to be an accident. Nope. Felix peed outside within 10 seconds each time i woke him up and each time was rewarded back in with son. We all had wonderful sleep. Son told me doesn’t care if Felix poops the bed he loves him so much. There goes crate training lol. We’ll see. What a ride.


  • @mikesull Ya know... I always tell my kid. Son, when you're grown up, got a job, are payin' all your own bills and have some left in you wallet for a hobby... find one. And don't let anyone give you grief about it. You're carrying your own weight. So, I don't care if you want your dog to sleep in a crate or on a bed. Your choice. That said... I admit to having a big ol' smile knowing that Felix is bunking with your 11yo. High Five! :raised_hand: :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

    I was never a crate fan till I got the two I have now that had been crate trained. OMG! Car travel is no longer a constant frantic drama scramble from one end the car the other the way it was for my first Basenji. I would encourage you not to give up crate training altogether. As I've leaned... It has it's place. :winking_face:


  • @mikesull - You can still crate train, feed him in the crate, give him treats in the crate and in the car for sure have him in a crate especially for safety. Think of it like your son being loose in a car and you have to slam on the brakes or in an accident... they would be flying all over the car... not safe for a human child or an animal.... period


  • @tanza 5! 😂


  • Why did your breeder sell the dog to you that young? I thought most pups didn’t go to their new homes until 12-15 weeks old...


  • @mikesull glad you have found a solution that works for your family and gets everyone the most sleep! As others have said you can still continue to develop positive associations with the crate. My 9 month old starts the night in her bed next to ours and joins us in our bed at 4am. Although she prefer the back of the sofa in the day, she often chooses to sleep in her crate (door open) and runs to it to eat any highly prized treats!


  • @mikesull And you will find that by feeding him around 6 and not giving him anything more to eat before bedtime, he will gradually go for longer. Kito sleeps with me and Mku, and for the first bit I carried him down to the garden every time he got restless. He pee-d instantly every time.

    But one night I just slept through - and so did he !

    So by 11 weeks I was only carrying him downstairs about 6.30 when I collect the (delivered) newspapers. Instant unleashing of the flood gates outside the back door ! And back to bed to read the papers.

    These days he just follows me down when I pick them up, no need to carry him.

    And absolutely no worries about accidents for the last month or so. He is 16 weeks today.


  • @channingsmom - Depends on the situation as to the age pups are sent home. I use 10wks as the normal, but if they have had Basenji experience or have an adult Basenji or another breed will do 9wks. I do 1st shots at 9wks and also eye exams before sending them home. But again that can change depending on the situations.


  • Quick update - Felix (now 12 weeks) slept in gated kitchen two nights in a row with zero - zero whimpers or complaints. Transferred from couch around 9pm to kitchen dog bed. Peed on newspapers only. I have a bed set up along with a dog carrier “den” that is not zipped shut. He seems to use them both throughout evening. He is getting tons of exercise daily. I think the reality is simply 8 weeks was just too young to do anything. The metal crate has been packed away.


  • @mikesull Great news - But there is one thing I would warn you about. The reason we use metal crates is because Basenjis tend to shred fabric ones !:face_with_tears_of_joy:

    There is probably (definitely !) a great deal of difference in the way breeders rear their pups in the first few weeks. Mine got their first shot at 8 weeks and went to their new homes at 8.5 weeks. But by then they were crate trained, almost totally potty-trained and certainly collar and lead trained. And born in the kitchen alongside the Aga, they were accustomed to noises - dropped pans, oven doors slamming, radio.

    You have done extremely well, given the frustrating start.


  • @jkent said in Screaming must stop!:

    I have a 9 month old who wanted to follow us everywhere at first. It was a lot easier once she was old enough to safely climb the stairs.

    As she has matured we are finding that she often chooses to stay in the other room or in her (open) crate as long as the door isn't closed and she can come and find us if she needs us.

    Looking back it was quite a short space of time that she had this intense need, but it was hard not knowing when it would end. Letting go and allowing her to follow us made it a lot less stressful.

    Interesting.. my B seems to go for anything and everything. The couch, walls, tv console (lol), etc. I can't imagine ever being able to leave him alone anywhere.

    Right now I believe a big reason why he can be destructive is I can't exercise him properly since he isn't fully vaccinated. Very excited for that day (9 days~) so I can get this little dude a proper workout.


  • @yahtzee92 - After the first shot, you can exercise him.... you just need to use some common sense. Do not let him sniff other dogs poop, stay away from dog parks, keep mostly to the sidewalk or road...go to pet store, home depot, Lowes, etc.... lots of isles to wander in, meet and greet. Many make that mistake on socialization at critical ages.


  • @tanza Vets seem to vary over here in the advice they give. Some insist on not leaving the premises until the final jab - but of how many - two or these days it seems to be three ?

    My vet says a couple of days after the 2nd jab is OK but some of Kito's siblings have been told to wait for the third. Others say ok after the first.

    Personally, I think its OK to be careful after they have some protection and would agree with @tanza. No dog parks or heavily frequented areas, no sniffing dog's poo - somewhere quiet where the pup and you can relax.

    As for socialising - I have an excellent sling and mine have gone out with the older dogs, carried around my shoulders and not touching the ground but meeting all kinds of strange looking critturs including horses !


  • @zande - Also you need to work their minds, not just the body.... sit, down, stay, fetch, etc. And yes Zande, Vets here say the same not till after the 3rd shot... When I first got my Basenjis in the 70's I followed their advise. They got sick all the time... after that it was after the 1st shot we would go out... they need to be out to build up Immunity... never had an issue nor did they rarely get sick.


  • @zande said in Screaming must stop!:

    @tanza Vets seem to vary over here in the advice they give. Some insist on not leaving the premises until the final jab - but of how many - two or these days it seems to be three ?

    My vet says a couple of days after the 2nd jab is OK but some of Kito's siblings have been told to wait for the third. Others say ok after the first.

    Personally, I think its OK to be careful after they have some protection and would agree with @tanza. No dog parks or heavily frequented areas, no sniffing dog's poo - somewhere quiet where the pup and you can relax.

    As for socialising - I have an excellent sling and mine have gone out with the older dogs, carried around my shoulders and not touching the ground but meeting all kinds of strange looking critturs including horses !

    Been using a sling which has been great.. brought him to a bunch of places in it already.

    Finding a area people don't frequent in LA? Ha.. I did let him out to eliminate on a hike in areas "off the path" which I felt were acceptable.

    Anyways, he gets his last jab in a week. I've been careful so far so I can wait the extra 7 days to start walking him properly.

    @tanza My vet strongly advised to wait til the 3rd jab so I'm erring on the side of caution. LA is just too heavily trafficked and everyone seems to have a dog these days.

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    @elbrant said in basenji screams when left alone: @yahtzee92 said in basenji screams when left alone: especially when he can see her in the backyard). Presuming that the yard is enclosed/fenced, why not have him outside with her? Because you are presuming incorrectly! That said, he has gotten much less anxious as he is more used to the house and people going in/out. Neighbors did finally put a fence up in back though (new houses got built very close to ours).. now I'm looking for something to block off the part of the yard that is exposed between the garage and house. Hard to find something that stands out or, mainly, taller than 3 feet
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    Thank you all for your replies. Today was a liiiiiiittle bit better than the previous car rides we have done with him. Not constant screaming. But he still screams, and it’s a scream that can make ears bleed... But anyway, a little better today. He lied down and stayed quiet for about 5-10 minutes of the 20 minute ride. On the way home. Hopefully if we keep up with daily car rides where he always gets his toys and treats with him, and as long as we go someplace fun every time this will help getting him calmer in the car. I will also try the Rescue Remedy, it can’t hurt I guess :)
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    Obviously I agree that a vet check for a medical issue is first and foremost. The dramatic increase is a signal that something medically is off-- could be urinary track, hell could be crystal or thyroid or many things. A full evaluation is called for anytime your dog has a sudden change or increase in a behavior. However, >>We've always had a bit of difficulty getting her entirely housebroken - she messes in the house every once in a while, but had a months long streak of being good.<< is not a great sign. Even if she has a medical issue, you still have a problem because you have a dog that is not housebroken and it is so much better to spend the next 3 or 4 months really addressing this than spend the next 8 to 10 yrs living with it. Housebreaking is a bit like being pregnant... you are or you aren't. Sure, a sick dog doesn't count. But unless sick, or some crisis leaving a dog so long it has no option, pottying in the house is simply not okay. So once you get the medical checked out, go back in time, and retrain as if a puppy. It's a little easier since she already knows to go out when you are home... but a whole LOT harder because when she does potty, you generally aren't. I see no way to do it without returning to crate training, not just when you are gone, but home also. Basically you are going to have to go out with her to potty, sing her praise, give her a treat. Take her out when she gets up in the morning, every 3 or 4 hours during the day, after meals, before bedtime. If she doesn't ever potty in the house at night, great. If she does, then her new sleeping zone is a crate. It helps if you have one where she generally sleeps and a 2nd on near the main action for during the day... because you need to start putting her in the crate when you cannot actively watch her even when you are HOME until you get 100 percent no house accidents. I'll put a couple of links with clear instructions. Since this mostly is if left alone, separation anxiety might be the stimulus. Sometimes medications for a while, plus really good toys they only get when left alone (especially mind stimulating ones like Shirley suggested), Kongs with some smeared cream cheese or peanut butter (don't use a lot!! Keep a couple in the freezer!), safe chew toys, can help get the dog over the anxiety. Talk to your vet, because you can't effectively do housetraining while not helping with the separation issues. http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/its-never-too-late-to-house-train-an-adult-dog-heres-how-to-start http://www.canineprofessionals.com/housebreaking-adult-dogs
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    My basenji has been waking up screaming in the middle of the night as well. It's happened probably 12-15 times in the last months or so. Do you know why your dog did this or did it ever happen again? Health wise my dog checks out fine and my vet is baffled. Please reply! I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out!
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