Blanket shredding

Behavioral Issues
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  • elbrantE

    I'm not entirely sure why Doodle does it. I cannot seem to identify anything that prompts the behavior, but every once in a while she will rip up my blanket. Most often my goose down quilt. Which isn't obvious until I go to turn down the covers -- only to see drifts of down feathers floating in the fake breeze of the ceiling fan above my bed.

    I cannot (for the life of me) come up with any reason for the behavior. She gets walks every day, even in the rain. Not as long as we would like, but she does get to go out. She isn't hungry. She has edible chew toys (almost daily) and frozen beef bones which last a little longer. I'm home all day (except for a 30 minute errand), so it's not separation anxiety.

    I'm completely clueless. Does anyone have any ideas on what would bring about such behavior? I've almost reached the point of keeping my bedroom door closed. Something I really don't want to resort to. Why would she be doing this?

    elbrant.net

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  • KembeK

    Is it only the goose down blanket that she shreds? Could it be the smell of the goose down??? Just a guess.

    1
  • ZandeZ

    This is fast approaching THAT time of year. She may be spayed but there is some residual primordial instinct in there that you can't cut out. I would expect bitches to act up around now for a couple of months.

    Sally Wallis

    Zande Basenjis

    www.zandebasenjis.com

    https://pedigrees.zandebasenjis.com

    SKYPE zandeuk

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  • eeeefarmE

    Any chance she has a leaky anal gland? I have seen tears in blankets when the dog has tried to clean up after a leak. Other than that, if you are home when she does it, pay attention to where she is and try to catch her in the act so you can make it abundantly clear that the blanket is off limits. If you can't do that, then put it away during the day and see if she picks on anything else.

    "In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"

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  • J

    So far, with Logan and Sparkle, we've lost one bed spread, a custom hand crocheted blanket, and several other blankets. Sparkle is more destructive than Logan. Logan surgically picks at things removing bumps or threads. Sparkle shreds holes straight through things, and digs at couches and carpets. She knocks it off as soon at I tell her to, but she still does it before she settles into a nap. I think @Zande is onto something though. Nesting thing makes sense to me.

    So my sister who hand made the crocheted blanket offered to fix it after seeing it. She said she wasn't sure she could match the yarn though. I said "No problem. Just make the patched hole the same color as a Basenji!" Memories, baby! :beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:

    3
  • tanzaT

    @jengosmonkey - Basenjis nest for sure.... I use cheap blankets on the couch/chairs so that they can nest in them... I have not ever had issues with the beds but use quilts... my down blankets are removed from the bed during the day.. and only use them at night...

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • elbrantE

    Thank you everyone!

    elbrant.net

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  • eeeefarmE

    My go to remark when I find a dog doing something to an item that isn't "legal" : "Is that yours?" They know exactly what I mean!

    "In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"

    1

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