Rogue is 8 months old now. Here's some new pictures!

[RogueCoyote]

You guys think she'd do well in a show?
is it too early to tell?

[RogueCoyote]

You can't see it in the pictures, but she's got a good scissor bite. I've been training her on heel since she was a puppy, and she'll do it for treats pretty reliably. We haven't done much stacking work.

[tanza]

@roguecoyote - Has her breeder seen her? She/he would be one of the best to evaluate show quality. She does look nice from the pictures, however. Important to work on stacking.

[eeeefarm]

I love her colouring. Thanks for the pictures. If there is a handling class locally it would be a good place to pick up some tricks.

[JENGOSMonkey]

@RogueCoyote I can’t judge if she’s show quality or not because I don’t posses the expertise. Regardless… my opinion is… she’s gorgeous. Glad to see you back. I was curious how you two were doing!

[Zande]

@roguecoyote She looks very promising but it isn't easy to assess from a photo. And do watch the number of treats you give her each day ! They all add up to calories which exceed the daily ration unless you just give treats taken FROM the daily kibble ration. . .

[RogueCoyote]

@tanza i just stacked her yesterday outside on a bench. It was my first time trying and I didn't expect much, but she's a natural!

[tanza]

@roguecoyote - You should really get yourself a grooming table to practice on....

[RogueCoyote]

@zande Oh my gosh, is she fat?

We give her 2/3 of a cup puppy kibble, a few shreds of white meat chicken, plus training treats right now That's for the whole day. It doesn't seem like a lot. My mom's always talking about how Rogue seems desperate for food.

I use a 1/3 cup measure for kibble, and judge a half cup, to get the 3/6 cup measure per meal, 2 meals a day.

We use small size pupford training treats, a mix of beef and sweet potato.

[Zande]

She is not fat yet, but you do need to take care. The easy way is to measure out her daily ration of kibble, and then give her from that as treats ! If you keep varying the treats, you can end up with a very fussy eater. Mine get conned, really. They think they are getting something 'extra' but all they are having is their normal food ration !

I don't know in USA (am in UK) but I would have taken her off puppy kibble at 6 months or even younger. Put her on normal addult kibble. Puppy kibble often is more suitable for the first few months.

My boys are always desperate for food - but I have never had a Basenji who wasn't.

[RogueCoyote]

@zande She also goes for a 4.5 mile walk twice a week, other days its a 1.5 mile to 2 mile walk. Then she gets 2 or 3 more walks that are half a mile to a mile every day.

Her recall is getting to the point where, when she's done being in heat, I'm going to start taking her to a fenced dog park to start training off leash recall in hopes of giving her an athletic outlet that way.

[tanza]

@roguecoyote - I agree, change to good quality adult food.... I never give puppy food, my pups are raised on the same adult food as the adults, always have been....

[elbrant]

She's beautiful!!! I especially like her driving goggles! :smiling_face:

[dedes9]

@zande said in [Rogue is 8 months old now. Here's some new pictures!]

My boys are always desperate for food - but I have never had a Basenji who wasn't.

My girl only acts desperate for cheese, chicken, or hot dogs. If I try to train using kibble she just looks at the food and runs off/ignores me. In the mornings she doesn't eat even if the previous night at dinner she was still hungry after finishing her food. Is that not normal?

I've just kind of been following her lead for meals and picking up the food if she doesn't eat in 15 minutes but she only rarely seems desperate for food

[Zande]

No. Point is, if you vary the treats you are creating a fussy eater. You need to be totally consistent n what you treat her with, as well as taking her food up if she doesn't eat it. Cheese, chicken and hotdogs can be restricted until she realises she ain't goin' to get other than normal rations. Some dogs don't want to eat early in the morning - they often go out and eat grass to clear our the stomach first. Not all dogs, and not every day, but it does happen.

Some Basenjis are not food motivated. But often it is because they have become picky.

[eeeefarm]

Dogs are like kids, if they think they can hold out for something "better" they will. ;-)