And to add to this, brushing their teeth at least 3 to 4 times a week is a good practice also. I use a human youth soft brush and use Petsmile toothpaste. Also I give and have for many years put Plaque Off in their food daily... it is a power that you mix in their food, they really do not know that it is added, that said, I have done this from the litters and continued every day, every year... it has never been a problem put this in the food, it is a very small scoop, less than 1/8 of a teaspoon... it is worth it, but you still need to brush their teeth...
@tanza said in Basenjis and their nails...:
Plaque Off
Sounds not only like a dental treatment, but like something I want to say to someone when they cut in front of me on the highway. : - o
@sanjibasenji - LOL
I find that the longer and more frequent doodle's walks are, the less I have to worry about her nails. The concrete and asphalt of our walks and roads do a great job of grinding away the excess. 
@elbrant - Sometimes but until you have to grind the nails if they are not used to it, it becomes an issue, same with brushing teeth...
@tanza If you do it correctly and regularly, weekly or every two weeks, it doesn't become an issue. Mine know they get a 'special bickie' when it is all done and rush to the kitchen door (treats are kept in the Utility Room) as soon the last nail is cut.
You need to get into a routine of nail cutting or dremelling. I use sometimes the dremel and sometimes the Resco cutters.
You can't rely on pavements to do the job for you, @elbrant. Some dogs have much harder nails than others and those of us who run our dogs through fields and woodlands certainly need to get into a routine.
I don't have to do teeth - my butcher gives me huge rump-bones every Friday. But the same thing goes for others, less lucky (!) - a weekly cleaning routine at the very least.
@zande said in Basenjis and their nails...:
huge rump-bones every Friday
Incidentally, I got Sanji a big bone from the butcher (they're not free here, $6 per bone). But due to the fatty grease and oils, I let him chew on it only in the crate, typically while we eat dinner. That turned out to be a serendipitous move. I no longer have to feed him a treat while he's in there, he stays busy chewing, and he looks forward to getting in each night. When he's done, I wash his feet and keep the crate closed.
@sanjibasenji I remove all fat from the bones and render it down as dripping (wonderful for roasting potatoes !) so they don't ingest too much fat.
They are happy for hours gnawing away and in the playbox among the toys are several bones which I would have thought tasteless by now but Kito goes and gets them out and they appear all over the house. Totally dried out.
That's another Friday job, cleaning lady collects bones and replaces them in the toybox. She does that while I am sawing up that day's offering. I do saw the bones into more manageable pieces.
@zande - I wish in the US we are able to get this bones, but there are not "butchers" here so not possible.....
@tanza Trimmed all the puppy nails today. Squirmy slippery strong willful little things some of them are.
@sanjibasenji said in Basenjis and their nails...:
$6 per bone
I don't remember where you are located, but .... in the U.S. you can ask your local grocery butcher to set aside "neck bones" for you. These are essentially just bones trimmed off of Chuck Roast, T-bones, and other cuts. My butcher sells them to me for $1/#, which usually comes out to about 5 or 6 smaller bones with some beef attached. (note: I freeze them to avoid bloody residue from them. Doodle is a-ok working on them straight out of the freezer.)
We have two butcher shops. Jack's (a very local small chain) and LaLonds.
But I found in Kroger's a really good dog Prosciutto bone ($6) that's cheaper than the butcher bone ($7), and it's got more meat on it. Not quite as big, but Sanji loves it. Ate all the meat, still chewing on the bone.
Indeed Sally. I was inspired by your advice months ago to find a big bone for him. Finally did. Thanks!
@sanjibasenji My saw is getting blunt ! I had a job sawing up yesterday's bone into manageable pieces ! But they do last weeks, sometime months.
