@Saving thank you very much for the suggestions!
I cant take it anymore!
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from lovemybaroo
Thanks for replying. To answer your question, yes, I do still have Baroo, and yes we are definatly fighting the daily battle, but now I actually feel like I win sometimes. I think somehow he realized that I was threatening to get rid of him, because after that he starting coming around. He is still bad with the cats and the trash, and a few other things, like chewing things up, but that is occasional. For the most part he is better, so we have decided to give him another chance, and now we are getting too attatched him to give him up, behavior problems and all. We are working with him as much as possible, and have made some changes, which for the most part seem to be working. After reading some other posts, I have gotten a baby gate, which works great (I don't know why he hasnt figured out that he could easily jump over it, but he doesn't) and we also now use a squirt bottle which also seems to do the trick, but you have to catch him in the act, and he is pretty sneeky, so that only works sometimes. I have also used a bungee cord to tie up the trash can so he can't tip it over. So now he just pulls things from the top whenever he gets a chance, which is not great, but I have learned to pick my battles. As far as walking him goes, I got him a harness, which has made such a big difference. It is so much easier to walk him now. I tried running him on my bike, but after a few close calls with me almost doing a nose dive because of him running after other dogs, I dont know that I will try that again, although it did wear him out. Im just not sure it is worth the risk. I have also looked in to getting him a backpack to help tire him out on our walks. I have heard that does the job pretty well.
There is still several things that need to change with him, and we are working on the major stuff, but in the mean time we have just tolerated the rest just to save our sanity. He has his problems, but he is one of that family now, (even if my cats still hate him.) I guess we have just adjusted to the fact that that is just how the breed is, and we will have to work around it and try to outsmart him. I would be very interested in hearing any other tricks that worked for you though. I am always willing to try something new. -
The backpack is a GREAT HELP!! I use it every morning & I think it even calms my dog down as far as pulling goes. I put two water bottles about 1lb each.
Try putting Vicks Vapor Rub on the things that you don't want chewed. The bitter apple does NOTHING for our dogs but this Vicks vapor rub stuff is like a horrible odor for them. The second they see the bottle it's OFF to the living room
and will also help your sinuses too ha ha :eek:good luck!
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Hey guys, I talked with lovemybaroo and she is still sticking in there…..
Please post your favorite tips to gain peace in your home for her.
One thing I've learned is the idea of managing rather than trying to eliminate a behavior. For example, my boy does not like to be moved when sleeping (wakes up growling and snarking); however, his nighty-nights are spent in my and my husband's bed, and he's usually in bed before us, and almost always in one of "our" spots. Because we like him to sleep with us, we started to manage his snarky behavior by calling his name, demanding an "off" (the bed) and a "sit" and rewarding him for the off-n-sit with a tiny treat. He's become so used to it that he now just does it, without us saying a word.
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Try putting Vicks Vapor Rub on the things that you don't want chewed. The bitter apple does NOTHING for our dogs but this Vicks vapor rub stuff is like a horrible odor for them. The second they see the bottle it's OFF to the living room
and will also help your sinuses too ha ha :eek:good luck!
Vicks does the trick. All I have to do is open the bottle and our little guy knows its nasty. I don't even want to imagine what it tasts like :rolleyes:
You really have to choose your battles with Basenji's. I have come to learn that some days are better than others. One day he can be the sweetest little guy and the next, pure evil!
It can be really tough at times. To the point that I need to leave the house to regain my sanity :o But all in all..just look at that face. Im a sucker for those wrinkles. -
I think managing B issues is a good thing. Some things can be helped with training, but there are some B behaviors that just seem to be inherent. We have a hallway that, for reasons we cannot fathom, the dog likes to poo in. We've tried about everything under the sun both chemical and environmental (longer walks, timing his food intake and so on) with no luck. It's like he was saving a little just for that hallway. Brown carpet + dog poo = glad I wasn't barefoot. Anyhoo, we finally just put up a baby gate and eliminated (no pun intended) his access to the area.
It seems like we adjust our behavior to suit his more than the other way around -
to keep the peace in my house I rely on our training… daily. Literally, not a day goes by that my dog isn't asked to work a bit. we will run through some drills for dinner, treats, play time, affection, a walk, etc.
there are a few things that I adjusted - i.e. trash is kept in a closed closet, toys are kept on the top shelf in another closed closet, cat food, treats and toys are kept on a high table and pushed wayyyy back, etc...
but mostly we use our words to control the dog. down, wait, leave it, give, on your blanket, touch, come, stay, off, etc... are all part of our daily vocabulary and routine.
that's not to say we haven't had some funny yet trying moments, where something got shredded, the cat got pounced on, or he's jumped a fence to run through horse poo only to come in and jump on my kitchen counters....
sometimes, you just have to laugh.
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I'd like to start by expressing to you how happy I am that you decided to keep your B and tough it out. I must admit there are times I want to throw in the towel, especially when I'm cleaning poo and pee after a long day of work with a pile of dishes, laundry and dinner to keep me busy for the following hours but even while I'm on my hands and knees and using not such lady like language I turn to him and he's looking at me like are you done being mad can I get a kiss now and yes after a short time of venting to my husband on the phone I end up admitting that I could never give our Champ away. I agree with the other members about proper training and getting info on our B's. And yes it is my fault that I leave the closet open and my food and drinks so close to the edge because I have not done my part in telling him and conditioning him to listen and behave. And I don't know about you but I've noticed that eventhough my B is very hyper and jumps on my face at times, he is also gentle and so cuddly at others. It's a long battle but knowing we are not fighting this alone and alot of owners have been able to work with their B's to live happily does give hope and helps move forward, together, one day at a time.
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With proper training, (us and them) the living together part is so much easier. You almost forget how difficult it once was. If Duke didn't crave forgiveness with his hugs and kisses like he did when he was a pup - I don't know where he would be. I just couldn't give up all his loving. So we toughed it out, found this forum and went to a dog training class at Petsmart. I still have to get back for more training and especially with our new puppy. See? I got another one - wasn't so bad, the rewards are the best.
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One key piece of advice which I have learned, you Basenji is just like a child. If it is out in the open, it is considered your Baseniji's. Especially if they know it's yours. They just love the thrill of knowing it gets a rise out of you if you go after them. There have been many days I am chasing my basenji throughout the house trying to get my shirt, shoe, socks, etc. It doesn't matter. They just Looovvveee attention. Keep doors closed and items high enough to where it is hard to get to and watch em like a hawk
It sounds like a lot to do but it is far better than finding your favorite shirt with holes in it GGGGRRRRRRR!
I have to remind myself all the time, you have to give to get from a Basenji standpoint. Keep treets in your pocket, that will help a ton!
I wish you the best of luck and let us know how it's going -
Does anyone have any more updates from LoveMyBaroo? I think I'm going to save her first message if anyone wants to know what it takes to own a baby basenji.
Speaking of backpacks…I'm looking into one for my Basenji boy. Do you have any suggestions as type?
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I use the hound dog back pack.
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That is just not true. Sighthounds and herding dogs can live perfectly well with children. And I don't even know what a 'crotch goblin' is, but personally I find that term offensive.I must agree with Quercus here. B's and children can co-exist quite exquisitly... but you MUST teach each of them their boundaries. We have an 8 year old B, a 6 year old Papillion (another suposid "no kids allowed" breed), a self-elected ruling Himilayan cat, and two daughters (3 years and 7 months respectively).
The dogs (both of them) know the boundaries with the kids as far as what is okay and what is not ok (this does not stop them from begging for handouts when the kids are eating though). We also teach our kids what is appropriate from day one (gentle pets, no pulling on ears/tails/feet/legs/genetalia/etc, no harassing dogs when they are eating, etcettera). There have arisen situations (always when we are present) where our toddler pushed the boundaries and both of our dogs have repremanded her, just as they would a pup in their pack. And in those times, I've told our toddler she deserved it due to her actions against the dogs. I may sound harsh, but the kids have to realize the dogs have emotions and limits too. And guess what, Kid learned what good behavior is towards dog. Dog also learned that it isn't some worthless thing that always gets blamed for everything.
I have found both our dogs (especially our
to be tender, protective guardians of our children. Our B helped our toddler learn to walk by letting her hold onto his collar while walking; they helped the kids learn to hold onto their food 'cause it's all fair game once food hits the floor.
It truly comes down to training, and it takes a lot of time. But regardless of what breed of dog you own (and trust me, I know tons of "gun dogs" and "water dogs" who never learned manners around kids and run rampant all over them and their owners), you must TRAIN YOUR DOG AND YOUR KIDS to respect each other. Plain & simple. -
@Vanessa626:
Keep doors closed and items high enough to where it is hard to get to and watch em like a hawk
It sounds like a lot to do but it is far better than finding your favorite shirt with holes in it GGGGRRRRRRR!For our household, we created "Rocky's Rules of Order" to help everyone (aka my hubby) learn how to live with the dog:
- If you left it on the floor, and the dog ate it, shame on you. Don't blame the dog.
- All laundry (clean or otherwise) must be put away promptly. If Rocky finds it and eats it, shame on you.
- All trash cans must be enclosed with lids.
- All kleenex boxes must be at least 3 1/2 feet above the floor.
- Do not leave food or coffee unattended.
- Diapers MUST go in the diaper geanie!!!!
- Dogs must sit at the door and you must exit out before they are allowed to go outside.
- Whatever the dog did to the cat, the cat probably started it. Don't blame the dog.
- Close off the bathroom.
- Find at least one good thing a day the dog has done (without you asking for it!) and reward him.
Good luck LoveMyBaroo!
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"Rocky's Rules of Order" need to be posted in my house
Number 9 seems to be the hardest though. Chance just loves any opportunity to run with the TP when I am taking a shower
Before I know it, My house is a paper trail mess! -
Their is a good web site to try for traing Bs is site just for them Basenjivideo.com good dvd
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If your "b" does something wrong…take a newspaper, roll it up really tight, and hit yourself on the head with it!!!:D
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If your "b" does something wrong…take a newspaper, roll it up really tight, and hit yourself on the head with it!!!:D
Craking up…:D
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Their is a good web site to try for traing Bs is site just for them Basenjivideo.com good dvd
Do you have this web site. I'm so desperate right now I need all and any help.
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He is so bad. He is disrespectful and even does things to spite me! I know that is the breed, but this is ridiculous! I spend my entire day chasing after him and rescuing my 2 cats. If he is out of sight I am wondering what he is getting into.
I will repeat: dogs (or any animal for that matter) do nothing out of spite. Basenjis are animals and driven by centuries of instinct. Those instincts: chase, smell, hunt, reproduce (get him neutered), chew, to name a few.
I cant trust him. He chews things up, (but usually only if they are valuable or new, he seems to have a preference for those things) he torments my cats, eats their food, gets into the trash, pulls food of the counters, sleeps on my bed, (even though he knows hes not allowed), knocks over any drinks on my coffee tables, wont walk on a leash without trying to go after everything in sight, and just generally does whatever he pleases thinking everything is his.
Basenjis are not out to please anyone but themselves - "What's in it for me?" is what drives their 'choices' and you have to think about them in that way. My cell phone bears the teeth marks of a dog that wondered if it was food or just crunchy. Jenny loves to eat wooden knitting needles. The first thing I did was teach sit by NOT allowing her outside (or back in) until she sat. I had to very gently push her butt down at first and then open the door immediately upon sitting. After a few days pasted, I would just tap or touch her rear and she would sit. The same drill for food - once a day.
He refuses to listen to me or my husband, and is imposssible to train. We even tried the dog whisperer techniques with no luck… I know some of this has to do with his age (he is just over a year) but is he always going to be like this? Could some of this be because he is not neutered? Would it change that much if he was? I am new to this breed and we have only had him about 4 months, but I am seriously ready to get rid of him.
I have a lab-mix and a basenji, and the lab was easy to train, receptive to traditional-type training and no longer eats cat poop, garbage, food from the counter or coffee table. BUT she WAS very interested as a puppy, just easy to redirect with appropriate chew toys, treats. I got the basenji as a 7 month old (estimate) and for 2 months she was very difficult in all the ways you mention, but I also anticipated this and began researching positive training methods. Cesar's methods are more for dogs with behavior issues, but it sounds like your dog is just being a dog. If you got your's at 7-8 months (as per your info) then you should remember that it takes a few months for an older (not 8-12 week old) dog to aclimate. I thought IMPOSSIBLE at first too. But that is just not true.
Check out www.clickertraining.com for some positive, effective training ideas. The basenji is an intelligent, sensitive, independent animal - like many sight hounds or scent hounds - and needs mental stimulation to stay out of mischief.I cant handle the stress and my poor cats hate him. I really would love to keep him, but I dont feel confident that he will change. Does anyone know how the rescues work? I want him to go to a good home, and not be left living at a rescue but I dont know how to find him a home because I live in a very small town. Please help! I would appreciate any advice you could give me.
I have 3 cats. Some cats are not into having a dog invade their space. It is up to you to let your cats know that you are somewhat in control of the situation. At first I had to get between the dog and cat, but they have worked it out.
Finally, see the thread about rollerblades and biking as a way to tire your dog out. The basenji is a runner and needs the release. Imagine how you feel after being cooped up at work or school or home sick, and imagine how good it feels when you are free from those things. That is what your pup and you need - stress relief. -
I just looked on the link..thanks for the info. Was wondering I have a 1 year old b for 2 months now and ready to pull my hair out (rather then continue allowing him to pull on mine) and wanted to get some feedback on that clicking method.
