In my experience it is less about the ears, but more about the habit of basenji's of touching another dog's butt with their mouths slightly opened as an invitation to run/play. Many dogs and their owners don't get this, and react accordingly. I always monitor up close when especially Lela starts interacting with a dog we don't know. Binti is more reserved, so less of an issue with her. See also books by Turid Rugaas: http://en.turid-rugaas.no/
Indoors dogs & sleep
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To follow up on my previous question "How much does your B sleep?" here's some more specific info. Both of my dogs are indoors, inside my apartment with me, unless I take them out for a walk or to the dog park. There's no lawn or yard for them to play in. So they spend all day curled up on my bed, on the floor in my room, or sleeping in the sun on the balcony. What they don't have are opportunities to play with any other animals (dogs, cats, birds, squirrels, etc.) or chase anything or explore any part of the natural world. They're stuck in a human being's house all day long, everyday! So I worry that they must be bored to death - and so, just sleep. NB: Ziggy is 9 years old, Zoe is 6, so both have long since passed the "puppy energy" phase. Any thoughts about this situation? ~ Lori ~
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It's the same situation at my house. Lexi's had more socialization throughout her life– Miles, well, we just don't know what situation he came from. But my dogs will be lazy if they are allowed to be... you know, content to sleep in the sun. That does not mean they are lazy all the time though. They will run with you as long as you can go...
Just make sure you get on the floor with them and talk to them and play. And of course regular exercise/run/walks are essential too! -
If it makes you feel any better, we do have a fenced in back yard and I was so excited that Dash could run around like a crazy man. But he generally jumps into the lawn chair in the sun and takes a nap. If he is not doing that he is scoping the fence for weaknesses. He has found a couple.
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We have a fenced back yard also, it's maybe 1/3 acre or so. It's plenty of room for the Basenji 500, wrestling, ball chasing, and squirrel chasing.
And both Jazzy and Keoki do all of those things –- for a little while. The bulk of the time is spent sleeping in sunbeams, whether that be in the lawn chair, the deck, the sand pits for our horseshoes, or a little patch of dirt off the deck.
They sleep A LOT. -
I'm sure if they lived in wide open space with acres & acres to roam they would still sleep oh about 18-20hours! :eek: :eek:
I feel bad too..they're cooped up all day at my house too! But when I do take them out to a fenced in area to run around they only do so for about 15-30minutes & then they sit & look at me like…ok let's go home now Lady...:)
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I am fortunate that I can take Hollie with me to work, and I do (everyday). She has lots of interaction with the people I work with and my employers two dogs. Hollie is different from most of the dogs mentioned in this post. She loves to play, run, hunt, etc and would stay at the dog park or anywhere fenced with a playmate for hours (granted I HAVE to be with her - no mommy = no play). As I have read here, a tired basenji is a happy basenji (and a tired baseji = a happy b owner!!).
Lori, is there anywhere you can take the dogs to run when you are off work? A friend or relative with a fenced yard? I know most people don't like dog parks, but we visit ours ONLY early in the mornings when it's not crowded. Is this an option for you? I know they like to sleep, they are dogs, but they do need exercise and socialization too.
Good luck. Let us know if you discover a way to get them more active.
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Oh, the other thing I wanted to mention was that Lexi will go forever if she has woods– like squirrels to chase. Here in DC, we have graveled-treeless dog parks that are small. Lexi does not like those at all. It's too boring.
