We recently added a 3rd basenji to our home and one of the behaviors he has that is different that our other two is that he acts like he is starving to death. He will be 1 yr old later this month. The breeder we got him from said she did keep him lean with 1/2 cup of kibble in morning and evening. We have since increased his intake and he has actually put on 2lbs since we got him about last month.
However, after he eats and all day until the next feeding he is constantly looking and begging for food. He will get a treat or two in between morning and evening feedings. Now the other two dogs will of course want to know what we are eating but not like Tyson he just acts like he's never been fed before.
Has anyone seen this type of behavior or is there a way to curb it?
Thank You,
I wonder if he is actually hungry, or if he just "wants food." Lenny always wants food. Tayda is/has never been interested in food so when I got Lenny, it was a change. Lenny is always looking for food. He follows my every move in the kitchen hoping I'll drop something and he's snap it right up.
Lenny and Tyson are from the same mom and dad and both stayed with Kelli and became part of her pack. I wonder if it is somehow related to the way her pack behaves?
I wonder if he is actually hungry, or if he just "wants food." Lenny always wants food. Tayda is/has never been interested in food so when I got Lenny, it was a change. Lenny is always looking for food. He follows my every move in the kitchen hoping I'll drop something and he's snap it right up.
Lenny and Tyson are from the same mom and dad and both stayed with Kelli and became part of her pack. I wonder if it is somehow related to the way her pack behaves?
He is not hungry because he acts that way after feeding and we are not under feeding if anything we are maybe over feeding. He was really lean when we got him and wanted to add a little more weight. I am just wondering if it has to do with being with a pack of six dogs and competing for food. Not sure but it is interesting that Lenny has the same behavior.
I always just assumed that was normal behavior for dogs… always wanting food.. and that Tayda was the wierd one. ha ha... will be interesting to see what other B's do though.
Both the Basenji and the Boxer are always acting like they are starving to death LOL it's just them
She-Ra grazes…we put her food in the dish in the morning and evening but she doesn't always eat all of it...throughout the day there's treats and the like...
She-Ra grazes…we put her food in the dish in the morning and evening but she doesn't always eat all of it...throughout the day there's treats and the like...
We used to let the other two graze all day but we can't do that now with Tyson. He would eat everything and probably blow up 
if we let him graze. lol.
Actually with adding Tyson it has helped my other two eat better. They can't graze and feel threaten if they don't eat now Tyson might get it and eat their food. However, I have to crate them now so there is not stealing going on.
Ruby doesn't constantly look for food and she is lean. She gets fed once per day and usually only begs for really good smelling human food. About a half hour before her dinner time, she might start moving around the house more, but that is it. She's a better eater since she is on better food (she'll actually gobble down her food), but she isn't super food oriented.
In many ways I'd rather have a dog be food oriented. It certainly helps when they are sick if they really like food. I took care (pet sitter) of a jack russell that wasn't a big eater either, and as he aged, it really got a lot more difficult to get him proper nutrition.
Keoki is ALWAYS on the hunt for food. If he hears anything that resembles any sort of food being opened or even eaten, he is RIGHT THERE, acting as if he hadn't eaten for weeks. I keep the dog treats in the laundry room, and even though a treat seldom comes out, he RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNS to the laundry room if he hears me go in {I have six kids, so I go into that room a lot!}.
He will be 1 next month and is currently being fed 3/4 cup kibble twice a day. He's lean, but not thin. Certainly not starving! He is just very motivated by food.
He is also the only of our two that LOVES any form of vegetable matter – eats lettuce, cabbage, brocolli, asparagus, green peas, snow peas....you name it, he loves it and will eat it until there is no more to eat.
Jazz, on the other hand, is more finicky. Will eat a few bites of some veggies, but won't touch lettuce or cabbage.
Your boy sounds normal to me -- actually, not unlike a human boy, eh? LOL
Keoki is ALWAYS on the hunt for food. If he hears anything that resembles any sort of food being opened or even eaten, he is RIGHT THERE, acting as if he hadn't eaten for weeks. I keep the dog treats in the laundry room, and even though a treat seldom comes out, he RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNS to the laundry room if he hears me go in {I have six kids, so I go into that room a lot!}.
He will be 1 next month and is currently being fed 3/4 cup kibble twice a day. He's lean, but not thin. Certainly not starving! He is just very motivated by food.
He is also the only of our two that LOVES any form of vegetable matter – eats lettuce, cabbage, brocolli, asparagus, green peas, snow peas....you name it, he loves it and will eat it until there is no more to eat.
Jazz, on the other hand, is more finicky. Will eat a few bites of some veggies, but won't touch lettuce or cabbage.Your boy sounds normal to me -- actually, not unlike a human boy, eh? LOL
Yea I guess he is normal. We were kind of lucky with our first two.
It was funny last night. My husband was in the basement with all three dogs. I was taking a breathier and went into our bedroom to watch tv. So I decided to open a bag of Starburst. Well it wasn't too long after the noise from opening the bag alerted Tyson to something good might be upstairs. He ran upstairs jumped on the bed and was smelling my mouth before I could unwrap the first Starburst! lol:D
Yea I guess he is normal. We were kind of lucky with our first two.
It was funny last night. My husband was in the basement with all three dogs. I was taking a breathier and went into our bedroom to watch tv. So I decided to open a bag of Starburst. Well it wasn't too long after the noise from opening the bag alerted Tyson to something good might be upstairs. He ran upstairs jumped on the bed and was smelling my mouth before I could unwrap the first Starburst! lol:D
LOL, Last night Keoki was sleeping –SLEEPING -- in his crate {open} in the next room, and I opened a caramel. It was like a flash of lightening! That dog was right by my side looking so hopeful, which is kind of funny because he's never been given a caramel, and in fact this was the first bag I've even purchased since long before he came to live here!
I give my dogs the tendons from petsmart.
They aren't fatty and let them chew for quite a while.
Ours act like they are always starving, but could loose a pound or two. If we let them, they would look like queen termites
LOL - what giggles are coming from me reading this, because just this morning as I was setting down 2 bowls of food for D & D, I said to my son - "Look at Duke & Daisy act like they've never been fed. They act like it's their last meal." They are not overweight, and their ribs are well covered with flesh. They eat twice a day +3/4 cups each feeding - plus treats. Duke used to free feed, but I ended that when Daisy came home. She would eat until she blows up! I think they just enjoy acting crazy for their food.
I saw Tyson & Lenny's parents at the Pet Expo a couple weeks ago. It was great to see them. My eyes were drawn like magnets to the Basenji. Kelly does keep her dogs a bit too lean for me. I like to feel some squish and not so much bone when I pet them - but that's just me.
Yeah, Kelli does like to keep her dogs lean… actually she fluxuates depending on if she’s doing more racing/lure coursing with them at the time or more shows. Her dogs definitely don’t go hungry though… and they are fed top of the line foods/supplements. I swear, sometimes I think she feeds her dogs better then she feeds herself! 
Anyway, I can’t say enough about Kelli… she’s been such a great resource for me in the past few years, even before I got Lenny or Tayda. Her basenjis were the first ones I ever met in person. At the time she only had 2, the mom and dad of Lenny and Tyson. I had read so much about how disobedient Basenjis could be and then I met her dogs who were impeccably trained. She really has put a TON of time into them. Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox now….
Oh couldn't agree with you more! I was amazed at how calm, sweet and socialized they are. I wanted to pet them so bad, but didn't want to upset them - you know how most B's are with strangers. They acted like I was "no big deal" standing and talking - I asked if I could pet one of them. Kelli said sure! I got to pet all 3 she had with her and back at her booth there were 2 others, equally calm as cucumbers. Kelli really has wonderful dogs . . . and so do both of you.
I've been doing a lot of unpacking in the last week or so and when i was unpacking my kitchen stuff, Tayda and lenny were lounging in the other room across the apartment. I have a bunch of containers I keep on the kitchen counter… with sugar, flour, brown sugar, etc etc in them. One of the containers has dog treats in them. When i unwrapped the sugar,flour, brown sugar containers, and replaced the lids on them, dogs did not come running. When I unwrapped the treat jar, they both bolted into the kitchen. Now, all the jars sound the same to me... how they knew when the treat jar was unpacked? who knows...
Oh couldn't agree with you more! I was amazed at how calm, sweet and socialized they are. I wanted to pet them so bad, but didn't want to upset them - you know how most B's are with strangers. They acted like I was "no big deal" standing and talking - I asked if I could pet one of them. Kelli said sure! I got to pet all 3 she had with her and back at her booth there were 2 others, equally calm as cucumbers. Kelli really has wonderful dogs . . . and so do both of you.
Tyson also has those same qualities as very calm, sweet, and very cuddly. I love his temperament. Each one of our b's have their own personality. One that thinks she is the boss, one that doesn't want to be bothered, and than lovable Tyson.
Also I did not intend my comments about Tyson being lean to be a criticism of Kelli. She did tell me she tends to keep her basenji's on the leaner side.
