Need Help with chewing, everything

[KitKat]

Eli has started chewing everyting.:p Most of the time if he is in side all you have to do is redirect him to a chew toy and he will be fine for awhile. The biggest problem is he is chewing the door frame and the siding outside. We put up a fence for him and Kitkat so they could run around and besafe. I know that he loves it out there. I think he does it when he wants in, or when be is bored and Kitkat doesn't want to play anymore. I was told you could put something on there that doesn't taste good, but not sure what or where to get. Any and all help would be apprecated.:) One more thing do all b's seem to have trouble with lisening when they turn 6months old. He has been a naughty boy. We tell him to do some thing or not to do something and he looks at me as if he saying make me. I feel as if Im talking to a teenager. If he could I know he would :rolleyes:.

[Basenjimamma]

Bitter sprpy, there are several options at the petstore and I even saw one at Walmart in the petsection, named Odoban, I believe. You can spray it on anything, it will taste really bad, I happen to get some in my mouth by mistake and it is horrible. It will not stain or ruin things…maybe leather or the like but not fabric, wood or anything like that.
I know the look, Otis gives me that on a daily basis...he is 5 months so I am "dreading" the 6-8 months stage ( I heard it gets worse before it gets better). The look makes me think of a cat, that is how cats are...I only come to you when I feel like it..not when you call me...funny and frustrating.

I hope the spray works, it works on Otis, we have sprayed a few chairs, and things like that, he now leaves them alone.

[lvoss]

Around 6 months old and around 18 months old are usually the most trying times with any dogs. If you browse shelter and rescue pages you will find many of the young dogs surrendered are around 6 months old or 18 months old.

As for the chewing, is there a reason he has to stay in the backyard or can you start bringing him in earlier so he doesn't have the chance to practice this behavior. As was stated in a different thread about a similar issue, basenjis really do prefer to be with their human pack.

[Shaye's Mom]

KitKat: I also have a 6 month old - she is firmly into her stage where she refuses to do what I want unless it suits her - we are in obedience classes, and sometimes she performs well, and sometimes it's just "Fuggetaboutit!" With the chewing, we had to put tea tree oil on all the rungs of our dining room chairs, and the bottoms of our end tables - seems to work, but it needs to be renewed weekly for her to stay away. Good luck to all of us with poopies!

[KitKat]

He ussally isn't outside for very long, they are in the house more than they are outside. But we do put them outside sence they both wont to be out in the sun. he really likes it when we leave the back door open so he can come in and out when ever he wants to. But I cant leave the door open all the time. I will check into the sprays. We will have to work on obedience more again. Eli goes in on Wed to be nutered. I hope this will help a little but not holding my breath.:)

[tanza]

Is there a way you could put in a doggy door? I think it is like what lvoss says… and also that he is bored (so maybe longer walks before being put outdoors, if they have to be out. I would think however that he wants to be in the house rather then outdoors and is expressing his dissatisfaction to being locked out.... And if they are OK in the house, wouldn't it just be easier to leave them in? And while I think it is good that you are having him neutered, that is not going to change the behavior you are seeing. He is still in those beginning teen years....

[KitKat]

Thanks for the info about the ages and tring times. We will work more with him.

[KitKat]

Not sure about a boggy door but we can look in to it. They are only out for maybe 30 min at a time. usally in the afternoon. Other than that they are in the house. They get put outside so they can release energy and sun there selfs. Other wise i have cats and dogs fighting over sunny window time. We thought about getting a water gun and squirting him when we hear him or see him chewing on stuff he shouldn't.

[nobarkus]

Mine is about 8-9 months and he tries to grab and chew things. Even after long hard walks or trips to the dog park. Safest place when I cannot supervise him is in the crate. I have found over the years that getting them out as much as possible and socializing helps to calm them down and mature. I was lucky with my first tri that she did not chew anything as a puppy.

[KitKat]

I know what you mean, my tri girl neveer chewwed on anything, but he's nother story. I wish i could crate him but he getts so stress that he just flipps out. My vet told me to try a faromon spray they have tried on other dogs, they said this might help him when he is in there. I have to see if the pet store carries it and how much it it. She told me it is pricy. I also now he is in his teen years. He has been a good boy it is just latley be has been acting up. I know we all will make through it on way or another.:p

[sharronhurlbut]

A tired b is a good basenji..I would get him into a basic obedience class and take him out for 3 very long walks!

[nobarkus]

@sharronhurlbut:

A tired b is a good basenji..I would get him into a basic obedience class and take him out for 3 very long walks!

Exactly! Also just taking them to all kinds of different places satisfies that curiosity thirst they have. Walk them on different routes, like people they get bored going the same old walk.

[KitKat]

He has been to 2 basic obebaince classes. I want to start taking him for walks, but I have to take him into town to do so. I live in the country next to a busy high way so I don't want to walk him around here so if ever gets out he doesn't take him self for a walk. right now he usally runs to the car to go.

[BlueBell]

Really glad to read this thread because my new 6-7 month old puppy is chewing on everything. She doesn't seem interested in chewing on her toys. I thought I had found something that worked which was a cow hoof but she managed in a couple of days to break it apart into pieces and then I felt things were getting dangerous for her. I don't know what to try that she will want to chew on that is safe and nondestructible. We walk several times a day and play Frisbee in the backyard so I feel like she is getting plenty of exercise but I could be wrong.

[tanza]

@BlueBell:

Really glad to read this thread because my new 6-7 month old puppy is chewing on everything. She doesn't seem interested in chewing on her toys. I thought I had found something that worked which was a cow hoof but she managed in a couple of days to break it apart into pieces and then I felt things were getting dangerous for her. I don't know what to try that she will want to chew on that is safe and nondestructible. We walk several times a day and play Frisbee in the backyard so I feel like she is getting plenty of exercise but I could be wrong.

This is the typical age for B's to be "really" a handful, you just need to make sure that you are watching her and redirect her when she chews things she should not… I know it sounds "simple" but it isn't, because you need to know where she is all the time. Have you tried toys that you put food in and they roll it around to get the food out? There are a number of different ones, one of the first to come out was the Buster Cube... Watch using hoofs as they can break their teeth... and if you ever step on one with bare feet, you will never give them that again..gggg

[lvoss]

Mental stimulation wears dogs out much more than physical exercise. Dogs are really built for physical activity so it take more of it to wear them out. A 15 minute training session can be more tiring for some dogs than a nice long walk. This is especially true when you are working on new behaviors.

Toys like Pat metioned are also good because they work the brain.

[BlueBell]

She has two toys that you put food in - a football and another one but she could care less. Maybe the food inside isn't desirable enough. Great a puppy who is a handful and a two year old grandson who I keep 3 days a week who is going through the terrible twos. So wonder Bella gets along so well with him and not as much with the 5 year old.

[Vicki]

My youngest Basenji is 16 months. She does well most of the time, but temptation being what it is gets the best of her. I have a 6x6 inch hole in my new mattress! I laundered the linens and the mattress pad. The house seemed too quiet. I checked on my dogs; on top of my bed were my two Basenjis and my terrier-mix … the youngest Basenji was pulling stuffing out of the mattress for the other two, and they were all having a ball....that is, until I walked in the room and screamed!!!

Gotta love 'em!

[BlueBell]

I am finding out quickly that if things are too quiet I better go find Bella. Most of the time she is asleep but there are those times that my tennis shoes or sandals are now becoming just chew toys. Upsetting but funny too. Kind of like my 2 year old grandson's antics.