New Girl in Town

[ouidah]

My basenji mix (photograph on my profile) comes from a home that seemed to spoil her tremendously.

1. Roxy only has interest in eating if it's people food. I would like to transition her to high-end kibble. I have been able to get her to eat dehydrated lamb and potatoes. But, honestly, I will not be able to afford this on a regular basis. Any suggestions?

2. Roxy jumps on people. I know (or have read in various dog training manuals) this is her trying to be the alpha, and I am not okay with it. How do I break her of the habit? I have had all of my other basenjis and basenji mixes from puppyhood, so I am a bit overwhelmed by the thought of breaking a 2 year old dog of bad behaviors.

[lvoss]

@ouidah:

2. Roxy jumps on people. I know this is her trying to be the alpha, and I am not okay with it. How do I break her of the habit? I have had all of my other basenjis and basenji mixes from puppyhood, so I am a bit overwhelmed by the thought of breaking a 2 year old dog of bad behaviors.

This is not her trying to be alpha, it is a lack of impulse control and a long reinforcement history for doing it.

I recommend doing some It's Yer Choice to start gaining some impulse control, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipT5k1gaXhc

Also, see what she knows, sit, down, etc and start asking for an incompatible behavior in the situations that she is jumping up on people.

Dr. Sophia Yin has some great video in her library for these sort of situations. Check out Say Please By Sitting, http://drsophiayin.com/resources/videos/

[tanza]

@ouidah:

My basenji mix (photograph on my profile) comes from a home that seemed to spoil her tremendously.

1. Roxy only has interest in eating if it's people food. I would like to transition her to high-end kibble. I have been able to get her to eat dehydrated lamb and potatoes. But, honestly, I will not be able to afford this on a regular basis. Any suggestions?

2. Roxy jumps on people. I know this is her trying to be the alpha, and I am not okay with it. How do I break her of the habit? I have had all of my other basenjis and basenji mixes from puppyhood, so I am a bit overwhelmed by the thought of breaking a 2 year old dog of bad behaviors.

About food, only give her the food you want her to eat… all dogs will eat when they are hungry, they will not starve themselves (of course making sure that they are in good health first). Put the food down for her... give her 15 minutes to eat, if she doesn't eat or finish it, pick it up till it is the next scheduled time to eat.

About jumping.... does she know sit and/or down? Before you pet her or let people into the house, put her is a sit stay or down stay. No one acknowledges her until she is in a sit/down stay and remains calm. And jumping on people is not always a way of being alpha...