Skip to content

Leash training

Basenji Training
  • Hi there, I have 2 Basenjis ( 1 male 1 female ) and they like to pull…..especially when they see another dog. It seems to come and go as an issue. My wife is 6 months pregnant and she will sometimes have to walk the dogs alone with the little one and having dogs that get crazy when another one shows its face is not good. Pulling in general isnt good. Another thing, its usually one that is super excited/anxious/crazy to see the new dogs and when they start pulling the other usually lashes out at the puller. Im assuming trying to correct it. You im sure know the noises basenjis make and this creates a big scene as well. Just looking foradvice as to how others have handled it. I know patience and being calm are an asset or must, but it is trying at times. Thanks in advance, sorry for the ramble. :)

  • My most hated thing is a dog pulling on a leash. Fortunately, loose leash walking isn't that hard to train. I can take a feral dog and have it loose leash walking in a week. Unfortunately, because their pulling is related to excitement over other dogs, you have quite a bit more work to do with this.

    Loose Leash Walking
    http://www.clickerlessons.com/looseleash.htm

    Leave it
    http://www.clickerlessons.com/leaveit.htm

  • @DebraDownSouth:

    My most hated thing is a dog pulling on a leash. Fortunately, loose leash walking isn't that hard to train. I can take a feral dog and have it loose leash walking in a week. Unfortunately, because their pulling is related to excitement over other dogs, you have quite a bit more work to do with this.

    Loose Leash Walking
    http://www.clickerlessons.com/looseleash.htm

    Leave it
    http://www.clickerlessons.com/leaveit.htm

    Very good articles, Debra. Kipawa still does some pulling, so I am going to work with him on the suggestions given. I am not 100% happy with the obedience class we are in. There were 12 dogs there last week, which is a huge distraction for my social Kipawa. Of course, he needs to focus on me, so in a way, the number of dogs there is a good training item for him too.

    Thank goodness there are folks on here like you on this forum that over the years have found all of these excellent websites.

  • My male rottie was definitely male dog aggressive (except little dogs that he allowed to terrorize, chase – I swear you could see him laughing -- and pretended fear of). The best command I ever taught him was "look at me". It enabled me to take him into crowded dog shows and anywhere because the second I gave the command, he locked his eyes on me. I then gave the "leave it" command. Once a dog at obedience (my 8 yr old child did obedience with him for HER practice) a Great Dane puffed up and challenged him. From 20 feet away he obeyed both look at me and leave it. (They removed the Dane from the class permanently.)

    Loose leash walking is so simple. You stop, or back up, the second there is ANY pressure on the line. No pop jerk, just back up.

    THAT said, if you plan to show, you want a dog working the line to show enthusiasm so don't make the pressure too light, lol. Show dogs don't look good heeling. :)

  • Has your breeder helped you at all?
    If they are pulling as bad as you say, it sounds like it would be easier to work with them if you were walking them one at a time.
    Yes, it means more time on your part, but you have two dogs that need training.
    You could also try using a Halti-Collar..those work great for training a BADsenji. Don't go by the sizes on there… unless your dogs are monster-sized... Basenjis actually wear a Size 1.

  • Love that Kathy…. BADsenji!!!!! Too perfect

Suggested Topics

  • Whistle training

    Basenji Training
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    3k Views
    KipawaK
    @agilebasenji: for this sort of thing (big value treats over long time period), the best thing i've found to use is frozen liverwurst. i buy it, slice it and put it in a small container (the leftover cream cheese containers work GREAT for this) then put the container in the freezer. the pup gets to lick the frozen stuff for her high value treat - LOTS of treat over a long time, but not lots of calories or lots of treats in the tummy. the dogs at my house swear liverwurst pupcicles are wonderful. sometimes they will try to nibble, but given it's frozen and in a small container, it's hard to get lots of treats. I will try this, but I myself love liverwurst. Hopefully I will not eat it all before getting to the park. At the park today, I was about 75% successful with the whistle/treat recall. Not bad for the first time out, I think. Especially because there were easily 20 dogs there, and Kipawa is Mr. Social and has to visit with all of them.
  • Leash training

    Basenji Training
    33
    0 Votes
    33 Posts
    15k Views
    agilebasenjiA
    quick note- I don't feed raw; i feed a grain free commercial dog food (there are now quite a few on the market) and have been very happy. I do feed some cooked muttloaf (http://www.maryshouse.us/Recipes.htm) with the evening meal.
  • A good leash

    Basenji Training
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    4k Views
    P
    My Basenjis agree that leather is much nicer!! They eat them asap.!! So far the metal parts have escaped! Any one would think I don't feed them!! However I think that there is nothing nicer than a good leather lead, I keep mine for best or when I don't have too many dog out together so that I can't watch them all at the same time. I use a 2cm for walking and a 1cm for showing.
  • Crate training

    Basenji Training
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    4k Views
    basenji_fanB
    When you feed him in the crate and close do you walk away? I had a foster that was terrified of the crate and also suffered terrible anxiety w/peeing in the crate too. So I would feed him in the crate and then close the door and sit right there with him. At first I only closed the door half way, did that way for about a week then was able to close it all the (without latching) for another week. I would sit right next to the crate and praise him for eating his meals. Then I would scoot a few feet back at one meal, move back at the next and do that for a for a few times. Then I would stay at the few feet back. It is a slow process but it really really helped him in his crate training process and getting him over his fear. I was soon able to feed him in his crate and walk away. He was running to his crate and sitting for his meals. He still had his anxiety for long periods w/the peeing problem but we even worked on that were we could leave for short times and he wouldn't pee in his crate
  • Questions on training

    Basenji Training
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    6k Views
    jkhandjlsJ
    THANK YOU!! I finally feel there is somebody out there that 'gets it'. Our girl does not respond to any of the 'pack leader' stuff - I'm sure she was dumped because she is just such a stinker. Everytime I hit bottom somebody helps me through the disaster with encouragment (that's why I joined this group.) THANK YOU for your good thougths - things do progress - her private trainer is coming this weekend & we're doing the prong collar. Last night she sat in her crate for almost 45 minutes. No matter what, she's here to stay & she is so darn cute!!!!! That tail is really precious - thank you so much for all your e-support!! Joanne & Sophie:) :) :) :)
  • Loose Leash Training a Basenji

    Basenji Training
    21
    0 Votes
    21 Posts
    14k Views
    J
    Wow. I didn't realize it was so difficult to get Bs to walk nicely. I guess we had a lot of the "dirty work" done for us by the breeder. Joey, we got him at 10 months, walks superbly on his leash. I do need to remind him sometimes, but he gets back in line right away. The breeder tells me to be sure they know who is boss with every issue. I do see a difference with each of my kids that take Joey out and Joey knows who he can be tougher with and who he really has to listen to.