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Basenji, I'm Overwhelmed…..HELP!!!

Behavioral Issues
  • Buddys PalB

    Hey noob! First welcome, and yes you are in the right place for information! MacPack has a good reply and tlish….I have had my boy Uzie for 3months now. He was crated at the breeder, then about 20 hours a day by the previous owner for the next 10 months. He is only crated at various time now, but he still baroos if left in for over 2hours. My mentioning this is just to let you know it is so wrong to keep him in that wire box for too long. It has taken me the 3months to help him overcome separation anxiety, counter-clockwise circles of anxiety, and then some. They need stimulation, stimulation, exertion with a running exercise, and then some for mental health. Can you actually have a doggy day care, or 'dog sitter' break up the day? I realize you go to work and school, so do you think you are doing right by having any dog????? esp a Basenji. Please do not crate him at night, this is at least the bonding time for you all as a 'pack' Please think through the scenario of the situation thoroughly. Maybe a cat for companionship? They do better alone as a species than a dog....(you said no matter how harsh...)

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  • Buddys PalB

    I just read through the entire previous 6 pages. I will tell you that he probably keeps on screeming all day. Uzie did per the previous owners' housemates…...NOT HEALTHY FOR HIM. poor Buddy.....

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  • DebraDownSouthD

    Folks ignore Pottypuppy… spammer link to blog selling.

    Debra

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  • S

    Help! My basenji is bitting

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    DebraDownSouthD
    @kjdonkers said in Help! My basenji is bitting: @DebraDownSouth No use for further discussion, if everyone outside your sphere of reference is a quack, a nut job, a con artist. Different planets. Stay healthy! Everyone outside of provable or at least probably science, especially when they peddle for money, does fit my definition of quack and cons. But I slept with a bar of soap in desperation with restless leg syndrome. I have tried things that have almost as little scientific basis, but I do so armed with knowing that. My issue is people selling things as science/proven when they aren't. My issue is vulnerable, desperate or uneducated people getting taken in by hustlers. Not a different planet, just the science based and honest part of the same one. Having seen too many people hurt, or their animals hurt, or children hurt, by false science/medicine/therapies... I am sorry that you think belief in scientific proof and honesty about what is or is not proven is wrong. If someone says to me, "I drink vinegar and it helps my arthritis, but there's no research proving it works"... good. I might even try it. But when some quack says "pay me $100 and I'll tell you why your dog bites or where your missing child is or if your husband is cheating on you or whatever"... they deserve to be horsewhipped. I am sorry if I sounded dismissive to you personally. It wasn't my intent. It was reaction to what you wrote. In general, we're on common ground. We don't have to agree on things to stay on the same planet. :)
  • R

    New to the basenji world, need HELP!

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    C
    @DebraDownSouth: Andrea, great post. I have taught many dogs bite inhibition at a much older age, though… only thing you wrote I don't heartily agree with. Yes, I understand that it is possible but I'd like to know more about it. Generally it's accepted that teaching remedial ABI is difficult to do at best, at least amongst the trainers I know, talk to and read. Dunbar says he's done it but I tried to pin him down at a seminar and he was evasive. I was hoping to get specifics, training program and how to test it or pointed at one. He said to buy his DVDs. I did. Best I could find was teaching a better ritualized bite and jaw prudence and done my best to scour books and websites as well (and speaking with colleagues, natch). What I found didn't really satisfy me. I mean, when I think of teaching ABI, I am thinking of teaching it so that it holds up even under duress since that's when it's most important. For instance a colleague was recently contacted about a Level 5 biter. If it's possible to teach reliable ABI in adult dogs THAT dog should be a candidate for sure. I'd love to assist someone teaching it to a dog like that, or in training a dog that has poor ABI with other dogs. How could you train and test that safely or humanely? What is the liability there? Pretty serious, I would think. I do remember my first basenji experience though. I have trained and worked with dogs my entire adult life. So imagine my surprise when squeaking caused her to bite MORE, lol. Change of tactics. Life offers us so many opportunities to learn new things. :) Ah yes, I've had one of those. I changed to a calm "too bad" and then removing myself. Worked MUCH better. Depends on the dog. EDIT: I just looked at the site you linked and what she is talking about is what I refer to as 'jaw prudence'. When I use ABI, I'm referring to how hard the dog bites when it bites, not if it puts its mouth on you. For instance, your Rottie I would say had great ABI but iffy jaw prudence. OTOH, there are dogs with great jaw prudence but the one time they use their mouths they do it will full jaw force. I'd much prefer the former.
  • J

    Basenjis that can't stand other basenjis

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    wizardW
    My previous males never had an opportunity to meet other basenjis (outside their breeder kennel) so don't know if the experience with my current female is "typical" or not. The first time she encountered another, it was a tri-color older female that was a real bitch and instantly got aggressive (now whenever they see each other its "hackles up"). The first time I took her to a lure coursing event, mine was friendly enough until a little blind female came up and bit her. The second time I took her to a LGRA event, a lady came up behind us (while mine was trying to potty) with her tricolor female and her dog attacked mine. So now hackles go up any time another female comes within shouting distance.
  • CRHenn2C

    Help - My Basenji hates my boyfriend!

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    AndrewA
    I'm on the "boyfriends come and go, but you chose to bring this dog into your life, forever, not just as long as it was convenient" bandwagon. Maybe this is offensive or rude, but I can't see giving either of my girls up for ANYTHING. Callie has the most even temperment, and has never ever met a stranger. Lola can be snobbish about people, and she has to sometimes get to know them on her terms. Once they are friends, they are friends for life, but it is my responsibility to ensure that every person she meets is a good experience. I know she is scared of children, which has to do with her "breeder" not socializing her properly and allowing her to come home with me too early. So I never ever force her to meet children. Instead, when I know we will be somewhere where we will likely run into children, I take treats. Anytime little kids run up to her, I stand in front of Lola, and explain to the children she is scared of them. I instruct them how to politely introduce themselves to Lola, and I give them treats or kibble to let Lola eat out of their hands. Thus, I control Lola's interactions with children so they are always positive experiences, and she comes to associate "big scary monster children" with "yummy food and soft pats on the head". It is a slow process, and I have to respect that some children are too little to understand how to interact with her politely. In those cases, I hold Lola & tell the children she isn't feeling up to company at the moment. Each situation is unique, and there are just some children Lola doesn't feel comfy with, so I don't force the issue too much. I guess my long winded soapbox is to say, have patience, take baby steps, and do what's best for the being that you committed to caring for.
  • kiyapapayaK

    The Alpha Theory and Basenji's

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    tanzaT
    Honestly, I think that all dogs require having someone in the leadership role, setting the rules, boundaries and gaining their respect… I also believe that all humans in the pack should be "above" the dog in that pack pecking order. I really don't think that it applies to just our Breed.... Even in Basenjis you have different personalities ranging from dominate, shy and everything in between...
  • S

    I'm So Happy!!!!

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    jennifereverJ
    i was really worried about taking my new basenji to the dog park this past weekend, because his last owner said he was bad with other dogs, but he had so much fun! i'm proud of him! he even got a girlfriend (and boyfriend!!) (this gorgeous rosey light fawn-greyish colored italian greyhound - absolutely beautiful!) and then this grey male i.g. started humping him, lol.. that's the boyfriend :p . so good job to your basenji! it's so nice to see them get along with others!