Two new issues with Tayda. 1\. Growling @ my husband. 2\. Peeing inappropriately

[eeeefarm]

@Tayda_Lenny:

which last night resulted in her peeing on the dog bed I was wanting her to sleep in.

Yeah, I totally agree with whoever on here has the tag line about Basenjis being the exception to dogs not understanding spite! I've seen too much evidence to the contrary. Like cats, I believe they retaliate. She wasn't happy about being denied the couch!

Hate to suggest "better living through chemistry", but if the problem is anxiety, possibly some doggy "prozac" could help with the peeing issue? It worked like a charm for my niece's cat (who was stressed out by the other resident cats).

[Quercus]

It sounds to me like she isn't feeling good, so everything else is just pissing her off (no pun intended). She may have a UTI.

Oh, I just saw that you said you are pretty sure she *doesn't have a UTI. You might want to have her checked just be sure. One of ours will be crabby (and she normally never is) when she has a UTI.

[tanza]

And you have a double whammy with her having Fanconi, so hard to say why she might not be feeling well.

[nobarkus]

Vet check up and some blood work.

[eeeefarm]

@Quercus:

One of ours will be crabby (and she normally never is) when she has a UTI.

I can relate. Makes me crabby too! (and more inclined to pee. ) I concur. If there is any doubt, get her checked.

[Patty]

First thing with a change of behaviour in my opinion is a vet visit to check that all is well and that there is no physical cause.

My first reaction to the growling was why pick her up but i see that it is to remove her from the couch etc. Personally I don't use physical means to get a Basenji off furniture that they must keep off. I just use my voice. If this doesn't work keep a small tag on her collar and use that to pull her off saying 'Off' at the same time. She'll then soon learn the word. I don't agree either with holding her down when she growls. It seems to me that she feels challenged and hence the peeing in her bed when reprimanded. I wouldn't call it spite.

[eeeefarm]

@Patty:

I don't agree either with holding her down when she growls. It seems to me that she feels challenged and hence the peeing in her bed when reprimanded. I wouldn't call it spite.

Patty, I could be wrong, but I read that as keeping her down off the couch, not physically holding her down. Could be wrong. The reason I mentioned spite (if it isn't physical) is that I have had a bitch retaliate in exactly that way when she was displeased with me. But if it is indeed a UTI, the peeing is entirely understandable, of course. The choice of the place is what made me start thinking of alternative explanations.

[Quercus]

Yes, one of ours DEFINITELY peed to send a message on more than one occasion. Ivy got in trouble for something (so long ago, I don't remember what) and she ran directly into our room jumped on the bed, and peed on my pillow….

[lvoss]

Here is a link to a FAQ from Dogs and Storks. It recommends pretty much what you are doing, back to obedience basics. You may want to see if there is a Dogs and Storks presenter in your area that might be able to help you with a plan to prepare the dogs for the changes.

http://familypaws.com/fpaw/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/faq.pdf

[tanza]

@nobarkus:

Vet check up and some blood work.

Not Tayda_Lenny, but she gets lots of Vet checks since she is a Fanconi dog. So I am pretty sure that she is a visitor to the Vet office lots…..

[Tayda_Lenny]

Oh yes, we never HOLD her down - when I said we push her onto the floor - I just meant I nudge her so that she gets off the bed… then she's on the floor. She's never physically restrained.

She definitely gets plenty of vet checks and blood work - my next appointment for her is on Monday so we'll see how that goes. Her errant peeing really doesn't seem UTI related to me, particularly since it mainly happens when we've denied her something or when there's something "new" in the house and she pees on it seemingly to claim it from Lenny. Or her peeing in her ex-pen outside of the litter box - but even then it seems like she takes the time to move her bed out of the way and pee under it. So it is definitely deliberate.

So the vet check up is scheduled - obviously if something comes back amiss, that's where we'll start... but for the purposes of this thread - if it IS a behavioral issue - any other additional suggestions for that?

My husband started last night with his boot camp of making her sit for a treat before doing or getting ANYTHING. there was no errant peeing or growling last night - so I'll call that a success! We'll see how it goes from now on!

[eeeefarm]

@Tayda_Lenny:

My husband started last night with his boot camp of making her sit for a treat before doing or getting ANYTHING. there was no errant peeing or growling last night - so I'll call that a success! We'll see how it goes from now on!

If she begins to see your husband as more of an authority figure, that may help. The peeing thing…...dates from your most recent move, is that correct? I would read that as something that has changed is not to her liking. Since it seems also to be related to you denying her something, it may be a difficult thing to manage. (short of never doing anything she disapproves of!!) Good luck.

[Tayda_Lenny]

Yep, it's just with our most recent move, since May. Coincidentally, her setup at the previous two houses were very similar - she was blocked off in the kitchen with a big sliding door wall to look out of during the day and her bed was on top of, or next to a heating vent. Never had any issues with her peeing inappropriately - she always went in her litter box, even though there were two different carpets in the living/dining room area that she had access to. When we would come home, she wouldn't even get up out of her bed cause she was so comfy.

The setup of our new house is a bit different, namely in that she can either be confined to the living room where there is a big set of french doors to look out, or she can be confined in the kitchen/dining room, which has a heating vent, but no window to look out.

I wonder if it is something as ridiculous as that. She's just not as comfortable while we're gone and that makes her mad? lol.

[eeeefarm]

@Tayda_Lenny:

I wonder if it is something as ridiculous as that. She's just not as comfortable while we're gone and that makes her mad? lol.

With a Basenji that is entirely possible! My guy is not happy if he doesn't have access to something he wants. And he will certainly let me know if he feels it is time to put the fireplace on! (as would my last boy as well) Being warm is a huge priority for my guy, and being able to see out when he wishes is another one. I know he wouldn't be content if he had to choose between them.

[ownedbyspencer]

Absolutely, it can be something exactly like that! I have moved several times, too, and Spencer was fine until this last time. The setup is not to his liking here. The other houses had a fenced-in front yard, and he could lie on the porch, then run to the fence when people walked past on the sidewalk. He loved the social aspects of that. Here, the front yard is not fenced, it is difficult to look out and there is not much to see. He misses the other setup, and I can totally understand. Being able to see out seems to be a necessity to a curious dog, like a pampered Basenji. Next time, I'll make a better choice.

[Tayda_Lenny]

Hm… well maybe I could try putting her back in the kitchen with some kind of elevated perch for her to lay on that would enable her to look out a side window and be next to the heating vent. It's not quite the same, but maybe it will appease her to be able to look outside. It would be totally ridiculous if that was it. Stay tuned!

[sonnyboy]

@Tayda_Lenny:

Hm… well maybe I could try putting her back in the kitchen with some kind of elevated perch for her to lay on that would enable her to look out a side window and be next to the heating vent. It's not quite the same, but maybe it will appease her to be able to look outside. It would be totally ridiculous if that was it. Stay tuned!

you think it may sound crazy but leave it to my boy to prove this exactly true ;)….till Sonny was about 1.5 he lived with my brother next door to me. he would spend his day while my brother was at work laying ontop of the couch in the front window. the neighbors were amazed that he was just like a cat and would stay their ALL day sunning himself and keeping and eye on the neighborbood then Sonny came to live with me fulltime and he was very used to my apartment and spent most weekends with me so the change should not have been a huge adjustment for him. well the 1st few days I went to work he howled none stop while I was gone! I couldn't for the life of me figure out what his problem was....After a few days I paniced and with the windows open my neighbors were getting quite the concert while I was out of the house! come to figure out after about a week he was pissed off that I didn't have any furniture infront of window he could spend his day infront of! I now have a recliner in my kitchen just for Sonny because it was the only place with a good window and access to the goings on of the neighborhood...he hasn't howled since and spends his day pleasantly napping in his chair by the window! :rolleyes:

[ownedbyspencer]

Sounds like the jury is reaching a verdict. I put a bench with a high cushion in front of the window, too, and have learned to open the shutters all the way! I did not do this at first and I came home to scratches on the window sill and teeth marks on the plantation shutters where "someone" had stood on their hind legs to try and open them. Of course, he soon learned that a quick flick of his nose would do the trick, but no need– I'm a quick study and now leave them wide open.

This hasn't stopped the peeing from separation anxiety, but it has helped the vocal and frantic discontent at not being able to see out.

[Tayda_Lenny]

wow, I have to say this is pretty amusing. I'll give the window perch a try and see how it works. She did have access to the couch in the living room, but it was far away from the window and no heating vent. Perhaps that just wasn't good enough. ha ha.

[eeeefarm]

@ownedbyspencer:

and have learned to open the shutters all the way! I did not do this at first and I came home to scratches on the window sill and teeth marks on the plantation shutters where "someone" had stood on their hind legs to try and open them.

My venetian blinds suffered the same way when I tried to close them against the heat in the summer. No way I was taking away the "view". I have learned to live with the porch being hotter than it needs to be, as long as "he who must be obeyed" is happy.

When you think of it, from a Basenji point of view it must be tough to have clueless "staff"!