Fostering a Basenji

[lvoss]

It it sounds like Lita didn't get alot of socialization during her critical development periods and you are seeing some of the after effects of that. She most likely didn't experience different environments in her first 16-20 weeks with new sights and sounds and didn't develop the coping skills that well socialized dogs did. Coming from a situation with 20+ dogs, she also probably didn't get much human contact so probably doesn't associate people with good things happening.

You can help Lita learn that people are sources of good things by hand feeding her. At, first, start with just hand feeding, when she gets comfortable eating her meals that way, start touching her while she eats, place you hand on a body part and as long as you are touching her she gets to eat, remove the hand and the food stops. Then progress to actually holding a part like her foot while she eats so that she starts associating touch with good things happening, this will really help for vet care and grooming. When you can't hand feed her, use food puzzle toys so that she gets some mental stimulation to help with some of the excess energy. A Kong Wobbler, regular Kong, Treat Stik, Busy Buddy, or one of the many others will help them burn some mental energy.

You may also want to see if there is a good positive reinforcement instructor in your area and if they offer discounts for foster homes. They will help you build your tool kit and better the communication between you and Lita.

[new2basenjis]

Thank you both so much for your responses. I don't have much time today to respond; my son has a basketball tournament all day today and I'll be gone until this evening. Luckily, my daughter will be home with Lita today so she won't spend all day in the crate.

I will look into the basenji rescue organization when I have more time, and moth, thank you so much for your condolences for my Cocoa. I am still in tears at times, I miss her so much. She was my first experience as an adult owned by a pet. She was fantastic.

Anyway, I'll check back later, I'm running late. I have more to say about Lita, too. She is really sweet, just VERY shy.

[Patty M]

Welcome to the Basenji Forum, and like the others, I'm sorry to hear about Cocoa… I lost my 1.5 yr old girl last September, Zeba, when she was hit by a car, and I still am not "over" her... like you said, we humans were owned by our pets.

Thank you, as well, for opening your home to Lita. While you haven't really given yourself time to mourn Cocoa, I'd say that it's safe to assume that the two dog breeds are completely different.

If you take time to read the pages found here on the forum, it's very true that basenjis are very intelligent dogs, and you'll read pages and pages of basenji antics. They aren't being naughty, per se, they are just being "b's", lol. I don't think I've ever seen a basenji on Cesar Milan's TV shows, because using his techniques and tactics will not work with basenjis. If Lita's last owner subscribed to the "COME! I'm the human, you must be submissive to me!" attitude, and when that didn't work, resorted to hitting... well, that's the effect you'll see in Lita's fear of people.

It takes time and patience to help Lita.... and commitment from you and your family. I will tell you that if you allow Lita to wiggle into your heart, she will be there forever... we have two other basenji girls, Lola and Becca, and we've had Lola for 1.5 years and Becca for 1 year. I think it's safe to say that they are truly feeling like we are THEIR pack, and that they aren't going to be bounced anywhere anytime soon.

Hearts and Roos to you- Patty

[DebraDownSouth]

If you teach her trust and love with humans, she carries that learning to a new home. While I think all dogs have some adjustments going into a new home, kindness from a foster home beats being in a shelter until a permanent home is found.

[new2basenjis]

Lita has been having a good day today! She woke me up at about 4 am whimpering in her crate, something she hadn't done before. I let her out and, without turning on any lights, she went outside and pee-pee'd outside, came back in went in her crate-with a treat waiting in it–and went back to sleep. My alarm sounded at 7 am and she bounced onto my bed, tail wagging and happy as can be! I must not have latched in correctly in the dark, but she didn't try to get out until she heard the alarm.

After breakfast, potty, and some play she laid down and got a belly and chest rub. While she was still I lifted her onto my body and she relaxed there for a while for more rubs. My daughter informed me that while I was away at yet another basketball tournament, she curled up voluntarily on her lap and took a nap. I think she's warming up to us.

Thanks everyone for all your advice and kind words. Time, patience, and lots of love we are giving to Lita and she seems to be responding well.

[eeeefarm]

That's excellent news! Sometimes you just need a bit of time for things to come together. Hopefully this is the start of a wonderful relationship!

[Moth]

How wonderful to hear that little Lita is adjusting

Please keep us posted on her progress…

[YodelMa]

I fostered (and later adopted) a 2 y/o totally unsocialized puppy mill Basenji and the two most valuable pieces of advice were 1) Hand feed A LOT and 2) Don't force anything on the dog like picking up, "cuddling"–especially hard if you have younger kids at home.

If you follow those two rules you'll go a long way to establishing trust and preparing Lita for her forever family. But it sounds like she may have been bounced around a bit already, so if you can keep her for a little while it might help her relax and understand that humans really ARE ok : )

[Buddys Pal]

@new2basenjis:

After breakfast, potty, and some play she laid down and got a belly and chest rub. While she was still I lifted her onto my body and she relaxed there for a while for more rubs. My daughter informed me that while I was away at yet another basketball tournament, she curled up voluntarily on her lap and took a nap. I think she's warming up to us.

.

Sounds like you may be warming up to her, and who knows, this may be the breed for you and you didn't know it, I didn't and now I have my second!!!!

[DebraDownSouth]

What a wonderful update!

[new2basenjis]

Here are a couple of pics of Lita. Do you guys agree that she looks like a Basenji mix?

[eeeefarm]

The face certainly looks Basenji, other than the ears.

[Patty M]

Oh, she's adorable! I love her wrinkles!

[new2basenjis]

@eeeefarm:

The face certainly looks Basenji, other than the ears.

Yeah, her ears kinda remind me of a Whippet.

[krunzer]

Looks like some sort of B mix. Got 4 white feet, some wrinkles on her forehead. She is a cutie! Does she bark or yodel?

[Kipawa]

I think Lita is well on her way to worming herself into your heart! What good news.

[new2basenjis]

@Kipawa:

I think Lita is well on her way to worming herself into your heart! What good news.

No, still at this point, Lita is still a foster dog. I care about her, and I wonder what her poor short life was like. It must have been hell, because this is one very anxious girl. She is exhausting me.

This morning she would not even go off the porch. She just paced and cried. I tried to engage her with her ball, but she was too anxious to distract. We came in and she paced until I started getting ready for a walk. She was so excited! She got into her little puppy play pose when she saw the lead! It was cute.

After our 45 min walk, she came home and paced some more and cried. Nothing would distract her, so I ignored her for a while. Eventually, she curled up in a little doggy ball on the couch at my feet.

Soon enough, a car door slammed, and she was up pacing again. So, I ignored her again. It didn't take as long this time for her to assume doggy ball position at my feet again.

As I started to write this, she was pacing again, so I ignored her and this time she began to occupy herself with a chew toy! Yay! I'm tired!–On Christmas day, I kid you not, she played with her ball for 7 1/2 hours straight--about 5 of those hours I spent playing with her. She throws it at your feet and looks up at you expectantly--it's hard to say no.

Uh oh, now she?s pacing again....Did I say I was tired?

[new2basenjis]

I should add, I think Lita would do well in a home with another dog. Sometimes she paces and cries when she hears other dogs bark. Oh and yes, she does bark, but only when she spies someone out front while in the yard, or when someone enters the house. She's not a yodeler, but her bark does get kind of howl-like when she's really excited.

[krunzer]

What about a Kong with peanut butter inside of it or a Bully stick for her to chew on or a beef bone? Maybe that would get her interested enough to stop pacing and settle down with it for a while. I wonder why she is so anxious when you are there and won't settle down. Kind of sounds like she needs a job to do, something to keep her mind entertained. You can buy those big Wobbly Kongs that have a keyhole in the front. You can put her kibbles in there and she has to knock it over to get any out. My dogs love this and it makes their mind work, which in turn makes them tired!

[dcmclcm4]

I would suggest having her be with other dogs especially since she came from a place with so many of them. She will learn from the other dogs. She may not engage with them at first but just watch them. This is how many of my dog auction rescues first behaved since most of them had never been out of a crate! They learn behaviors from the other dogs especially playing, etc. and even being on grass.

Jennifer