Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Behavioral Issues
  3. Problem with Crating !!!!

Problem with Crating !!!!

Behavioral Issues
  • A

    We are having major problems training our 5 month old Basenji to stay in his crate. He freaks out when we close the door, crys, screams, poops and pees. We feed him in his crate, he sleeps every night in his crate (with the door open) but as soon as we close it he freaks. Does anyone have any suggestions?????

    0
  • J

    He does not want to be alone and might feel trapt with door shut. Maybe he needs a brother or sister to keep him company. Give it time and he will adjust slowly.

    0
  • B

    Has he been good all along? Our girl was terrible the first week we got her but we rode it out and she sleeps all night happily in there now, I was tempted to leave the door open also but afraid she would get into trouble. It was hard but try ignoring the screaming, that is what we did and it worked.

    0
  • KanangaK

    Some dogs will simply be crate phobic, and it takes a bit of work to try and reverse that mentality with them.

    Kananga is crate phobic but he has improved over the years. Initially though, he was allowed full roam because crating was not an option. He was not destructive while outside of the crate so it worked out very well. Over time he has gotten more comfortable with his crate when shutting the door. I'll do this time to time when I'm cleaning to help isolate him, and he will be OK for a short period of time. I would never leave him in there and leave my home though, I know he still has that phobia and will injure himself while I'm gone.

    You will either have to work through the phobia with proper conditioning, or accept the fact they are not willing to be crated and find a way to leave them out while you are gone. I don't have much experience trying to reverse the phobia as with Kananga it was very strong and he was fine to just be out all day, but I know others on here have had success with working through it when crating is a must and free roam is not an option.

    0
  • Shaye's MomS

    Some people have said that if you keep the crate next to your bed and put your fingers in when they get frantic it will help Personally, I was never able to successfully crate Shaye - all our overnight troubles stopped when we just let her spend the night with us. She has been able to sleep through the night and wait till morning to go out to do her business since she was about 13 weeks. As for the trouble they get into, it never happened overnight, and when we got her a companion, the panic over our leaving her also went away. She still finds trouble to get into if we aren't careful, but that's just the breed. She's over 3 now, and seems to be a little better. She never has been crated, nor has her basenji/sheltie mix sister, and we are all just fine overnight. Just saying. We are older, and neither of us ever even heard of crating until we got our basenji, so maybe we aren't the ones to advise you.

    0
  • Chealsie508C

    It's true, I've never had to even think about crating until I got Oakley. All previous breeds were no problem staying loose in the house, oak is very house destructive so that was a no go, we also went through crate phobia but at 16 months he tolerates it better than I ever imagined

    "I know I've found the breed for me because he totally turns my life upside down and I love it!"

    0

Suggested Topics

  • I

    Crate Problem

    Behavioral Issues
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    7k Views
    S
    Yesterday it was three poops on the morning walk :-)
  • I

    Chewing problems

    Behavioral Issues
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    5k Views
    Shaye's MomS
    @Rocky1: Basenjis chew,this s a fact of life. It might sound like a crazy thing to do,but I bite my pups back. It teaches them that I'M THE BOSS ! It has worked for me for the almost 36 years that I've lived with the little beastys. You can call me crazy,or wrong I don't care Works for me,and my dogs all respect me,and love me. Kathryn Wow, Kathryn - that's funny! I'm sure you just nibble a little. Their feet smell like Tostitos, so just wondering -does the rest of the dog taste like a snack??? LOL
  • KipawaK

    Marking problem

    Behavioral Issues
    47
    0 Votes
    47 Posts
    22k Views
    KipawaK
    @Therese: I avoid calling him dominant because that word seems to draw fire in the dog world with new training methods and I don't really know that describes what he is. Sober is also a therapy dog and exceptionally good with small children and the tiniest of dogs. He completely respects me and my husband and without much formal training is probably one of my best trained dogs. That said he (who Kipawa is very much like) is very strong willed. When Fran took Kipawa we warned her consistant fair ongoing training would give her a Sober in her house, but letting him take over or encouraging it will likely give him license to challenge situations. I think she and Darrell understand this and are doing a great job. I think continuing what they plan will be great and they will have an amazing adult dog when he is finished. Kipawa is out of a line that matures very slowly and for his health and well being we believe in his case it would be good to wait to neuter him when he is fully mature. I think the key is changing the behavior, by peeing Kipawa out (maybe only a dribble will remain as would with my boys) it will likely not cause as much embarassment or damage while the behavior is corrected. If Kipawa has his dad's bladder (which he did when he lived here) he can pee quite a lake if left to his own.Therese I am so thankful, Therese, for you and Kevin guiding us with Kipawa. As you mention Sober's peeing ability, Kipawa is definitely the same. He does have a healthy, big bladder. He gets a good pee right before we go to bed around 10:30 p.m., and upon rising at 7:30 a.m., he is not interested in going out right away to pee. He needs/wants his 'loves' in the morning. We do that 'within' our morning routine. I have a coffee first, at which time he sits with me, and after that he goes out for his first morning sniffs of the day and a pee. Then he is fed. We are using the technique of 'peeing him out', and that is really working for us. After about 4 good long leg lifts, he usually only has drops left. Then when those go, the problem of peeing on people is 'eliminated'. Kipawa is also going to be a therapy dog like his Dad Sober (meet and greet paraplegic and quadriplegic folks). He is very loving to any human he meets. We are working very hard on the 'good neighbour' requirements and we have accomplished many of them. And we have decided to leave Kipawa intact until he is fully mature. Over the last week I have spoken to and read so much information on the detriments of neutering. As Therese said, being fair and firm lets Kipawa know who the leader is. Perhaps that is a better word than dominant - just indicate your dog is a 'lead dog'.
  • C

    Problems with other dogs

    Behavioral Issues
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    3k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    djaan, how about removing your spam link… then people might think your posts are serious.
  • P

    Major Crate Training Problems

    Behavioral Issues
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    8k Views
    JazzysMomJ
    As some of you may recall, I had HORRIBLE problems getting Keoki to crate – took me until he was 9 mos old {and three crates!!} before he would sleep at night at all w/out screaming and shredding his bedding. For him, the issue was NOT crating, but separation. I could put him in the crate and while wasn't crazy about it, he would lie down and go to sleep as long as I was in the room w/him. As soon as I moved to leave, he would go absolutely insane. X-pen didn't work either as he tore his nose up while moving the pen across the floor. I finally bought a large crate {-a great dane could be comfy in our current crate} and we crate Keoki and Jazz together. Jazz would prefer to be alone, but she has always been a dog that rolls with the punches, so she does fine. Keoki now runs to his crate if I just say, "Go to bed". They go to bed at 10 PM and although I open the crate door at 5:30 AM, the seldom come out before 9 AM. I can crate them when guests are over if necessary {Jazz gets uncomfortable if too many people are over}, when we go out, and all night w/no complaints. {I am home all day, most days}. My family says he still whines at the window for a few minutes any time I leave the house, which is funny to me because he doesn't seem to be particularly attached to me when we're all home together although both dogs seem to know that I am THE MAMA and they behave best and listen most to me. I wonder how often the dog's anxious behavior in crates is like Keoki - not a crating problem, but a separation anxiety issue.
  • C

    He just hates his crate. Anyone else with this problem?

    Behavioral Issues
    28
    0 Votes
    28 Posts
    15k Views
    QuercusQ
    @JazzysMom: Dare I hope? Last night I put Keoki into his crate all by himself, with the new bedding – a fake fleece crate pad and the cat bed pillow -- and he went right in, went to sleep, and slept quietly until 6 AM!! He didn't even fuss when I got up, but waited with waggly tail until I opened the door! I'm afraid to get too excited, lest this be a cruel fluke, but wow~ it's exciting!! That would be great! Here's hoping!