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HELP! I LOVE her, but..

Behavioral Issues
  • She's a terror! My Basenji/Maltese mix refuses to listen to any sort of command or name referral, she urinates on the carpet frequently (even after a stern NO! in the process and being taken to the wee wee pad), she has extreme separation anxiety (tears/rips bags, paper, shoes.. anything she can get her mouth on), digs into furniture and peoples' arms if she doesn't get enough attention, and gnaws on arms and hands. I absolutely love her and she is so incredibly affectionate and sweet.. but her behavioral skills are horrendous! I do work 5 days a week and live alone.. however, on my work days either my father or boyfriend will stop by to walk her and spend time with her.. and 2 out of the 5 days, she spends the whole day with my boyfriend! (who is VERY good with dogs and the stern voice/patience) What more can I do?!

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    @joan-duszka said in Sisterly “love”: Sometime it makes sense, wolves dont allow any one but alpha female to breed, and if someone disobeys the rules she will pay mightily for it. Wild dogs also. Perhaps spaying might help and it sure would not hurt. Good,luck to you..always be vigilent.<< Long dispelled observation, only fit confined packs. https://io9.gizmodo.com/why-everything-you-know-about-wolf-packs-is-wrong-1664301968. https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_12/features/Alpha-Dogs_20416-1.html Nor am I glib on spay/neuter. Will it help? Probably not. But go inti it eyes open: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/long-term-health-risks-benefits-spay-neuter-dogs/
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    I have an extremely expensive long shearling coat (not short cropped shearling, but long fluffy shearling). The only way I can get out of the house with that coat is to carry it over my head and put it on outdoors. When any of my 4 basenjis see the coat, it is like they go into a whole other zone - they will even try to jump up in the air to get it when I'm carrying it over my head. I am not even slightly exaggerating. The basenjis have never seen which closet in the house the coat lives in - and I'm vigilant about that. My Ugg boots suffered the attack of basenjis so needed to be replaced with something "less appealing" this year. So I would say fluff loving is genetic…
  • Help with Jack

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    Have you discussed this behavior with his breeder? Have you tried a behaviorist? And are you sure it was the full thyroid panel, not just the one part that is done with Vet's regular blood work?
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    @sharronhurlbut: Re car rides, this is going to sound odd, but it does work for me and my 2 dogs. Even if you have walked your dogs before a car trip, I find the excitement of the "get into the car" and going makes there guts act up. So, here is what we do. We take the dogs a lot on vacation when we go by car. We walk the dogs in the am, feed and water. Get them into the car. Drive about 2 miles and stop and let them out to walk. Both always pee and poo when we stop. Once back in the car, they settle and are quiet. About a hr or so into the ride, they start to get "ACTIVE" again…we stop at a rest area, they go, and then they sleep the rest of the way. Could be the excitement of leaving home, the motion of the car or whatever, but these stops, even tho you want to get going...make the trip much easier on all involved. Give it a try. All you can lose is a bit of time... Sharron…I've had friends use that method as well...so I think you (and them) are on to something. Wizard...It is a tough road, separation anxiety. I never had much success with the DAP - spray or plug-in...and I used both for about half a year. I finally gave up on it. Although, my vet and the pet store I bought it at said they knew of people that had had success with it. Good for you for working with a behaviorist...they definitely will have better ideas about things to try. The second beastie was the golden ticket for Ruby though...and seriously, I've found that 2 b's are so much easier than one. So much so that I'm thinking of adding another either this year or next...and for that I might need my head examined.
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    Sometimes peeing while turning in a circle is a form of territory marking. It does sound like as he gets more comfortable with the situation, this behavior will stop.
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    Some basenjis seem to have particular kinds of dogs they don't like. My Abbey is best friends with a rottweiller, a black lab, and a dalmation, but she hates golden retrievers! What do they go by, coat color?? She goes after anything that moves at the vet's though. My first basenji many years ago, Pumpkin, climbed trees to get after squirrels, and fences were no problem either.