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Crate Training 8 week old Basenji

Basenji Training
  • Hello from Tokyo! I just got my basenji yesterday after researching the breed for over six months. Ive had dogs all my life but they were family dogs, so I never had full responsibility of the training, and I never crate trained a puppy before. Also, it is hard to know ehst to do when there is so much contradictory advice everywhere. Im really hoping to get some advice about my puppy.

    I'm trying to crate train him ASAP. The first night I put him in the crate he wouldn't stop howling REALLY LOUD. I was worried because my landlord lives downstairs, so I put his crate by my bed and soothed him with my voice. It helped him quiet down but I don't think it helped quicken his crate training.

    Today I played with him a lot, and he slept in my arms after. Was that a bad idea? Should he only ever sleep in the crate?

    Also, today I tried putting him in the crate and leaving him by himself. Of course he would cry, but I was told that after he stops I can come back a praise him. The problem is that he soils the crate and then whines even harder… So I naturally come and clean the crate, but that also means that I am reinforcing his crying behavior by coming to him while he is not quiet, right? So... Should I just leave him in his crate until he stops whining regardless of him soiling his bed?

    Thank you so much

    P.S. I'll post pictures soon. Nothing like Cherry blossoms in Tokyo as a backdrop for a Basenji :)

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24 Mar 2013, 12:05

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    I agree, but it does take time and patience for some dogs to understand. My basenji, Charlie knows now his crate is his “home”, but from 8 weeks to now at 12 weeks, focused first on making sure he felt safe in it. This meant a Charlie proofed area that ended in his crate if he wanted to be with me while I worked. We are now introducing away time, but as mentioned, it’s building up from a mere few seconds to hours.
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    @eeeefarm said in Crate Training Struggles: What about something like this? A cabin hook on a spring ? yes, that could well do the trick. I will google one forthwith - thank you !
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    @yaleezaforeva said in More crate/separation anxiety issues. 12.5 week old puppy: @zande its a little harsh to suggest we're treating him like a toy that we're "putting in a cupboard when he's inconvenient for us." as mentioned, we're simply trying to get him comfortable with us being away as we'll eventually have to do so when going to work...during that time, we'll also be ensuring that his time apart isn't for a full 8 hour day, especially as a young puppy, and rather broken into at least two intervals with one of us coming home or a dog walker or a family member. as it stands, he also likes being in his crate overnight right beside our bed (safe space) so that doesn't seem to be an issue whatsoever.. plus we're simply just trying to understand what the best approach is for him to be left alone when we go back to work. we really appreciate your upfrontness and transparency about this...maybe you're suggesting the right approach...we're new at this and so we'll message you to discuss further! again, we appreciate you taking the time to provide advice. If you are home then trying to equal that to when you are gone will not work... IMO... they know when you are at home and when you are gone.... being in his crate at night next to the bed is totally different then in his crate (other for eating) if you are home and moving around. All of mine were/at crate trained... but if we were home, they are with us... I didn't have to crate them during the day as we set up the house with their own dog room... and that room was set up to remove anything important.... BE ADVISED however it if is their dog room and they destroy something, it is on the owner... ours also have access to the backyard via a doggy door, but we have a secure backyard with 12' fences. I will say that with our very first two Basenjis many years ago, they had a crate in the laundry room with a doggy door to outside. At the time we did not have baseboards and found that stripping the wall paper was a great past time.. LOL... and that is the way it was... as we gave them that area... results was to install baseboards... LOL... problem solved
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