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Home alone-but not in the crate

Basenji Training
  • <>
    Kinda like childbirth ;)

  • Ziggy is 9 years old, had never lived inside a house (and wasn't housebroken), and was used to being crated. When I brought him home from the rescue organization, I kept his crate in my bedroom and put him in the crate whenever I was out of the house. Now that he's accustomed to sleeping in my bed with me, and has learned that the entire bedroom is "the den," I can leave him in the bedroom while I'm out and he doesn't pee or destroy anything in there. ~ Lori ~

  • She-Ra was one of those "Mall Pet Store" basenji's so even as a pup she'd gotten accustomed to eliminating where she ate, so crate training was really not much of a success. However, using pee-pads, if you're going to be gone, isn't a hard thing to train them to use (spray with bitter apple spray though…She-Ra LOVES to chew up the pee-pads!).

    We've also used "baby gates" with success to keep her out of danger rooms (kitchen, etc.). While Basenji's are natural climbers, Target sells a nice one that she's not been able to handle.

    Finally, just "Puppy-proof" your home and leave plenty of toys and chews around. Every now and then you'll come home to an accident, but for the most part she's quite content to have the run of (most of) the house.

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