Ok something very odd happened today Max who detests crates has gone into Myrans crate and is fast asleep there has been now for a couple of hours hmmm…...I guess he then accepts the crate if the door is left open.
Time to start feeding him in the crate with the door closed! I did this with Sugar and she's now starting to go in by herself! This from a dog that would scream, holler and cry and poop and eat it when I put her in!!
I crate-trained Nala because I think it's best for the dog and the house (IMHO). My sister insists that her dog be out - for protection (from what - I don't know)! Her dogs have wrecked her house (chewed screens, couches, rugs, etc.)
Nala is 8.5 and we are just now leaving her out where she has access only to the kitchen & bath/laundry room. We have her food, water and a big bed for her to snuggle on. I give her a treat or something to chew on and then close the gate (a tall accordian "X" type) that is hinged and latched. She is quite content. I would never have tried it years ago, we always put her in the crate. I only do this now if I am going out for a short while, I think she feels much more secure in her crate, which is upstairs in our bedroom. It has become her "safe haven". Oh yes, Nala used to "scream, holler and cry and poop" too - (she luckily wouldn't eat it, Arlene) LOL!
My first Basenji, when left in the house on Halloween night 1975 gave me and my Mother a big surprise. She was 9 months old at the time.
I went out and then my mother left to go out and decided to leave the dog alone in the house as it was sleeping peacefully on the couch. When I got home I couldn't open the door as the carpet was ripped back. When I finally forced it open and got in I found not only the carpet ripped up but the living room curtains shreded as well. Mom was very close to getting rid of the B but we decided to keep her. She turned out to be a wonderful dog to say the least. I had her for 17-1/2 great years. She died in 1992 and she's buried right outside below my bedroom window.
Max sleeps there now every day with door open but no I won´t close the door he´s a dog who has almost never done anything silly at home.Also i´m at home all the time except if I have to do some shopping.If I visit friends or relatives they join me and if I have to go for a longer journey a friend of mine who used to having basenjis takes them.So all in all they are during an ordinary week 5 hrs left alone that being a hour at the time .I would say they are so activated that they sleep when they are indoors and i´m very strict with no basenji 500 indoors and no playing inside the house is for eating,sleeping and relaxation.The rest can be done outdoors in the garden or out in the field where they run free.
When I got home I couldn't open the door as the carpet was ripped back. When I finally forced it open and got in I found not only the carpet ripped up but the living room curtains shreded as well.
:eek: LOL So you can laugh about it now. 
Your memory prompted mine about a similar incident, even though it happened just last year. Duke is only 1.5 yrs old so he was maybe 7-8 mos old at the time. I think I just found out what breed he was and learning lots by joining this forum. Duke is crate trained and in crate all day while we're at work and my son in school. I drive from work to my son's school to pick him up. That day, I got home 1/2 hour early, and let Duke out of crate to go outside. Shortly after, I decided to leave Duke out of crate while I went to pick up my son at school. It would only take 20 minutes. When we got home, shredded pieces of bathroom rug were scattered thru the kitchen. The 1/2 bath is next to the kitchen. I went to see the rest of the rug, but couldn't open the door. It was jammed with the rug. and the plastic garbage can wedged between the rug and sink. The door wouldn't open! (I thought we'd have to destroy the door) :eek: I'd managed to push the door open enough for my little boy to squeeze in and move the trash can - Whew! What a mess. In only 20 minutes! I couldn't imagine leaving him longer. I can only imagine the damage. ie. your mother's carpet and curtains?? ooohhh:eek: Since then, Duke and now Daisy go in their crates when we're gone. I'd almost forgot about this incident. Seems we really only think about the good stuff for good cause. We love these smart-a## litte creatures! 
ha ha, so these great stories are good examples of what may happen to you!
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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.
