I know this post is old, but its always good to have lots of different answers when researching anything on the forum.
Mine crate together. I have 2 separate crates in case one is sick or in case they start to not get along in the crate together (like I thought would happen when Callie went into season). However, when I first brought Callie home, she was used to being crated with one of her littermates, so she did not like being crated alone. She escaped almost every day & destroyed my blinds (thank goodness that was all!). I started crating her with Lola, and although Lola gets testy when Callie won't settle down quickly, they both do very well crated together when I'm not home & when in the car. I can still crate them separately, but they prefer to be together so they can cuddle together & stay warm. I do always keep in mind though, it could go horribly wrong sometime when I'm not around. Its a calculated risk I take, but thus far it works out well as I have a small car and am forced to crate them together when we go anywhere.
Home alone-but not in the crate
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For those of you who do not crate their dogs while you are away–How did you start that? We have been starting to allow Dash out for a little while and he is good for the most part but then I let him out the other day and apparantly he decided he wanted in our room but could not get in so he tried to dig his way in, ripping up the carpet all the way. He seems better if we leave the other dog out but she is not trustworthy when it comes to being housebroke.I am just curious what triggered your decision to start giving them free reign.
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Chewed up cables, some furniture and also wanted to crate train so no potty indoors
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I started leaving mine out on really nice sunny days when they were likely to sleep in the sun, then move indoors and flop in the shade, then move back out to the sun … too busy sunbathing to look for trouble.
however I know every day there is a risk that they will chew up something. Like opening a closet door, pulling out all the dirty laundry and making it unnecessary to bother washing.
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however I know every day there is a risk that they will chew up something. Like opening a closet door, pulling out all the dirty laundry and making it unnecessary to bother washing.
lol Easy way to cut back on the laundry. Alani figured out how to open our linen closet one night…but it gave me a valid reason to redecorate the bathroom 
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I've never had a problem with Shadow-he's really butt lazy! I don't have a problem with Sugar either. I started leaving them out a little bit at a time when I went downstairs or outside-then gradually expanded the time. But I also have nothing they can get into that they aren't allowed to(without their knowledge). They puppy and the boxer get crated though.
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I started leaving Sahara out when I knew that she was really housebroken, and would go outside via the doggie door. I have underground electric fencing to keep her in the yard. I close the door to the living room, bedrooms, so she is in the den and kitchen. No major problems now, but in the beginning I did come home to chewed up electrical cords, thank God they were not being used. I had to Basenji poof the rooms, on the most part that took care of anything she can get into.
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I have an older basenji who was trained by is ex.owner to be alone without crate he hates crates.Myran the pup was in the beginnig in a crate when I left the house but at the age of 4 1/2 months when he was totally house broken I started leaving him outside the crate with Max appart from a few minor incidents he´s been ok with it most likely sleeping cause he greets me with a big yawn when I open the door.
But I always through a few pieces of dried liver n the hallway floor just when i´m about to lock the door that sort of takes their mind of me leaving their to busy scavenging for the treats;)) -
I've never crate trained a dog. Goober has enough toys that he leaves most of our stuff alone. Except for the couch. It has a big rip in in so he likes to unstuff it.
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He looks so cute is he a basenji mix??Myran has also a favourite thrashing spot it´s a mattress in my computer room sometimes he remembers that he can undo the bedspread and rip out the filling of the matress.
If I catch him redhanded i´ll scold him but usually he´s able to do it when i´m not around.He´s also chewed on my cardie part of the elbow is missing.
Strangely enough all this mischief started when he became 6 months I guess he´s heading towards what we call "the brat age";)) -
I personally don't understand why you would take a crate trained dog and 'uncrate' them. I have had crate trained animals for a number of years and the fact is, when I come home I am happy to see them and they are happy to see me. We have no 'surprises' to deal with. At my last vet visit, I encountered a couple with a poodle who was missing half it's face because it had chewed a power cord. I prefer to never come home to that sort of thing. Both my B and my dachshund are crated whenever we leave the house as well as at night….that's just my 2 cents.
Brenda
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A WORD OF CAUTION
Caesar was around 2yrs old when I decided that he was awesome and could be left out of the crate when i went to work. And it was true, it was as if the man was hearing what I was saying…..brrrr, this is the time i am in the crate all alone, mom is giving me a special treat leaving me out.....dont mess up anything!!! brr...
A perfect angel! UNTIL Saturday came....my ex husband and I decided to go out for some fun and we decided to leave Caesar out. Well Caesar somehow knew it wasnt a work day and that it wasnt the routine. Wether he knew it was Saturday or not a work day, he was upset that we didnt take him with us.
When we got home, there was a hole dug to the concrete in the middle of out living room carpet!
Caesar is still and angel to this day when he knows he is being trusted to behave. But I learned my lesson. About 6 months later we added Beta our rescue to the family and she had to be crated due to potty training. So they both went back to the kennel together. Caesar didnt mind because he had her to spend time with....
Now that he is 6yrs old, he is ok sleeping out of the kennel at night and during the day. My house is completely basenji proof and zero carpet, LOL.
So, did the basenji train MOM?
I think if you work on time out of the kennel when you are not there and it is a regular routine....your basenji will understand. But I wouldnt recommend leaving out a bunch of magazines or toilet paper either.....
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After about 2 years we started leaving ours out of their crates "together". Funny but a lot of times we find them sleeping inside their crates on their own once we get back.
we find a tired basenji is a happy one. They are far worse behaved when we are home and they get bored. Bad attention is better than no attention.
We started leaving them out for short trips around when they were about 2 yrs old. Then we slowly increased the length of time we were gone. Now we go on 4 day trips with them gated with access to our family room & kitchen. The dog sitter visits 3 times a day to let them out in the yard. They are 6 & 5 yrs old now.
Ours have ripped holes in carpets down to the wood with in a few minutes, chewed furniture, ripped bed sheets, ripped apart stuffed animals, but all while we were home. As they got older they just became less intersted in house destruction. They are far more focused on other dogs that walk by, animals that come in the yard and food. We also try to walk them before & after we leave, but not as much anymore.They live for dog walks now. They even hold their pee & poop till they go on walks (being out in the yard or access to it all day)
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I guess it´s just different cultural habits.I crate myran every day for an hour or so just to keep him used to it for dogshows.Most of my friends keep their dogs uncrated.Max my has only been crated in the car and according to his exowner he hated it:)
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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.
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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!!
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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.
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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! 
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ha ha, so these great stories are good examples of what may happen to you!
