New puppy! Need help please!

[mummybick]

Hey guys so our new puppy Bella joined us November 5th so a week ago. She is 5months old. We adore her, she is brilliant..toilet training is brilliant only two accidents on the first day and nothing in the house since, she now also goes to the door when she wants to go out.

She is walking on her lead lovely, she has a lovely temperament, calm when meeting other dogs and brilliant with my son.

Her progress is amazing after 6days and I fell terrible complaining but I need advice.

When we leave her. (Built up over the few days to an hour and half) and at night time. She screams and gets so distressed she poos in her crate. She has somehow manage to break one bar on the crate and when I came down the other night she had cut her nose slightly. I try to ignore her the first few nights but she gets to distressed so I sleep on the sofa next to her. Which is not ideal. I would move the crate to the bedroom but then I'm concerned she is not learning to be alone in her crate for when we are out in the day.

Hope that makes sense. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[eeeefarm]

What you are describing is separation anxiety and it can be tough to deal with. Personally I do not agree with isolating a Basenji at night. They like to be with their people and will generally settle down and sleep quietly if they are close to you. Especially if you will be leaving them during the day, I think it is important not to leave them all alone at night.

Developing a strategy for leaving the dog during the day may require some experimentation. Some dogs do not like crate confinement and do better if kept in a "dog proof" room where they have more space and can perhaps look out the window. Many become trustworthy enough to leave loose in the house, but you don't want to chance this until you have more experience with your dog and she is older. Whether in a crate or not, it's important to give her something to amuse herself, perhaps a stuffed Kong for her to work at, or a meaty bone if you feed them, or maybe a puzzle game of some kind where she has to work to obtain a food reward. I used a roller ball filled with treats for my boy and he looked forward to my departure because he knew he would get his ball.

You may have to start over with making very short departures and returns, gradually leaving her for longer. Make leaving and returning as matter of fact as possible. Don't make a big fuss over her when you come back. Ignore her if she fusses over you, and go about your business for a few minutes before acknowledging her.

If you have access to a video device, it can be very useful in determining how upset she actually is when you leave, as many dogs are destructive or lose control of their bowels right on your departure and then settle down. If she stresses the whole time you are out, you need to figure out a way to prevent this, perhaps doggy daycare if it is available.

[mummybick]

So you think it would be OK to have her in her crate up in the bedroom with us? I would be happy to do this I just thought it would make it harder for her during the day?? The last couple of times we have left her in the day there has been no mess and she is settled on our return. Always leave her with safe toys and chews to keep her busy and the radio on a talk channel for some company I have another week off work this week so will leave her a little at a time and see how she gets on. I may go hide in the bedroom so I can hear how long it is until late she settles. Thank you for your suggestions

[eeeefarm]

It sounds like you are making progress since she is settling down when you are out. That's good! Keep on doing what you're doing. If she is still restless at night you might want to bring her into the bedroom so she isn't alone. Many Basenji owners sleep with their dogs. Where I live winters are cold, and Basenjis like to be warm!

[mummybick]

Thank you for your help. We gave in a took the crate upstairs to the bedroom and she slept all night not a peep! and then I have left her today for a little while and no mess and settled asleep on my return

Off to pick up a new crate now so we can have one upstairs and one downs

Again thank you for your help

[giza1]

How much crate time will she have during the day? All night and then all day is a bit much.
--Joanne

[DebraDownSouth]

I am a BIG DOG owner. I swore I'd never have a dog in my bed. bahahahahaha.

Work on leaving her alone in slowing increasing increments. In they day. With treats to entertain. Right now, seems like you are doing great.

[wizard]

This is how I did crate training with mine ...
Put several treats in the crate and have the dog go in and get them (door open); several times so the crate becomes a "good place"
Then treats and dog in crate with door closed (I'm nearby) for a few seconds; several times and adding more seconds
Then same thing but fewer treats, door closed, I go out of sight around the corner; several times.
Then I go outside the house for 5 minutes, then again for 10 minutes, then again for 15 minutes, etc.
I changed the treats from several tossed in the crate to treat(s) in a kong or other toy to keep him busy.
I kept building up the time with fewer and fewer treats until now they get one biscuit in a kong and I go to work for 9 hours.

The evening part, I simply put the crate next to my bed and did similar thing except in reverse. The crate has a closed door at first but is right next to my bed. Then eventually I start leaving the door closed but not latched. And then I don't even close the door. Now they have a basket they sleep in and not the crate.

[eeeefarm]

One of the best strategies if you will be going out is to put the treats in the crate a short time before you leave and lock the dog out, so he can see them but not access them. Hopefully by the time you are ready to depart the dog will be anticipating getting into that crate and enjoying his treats! This can work very well and result in a dog that is looking forward to you leaving.

I did something similar with my dog's roller ball, loading it up and making him wait for it. This dog that formerly had separation anxiety would become impatient and sometimes baroo to tell me he wanted me to leave so that he could have his ball!