Howling

Behavioral Issues
Log in to reply
  • FlashF

    Howlin
    *

    • list itemg- whenever my basenji male is separated from us he howls- LOUDLY. He is always in the company of our female basenji who chimes melodiously in with him to comfort him. We have just relocated to a more densely populated residence and his howling will not be tolerated. If we are unable to curb his howling we will have to re home him. So your urgent advice would be most welcome.
    0
  • T

    imo it is a pack howl that you are experiencing. From my experience it is rarely heard by the pack leader, which must be you. This again is what I know from my experience and is not to be taken as professional advice. I had the same situation and the only way was not to leave in the end. Especially as they got older. If I was not in sight/scent of them the howl would happen but only at night. You might want to try CBD oil which might calm them. To my knowledge this is a stressful state for them pups to be in so that is the bad news. But the great news is that they obviously love you to pieces...

    1
  • eeeefarmE

    How long does he keep it up? I've had Basenjis that would howl when someone departed, but it was usually a short lived behaviour. No question they can make a racket when they do this, but with luck it doesn't last long. Basenjis are not typically like the dog that barks all day.....

    Try giving him something more interesting to do when you leave. A food treat puzzle game of some kind is a good diversion. I used a roller ball with my separation anxiety boy, and it cured him. Because he was occupied he did not watch me depart, and by the time he had consumed the treats I was long gone.

    "In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"

    2
  • DebraDownSouthD

    How old is he?
    I agree with eeeefarm on keeping busy. you can also smear a little peanut butter or cream cheese or canned dog food inside a kong, freeze it. Helped entertain them. Also work on desensitizing him.

    Teach him no bark at home. Leave, some back the second he's quiet, praising GOOD NO BARK. Keep it up til longer and longer times. With toys, puzzles and safe chews, he should adjust.

    Debra

    2
  • wizardW

    Another thing to do (in addition to previous comments), is vary your routine before you leave. These little smarties pick up on you getting your coat or putting your briefcase together or whatever that we never think about. But they notice it all. Instead get your briefcase ready the night before or don't put your jacket on until you leave the house. But each day it should be your leaving after doing something different - don't create a new pattern - variety is the "silence" of life in a residence

    1
  • K

    Our Lela has a lot of pack howl in her musical variations, and LOUD! After a minute her quieter older sister Binti will join in, in a lower key. What we found that helps a lot is this: make good eye contact just before you leave, and tell you will be out and when you will be back. Just as you would to a human. Then make sure you are back at the mentioned time. No howling. When we got this advice from a dog therapist we didn't believe it, but we gave it a shot. It does work.

    2
  • FlashF

    Thank you all for your useful tips. Through this trial and error process I have found that crating them has been very helpful. I guess it is there safe place.

    1

Suggested Topics

  • barkB

    Vet Visit for Exam and Boosters and Anxiety

    Behavioral Issues
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    3k Views
    barkB
    @Saving thank you very much for the suggestions!
  • P

    Newborn/Kids with My Basenji

    Behavioral Issues
    4
    1 Votes
    4 Posts
    750 Views
    eeeefarmE
    It would be useful to know more about this dog. Has resource guarding been an issue in the past? Has he bitten either you or your wife before? (a real bite, not playful nipping). Or anyone else? A dog that isn't used to children may be fearful of their loudness or quick movements. Perhaps you could do some socialization work with him, e.g. hanging around places where young kids congregate to accustom him to their noise and activity. Obviously not allowing any interaction as you are unsure of his behaviour. Dogs react differently to newborns. In my experience bitches are more likely than dogs to be tolerant, but it is very much the individual dog's reaction that counts. People have been blindsided when their supposedly tolerant and gentle dog turns out to be hostile to a young child. Bottom line, no dog should be left unsupervised around young kids, so in any event you would have to monitor his behaviour carefully once your baby arrives. On a personal note, of the five Basenjis I have owned, two bitches were entirely reliable with kids, the other was tolerant as long as they respected her space. One of the males adored children and was curious about them, the other curious but uncertain and would react to fast movements. I did not trust him and controlled any interaction closely. IMO, he would have bitten had he felt threatened. And kids, especially babies, tend to grab and pinch, ears, tails, whatever. Caution is always the safest route.
  • C

    Issues with overstimulation

    Behavioral Issues
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    1k Views
    eeeefarmE
    IMO it is a myth that Basenjis cannot have good manners on a walk. Yes, great if you can do off leash, but when circumstances dictate that a leash is necessary then walking calmly without a lot of drama and pulling should be achievable. Personally I do not like long lines or flex leashes. Or allowing dogs to eat whatever they find on the ground, which can in some cases earn you a trip to the vet or worse. Like most dogs, Basenjis are not overly discriminant about what they will ingest. A short leash and being observant can protect them from unwelcome outcomes. Mental exercise will also go a long way with any dog. But one should have a definite opinion about who is running the show, and it should not be the dog....they are quite willing to take up the position should you abdicate.
  • S

    Started peeing in the crate again

    Behavioral Issues
    9
    1 Votes
    9 Posts
    791 Views
    S
    Just thought I'd share an update on this. I removed the blankets from the crate and replaced them with a mattress. We have been strict about her only staying in the crate at night. When we have had accidents I have cleaned up, with a dog urine killing spray, and placed her back in the crate. Everything is progressing smoothly, not had any accidents for over a week now. So it's been a rather quick turnaround, lovely to have her properly crate trained again. Thank you all for sharing advice on the situation.
  • sanjibasenjiS

    Adolescent howl and behavior changes

    Behavioral Issues
    41
    0 Votes
    41 Posts
    3k Views
    elbrantE
    @eeeefarm said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes: I no longer have a dog :(
  • A

    Night Howling

    Behavioral Issues
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    5k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Sleep in your bed or not, sleep under the sheets or own cover or between sheet and cover...two issues only. Your personal choice and if it causes behavioral problems. As for " alphas"..nothing has done more to cause more harm to training than that outdated wrong concept. This is a nice article explaining how we got into the alpha stuff, and the way to think that will really help with how you see and train your dogs. https://www.thelabradorsite.com/dog-dominance/