Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Behavioral Issues
  3. How we got through the first years of "whacko dog" and some tips for you

How we got through the first years of "whacko dog" and some tips for you

Behavioral Issues
  • tanzaT

    @antigone said in How we got through the first years of "whacko dog" and some tips for you:

    @debradownsouth I am not ambushing posts. Basenjis are being slaughtered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. THAT is a valid topic for this Forum. I am working to stop it but you prefer to ignore the reality. No breed is immune from being eaten. ISIL is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and they are eating the Basenjis.

    @Antigone, please start your own thread if you want to talk about this, valid or not it DOES NOT BELONG on someone else's thread.

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    1
  • AntigoneA

    @tanza I guess I will never understand why the ways these Dogs, and all Dogs, being eaten is not a valid topic. I am disgusted at the thought and am working with others to stop it. I guess even if I gave a link to a petition that nobody here would sign it. That is just sad.

    Antigone

    tanzaT 1 Reply
    0
  • N

    Harold is one lucky pup to have found you and your wife!! Sounds like a wonderful family. Thanks for sharing the story with us!!!!

    0
  • tanzaT

    @antigone - Seriously? No one said that it was not a valid topic... just don't hijack someone's post. Start your own

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    1
  • K

    @patty and others that reference a responsible breeder: I got my Jessey (my friend dubbed him the Jester because of his loveable zaniness) - who is my second Basenji - from a responsible breeder and he was well socialized by her and then me. I took him to the dog park which he loved at first, but then after many visits, he became scared. He used to walk the neighborhood, but then became scared. Any boom/bang/bounce - he bolts home. My other Basenji was nothing like this. Jessey has his pack of BFF's but is usually snarky to other dogs (typical B!). My point is, it's not always the breeder. Dogs - like humans - can develop "head issues". It has been very frustrating for me having a neurotic dog, but I've come to accept that's him and would never love him any less! The vet gave me Solliquin to try, but I've been hesitant. Anyone out there tried it?

    0

Suggested Topics

  • TimesthemythT

    Need some creative thinkers for confinement "anxiety" issue

    Behavioral Issues
    24
    0 Votes
    24 Posts
    12k Views
    TimesthemythT
    Ha, I know, forum posts are like a novel sometimes - except sometimes you don't always find out what happens at the end. There are lots of posts here where I'm like "well, what happened?!" The long and short of it: we have a "success story". He's always been kind of a strange dog, never doing things by the books. For his anxiety…...nothing I did really helped him. I originally put him on Prozac as a last resort, but overtime he just improved on his own; I know it's not due to the medication, because he's been off of it for awhile. He still hates confinement but he's learned that once he's in...he's not getting out. SO he basically goes through cycles where he'll whine for about a minute or two every so often (30 minutes to 2 hours) or so then goes back to sleep, until I get home. It gets better and better each time. One of our biggest issues I think was him being able to escape, and that fear was feeding off itself. In the beginning he would pull out all the stunts to try and escape, some of them working of course. Once I made it so he could not escape, the major destruction and psychological issues died down. I ended up putting wood pieces around the crate (as suggested above) and that helped immensely to fortify the area. He still does cry, and rip things up while I'm away...sure. But, as long as he isn't endangering himself, getting too worked up, or making a huge racket? It works. After we got that solved. I moved onto trying to get him to be ok in a crate - which has been successful. He goes into it fine, lays down and doesn't cry a whole lot, or try to escape. I think his 'anxiety' is not unusual, or inappropriate. Just a natural fear that dogs have of being alone, confined, and in a new space. I also didn't go over 30 minutes when I was teaching him as a puppy....big mistake. Things that have helped: Music, not having the light on, making the pen one giant bed (instead of allowing an area where he could stand), leaving random tissues around in the pen, not letting him out of the pen directly after coming home, giving a single cookie before leaving and returning if quiet, having the area be inescapable obviously, and brushing his teeth if he comes out of the pen right away. Things that didn't really help: thunder shirt (was working until he ripped it up), medication, mirror outside of the pen, leaving delicious food or toys inside the pen, DAP diffuser, etc.
  • S

    Frequent little "sprinkles" on walks

    Behavioral Issues
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    4k Views
    Chealsie508C
    This I always my "rule of thumb" and only based on my experience but frequent long urinations= possible UTI and several quick squirts=marking….but every dog is different, even so my mind still automatically looks for those signals
  • S

    Lap dogs?

    Behavioral Issues
    11
    0 Votes
    11 Posts
    6k Views
    wizardW
    On the couch Gossy either justs sits on my lap or curls up next to me; on the recliner she prefers directly in my lap. On the other hand, if I'm on the couch in the evening Teddy will slowly climb up onto my lap as if he thinks I won't notice then he'll curl up leaning against my chest and go to sleep! If Gossy is already in my lap, he'll try to squeeze in between :)
  • Tayda_LennyT

    Neighbors crazy dog dug into our yard and got bit

    Behavioral Issues
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    6k Views
    RivermoonR
    I hope nothing comes of it since it was their dog that was coming into YOUR yard and the parents are acknowledging that. Hopefully they'll talk some sense into their daughter too and she'll be extra careful about letting her little monsters dig. Putting bricks down should keep them out. Good luck!
  • KaliRooK

    "Conquering"

    Behavioral Issues
    27
    0 Votes
    27 Posts
    15k Views
    N
    I think you're Mom's on the right track. By adopting a 'submissive' pose, you're making the dog anxious. She thinks she's expected to do something, but she's not sure what. She would prefer it if you would act like a grownup, so she won't have to! What is inoccuous or meaningless to us can be very significant in 'dog culture.' Basenjis are all about the pack and have a lot of ancient customs we don't always understand. It's part of their intrigue and charm.
  • GriffinsMomG

    Such a thing as "Confinement Anxiety"?

    Behavioral Issues
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    6k Views
    dashD
    Jazzymom, I know Jazzy will have to have her space after the spay so this may not be much help but what about an ex-pen?