Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Behavioral Issues
  3. Dog Behaviorist/Trainer needed

Dog Behaviorist/Trainer needed

Behavioral Issues
  • elbrantE

    @dagodingo said in Dog Behaviorist/Trainer needed:

    walking the dog for at least 3-5 miles a day over three or four walks and keeping a good structure to the day might solve the problems.

    Awesome advice! I have increased the distance(s) that I walk "doodle" over the past several months. She was a good dog before, now she's advancing to "amazing!" No more lunging at the squirrels, geese, heron, and rabbits in the area. "With me" (aka heel for Game of Thrones fans) is spot on in or out of the house. "Leave it" applies to stinky things I don't want her to roll in, other dogs, fire ants, chicken bones, etc., etc. "Wait" is a dead stop in her tracks. If I stop moving she does, too. I'm impresed with the changes. (LOL, guess I wanted to brag a bit...)

    Such good advice!

    elbrant.net

    0
  • D

    @elbrant With my first B (who educated me on the art of the basenji lol), I did not initially give him enough walks. It really didn’t do either of us any good lol. A tired basenji is a good basenji rings true and also a tired basenji is a happy content basenji :)

    It also does the humans a lot of good to get out in nature and walk, both mentally and physically. Good long walks and mental stimulation are probably the easiest fix for most problems.

    One thing that is also important is to get past the “master” phase / idea. Many dogs adore their owners as their master and just want to please their owners. I think the crucial stage with a basenji comes somewhere around the two year stage, where I reach a “special understanding” with them.

    There is this bond and understanding where they start to trust and understand that I am the ultimate master of them, but without trying to quash their unique spirits. So on the big stuff they have to trust me, but they can still get away with the small stuff. It’s really hard to explain that to people who have not experienced that as new owners. If they get past that difficult stage they will be hooked, but it isn’t always easy to believe that you will get past it and some just don’t want to put that much effort into them.

    I remember my first basenji and wondering why I had such a strange and crazy dog. Which then made me read and research what was “wrong” with him lol.

    2

Suggested Topics

  • MswinaM

    Dog Training

    Behavioral Issues
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    5k Views
    eeeefarmE
    What type of training are you interested in? Is this a housebreaking issue, obedience problem, or some behaviour you want to discourage? Since you have posted in behavioural problems, I assume you are having some difficulties with something. If you are more specific it might be easier to point you in the right direction, i.e. to an obedience trainer or an animal behaviourist.
  • J

    Aggression with older dogs

    Behavioral Issues
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    5k Views
    S
    Has Dexter had any basic obedience classes?
  • thunderbird8588T

    Advice needed

    Behavioral Issues
    15
    0 Votes
    15 Posts
    9k Views
    thunderbird8588T
    @sharronhurlbut: With rescue dogs, we make walking them together a big deal..several times a day. Letting them sniff the "leavings" of the other, and just getting them out together and moving. It might help. Sharron, thanks. Yes we do walk them together as well as seperately. They do seem to get on well but i don't think they have sorted out who is the dominant one. I can't say at this point either. When play fighting he certainly makes lots of noise, whilst she is silent. He looks to be in charge sometimes, however if she silently draws her lips back and stares at him he backs off or lets her clean in his mouth/ eyes etc. If Kwame wants to sleep, she is a terrible torment and pokes and prods him, he gets very whipped up and goes for her but it's like water of a Ducks back.
  • D

    Needs a home

    Behavioral Issues
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    12k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    LOL Arlene, some spammer hit it, I opened it and didn't notice the dates. Okay so any idea what happened?
  • sabaS

    Confidence Needed…

    Behavioral Issues
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    RivermoonR
    I did all the right things with Apache when I got him too…took him to outside malls, parks, the beach..had people of all shapes and sizes meet him and was going to handling class after handling class. Everything was going fine. The fourth show we were ever in we got excused from the ring because he became a bucking bronco on the table every time the judge came toward us. The judge tried 3 different times. I was so frazzled by his actions and couldn't get him under control, so we got excused. Later that day he stood fine on the table for some of the breeders. I have no idea what set him off, if it was the judge or the fact that I had had him to the vets the week before the show and they took a skin scrape while he was on the table. To be on the safe side, I never put him on the table at the vet's again...they had to examine him on the floor. Luckily they were more then willing to do that. I wasn't going to take any chances putting him back in the ring anytime soon, especially since I was so nervous. At handling classes and at home we did what you're doing. He would go up on the table and be fed treats. I would put him on the table at home and just treat him for being up there. We gradually had people in class and at home start going over him all the while treating him. On top of all that, I also had/have a problem with noise sensitivity. Some boys threw a huge firecracker right next to the dogs at handling class one day and since then Apache startles at sudden noises. Almost three months passed before I entered him in another show. This one was inside too, something we had never done. I held him out the first day because the noise really had him jumpy, so we just sat there all day getting him used to it. The second day I decided we were going in. I was the only class dog entered, so there would be no points..but that was fine...I needed to see if he would stand still for the judge. I was more nervous then I'd ever been and it will be a show I always remember for the simple fact that he was REALLY good on the table. Every once in a while he would still get a little fussy, either getting up onto or while on the table.....but would settle down quickly and let the judges go over him. Anyways, it took a while, but I finished him.:D So, hang in there!
  • J

    Guest Dog - HELP!

    Behavioral Issues
    23
    0 Votes
    23 Posts
    16k Views
    J
    Thanks everyone. I am so very appreciative of your advice. Housesitting is a great idea, but not an option for me as I have 5 teenagers and a husband to "watch". I tried Apolo in his home for the day and when I picked him up at night (I just couldn't leave him there by himself overnight) he went bonkers from being alone all day. I took him to a kennel out in the country as the accomodations at his vet would have meant that he had to be crated all the time which IMO is especially not an option for a big dog!! I worry about Apolo stressing out and have called the kennel to see how he is doing. I will visit as well. I'm really not certain that the kennel would let me know if he was stressing. I don't really know as this is the first time I had to use one. I think I will start another thread on what to look for in a kennel. Once again, learning on the fly!!! I am doing my best and asking as many questions as I can. I also think I may start a thread on how Bs react to Bordatella (I always say, Bortadella, isn't that sausage :D) since I know someday I will have to take Joey to a kennel. I am also going to look at kennels now so that I can choose the best one. So far I have been fortunate and the breeder has been able to board Joey. I think it's like going to Disney World for him!!! He isn't all wigged out to see me when I pick him up!