Minor crate issue


  • Hi. We just got our 11 week old basenji last Wednesday. You can find pictures of her in the show off section if you want. Her name is Victra.

    She's been very good with just about everything to be honest. She has been teething but it's fairly easy to redirect her unless she really just wants some human flesh lol.
    She has been learning simple tricks fairly well.

    The only problem we have is something with the crate. We take her out on regular walks (every 30 minutes to an hour unless she is sleeping) and she typically goes every time.
    Here's my problem: For the past 2 nights I will take Victra out just before bedtime. She will pee or poo, and then I will give her some extra time just in case she needs to do both. Once I feel good about the time I've given her I bring her inside. I go straight to the crate with her for bedtime. She IMMEDIATELY started circling and attempted to poop. I got lucky and stopped her just as she was about to. I got her outside and within 5 minutes she pooped. But 2 nights ago we had a similar issue when she went outside and urinated, and then within 2 minutes urinated again in the crate.

    Funny thing is, after the initial issue, she will sleep in her crate with little to no fuss ALL NIGHT. She passes out and hasn't woken us up until 8am or so. She's been fantastic. I just want to make sure she doesn't go in the crate right after a walk. I'm guessing this is because she doesn't completely see the crate as a place she lives yet and is in a habit that is a bit difficult for her to break.

    I would appreciate any advice but in the mean time I'm just going to keep walking and loving her as often as possible.

    EDIT: Also just want to note that she went into the crate semi voluntarily when she pooped. She was not anxious at all and actually enjoys entering the crate by herself sometimes. For example, if we give her a treat, she tends to bring that to the crate so she can chew the treat inside the crate.

    Thanks!


  • At 11 weeks I wouldn’t worry about it, the first 6-9months or so, accidents happen. Especially if the dog gets anxious. Some dogs are a dream to house train, others can take over a year even though you do everything right.

    Sounds to me like you are doing everything right, is the crate where you sleep? Basenjis often don’t like to be alone.


  • @dagodingo that's good to hear. It's nice to know that it seems normal. It's just so strange that she does it within seconds of entering the crate each night haha.

    And yes, we keep the crate next to the bed and she whines for 30 seconds and then sleeps for hours. She is a very good girl.


  • WHAT a little sweetie. Hope you all are very happy together.


  • @rockonrush My girl was hard to house train, she would also have accidents in the crate. After 12-18 months maximum they are by far very clean dogs and any accidents after that would signal a medical problem unless they were not let out for a long time. Over 12 years accidents due to old age happen, but most basenjis will not be happy about that even then, they are very clean dogs from my experience.

    If she takes her treats into the crate that is a great sign as it probably means she looks at the crate as a safe place. Never use the crate as a time out or punishment as that leads to a negative view of it.


  • @dagodingo great advice thank you. I'm looking forward to Victra being a neat-freak when she gets older haha.

    Whenever we have to suddenly put her in the crate, in case we are cooking or something like that, we try to give her a small treat in the crate so that she understands nothing is wrong.


  • Have you taken a urine sample to the vet to check? Many puppies regardless if from a responsible breeder or not get UTI... her actions do not indicate that exactly but it could be that she is not completely emptying her urine/bowels.... always check medical issues first.


  • @rockonrush said in Minor crate issue:

    @dagodingo great advice thank you. I'm looking forward to Victra being a neat-freak when she gets older haha.

    Whenever we have to suddenly put her in the crate, in case we are cooking or something like that, we try to give her a small treat in the crate so that she understands nothing is wrong.

    Why are you putting her in the crate when you are home? She needs to be with the family...?


  • She only get's put in the crate when we are doing something where we cannot keep a close eye on her, and if there's only one of us home.

    If I am cooking with a skillet or dealing with raw meat and can't suddenly drop everything I'm doing to stop her from doing something, then I crate her. Same thing when I'm taking a shower and can't stop her from eating toilet paper. This is usually for at most 20 minutes which seems perfectly reasonable to me.


  • Sounds reasonable to me, too. Yes, there will be times you need to keep her away from trouble when you can't supervise. As she gets older, you can train her to stay away when you are cooking (if that is your wish) rather than being underfoot, and hopefully you can begin to trust that she won't get into trouble while you are distracted. The problem is when people constantly use the crate instead of observation and teaching the dog what is acceptable. Pups cannot learn the rules of the house whilst confined to a crate!

Suggested Topics

  • 0 Votes
    15 Posts
    3k Views
    tanzaT
    @yaleezaforeva said in More crate/separation anxiety issues. 12.5 week old puppy: @zande its a little harsh to suggest we're treating him like a toy that we're "putting in a cupboard when he's inconvenient for us." as mentioned, we're simply trying to get him comfortable with us being away as we'll eventually have to do so when going to work...during that time, we'll also be ensuring that his time apart isn't for a full 8 hour day, especially as a young puppy, and rather broken into at least two intervals with one of us coming home or a dog walker or a family member. as it stands, he also likes being in his crate overnight right beside our bed (safe space) so that doesn't seem to be an issue whatsoever.. plus we're simply just trying to understand what the best approach is for him to be left alone when we go back to work. we really appreciate your upfrontness and transparency about this...maybe you're suggesting the right approach...we're new at this and so we'll message you to discuss further! again, we appreciate you taking the time to provide advice. If you are home then trying to equal that to when you are gone will not work... IMO... they know when you are at home and when you are gone.... being in his crate at night next to the bed is totally different then in his crate (other for eating) if you are home and moving around. All of mine were/at crate trained... but if we were home, they are with us... I didn't have to crate them during the day as we set up the house with their own dog room... and that room was set up to remove anything important.... BE ADVISED however it if is their dog room and they destroy something, it is on the owner... ours also have access to the backyard via a doggy door, but we have a secure backyard with 12' fences. I will say that with our very first two Basenjis many years ago, they had a crate in the laundry room with a doggy door to outside. At the time we did not have baseboards and found that stripping the wall paper was a great past time.. LOL... and that is the way it was... as we gave them that area... results was to install baseboards... LOL... problem solved
  • Crate training issues

    Basenji Training
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    2k Views
    tanzaT
    @Lisa67: Thank you. I think we are doing a bit better than 75% so hopefully it wont take forever to train her. I guess when someone asks where I got her they mean the "kennel" name? I'm really new at this, sorry. I guess the correct reply is SunDiata Basenjis. Kennel name or breeder name…. and I know Chris and her Basenjis. Congrats and again welcome
  • Crate Guilt

    Basenji Training
    23
    0 Votes
    23 Posts
    7k Views
    nobarkusN
    @Ann: Hi Dan. Thanks for your feedback. Noel will be 5 in November. (I don't know how she spent her first 4 years.) Our fence is 6' so other dogs can't get in…it's her reaction to them that could cause problems. I'm sort of a hyper worrier since Noel has a weak front leg. It was badly broken in December and, when there's squirrel/dog activity around the yard or in the alley behind us, she forgets about her leg and goes into a full run and jump mode. It's great to see her fly over our 2' stone ledge and run the periphery of yard like a guard dog or chase a squirrel back to its tree, but if left outside alone all day there's the potential that she'll overdo it and tire out her leg to the point of pain. I know I'm sounding over-protective...The vet recommends plenty of exercise but in small doses to avoid the fatigue thing. (I'll be posting some queries soon in relation to this!) OK Ann, now I see your dilemma here. This is a tuff one keeping a Basenji still or low activity especially when you're not there. The only other thing you could do is set up a kennel run or large dog pen to reduce the area. see this picture. http://www.seefido.com/html/dog_kennel_runs_pen_fence_.htm
  • Crate Tray

    Basenji Training
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    3k Views
    wrx227wrcW
    I did, Pat. They are both Midwest and they wanted like $35 for each plus 20 shipping last I checked!! Foster&Smith seems like the cheapest. About $57 for one 36" and one 42" with shipping. Right now I've got George in a crappy old metal one (that has a rusted tray) and Pig is in one with a blanket. I decided I better get new ones just because I don't like him in the rusty one or Pig without a tray. I went to another pet store today and they wanted $40 and $37. Crazy! Thanks for the ideas guys…
  • Pooping in crate!

    Basenji Training
    47
    0 Votes
    47 Posts
    19k Views
    wrx227wrcW
    Piggy only has problems pooping when she gets panicky too. For example if we leave her home in a crate and someone comes in the house but doesn't come down to see her or let her out she will do it. We can't put anything in her crate or she shreds it, we tried everything. For a while I was even buying fleece baby blankets at the dollar store and tossing them if she pooped. We gave up on that after a while. The mess was terrible, so I can relate to hours of cleanup… by the time you get her cleaned up and the crate. We did some desensitizing and left for short periods like I described before, and that helped a lot. My friend that has a B went to the vet about her anxiety, hers would cry incessantly, and they actually gave her meds, prozac I think, for it. I think she tried it, but didn't think it worked enough to do it. Sounded crazy to me. It hasn't happened in a while so we have been lucky. She has come to terms with her crate now and will once in a while go hang out in it by choice, so I know she doesn't hate it. Have you tried one of those snuggle buddy things? I wonder if you could find some way to protect it if Darwin had an accident. Best of luck and lots of patience!
  • Crate suggestions

    Basenji Training
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    3k Views
    VanessaV
    @tanza: Do you use a wire crate? I have always used General Cage Crates.. and they have lasted for many, many years… I have ones that are 16 yrs old that are just in great condition. http://www.generalcage.com/Shopping/default.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1 We use wire crates too. The tray in the bottom locks so they can't push it out and its hard to destroy :D