Thanks all. How about feeding? Breeder left food out all day for the puppies and his adult dog. They seemed to nibble all day and not over eat. I have kept same so far - but maybe better to change to 3x a day?
@jkent said in Screaming must stop!:
The other benefit of allowing them to follow is exposure to different sights and sounds such as hair dryers etc, so they will be less likely to be fearful of them later on.
They also get the opportunity to make mistakes, so you can teach them the rules of the house. I can't emphasize too strongly that a dog in a crate is learning nothing.
@mikesull, I've never followed that practice. Generally a healthy Basenji is going to gobble up the meal unless you are feeding too large a portion. Stale food is off putting and can cause problems with palatability. Better to put the food down and if it isn't promptly eaten, remove it. Four meals a day decreasing to three a day sounds right for a pup, for an adult I would say twice a day. Others may chime in on this, but I think free feeding is a mistake.
@mikesull - I never recommend free feeding. Put the food down, if not eaten in 10 minutes tops, take it away. And dry kibble is pretty boring for any dog. Mix a bit of wet canned with the kibble. Even with my litters I never ever free fed... 3 meals a day till 4 months and then twice a day. Snacks inbetween like a cookie or two...
Thanks!! I thought the food available at all times was unusual. Will start new routine tmrw!!
Talk with someone professional as soon as possible. It’s very not normal behavior to any puppy and must be dealt with professional help
@mikesull - Also I give mine as many of us do, veggies, steamed or raw... great treats and healthy for them...also fruits... I give mine yogurt once a day... and yes they eat it off a spoon..LOL.
@mshilo - Hate to disagree, but very normal for a puppy .... They want to be with their family.. and now that the pup has been removed from the litter pack, humans are the pack... if at home they want to be with you... not in a crate. That said, I think it is very, very important that they are crate trained. One for riding in the care and two, if you have work people in the home you want them secure so if someone opens a door and doesn't close it or a yard gate, that pup would be gone...
Unfortunately a lot of the opinions you are reading come from a place of frustration over Basenji puppies from Texas for the long time owners and breeders replying to you. When we read "8 weeks" we know that you will likely never get any help from the breeder you purchased and shipped the new love of your life. Regardless, none of that upset is going to help you solve the issues you have with this new puppy. Since he is so young, he needs a lot more attention than normal. There are some stuffed toys that have heartbeats to mimic their mother. Try this link for help and advice as well as an explanation of how their puppy product, Snuggle Puppy, works. https://www.smartpetlove.com/2019/11/26/why-wont-my-puppy-stop-crying-in-their-crate/
Is there something wrong with Basenji breeders and pups from Texas? We got Charlie from a breeder in Texas as we live in the state, but was curious when I read this.
Also on the snuggle puppy, that worked quite well for Charlie. He snuggles up to Aggie (named the snuggle puppy) and carries her out of the crate sometimes, but overall has taken to the space. We only put him in the crate when he is sleepy, or has fallen asleep elsewhere and we transfer him to get used to the crate as calm time.
Happy to relay Felix is adjusting to crate and life is so much better for all. He is treated wonderfully rest of time but crated nights (and maybe a few hours a day when am in conf calls and kids at school). I did get that snuggle heartbeat dog - he seems to like it but at same i see him tempted by the ears and nose on it lol. Tried to post pics on here but cant figure it out. Today is first day with 3 meals a day and already fed and took it away this morning. Lets see what happens. Another random food question- he sometimes doesnt eat too much out of the bowl but when i gently hide it under toys or in a tunnel he eats everything. Anyone have similar experience? There are toys out there that double as feeding devices - for example something called “the game” from revol? Maybe thats best for basenjis? Hilarious how different these guys are than traditional dogs haha. Growing up our dog would wolf down any food at any time. Tks
@mikesull said in Screaming must stop!:
Tried to post pics
This should help: instructions to upload images
@macattack said in Screaming must stop!:
Is there something wrong with Basenji breeders and pups from Texas?
Some breeders are good. Diligent. Focused on eliminating diseases, and preserving desirable traits. Attentive in socialization, nutrition, and proper growth. Other breeders... are not. But above all else, good breeders detest the bad ones. I can see their point, but I admit that I don't know all the details. (We generally avoid negative discussions about specific people.)
@elbrant - And irresponsible breeders take advantage of buyers (people new to the breed) and do not educate or "interview" potential homes to make sure the reasons they are getting/wanting a Basenji is a good reason for that breed. All they care about is the $'s... and not the home. Nor will they take responsibility for that pup for its lifetime with a contract. So in my opinion they need to be called out. I have privately spoken to a number of people here about breeders... and will continue to do so. Especially when DNA testing for Fanconi and PRA at the very least needs to be done.
@mikesull I'm SO glad things are going better! Rergarding the crate...our Binti despised her crate UNTIL i randomly threw a high quality treat in there when she wasn't looking. She started to think that this crate was giving her treats...I knew we had succeeded when she started to nap in her crate (door open). She is not destructive at all...she has lots of toys around and lately she likes tearing up delivery boxes (emptied, of course.) She isn't allowed to do that unless I am home (and I just read that Amazon boxes are treated with insecticide at the warehouse, so she NEVER gets those.) I also believe that free feeding is not good for Basenjis when they are no longer with their brothers and sisters...when they are old enough to be adopted, they need to regard you as the pack leader who supplies them with everything (which is a good idea why you eat first, like the leader does in the wild.) I feed Binti breakfast and dinner and she gets four crunchy treats for "lunch". This helps me control her weight and she has no eating problems because she knows when meals are coming. I can't wait to see pictures of your new best frie
nd!!! This is Binti sun sponging in her bed by the pation doors.
@nancyss
Binti is so photogenic! Always enjoyed the Binti photos! So adorable! 
I’ve always favored the red/white basenjis and I’ve liked the brindles because my brother had a brindle but after seeing Binti and also the tris - I have to say I like all the BASENJIS! I now don’t have a preference! They’re all so SPECIAL!
@kembe Thank you. I was always partial to the red and whites myself, but when Ronney and I went out to meet and adopt this little black and white Princess, it was love at first Baroo!!!! I am like you, now I love ALL basenjis and think they are all beautiful. Binti takes excellent care of me since my Ronney passed away in April. We are a steadfast pack of two!!!!
Hello all - my 11 week old Felix just switched from free feeding to now 3 times a day feeding (and lots of treats all the time lol for training etc). Problem is Ive had horrible experiences three nights with crate and defecation and then him pacing in it. May be just a coincidence on the food timing but let me know thoughts. Also, last night - bc i could not deal with another night of crate defecation so I just gated him in kitchen which is 100% puppy proofed. Much less crying and he pooped on newspaper when i checked him/walked him at 1am inspection. So in my opinion a major improvement to the previous nights. I also got him a carrier bag - hoping he would warm up to its den like feel and he has. All in all - lots of trial and error but conclusion is dont get a basenji at 8 weeks! Definitely wait until 12-15 weeks if possible. Great dog but needed his mama for awhile longer.
One option could be to meet his need for mum by allowing him closer to you at night until he's 12 - 15 weeks and then moving him slowly back to the kitchen as he matures and is able to tolerate it better. Another way of doing this would be for you to sleep downstairs near him and then in a few weeks start moving yourself away.
@mikesull Just a couple of suggestions - all the additional training treats could be helping him not go through the night.
Try measuring out his ration of kibble in the morning and using pieces of that kibble as training treats. That way he thinks he's getting a bonus and you know you are not over-feeding him !
And feeding times - morning at 8, a snack around 1 and then another meal about 6 is what my puppies get. Then a chance to empty straight after the evening meal and another before bedtime. He should start to go through the night without defecating on that regime.
I like the idea of a puppy-proof kitchen and a pile of newspapers to empty on. It's what my babes got in the final weeks before leaving me. We used to be able to get a product called Sherleys 'Swiftie' which you sprinkled on the paper to encourage them that 'this is the place !'
@mikesull I think you're doing really well, Mike. Basenjis of any age can be a challenge. I like that you're open to suggestions, trying new methods, giving those a few days, and then pivoting again when necessary. This is how Basenjis train us. Basenjis are a journey, not a drive through as you are quite aware. They keep us on our toes. 
