basenji screams when left alone

[keith1101]

Hi i am new basenji owner can someone help me what to do pls when i leave her alone she starts howling a lot . it seams like a peso screaming . i would like some tips to calm her . i tryed long walks and dont work . i love her alot and i feel worried for her and also for the neighbours pls help me

[eeeefarm]

Under what conditions do you leave her alone? In a crate, or loose in a room or ? For how long at a time? Many Basenjis (and other breeds too) suffer from separation anxiety. How old is your Basenji? If you got her as a pup there are ways to introduce her to being on her own. It is a gradual process.

[elbrant]

Please provide more information about the situation.
How old is the pup?
How long have you had her?
How long do you leave her for?
How often do you leave her?
Is she alone in the home or are there other pets/people?
Is she in a crate, closed off in a bedroom, free to roam around, in the back yard?
What kind of exercise is she getting?
etc., etc.

[Zande]

How long do you leave her for and in what conditions ? She needs something to keep her occupied, toys, a bone, either a really large crate so she can stand, lie out full stretch or curl up, OR (better) a dog-proof room where she can do no damage but had lots of things to amuse her.

You do need to build up to lengthy periods when she is alone very gradually so she accepts she is not abandoned and knows you are coming back very soon.

As others have said, you need to tell us more -

[keith1101]

she is 4months and a half i let her lose at home i leave her toys and also treats .

[eeeefarm]

For how long are you leaving her? Does she keep up the screaming or just at the beginning? A video camera could help to know what she is doing. Has she been destructive, or just vocal? Really need more information to properly advise you. A radio or television left on might help.

[keith1101]

radio helped a lot she is not destructive just screeming pooing not on nappy. thanks a lot

[MorseSA]

@keith1101

If a basenji is left a lone for a while, put on some music......

morse.stafford@gmail.com

[mercy]

don't leave a puppy alone, if you're gonna leave him put something that he can be distracted

[binkobongo]

My rescue Basenji used to have bad separation anxiety (due to being abandoned twice) but I found that getting her a snuggle puppy has helped her greatly. I used to always play music but I never found that it was much help with my Basenji.

I currently leave my basenji in her crate when she is alone (never for longer than 3 hours I am currently in the process of completely dog proofing my room for her to roam free in) she used to scream the whole time she was alone but once I placed the snuggle puppy in her crate she began to feel much more comfortable being alone and now does not even cry when I leave. I am also sure to provide her with something to entertain her while I am gone.

My vet also recommended a pheromone room spray/collar that mimics mother dog smells to help with anxiety. I personally have not used it so I can not speak to its effectivenes.

[Zande]

@binkobongo said in basenji screams when left alone:

My vet also recommended a pheromone room spray/collar that mimics mother dog smells to help with anxiety

Great. I had one plugged into a power outlet when Mku was suffering after Hoover died. Help very well indeed.

[yahtzee92]

@binkobongo said in basenji screams when left alone:

My rescue Basenji used to have bad separation anxiety (due to being abandoned twice) but I found that getting her a snuggle puppy has helped her greatly. I used to always play music but I never found that it was much help with my Basenji.

I currently leave my basenji in her crate when she is alone (never for longer than 3 hours I am currently in the process of completely dog proofing my room for her to roam free in) she used to scream the whole time she was alone but once I placed the snuggle puppy in her crate she began to feel much more comfortable being alone and now does not even cry when I leave. I am also sure to provide her with something to entertain her while I am gone.

My vet also recommended a pheromone room spray/collar that mimics mother dog smells to help with anxiety. I personally have not used it so I can not speak to its effectivenes.

I'm afraid my boy would shred that thing to pieces.. he had been noisy but not destructive when left alone but today, I had to leave for 1.5 hours and came back to utter chaos. He had tried to break out of his crate (managed to move it a couple feet) and wrecked his crate cover somehow. Yeesh. Never seen him go this nuts.

Not sure what the source of his SA would be but it's been tough to see.. I'm staying at my moms for a bit now and even when one person is home, he can have fits of panic seeing the other person go (apparently its much worse when I leave, still gets upset seeing mom go, especially when he can see her in the backyard).

Really would like to get him more comfortable

[Zande]

Try Adaptil plug in -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0038XBOJC/

is what I had for Mku when Hoover died. It worked wonders. He was calmed and settled. If not this exact one, then try others, there are lots on Amazon.

[cpumbel]

Hello. My girl would howl from the second we left her. Get a Wyze camera so you can watch her. CBD worked wonders for the separation anxiety, it takes the edge off so they can relax. Eventually she just got used to us leaving.

[elbrant]

@yahtzee92 said in basenji screams when left alone:

especially when he can see her in the backyard).

Presuming that the yard is enclosed/fenced, why not have him outside with her?

[yahtzee92]

@elbrant said in basenji screams when left alone:

@yahtzee92 said in basenji screams when left alone:

especially when he can see her in the backyard).

Presuming that the yard is enclosed/fenced, why not have him outside with her?

Because you are presuming incorrectly! That said, he has gotten much less anxious as he is more used to the house and people going in/out.

Neighbors did finally put a fence up in back though (new houses got built very close to ours).. now I'm looking for something to block off the part of the yard that is exposed between the garage and house. Hard to find something that stands out or, mainly, taller than 3 feet