I have an alpha female basenji and brought a newborn into our family. I was in the hospital for four days (my in laws stayed with dog and horse), when we came home, we had my Mom bring her new boyfriend. He was a great distraction, but also allowed me some alone time with Cricket. When they left, she noticed the baby in the bassinet and was a bit concerned.
She adapted to the baby, but I don't leave them alone just in case. Cricket is not nearly as jealous as she was, now that he drops food for her at the table, but she did get a bit jealous for a few weeks.
While I was pregnant, I was told that 'the test' was to play baby crying videos on YouTube. How the dog reacts will tell you how they will interact with the baby. Cricket beat the crap out of my phone when I tried… So not a great test! 🙂
Does your basenji prefer their own bed?
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My 9 month old boy is such a funny little fella. He used to love cuddling up to us and get in our bed during winter. I would physically pick him when he asked as he doesn’t like to jump.
I got him his own dog bed and since then he now refuses to get in our bed!
He will still cuddle up to our feet in the kitchen or in the living room.
Is anyone’s basenji like this too?? I miss the cuddle bug XD Maybe he will come back in bed next winter on his own terms…
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Basenjis like to be warm, which I think is one reason they like to sleep with their people. My first had her own bed in my room, rules of the house, as I was still living with my parents at the time, but all subsequent Basenjis have slept with their humans and seem to prefer it whatever the weather.
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Mine (20 months old) goes through phases of preferring her own bed and getting in ours. However she will only get in my husband's side and refuses to get in mine!
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doodle will come tell me it's time to go to bed, at which point I will close up whatever I am working on and watch something on TV (in bed) while I love on her. I cannot remember the last time we didn't share the bed.
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I have never had a Basenji (three total) that preferred their own bed. Sparkle and Jengo need to be pressed into a tight dog pile right next to me while under the covers. Logan needs to be up next to my head near the pillows, but not covered. Dogs are quirky though and go through phases. He may come back around on his own. I wonder if it might be a seasonal or weather-related thing? You could always try to lure him back into your bed den with snacks!
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@jengosmonkey yes we have the heat issue, resulting in Ellie in and out all night, which is reminiscent of waking every 2 hours to feed a newborn! She won't even get in discretely but cries and waits to be personally invited in, by which time we're all awake!
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My two sleep with me. They have uninterrupted rest - I don't. We start off with Kito under the duvet against my knees and Mku on top, under one arm. I have long since insisted on having my half in the middle of the bed. After a couple of hours, Mku gets to the bottom of the bed and lies, motionless for the rest of the night, by my feet.
Kito gets out from under, lies for a while quietly, and then paws my shoulder to get me to lift the duvet and allow him back underneath. This happens up to 4 times each night. I feel a thump on my shoulder and half lift that arm so the duvet comes up. Kito slithers under and settles. For a while.
<sigh>
Why do we loves these pests ? -
@basenjinewb - My two girls typically sleep in their crates with the door open. They can come in bed if they want. The only times that they do is if they are not feeling... LOL, dead giveaway that they are not 110%. But in the end it is their choice.
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@jkent They're such fussy pets... Every time I pop him in our bed, he will jump back down!
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@tanza Agreed! Koda sometimes chooses his dog bed or the crate in the other room. He seems content with his alone time but hates it when we leave him alone. We've taught him to sleep on his own at night since he was 3 months old though... From 8pm to 10pm he was in our bed and then we would take him to his crate for the night. I guess that's why he prefers to chill in his bed now
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Kembe always slept in our bed up until these last 2 years of her life. She was a bed and blanket hog - legs stretched out and took over the bed. I put her doggie bed in our room right next to our bed in her latter years - I was afraid of her falling or jumping off the bed and getting hurt.
