Potty and Biting
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Mine has been a sweet boy since day one but I train him the same way I "trained" my kids which I think helps, with a lot of "easy" calm reminders/vibe. Every now and then mine gets an attitude and wants to lash out and I will either put him in his play pen for a quick time out or try and hold him with lots of shhhh easy... Calm words. The timeout in the pen isn't punishmen (we don't use it when he does something bad) and it's different than his crate, but when he's in there he knows he can't go anywhere and it helps him calm down. Mine still has a lot of puppy bitting urges, every day, and we redirect him to a toy or we say no, as he does it and good boy as we are able to pet him without him bitting. Maybe trying to be very calm and trying to ease him down may help?
As far as potty training, we trained our early on to ring a bell when he has to go out. We started it by taking him outside constantly and ringing the bell while we said "outside?" and after a while he learned to where he now runs to the door and rings it hard to go outside. However, on rainy days, he wants nothing to do with outside and has the most accidents. When he has one, we usually say sharply "outside!" and pick him up, even midstream, and take him right outside. Maybe a system for potty training like this could intrigue?
He dislikes having his feet washed too so we limit that to only when he has really dirty paws or steps in his own poo which unfortunately he does often, otherwise we just do a quick wipe. If your dog dislikes paws washed like you stated, I would avoid that as much as possible because it gives them a reason to not want to go outside.
As far has harness/leash, we use all of them depending on the situation. I primarily walk him on a lead rope leash, but when my kids take him out on potty breaks we use a basic leash clipped to his collar (with me, a since I'm his person, a leash isn't needed but with anyone else it's a must cause the other side of the fence is too much of a curiosity), and on hikes we use a harness. We switch it up so much the manner in which he goes out makes no difference for him. Personally I'm not a fan of seeing their neck chocked when he pulls another way, so we leave the lead leash to training walks where I think it has more of an affect where the harness is more playtime outdoors. Maybe using a lightweight leash on every potty break everytime and have one designed spot?
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A couple of thoughts. I don't really understand all the fuss about cleaning paws. Every dog I have ever owned, including five Basenjis, have just had their paws wiped with a dry towel when they come in, unless they have been somewhere extremely muddy. Basenjis will clean themselves up, so you just have to wipe off any excess moisture or debris unless you are dealing with road salt. Usually took me 30 seconds or less, and none of the dogs considered it a big deal.
Feeding is more an art than a science. Pups are a bit trickier as they are growing, but with a mature dog your eye will tell you if they are gaining or losing weight. I would be careful about "puppy" food, many breeders advise against it. Also, you need to include your treats in your calculations, especially "high value" treats that may also be high calorie. One of the problems with using food as a reward is that you can end up adding a lot of calories to a diet. Another very real problem is that of creating a dog that only obeys when he knows you have food at hand! Once a behaviour is understood and on cue, you shouldn't reward with food every time. Praise is instantly available and for food, switch to intermittent rewards. Casino owners know how to get you hooked, and dogs react much like humans. They keep trying to get that elusive reward!
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@lustopher said in Potty and Biting:
Should I stick to this and see how his weight progresses?
@eeeefarm is right, "you can end up adding a lot of calories to a diet", and I think all of us would agree with her.
Do the math on whichever food you are feeding your pup. Quantity in relation to calories. Then try to estimate how many calories the days treats are.... subtract the treat value from the daily kibble calories and adjust appropriately.
You will learn to keep an eye on your pups weight as they grow. Initially children and puppies tend to get big bellies right before a growth spurt. So, don't assume that a plump little pup needs to eat less. Just keep an eye on it. You don't want that swollen belly to last too long. As your dog becomes an adult, you will be able to judge weight gain visually and by touch. As you pet/stroke your dog, you can run your hand gently over their rib cage. Can you feel the definition of the ribs? Or are you feeling a layer of pudge?
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There should be space for another half Basenji inside the coat. It should be pliable and you should be able to feel its space between your finger and thumb if you pinch it (lightly, of course !)
I measure out the kibble in the morning for the days' ration and the only treats they get are taken from that ration. They think they are getting a treat, but actually it is coming from their daily amount so no extra calories at all !
