To avoid loose dogs in the neighborhood, I take my dogs to walk in parks that have strictly enforced leash laws, and lots of rangers.
For those that are seriously interested in changing a reactive dogs behavior (meaning lots of work, not just words) I recommend "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons, and/or a trainer that has read, and follows these type training steps/methods. Fiesty Fido (that jys mentioned is great too).
I do not recommend the mentioned Australian dog training chain for Basenjis. For one thing, they won't tell you what methods they use until you schedule (and pay for) a consultation with them. For another thing, they lots of techniques that are not positive reinforcement.
Also, start reporting the loose dogs, every time they are out loose.
Believe me I would love to call the cops on my next door neighbor, with their two dogs that also go to the bathroom in our front yard. The hard part comes with fear of their teenage son's reprisals (has little morals and has been in big trouble before) and starting a "war" with my neighbor. which I have had to deal with bad neighbors before and things just escalate. I really don't want to go down that war path.
I have another neighbor down the street who had a great dane who she walked out in her front yard on a leash for the dog to go to the bathroom. The bad part is she never picked it up. It was disgusting. Someone must have called about them because they no longer do that or the dog died?
I would be calling the cops on half the people on my street!
I do not recommend the mentioned Australian dog training chain for Basenjis. For one thing, they won't tell you what methods they use until you schedule (and pay for) a consultation with them. For another thing, they lots of techniques that are not positive reinforcement.
Yeah I know negative punishment only leads to either escalating aggression or you break the animal's spirit. Basenjis are really delicate animals to deal with and not many trainers understand they do not respond to discipline.
I have gone over the edge (not physical punishment) with my dog where I took away most of his privlidges and it broke his spirit. He became mopey and mean. Positive training & consistancy has made him a great dog, although he still needs work from time to time.
Believe me I would love to call the cops on my next door neighbor, with their two dogs that also go to the bathroom in our front yard. The hard part comes with fear of their teenage son's reprisals (has little morals and has been in big trouble before) and starting a "war" with my neighbor. which I have had to deal with bad neighbors before and things just escalate. I really don't want to go down that war path.
I would be calling the cops on half the people on my street!
You should see if you can report anonymously. If no one is willing to report those who break these laws then people will continue to break them. You are likely not the only person who is unhappy about what is going on in neighborhood.
Actually the worst part is their son's car!
He has his rear of his truck filled with subwoofers and sits in the driveway blasting them. One day a nieghbor down the block came all they way over to yell at him to turn it off.
My son used to play with him when they were younger until he did something so bad had to be sent away for a while (because he was a kid he could not face criminal charges). He's the type of kid that you would read about snapping and doing something horrible. I do not want to light that fuse. He's adopted and his parents are older and don't have a clue about raising a kid.
He just graduated high school and hopefully, will be going away to collage and getting out of our lives.
You can talk to your mail carrier.
I work at the post office. I deliever the mail on a rural route.
We can shut down mail delievery to the whole street if a dog is loose and charging.
Maybe that will get the message across to your neighbors.
We start out with a letter to the whole steet mentioning the dogs and requiring the owners to keep them in.
Just a thought.
I think that you need to have a neighborhood block party. Don't mention anything about dogs at all in the invite. In the process of organizing etc, people will 'see' themselves a bit clearer and not be so defensive.
You may need to start small like this:
You take a small tray of something wonderful and taped to the bottom is 10 addresses. You give it to one of your neighbors with the instructions to put a treat on it and pass it on. That's pretty non - threatening. Then maybe move on to a neighborhood gathering of sorts.
Maybe a "TELL US ABOUT YOUR DOG' neighborhood chain letter. Anything to connect has got to be worth the effort before you go the 'reporting to the authorities.
We are all too disconnected and these dog things then get way out of hand and while we all try to do the right thing - complaining about other peoples dogs just reinforces the steriotype of dogs are trouble. We used to be able to work things out with each other but no one seems to take the time anymore.
For those of you who are old enough, "if you aren't part of the solution you are part of the problem." (If you're not old enough to have heard that before… ask your mom or dad ) 
Let me know if you try any of these ideas - I've done this in my neighborhood before - the only problem now is that if there is a stray - people bring them to me cause they figure I know who the dog is since I'm the 'dog lady'.
Oh, what a wonderful idea.
Win/win, gets folks talking and the idea that they aren't enemys.
I would also like to know if this works.
Help Please, We Are Within A Week Of Getting Our First Basenji 3 Month Female Pup. We Have Two–3year Old Peek-a-poos. The Female Is The Boss. They Are Both Very Active. They Are Used To Other Dogs In Our Home Or When Visiting Family. Don't Seem To Have A Problem With Large Dogs. Small Dogs Will Get A Growl And Then Be Dismissed For The Most Part. This Is All In The Home. On The Outside, They Don't Want Any Other Dogs Around.
What Can We Do To Prevent A Problem From Happening, If Possible?
Thanks A Million, Amey
Help Please, We Are Within A Week Of Getting Our First Basenji 3 Month Female Pup. We Have Two–13year Old Peek-a-poos. The Female Is The Boss. They Are Both Very Active. They Are Used To Other Dogs In Our Home Or When Visiting Family. Don't Seem To Have A Problem With Large Dogs. Small Dogs Will Get A Growl And Then Be Dismissed For The Most Part. This Is All In The Home. On The Outside, They Don't Want Any Other Dogs Around.
What Can We Do To Prevent A Problem From Happening, If Possible?
Thanks A Million, Amey
Amy, your bringing a female basenji into your female dog pack?
I often advice against female to female placements as the girls can become dogs who don't want to be together.
Who is your breeder? Does she/he run female/female packs???
I am afraid I only know bad things about this type of placement..so maybe someone who has been successful can help you??
I am hope you hear something more postive then this post…
I would not advise bringing a female into a female situation - in particular when your current females have a 'leader' - basenjis are typically the leader and it will be unpleasant once the jockeying for positions starts.
Now this is going to sound distasteful but please follow along - basenjis are feral and have their own way of dealing with elderly dogs - or infirm dogs. It is unlikely in their natural habitat (Africa) that older dogs were tolerated. While I have seen some nice kind behavior - I have also seen something rather preditory in eliminating an animal that is unable to fend for themselves. While obviously in human care we must not forget that survival of the fittest is still a rule in the wild natural state of basenji.
Your puppy may at first be willing to accomodate the girls (I don't think so but maybe) but at about 1 or so - you will have a problem.
Diana
MIJOKR Basenjis
Since 1983
MN
I do so hope you rethink the female addition to your family.
A male would be better.
A basenji breeder should know this and not place a dog in this situation. I have found my basenji's really don't seem to like fluffy little dogs and view them more as prey.
It's not too late to just get a male.
Ummm, sorry people, these are small, fluffy dogs. In a basenji word, prey. I wouldn't even want to think of introducing a B to these dogs. Maybe other people trust their B's with small, fluffy objects-but I don't. I have two female B's fighting right now-it's not a pretty sight. If you are dead set on having a B right now, I too would not advise a female, but a male. But, again, talk to the breeder-they will have more of a sense of their dogs and temperment.
Female Basenjis (in my experience) will NOT tolerate another female. We have 2 female Basenji mixes at the shelter I work at, and they have to be kept very far away from each other. I tried to introduce my female Basenji mix to one of them and I walked away with cuts from getting in the middle of the two. One of the ones at the shelter has killed an older female dog. To us it's horrible, to her it was getting rid of someone who was no longer a use to the pack.
Every Basenji I've been around (5 females, but only 1 male) have seen anything smaller than them and fluffy as prey. They will chase it, bowl it over and chew on it. I've rescued several small dogs from the Basenjis because people let them get into the runs with the Basenjis. And in my own house- One of my neighbors has a chihuahua and another has a pomeranian that they let run the neighborhood. My Basenji wants to eat them. She's run the chihuahua around the yard but couldn't catch him because she's on a tie-out and she's attacked the pomeranian when it got too close.
our female goes for the kill straight away. She goes right for the neck of prey at it's over instantly.
You don't want to cross that with something you love on the receiving end. It happens so fast you can never get there in time to save the poor victim.
Not done in pain or in anger, just natures way at work. Don't hold the basenji responsible doing what it is hard wired to do.
I have two females and two males that live together without problems. I have another female that has to be separated from the other two females and can only be with her male buddy. So I've had to separate into two packs.
I have a mutt(short legged basenji:D ) that has seen all the basenjis come into the fold, four of the basenji's I trust around her two I don't.
They're all different IMO.
Male and female pairings seem to just work out the best. Raising them together as pups up's the odds for success, but things can certainly change as they get older.
