Our breeder is a great breeder and our dog is the only dog of the litter to be a biter that I know of (mom was). They were socialized as puppies we did all the training classes & even showed him, which he was fine, but still certain times would bite and always will. It just his nature.
Or other dog is the opposite a scared biter, she bites, but never even uses her teeth it's all bluff with her. She pretend bites, odd but true- no one fears her in our family but if the other dog bites he means business.
I often tell people what is really inside our dogs is a badger.
When we went to shows I would ask people if I could pet there dogs, they all said yes and I get down and pet & even hugged some of the dogs and they enjoyed it. I really don't have a fear or problem with them for the most part.
Our breeder told us Basenji's have come a long way in temperment. They used to be a lot worse- she said I could never do what I do at shows years ago.
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IMO, Basenjis SHOULD allow themselves to be gently touched by strangers. I would find it acceptable if a dog moves away, or shows mild discomfort, but doesn't act on it.
But I don't think it is a problem if dogs don't like to be hugged. I still don't want them snapping etc, about it...but I would absolutely freak out at a human stranger if they decided to hug my dog...of any breed.
I think I would freak out, myself, if some stranger came up to me and gave me a hug….unless it was a cute single girl! 
I know this next bit should go in the feeding thread, but it kinda ties in here since we've covered the managing and trust thing...
When I got Tucker, the previous Owner's left food out for him all day long. I do the same thing since my plan involved changing his 'quirks' a little by little. The main ones, aside from biting, have been 'rehabilitated'. I'm thinking that I might go to the 'one feed per day' routine, but I'm not sure if that's necessary since we've come to terms and learned to coexist. He's not a pig or gluttonous. He typically eats a good deal in the afternoon/evening when I get home from work and then nibbles here and there the rest of the day. He normally does NOT eat when I am not home. I'm not sure why, but he doesn't.
Anyway, as for the controlled feeding, it's important in establishing the 'trust' thing because then he would be more dependant on me, correct?
Any recommendations? I don't think twice a day feedings, to start, will work because he rarely eats in the morning. He has access to food on the balcony (he's got an inside dining setup and and outside dining setup...) while I am away at work, but he VERY RARELY touches it. I come home, let him in, and he hangs out for a bit and then goes to eat...and he doesn't eat a lot at this time - I imagine that this is the case because he knows it's going to be there when he comes back...
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You might try hand feeding him either some of his kibble, or a healthy biscuit or two in the AM, after doing a few simple behaviors before you leave.
Normally, when I leave him in the morning, knowing he doesn't eat while I'm gone, I give him a couple teeny greenies or a small kong full of stuff'n. This was the method I implemented to divert his attention to my leaving in the mornings when he initially suffered from separation anxiety… It kinda stuck, so I just kept at it. And it's become a weekday ritual, one of those things he can depend on every morning. He acts like a junkie gettin' his fix when I go to put him out there. :p
TuckerVA-I definitely agree with Andrea….those of us with "feisty dog" (my preferrd term to use ) know that trust is definitely earned. I don't have a problem with that. I tell DH the same thing. TOPAZ has nipped him a few times b/c he's sometimes assumed that he's boss & it's taken time for him to earn her trust as well. She used to guard her feeding dish as well. I taught DH to call her out of her crate & then remove the dish. NOW it doesn't matter but it took her time to understand that we were the givers of great things & didn't need to feel threatened 
It does take time...
TuckerVA-I definitely agree with Andrea….those of us with "feisty dog" (my preferrd term to use
Don't ask me to tell you what Tim's method was to get back things that Ivy snatched when she was younger. His reaction made our situation worse, I am convinced. Let's just say one incident involved a counter, a chunk of steak, one couch, a large cushion, a very angry human and an even angrier dog…ugh...
Don't ask me to tell you what Tim's method was to get back things that Ivy snatched when she was younger. His reaction made our situation worse, I am convinced. Let's just say one incident involved a counter, a chunk of steak, one couch, a large cushion, a very angry human and an even angrier dog…ugh...
Oh man… I had a similar incident with a piece of cheesecake in our first month together. Left it on a barstool near the sofa and Tucker knocked it on the floor and was halfway through it when I caught him. The good news is that I'm now able to leave food within Tucker reach and he won't go near it... Man, I really wanted that cheesecake, too... :mad: (Some might laugh, some might think I'm as ass, but the punishment for this indecression was putting him out on the balcony and subsequently throwing the rest of the cheesecake at him. He looked quite funny with bits of cheesecake all over him. He was pissed at first but then he didn't mind, he managed to get the whole piece, he just had to lick the second half of it off of himself...)
I really think I've made a lot of progress. Old habits include stealing cheesecake, running the roll of toilet paper, getting into bathroom garbage, taking q-tips, pens, pencils, and any other small item off of the edge of my dresser and the bathroom counter, digging on the sofa and on my bed and severe begging... He doesn't do ANY of this anymore. The weird thing is that he'll do it when I have company. For some reason he associates company with 'all rules don't apply today'. He'll take the TP, rifle through the garbage, rifle through their suitcase, etc. He's not BAD with that, I can always tell him to stop and he pretty much does.... But it's still slightly annoying when you tell people not to leave stuff at the edge of counters or leave their suitcase open and then you catch the last moment of your dog swallowing a q-tip...
running the roll of toilet paper, getting into bathroom garbage, taking q-tips, pens, pencils, and any other small item off of the edge of my dresser and the bathroom counter, digging on the sofa
Wow that sounds like our tri. I keep hearing on how tri's are more naughty than any other color.
I wish someone would have told ME that prior to adoption. :rolleyes: But in reality, when I set my mind to adopting a potential devil, I had very limited 'non-negotiables'. They were 'non-destructive indoors', 'is house trained' and 'under 5 years old'. I really wanted a black and white, I think they are unusual and a bit uncommon, but the few that were available on BRAT were highly destructive. However, Tucker looks just like "BJ", my childhood B. I loved that dog… They certainly do leave an impression.
FTR Ivy is a tri too….
Yes, IMO… Tri's are "wicked"... but in a fun way...
Those pips are devil horns, but boy do I love them!
Mickii says "Stick em up"…...
Keep stoking my Tri fever all of you…go right ahead it's ok....geeeeeeez!:D
Mickii says "Stick em up"…...
that's just adorable, it's these times that erases the evil they do. They know it too!
Or dogs "turn it on" when the want. they know how to push our buttons.
that's just adorable, it's these times that erases the evil they do. They know it too!
Or dogs "turn it on" when the want. they know how to push our buttons.
Yes they do…. and her grand daughter (Red&White) does this too...gggg its a family thing!
Keep stoking my Tri fever all of you…go right ahead it's ok....geeeeeeez!:D
Hee hee…just wait!
Now this is a face to LOVE!
Too cute for words!
