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Chewing nails

Behavioral Issues

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  • A

    Chewing on his toe nails

    Behavioral Issues
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    DebraDownSouthD
    Both Cara and Arwen keep their back toenails chewed appropriately short, but yeah if too short distract. You might even try using baby wipes when he comes in to wipe his feet down before he starts the licking.
  • R

    Basenji Nail Grooming

    Behavioral Issues
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    R
    I have found a great tool to help with nail cutting/drummeling. It's called the Calming Cap from the makers of the Thundershirt. It goes over the head like a hood and because the dog can't see well, it stays calm. About 20 or so years ago, I used to put a sock over my dogs head. It worked much in the same way. You might want to try it because it really works.
  • T

    Frustrated w/ the chewing

    Behavioral Issues
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    M
    @DebraDownSouth: Have you thought about putting him in the bed WITH you when you sleep? He used to sleep with us when we first got him but we had to stop because it would worsen my allergies. Ever since he stopped sleeping with us i'm now able to tolerate being around him.
  • M

    Laika chews

    Behavioral Issues
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    V
    My red & white grew out of chewing up stuff when he was about 4. He had mastered unzipping the couch cushions and destuffing them! It was his duty to destuff any couch with a zipper! My female will be 8 next month and she (I'm afraid) will never grow out of destuffing/chewing! Small hole in a comforter, no problem, let's make it bigger and destuff it so the room looks like snow! Toilet paper, hanging on the toilet paper dispenser? Never in my house! It only lasts 2 minutes and then it is set on a path of distruction…down the hall....in the living room.....in the bathroom.....on the bed..... Unfortunately, she is teaching the toilet paper destruction to my almost 3 year old rescue. But he doesn't shred, he litteraly eats anything he is destroying. We have had to be extra dilligent to keep chew dangers out of his way. He is tiny for a male (20 lbs) and we don't want him to ingest something and not be able to pass it. I echo everyone else's statements. It's like baby-proofing your house, except it's basenji-proofing! And when you catch the chewing something they aren't supposed to have, scold them and give them one of their own toys. These are intellegent dogs, they get it....after a while!
  • MiaM

    Harness chewing

    Behavioral Issues
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    ELERICKSON40E
    @Mia: Yes it is in the backyard, and no it's not fenced :( I wished it was. He is fine when we are going on walks, but as soon as he is left alone for more than 5 min he chews it up in a matter of a few minutes! Would a martingale collar work? I think the reason teh harness doesn't work is because he wedges his jaw on the shoulder part of the harness, and I figured that maybe a martinglae collar would work better since he can't get to it. Ahhh why can't he be more like his calm sister Mia lol… Welcome to the club! Trixie chewed her way thru at least 5 - 6 harnesses and yes also in a matter of minutes. The only time she has a harness on is when she is going for a walk or if we are taking her in the car. She has had her current one for at least 3 months ! It's a miracle, but I feel your pain!
  • Tayda_LennyT

    Chewing on each other - playing or fighting?

    Behavioral Issues
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    M
    I know this is an old thread, but it seems to be what we are experiencing…so rather than start a new one, I thought building on an old one would be best. We adopted a brother/sister pair of 5 month old Bs. They do well with other dogs, rarely nip at other dogs (unless they are overly excited and the other dog is a little too friendly - nothing serious so far), but my goodness do they roughhouse with each other. They will start the B-500 while taking them for a walk, and wrestle and tackle, nibble, grab each other by the throat, ear, leg, etc. Sometimes there's noise, sometimes not, lots of legs flying everywhere as they wrestle each other to the ground. By what I've read so far using the search feature, this seems pretty normal B behavior. But occasionally we fear someone's going to call the police and tell them we have a dog fighting ring going! Luckily for us it's only with each other that they wrestle. Other dogs don't interest them except to prove they can run faster. So the $64,000 question is...should we try to train this out of them, or do we just need to learn to live with it - as long as they keep it to themselves and don't involve other dogs. Many thanks!