Does your Basenji have its own specific place in your home?

[Christiane]

I am wondering if your B. has its own corner, cushion, armchair, etc. or do you allow him/her to go wherever he or she wants to?
Mine chose three or four spots and it annoys me a bit as between two cats and a dog, where do I sit? The sofa is taken, the comfi armchair, under my coffee table is taken (not that I want to sit there):( , when I go to bed, the bottom half of the bed is taken, and when I wake up, the pillows are taken and sometimes I have a cat or a dog staring at me half hidden under the quilt! how can I discipline all these little people?

[tanza]

@Christiane:

I am wondering if your B. has its own corner, cushion, armchair, etc. or do you allow him/her to go wherever he or she wants to?
Mine chose three or four spots and it annoys me a bit as between two cats and a dog, where do I sit? The sofa is taken, the comfi armchair, under my coffee table is taken (not that I want to sit there):( , when I go to bed, the bottom half of the bed is taken, how can I discipline all these little people?

We sit on the floor…. or curl up in a ball on the bed...

In our house it is where ever, when ever....

[Janneke]

Our b has it's own crate and dog bed, so we still own our couch and our bed When we feel like cuddling, we put his blanket on the couch and then he's allowed to sit with us… (we're so bossy)

[Christiane]

ok, ok, no rule it seems, Janneke, your dog is disciplined! a dream, must try and Tanza, it's like in my house, find a free spot and fight for it!

[Janneke]

@Christiane:

ok, ok, no rule it seems, Janneke, your dog is disciplined! a dream, must try and Tanza, it's like in my house, find a free spot and fight for it!

Yes.. he's aware of the rules I don't like to 'fight' my dog for a spot.. It's my house.. my chair.. my couch.. And if he doesn't agree.. he can go to the neighbours :p
And this way.. we don't fight.. we don't even have discussions.

[Christiane]

@Janneke:

Yes.. he's aware of the rules I don't like to 'fight' my dog for a spot.. It's my house.. my chair.. my couch.. And if he doesn't agree.. he can go to the neighbours :p
And this way.. we don't fight.. we don't even have discussions.

I like that, i must bring a few more rules, was hard enough to insist on the fact that my handbag is my bag, don't chew it, my shoes are my shoes, my dinner is my dinner, so, must move on with sofa, armchair and bed and pillows…what a lot of work:mad:

[Janneke]

@Christiane:

I like that, i must bring a few more rules, was hard enough to insist on the fact that my handbag is my bag, don't chew it, my shoes are my shoes, my dinner is my dinner, so, must move on with sofa, armchair and bed and pillows…what a lot of work:mad:

Haha, yes it is a lot of work.. A waterspray helps a lot
I think Mirtillo really likes the fact that he has his own spot. We don't bother him there, so he knows he can chew his bone, play with his stuffed animals and sleep without those stupid humans interfering.

But.. sometimes.. he decides that it is time for a new spot:

(he isn't allowed on the stairs either :eek: :p )

[Christiane]

hey, that's a good idea: a waterspray, hadn't thought of that one, will try, my invading dog doesn't know what's coming now!!(same for my cats), a happy week-end in store, will just have to keep mopping up!

[Janneke]

@Christiane:

will just have to keep mopping up!

Haha.. you don't have to throw the whole bottle on their head

I do feel that your beasties have to know what's good behaviour and bad behaviour before you can 'punish' them with a spray.. but I think you have told them more than once they aren't allowed to chew things

[Christiane]

@Janneke:

Haha.. you don't have to throw the whole bottle on their head

I do feel that your beasties have to know what's good behaviour and bad behaviour before you can 'punish' them with a spray.. but I think you have told them more than once they aren't allowed to chew things

Yes I have BUT…
anyway, what a shame, was looking forward to chasing them all around my house with a water spray:D , but seriously, it is a good idea, will adhere to the watertest; my cats will learn quickly and hate it, my Basenji might actually enjoy it and think it is a new game! However, was on a beach in Holland last week-end and she didn't seem to like water at all, so there is hope: will let you know soon:D

[Janneke]

@Christiane:

Yes I have BUT…
anyway, what a shame, was looking forward to chasing them all around my house with a water spray:D , but seriously, it is a good idea, will adhere to the watertest; my cats will learn quickly and hate it, my Basenji might actually enjoy it and think it is a new game! However, was on a beach in Holland last week-end and she didn't seem to like water at all, so there is hope: will let you know soon:D

A beach in Holland.. as in.. The Netherlands?? :eek: What was the weather like?

A lot of b's dislike water, so I have high hopes for the spray

[Christiane]

Yes, I went to Zeeland in the Netherlands, nice and quiet area, four hours drive from where I live. The weather was great and the beaches too and true enough my B kept walking on dry sand for most of the time but, she had a great time guarding an empty beach early morning or late at night! Kept trying to chase seagulls and play with dogs that ignored her: sad really, they obeyed their masters' orders and ran away as soon as they called them whilst my dog kept hoping they would run loose and run around on the beach with her!

[MacPack]

My 3 go wherever they wish, and we find enough places to sit or sleep with them. They love to sleep right next to us, so no matter how large the bed, we don't take up much room. There is no where they are not allowed. My boys are good about my shoes, purses, etc, but my 10 year old girl Nicky gets urges at times and eats a shoe or purse (never cheap ones). We live as loving house-mates!

Anne in Tampa

[snorky998]

Janneke, that picture is wonderful!!! I thought my 2 kooks were the only ones that sat like that!! Always butt on one step and the front paws on a lower step. Is this common do you suppose??:rolleyes:

Also, the water spray bottle worked wonders in our home. Having older dogs now, we haven't used it much in recent years. But all it takes now is for us to walk into the kitchen and get the empty spray bottle and show it to them:). The bad behavior ceases immediately.

That said, we also tried many techniques before incorporating the spray bottle (hate to have them afraid of water because of me). My older male already hated water before we started the spray bottle, and my younger female (now 6) took it all in stride and to this day tolerates (disclaimer: doesn't like, just tolerates) water. She'll even go for a short swim if there are no waves, this includes the tiniest ripples:D

[Janneke]

@snorky998:

Janneke, that picture is wonderful!!! I thought my 2 kooks were the only ones that sat like that!! Always butt on one step and the front paws on a lower step. Is this common do you suppose??:rolleyes:

Also, the water spray bottle worked wonders in our home. Having older dogs now, we haven't used it much in recent years. But all it takes now is for us to walk into the kitchen and get the empty spray bottle and show it to them:). The bad behavior ceases immediately.

That said, we also tried many techniques before incorporating the spray bottle (hate to have them afraid of water because of me). My older male already hated water before we started the spray bottle, and my younger female (now 6) took it all in stride and to this day tolerates (disclaimer: doesn't like, just tolerates) water. She'll even go for a short swim if there are no waves, this includes the tiniest ripples:D

I don't know why they sit like that.. It's really weird and doesn't look comfi to me! :rolleyes:

Here it also helps to just show the bottle. When we're having dinner, we put the water bottle next to us.. Mirtillo only has to look at it and he's like.. ok.. you won

Mirtillo hates water as well. When he has to take a bath, he cries when we make him wet and stops immediatly when we stop.. It's a really funny game.. (for us :eek: ;))

[gbroxon]

Magnum isn't too fond of water either. You should have heard him scream when we were trying to get the paint off him (see http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=4384 for the story).

I wouldn't have been surprised to see squad cars come roarin' up our driveway, sirens screechin', lights flashin':

"Who ya torturin' up here, M'am?"
"Umm…no one, sir, that's just my dog gettin' a bath."
"Yeah...right. Up against the wall, lady. And you, buddy, put down that hose."

Magnum has also learned the function of a spray bottle...doesn't like them either and stops whatever behavior he's engaged in when he sees one.

Oh, yeah, he does have favorite places...on top of the couch, in my son's very smelly bedroom, anywhere somebody just got up from. He's allowed to be pretty much wherever he wants to be, unless everyone is gone. Then he's in his indoor/outdoor kennel 'til we get back--as he has very mild SA, he needs space and distractions to help him work off his anxiety.

[Christiane]

Well, tested the water spray today (twice) and YES, it works and no need to insist too much but don't have the heart to stop her lying on my sofa! Thanks for these replies, they have been very helpful and yes, Basenjis don't seem to like water, at least no need to worry about mine jumping into rivers to chase an innocent duckling and drowning and me trying to rescue her when I can't swim either!

[tanza]

So you think…ggg... mine where if raining it is quite a challenge to get them to go out to potty or an even bigger challenge to bathe... if there is a critter, cat, rabbitt in the yard... they could not care less about the rain...

We have one show grounds were there is a really big duck pond.... besides all the "yummy" stuff to roll in.. the lure of those ducks can be quite distracting when trying to show!

[Robin_n_Jack]

Jack sits like that on the stairs too!

Jack has a couple of places that he has claimed. Top of the couch, center cushion of the couch, under the dining room table, on DHs pillow (when he isn't around). Every once in a while he tries to test me by sitting in my spot on the couch, and he gets a little growly and snarky, so I poke him a little bit until he decides to move on his own