How do we determine the proper amount of food and time to feed our Basenji?
Darwin just turned 9 weeks old on Tuesday so he is still very young. Our breeder gave us some information that stated we should feed him 1/3 to 1/2 cup 2 to 3 times a day. I can not believe that I am reading on this forum that some of you only feed your dog once a day! Our little guy eats like a PIG in the morning and when I get home from work.
I have been doing the 1/3rd cup trying not to give him too much but he still poops in his crate everyday while I am at work.
Now I have figured out that the first poop happens just a short period (maybe 15 minutes) after I leave. I have even gone so far as to trick him, coat and shoes on and say goodbye and wait out in the hallway until he starts circling his crate to poop and then go in and take him outside and let him do it there and praise him tons and give him a treat and put him back in his crate.
But the problem is even with doing that it seems that at least once during the day he will wake up from sleeping (I have a webcam setup that I can watch him from work as I am trying to learn his habits) and freak out and eventually poop.
I am sure all of this is due to him being nervous…
We bought him a smaller crate and he is better in it because he can't jump (the other one was too tall even with the divider in it).
His new trick this last week is to dig like crazy in the crate and shred whatever kind of blanket we put in the crate... which sucks, it makes a huge mess with all the pooping (which he ALWAYS pushes out of his crate)
So...
- How do I get him not to poop in his crate?
- What should I use in the crate? I want it to be comfortable but I don't want it to need replacing every other day! (and to be washed daily!!!)
Thanks