…and she is a basenji.
HELP, we have just adopted a little basenji girl named Lori. Now we currently have a boy Indy (1.5 yrs) and Lori (4 months). Indy is great with other dogs, does the initial figuring out where everyone is in the pack order and gets along.
Lori at the park is totally fine, runs and plays, has fun, but when we go over to our friends house who has a female basenji she turns into Satan. Starting fights, being generally mean and ridiculous. I have tried a whole bunch of stuff:
(1) Time out
(2) Separating them for a bit
(3) Letting Zahara snif Lori and Lori snif Zahara
(4) Putting them in a larger area where they don't have to be near eachotherThis is not just with the female it is with their male puggle as well.
Please help me I so much want Lori to be able to go over to others houses and not be ridiculous.
Typically two female Basenjis (just like two male Basenjis) will not share house space… or for that matter, many times even at the park... Is the female spayed? Is the male spayed? many times as already noted here, in-tact dogs react strangely to altered dogs. And female Basenjis are typically also at the top of the food chain between other dogs.. so most likely you will not get them to "like" each other... and not being a dog, you really don't know what kind of signs the other female is giving off....
Where did you get Lori? Have you talked to the breeder? 4 months is pretty young to show that kind of temperament, IMO....
I've never seen one that young myself act like that. When my blk/wht was 4 months, un-spayed she played happily with any dog.
Where did you get Lori? Have you talked to the breeder? 4 months is pretty young to show that kind of temperament, IMO….
I got Indy from Mata Hauri Basenji in Enfield, NH. He had attended a puppy kindergarden class with his litter mates before he came home with us and knew sit and almost had down well down. He had been socialized with her little grandchildren, her children, friends and basically everyone who stepped in the house. There were many basenjis wandering around the house like pets in a well controled mannor. He loved people from the start he is great with kids and other puppies. I tell you this because you will see the surprise I got with Lori.
Lori I got from Wakan Basenji (the lady who does the basenji magazine). I don't know much back story on her but it took us a LONG time to get her used to even some people and she is still terrified of large people (we have a friend that is about 6.6 and 280lbs of muscle she runs ain terror from him). She was aggressive toward other dogs and she and Indy are still "working it out" a month later. She has gotten better with people although she does not like being cornered, and she gets on great with other dogs, just not Zahara.
I don't feel like she was as prepared to come home as Indy was althugh we got them at about the same age 12 weeks. So I don't know how much good it would do to contact her but I will give it a try.
Is there anything I should expect to hear? What would you say if someone called you with a problem like this? Just curious.
Well, honestly… I would say, don't take her to someone elses home... but that is just me...
And I would certainly contact Toni and talk to her about it... she is the breeder, she knows her dogs best... and I would trust what she says....
My first question for you would be, have you been taking her to puppy kindergarten? How has she been in class? Have you talked with your instructor about the issues you are having? Did they suggest a plan for how to work with Lori?
I also would not take her to other dogs' houses. Neutral territory is much better and it seems she is doing okay on neutral territory with other dogs.
Some dogs, and LOTS of Basenjis just don't care to spend time around 'non-pack' dogs. She may have a more timid personality, and just want to let other dogs know, right off the bat, that they shouldn't try anything with her. This is probably not the fault of her breeder.
Unfortunately, behavior like you describe tends to become habitual. Meaning, if a puppy has a bad experience with one dog, then she will react defensively around dogs habitually. It would be wise to immediately start a training program where you re-condition her to enjoy being around other dogs. Try the book "Fiesty Fido" by Patricia McConnell and/or "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons. This will give you some idea of some steps to follow 
A very wise lady at the dog park we take Shaye to once said to me there's a reason you can't say girl without the Grrrrrrr - female's tend to be less pleasant to their counterparts than the boys - but yours probably needs some socialization training. . . when visiting, I'd leave her home for a while until she mellows some. Well, "mellow" is not a word you'd use ever for a puppy B, but you'll know when she's ready.
I never had any issues with other dogs with Lexi as a puppy– but I always took her to the park (neutral ground). Might be best to keep things separated until she learns to improve her behavior.
Now that my dogs are older, my friends and I sometimes have doggie playdates at each other's houses. Even though our dogs all know each other and get along well, I'd say for about the first 15 minutes, my dogs have their hackles raised and are defensive and snarky. Then they calm down and play really well. It could be a territorial thing-- that your dog is trying to establish herself among the new dogs. But female Bs don't typically get along-- and there is something to the intact/neutered thing.
Might be best for you to meet the Chase & Zahara at the local park until they can all get along.
Rnasto…Andrea has some great reading suggestions for you. As well, I recently read the book "Feeling Outnumbered, How to Manage Your Multi-dog Household" by Patricia McConnell...great book and I highly suggest it for anyone with multiple basenjis.
Keep us posted on how you make out with Lori.
Hey all. Thanks for the great advice. Lori is signed up for puppy kindergarder and it started last tuesday. I called her breeder and she said get Lori spayed wait a while and try again it could definetly be a hormone issue. So I guess we will just be patient and try again later.
Thanks for the advice cant wait to tell you how it turns out!
Rnasto…Andrea has some great reading suggestions for you. As well, I recently read the book "Feeling Outnumbered, How to Manage Your Multi-dog Household" by Patricia McConnell...great book and I highly suggest it for anyone with multiple basenjis.
Keep us posted on how you make out with Lori.
I forgot about that one, it is really good!
Hey all. Thanks for the great advice. Lori is signed up for puppy kindergarder and it started last tuesday. I called her breeder and she said get Lori spayed wait a while and try again it could definetly be a hormone issue. So I guess we will just be patient and try again later.
Thanks for the advice cant wait to tell you how it turns out!
Spaying will take away the hormonal ups and downs, but it won't change her behavior towards other dogs. Definitely start using some reconditioning steps now, and that way the behavior won't have a chance to become more entrenched. Let me know if your puppy class teaches a 'watch', or 'attention' behavior, if not, I will get you the steps. It is the first step to keeping the dog under control in any situation.
