Annoyed

[sara gindi]

I have a basenji she is crazy I can not stant it. I still love her bu every tim e I come home from school she jumps on me and scratches me but she does it by accident does any body else have this problem? Does anyone know how 2 controll it? If so write back.

[tanza]

Where did you get her from? Have you talked to the breeder? Have you taken her to any puppy/OB classes?…. and she is happy to see you... that is how she would greet her littermates.... so she is doing what comes natural.... Have you worked with her to change the behavior?

[lvoss]

Have you taken her through basic obedience? Where in California do you live, I may know of some trainers in your area.

[nobarkus]

How about signing up for obedience school for some training. You need to patiently work with her. She's obviously glad to see you. How old is she?

[khanis]

An easy way to make sure you don't get welts any time her nails touch you is to dremel them….
as the other posters said...she is happy to see you!

Is she crated while you are gone? If she is not, how old, and does she do anything destructive in the house during her 'loose' times?
Is this the extent of her driving you crazy? Sometimes it can be annoying, but better a happy basenji than an angry basenji!

[wizard]

Yes, the answer is training - of both her and you. Basic obedience will definitely help. But in the meantime, when you come home, start by greeting her on her level (she jumps so she can see your face) but don't get over-happy, she's probably also responding to your happiness at seeing her - if you are exuberant then she responds in kind. Work with her daily so she learns to calm down - for example, give her a treat when she stops jumping and sits. Also does she have something to keep her occupied when you are gone (lots of different interactive toys available today) - that can help if she's overly happy because she's bored when you're in school.

[Gabriel]

My girl acts the same way. I have had to keep her seperated from my kids who are 4 & 6 because she scratches the heck out of them. She also bites at them and me when she gets excited. My girl is 6 months old and she defintely needs obedience training. Basenji's are smart and my girl has learned a lot of things like sit and lay just by repetition. I takes her almost an hour just to settle down after I get home. Understandably since she's been crated for 4 hours.

[wizard]

By way of comparison, Gossy is left alone and loose in the house for 7-8 hours - when I come home fromwork she is excited but shows that by wiggling her body and vocalizing but she does not jump nor scratch. Within a few minutes she's calm and wanting to go out in the back yard. It's really all training.

[sharronhurlbut]

How much exercise does she get through the day?

[renaultf1]

@Gabriel:

I takes her almost an hour just to settle down after I get home. Understandably since she's been crated for 4 hours.

Liyah (5 mo) would be the same way when I get home I'm sure, but I immediately take all 3 b's outside on leads and then let them off to chase each other around the yard. They all come and greet me…I do kneel down to greet them so there is no need to jump up. Brando on occasion will be the acrobat balancing on his hind legs so that I pet him. Ruby's preferred method of greeting is to sit and wiggle...she knows she'll get loved on when she does that. Once they've burned off some energy, about 15 minutes later I take them for a walk.

Liyah is so funny...here way of greeting is more of a lie down in the happy play posture with her tail wildly going back & forth, ears back and starts talking and singing to me. I love it, she is so wiggly.

In general I do try to keep my coming and going low key...they get more attention after I've been home for a little bit.

[Maya]

Maya is exactly the same when i come home from work.. I actually find it quite sweet. She comes running to the door to great me, yodelling and wiggling. She doesnt hurt me with her nails as she gets put straight outside in the garden with the others for a run and a wee!

Maybe try taking your basenji for a walk as soon as you come home? My routine after work is to come straight in and let everyone out in the garden, while they are out there i get changed, then i take them for a walk, and to the little doggie park for a good off-lead run. By the time we get home Maya is ready for her dinner and bed