I just wanted to tell this little story because it amazes us.
Our 4 month old B, Otis, has learned, on his own, how to tell us if he needs to go out to relieve himself. It started a couple of days ago but I just this moring caught on to what he was intending.
He has been "boxing" his paws on the window by the front door and also by the back door, a few times especially after eating. I usually let the dogs out as soon as they are done eating anyway so I have, like I said, not gotten it until today. Well as the morning routine with kids, breakfast, going to school and all that got crazy, Otis and the other dogs ate their breakfast peacefully in a secluded part of our kitchen. As soon as Otis was done he ran to the window and started to box his paws on it, me being blond, up to my ears in pancakes and trying at the same time to ward off a war between my kiddos ignored him. Well he wouldn't have any of it and kept on batting at the window, harder now standing up on his back paws, meaning business. I finally saw him and went over and asked him if he needed to go out side, so he ran to the front door and started boxing on it…wow, I got it. He is telling me that he needs to go out..so smart. As soon as I opened the door he ran out and plooped down and did the #2's. Wow I am still amazed at how smart he is and how dumb I have been until now. Just goes to show that Basenjis are smarter than they get credited for.
Petra
They are so smart! We use a "bell" hanging from the back door and both Bs learned to bat it or hit with their nose at a very young age when they have to go out. It's great especially when we do not see one of them by the back door. Grant it, we've been through a bunch of bells because sometimes they can't help themselves and want to play with it instead of ring it and leave it 
.
We tried the bell, but Magnum was using it just 'cuz he wanted to go outside for a second or two…every 1-2-3-4-5 minutes, and frequently when he just wanted to hear the sound (or so we thought, when he'd just look out or completely ignore the door opened for him). We found his behavior too disruptive so we took it down.
We know when he starts twisty-neckin' that he has to go outside...for something...and now we use that as our cue.
Good for you for finally catching on, Petra! It took us awhile to realize that Magnum's twisty-neckin' was a signal for "I NEED to go out. I'll let you know why ASAP."
Tayda and Lenny also let me know when they need to go out.
Tayda will pace - she will walk to the door and if I don't follow her she'll come to me, pause, sometimes let out a small whine, and then run back to the door. She will repeat this until i get up and let her out.
Lenny will just stand by the door of whatever room we are in. He's completely silent… just stands there patiently.
It's pretty funny
My first beastie would ring the bells I hook on the door knob, my second would run the B-500 (that was the only time he would do the race), and this one hasn't quite got a regular behavior yet and sometimes jumps a bit at me but mostly scratches at the patio door - a bell might work with her. It just shows how different their personalities are.
All of mine go to the door and run back to me to let me know they want to go out. If they're really bursting they will run circles round the dining room table!
Moses circles. It doesn't matter what room or whats going on. He circles, stops and looks at you, then circles again. He repeats the steps untill we are smart enough to let him out. We are finially getting it. Funny how he has potty trained us? LOL!
I guess I haven't noticed anything. I have a routine down that I think he just waits until its time to go. But a few occasions he has let me know if he wants to go earlier. He'll usually walk over to the door, walk back and look at me, walk back to the door, etc. Usually he'll just sit down near the door and stare at me until I notice.
Aren't they funny? At least they try to tell us they need to go out, we just might take time figuring out…
We have a dog door, but a few years ago we took them on vacation with us to a rented cabin at the beach. That first day they looked so bewildered, I finally realized they didn't have a dog door or any signal to go out! Topper went to the back door several times so I took them out, and used that door every time. By the end of the first day, they all knew to go to that door then back to me, over and over, till I took them out. Smart dogs figure out how to get what they need! Yours are all very smart!
My 2 b's use the doggie door, but prefer it when I got outside with them…
My 2 b's use the doggie door, but prefer it when I got outside with them…
LOL Sharron…. I have two doggy doors... one in the wall in the laundry room that is connected to the doggy room for when we are not home (and they were much younger and I didn't let them into the rest of the house when we were at work)... we also have one in the kitchen... cause we got really tired of opening and shutting the sliding glass door for them...gggg (not too spoiled).... Nothing better then a doggy door when you can have one... spoils the dog and more then that the human!!!!
I am always suprised when my 2 b's want to be walked to "do their business" given they have a huge yard and place to go…but then I realize they go out on the deck and soak up the sun...and don't want any "doggie" doo to mess up their sun bathing!
laugh
talk about clean dogs!!!
I would love to have a doggiedoor installed, but my Hubby doesn't. It isn't uncommon to have other "visitors" enter your home like that, like raccons, opposums and various not so friendly cats. We have several neighbors that had to have theirs either removed or barricaded, becasue they had so many "visitors" So I guess no doggie door for Otis and the gang. They tend to want to go out in the huge front yard anyway and they are not allowed out there with out "parental" supervision…it is not fenced.
Our puppy also rings the bell to go outside. If we are in the room with the only door that doesn't have a bell, she will sit at the door and give us the Basenji snarky stare - then run back and forth between that door and one with a bell - she makes it really clear what her purpose is. However, she also rings the bell when she just wants to go out walking - or because a squirrel is in the drive, or birds are chirping and she wants to go see them, or someone rode by on a bike, or the wind is blowing, and leaves are out there to be caught, or she's bored - we have to judge the timing - and ignore her if it's obvious she's just wanting out for her own reasons, not business.
I think that is so cool, but more importantly, b's not barking is really cool, and I am saying that with love, I love our two really barky dogs, but Otis definitely has one up on them…and that is the no barking. He did something yesterday ( at almost 5 months), he, in lack of any other ways to describe it, bark/yelped once and then barooed (spelling?). My husband was feeding them their nightly chicken wing and apparently was not doing it fast enough. We have never heard any other sounds from him than that.
Yes, the fact that Shaye doesn't bark really makes it great - there are a whole lot of yappy little dogs around here, and they drive people crazy, people who don't mind letting you know about it! She has made noise twice - both times at a mailman who was delivering a parcel. She barked twice each time at that man, and backed away as though she was afraid of him - no idea why she singled him out, because she loves everybody! But she has never barooed. I would love to hear her make that noise. One of the dogs at the dog park does it, and it's really really cool.
I know, I am so wanting Otis to baroo or yodel or anything, not because I want him to be vocal, but it is almost surreal to have the dogs play and yip yap and nothing is coming out of him…nothing..is he mute? I know he is not, but it is still weird.
I know, I am so wanting Otis to baroo or yodel or anything, not because I want him to be vocal, but it is almost surreal to have the dogs play and yip yap and nothing is coming out of him…nothing..is he mute? I know he is not, but it is still weird.
I'm surprised you haven't heard any noise from him considering you have other dogs. I know that my 3 are quite noisy because of playing or wanting to play with each other.
Like I wrote earlier, he did bark/yodel once and the barooed last night, but that is the first real basenji sound we have heard, besides him crying, yodeling in his crate…we will see what happens.
