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  3. I had a minor heart attack today.

I had a minor heart attack today.

Behavioral Issues
  • MacPackM

    My husband has declared that he will never chase a basenji again, because his having a heart attack won't help anything. Fortunately ours don't run more than a house or two then are back running right into the house, to "Good dog, welcome home" greetings. (even though I have to bite my tongue).

    I am so very glad this story has a happy ending for Lucy!

    Anne in Tampa

    Chipley, Missy & Lucky

    Topper, Nicky & Eddie in the clouds

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  • RedVelvetLynxR

    Wow, what a complete jolt of adrenaline, isn't it? I'm glad everyone is okay! I've never had to chase either of my basenjis for a great distance, but both have ran loose for less than a minute & I know what sheer panic you must have felt. I used to walk Trinity with a retractable leash. She liked to dart back & forth while on her leash in our back yard (no fence yet) & would always pull just as hard as she could. The very last time she wore (and ever will wear) one, I was on the porch & she was in our yard. She decided to jet in a direction which was going to slam my arm around the porch's pole. I was bracing myself for the impact, when all of a sudden, all pull was poof gone. I watched in shock as my girl ran around all crazy - I don't even know if she really realized she was loose - she had pulled her collar from out of the leash's clasp. Luckily, all she wants to do is play - I started to chase her down the side of our house toward the street. She did a 180 & whizzed right past me toward the back of the house - I gave chase after her & quickly realized I was not going to catch her. So, I ran to the house to get treats, not even thinking she would follow me, but just as soon as I opened the patio door to go inside, she ran right past me & did a B500 around the inside because she beat me through the door. So, I found out, by accident, that running the other way can work. Just this past weekend, I had both Bs in our yard, on leash (no, no fence yet). I noticed Trinity was smackin' her lips on something & knew it was rabbit poop - yuck! I was busy ramming my fingers in her mouth to get it out & looked on the ground to see the loop handle of Denver's leash on the grass. As soon as I saw it, he started to trot towards the road. I was still holding on to the other dog & darted after him because his leash was dragging 6 ft behind him & he wasn't moving that fast. He started to gallop & I lost my shoes running after him. There I was, running in my bare feet, yelling 'TREATS! TREATS!' while all I could do was watch him scamper along. He got to my husband's jeep, turned to look at me & patiently waited for Mom to come bring the treats! So, I guess try to find what your B responds to & lure them that way. At least it wasn't your fault!

    Holly

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  • crystalncodyC

    I'm so glad it turned out well! I totally understand that heart-stopping terror that goes through you when they escape. I've been told not to hold and cuddle after I catch Cody when he escapes, but I just can't help myself, I'm so happy and relieved that he's ok.

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  • lukrisL

    My heart was racing just reading your story! Thank goodness she came home unhurt. A little reminder for us all about Basenji security and the unexpected!

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  • SchouiffyS

    I think we def. need a "what (insert character) did to let my Basenji out" thread… glad your baby is ok, I have had that moment many many times, esp with my first B who is dog aggressive.

    Lauren - Lycia's Mum

    Wellington, New Zealand

    _

    I know they say dogs don't understand spite… but I swear Basenjis do._

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  • tanzaT

    Exactly right…. do not chase.... run the other way.... 9 times out of 10 they will wind up chasing you... of course you have to get their attention to chase you...... but by not chasing them directly.. you are changing the "game"....

    And kudos to all for "biting back the need to scream"... ggg and praising them for coming back....

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • nobarkusN

    A good training game to play in the yard or house is hide and go seek. It makes them look for you. Give treats and praise when they find you. I first starting doing this with my first Basenji in the 70's. I'd even do it at the beach and hide behind a sand dune and she would go crazy trying to find me.

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

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  • thunderbird8588T

    So glad you caught her and she is safe. Other people just dont get it (not letting the Basenji out) I guess most are used to normal Dogs. We had a visitor once who came in the gate and watched Benji walk past her up the drive. Thats when i nearly had heart attack too. He Kept escaping when i first got him and ended up under a car, fortunately he survived. Years later when i moved if he got out rather than running he went straight next door to sniff and mark the territory. This gave me time to catch him. He was however very growly when i picked him up and would sometimes go for me when i put him down, such a delight, lol.

    Shelley

    Basenji Malaika

    Basenji Malaika
    Basenji Kwame

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  • renaultf1R

    While I've used both the walk in the opposite direction and the fall on the ground method and they've worked successfully to get my b's to come to me, I somehow think if I were on a busy street in Brooklyn and my b's got away from me, I'd have less chance of success of it working because of the overstimulation of the city environment.

    One thing that I've done is trained with cheese - as only an occasional really high value treat for my 3. A couple of times when they've been let out (by me or by my brother), I've walked in the opposite direction yelling "hey, who wants some cheese." The times I've done that, I've walked into the house, leaving the door ajar, gone to the fridge and turned around and the missing b was in the kitchen waiting for their cheese. My brother even tried it at night one time (although he was telling me he was panicking thinking Liyah was gone for good), walked away yelling, "Liyah, cheese" (in a happy voice) and she pushed the door in after him to get her cheese. Behold the power of cheese! :)

    Whether that method would work if they were chasing an animal remains to be seen…

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  • snorky998S

    @renaultf1:

    One thing that I've done is trained with cheese - as only an occasional really high value treat for my 3. A couple of times when they've been let out (by me or by my brother), I've walked in the opposite direction yelling "hey, who wants some cheese." The times I've done that, I've walked into the house, leaving the door ajar, gone to the fridge and turned around and the missing b was in the kitchen waiting for their cheese. My brother even tried it at night one time (although he was telling me he was panicking thinking Liyah was gone for good), walked away yelling, "Liyah, cheese" (in a happy voice) and she pushed the door in after him to get her cheese. Behold the power of cheese! :)

    OMGosh, had to LOL at this because this is how I got Katie back the last time she was let out (by someone one not even allowed in my yard:mad:)….running down the block until I saw her yelling "CHEESE!! KATIE, CHEESE!!", while wielding a huge block of aged cheddar ready to throw at any passing car if she chose to run across the street in front of an unprepared driver. I was armed and dangerous:D.

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  • tanzaT

    Or the other sure fire method for my kids is to open a car door and yell "go for a ride"…. Of course that would do me no good now, since Kristii in her elder years is a deaf as a door knob.....

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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    I'm no Basenji expert since I've only had one. And, I don't want to start a dog park argument. I'll just share my experience. Jengo LOVED running free, but he's a Basenji. Can't do that cause... cars. The dog park near our house is HUGE. A big completely enclosed lawn area the size of a football field with towering oak trees. We were OCD about keeping Jengo's vaccinations up to date. He was chipped and wore a collar with contact and rabies tags 24/7. He loved the dog park, but not all the dogs there. He hated any dog of any size that would try to dominate him in any way. He rarely instigated it, but he never tolerated it meaning regardless of size... he wouldn't back down. He also hated if another dog approached him from behind and would snap immediately. My solution was to stay near him and to keep moving. We would walk laps around the perimeter and by about the second or third lap he'd been or had checked out all the other dogs. Then things were good. If I saw that he was getting anxious I'd usually catch it before he reacted and would tell him "Easy". 9 times out 10 that was enough. I'd also make sure that he was aware of dogs in our vicinity so that he wouldn't be surprised if they came from behind. We went to the park for years. He never caught anything that I was aware of. I did pick him up and leave if there was another dog he and/or I weren't comfortable with. And, I also recall walking away before ever entering the park if there was a dog we didn't like already there. I guess my point is that part of protecting your dog and others is knowing and focusing on them without over-reacting at the same time. I don't want to set him off. But, I want to know what he's going to do before he does. You have to read him. All dogs give signals one way or another. Tune in to your dog, not the other people at the park. I liked the other people at the park, but I wasn't there for them. My focus was always on Jengo.
  • S

    Face, thread and attack

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    Lots more information needed here. As Debra asked, how old? How long have you had this dog? Is this a new behaviour and if so how recently has it appeared? What training have you done with this dog? IMO, it isn't unusual for a Basenji to object to doing something it doesn't want to do (or when asked to cease doing something it does want to do!), but usually this will be only a grumble and if it has escalated to biting or threatening to bite you need to deal with it, and if you aren't confident then you need help from a qualified trainer.
  • M

    I so want another, but I dont want my heart broken again !

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    P
    I don't think you should be put off just because of problems with your previous Basenji. He could, as others have said, have had a physical problem. Get your new Basenji from a reputable breeder and then make sure that you socialise him/her well and make sure that he/she encounters as many different environments as possible. Good socialisation is the key to many issues. You will, having had problems have been made more aware. There is much advice on this forum on dealing with various issues. If your breeder is conscientious and experienced he/she will be available at all times with good advice and will be able to guide you through any problemsd that may arise. Much of the behaviour Jess mentions is due to the owners and not their Basenjis. There have been temperament issues in the past but mainly due to lack of intimate knowledge of the breed. It is rarely (apart from physical problems) due to the actual dog (although there have been instances). In the early days people had had little experience and treated them as 'just a dog' which Basenjis are most definitely not! I'm sure Shelley will agree that her earlier experiences with a 'difficult' Basenji have helped no end in the way she has brought up her present two. I would also caution Shelley when she is told that dogs in the pedigree of her first Basenji were of doubtful temperaments. The first question I'd ask is whether the person who told her this was actually the breeder of the dogs mentioned.
  • S

    Attacking People!

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    tanzaT
    Has he had a full medical check up? Especially a full Thyroid panel done? I really would doubt that his being neutered has anything to do with it… certainly I have never heard of that before.... but I would first get a full medical done (including an eye exam with a Ophth), with full blood work and full thyroid panel (which typically must be sent out separate from normal blood work that your Vet might do) and then contact a behaviorist to work with him (and the family).
  • bellabasenjiB

    What about male dog fights over females in heat…do they try 2 attack "privates"?

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    bellabasenjiB
    @Quercus: …I can't imagine a dog in a real fight taking the chance of turning his back on the attacker. Though, I am used to seeing girl, girl fights...where neither girl is willing to surrender...it could be that a dog who really doesn't want to fight will try to protect his head and neck by offering other 'parts'...it would definitely indicate that the other dog wasn't reading his signs correctly...either by the dog offering surrender, or running away...it isn't really appropriate for the attacking dog to continue attacking... This is probably what may have happened. I don't think anyone actually saw the fight… So it's hard to tell, but my friend now thinks it is a part of male dominance fighting! I told them I would ask on here and see if it is common or not...
  • RubaDadR

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    You're right! My wife and I have animals since childhood and since we are maried, almost 25 years. We are really animal-lovers and we can't stand it when folks take animals, just for their own satisfaction. We once bought a abused Parrot for a lot of money, only to give this bird a better place. I am delighted to her that someone of this forum understands what we are trying to say. And the last thing we want, is that people think that you can establish a good relationship with your Basenji through yelling, hitting etc. That kind of constantly fysicaly and mentaly abusing isn't right for no animal! ;) @Quercus: <<we see="" correcting="" as="" the="" last="" posibility="" but="" we="" believe="" that="" sometimes="" it="" is="" necessary.="">> I don't think you will find anybody here that disagrees with that…at least not that has spoken up about training issues. Corrections definitely have a place...but some folks' form of correction ends up doing more damage than help. Yelling, spanking, etc don't have much meaning to a dog. I think corrections in the form of voice are particularly effective during puppyhood when puppies are learning all about what is acceptable. I think physical corrections with an adult dog who is showing aggression in any form is a mistake.</we>