Just wondering/thinking/probably not acting…

[JazzysMom]

I've just been wondering in my little head, because I am so totally unsure as to how my dogs, esp. Jazzy, would react if I took them to a dog park or on a hike where other dogs –or even people, esp. w/Jazz --may be, if a muzzle would be an appropriate tool to use.

It's not anything I am "planning" to do, just sort of thinking with my keyboard.

My brother invited us on a fund-raising hike for a Search and Rescue organization and said dogs can hike along. My dogs love to hike, but may not handle strangers well or other dogs, and it just got me thinking/wondering.

Pros? cons? I have a feeling there'll be more cons.

[tanza]

I would not take them with a muzzle if they were not use to them… and if you are on a find-raising... hike, woud they not be on lead? I would be surprised if they were not...

[lvoss]

Nicky has never been to a dog park or on an off leash hike and I wouldn't ask him to. He has been on walks with on leash dogs at the dog beach in Huntington Beach and he is fine as long as he has his space. He likes his space and on leash walks allow me to provide that for him.

Rally has been to dog parks and could probably tolerate an off leash hike fine as long as her daughters were not present and the dogs were respectful of her seniority. As Rally has aged, she prefers only to interact with dogs she knows but she doesn't start trouble either. Rally is fine on on leash walks and hikes.

Rio does not enjoy dog parks but does like off leash hikes with other dogs where it is easier for her to choose not to interact. Like her mother she prefers to limit her interactions to a small group of dogs she knows. Rio is also good on leash for walks with other dogs.

Sophie enjoys other dogs in most situations. She interacts with lots of dogs and enjoys play. She does well on leash but can become frustrated at not being able to do what she wants.

So, if your dogs have no prior experience, I would say if it is an on leash hike where you can control the interactions with other dogs and give your dogs space then they would probably be fine. Off leash, IME, many older basenjis prefer their space and expect a level of maturity that many dogs don't seem to possess.

[JazzysMom]

I suppose the dogs on the hike should be on-leash, but have learned to never assume anything when it comes to people and their dogs. Best just to stick with having them on family hikes…where even then we do meet off-leash dogs, but I feel more free to chew people out, LOL

[Basenjimamma]

Yes, I would to leave my pup at home, at east the first time, so you kow how it works, and also how other people are "raising" their dogs. Unfortunately, even your dog is obeying the rules and walking on a lead, their might be one or even a few that think rules don't apply to them..

[renaultf1]

Yeah, JM…I'd probably skip it...if yours are anything like mine about how much they love (not) having strange dogs run up to them while being walked on a leash. :rolleyes::rolleyes: Wish I had a dime for every time I've heard..."don't worry, he's friendly" as a dog comes bolting towards mine. :rolleyes:

[mauigirl]

@lvoss:

Off leash, IME, many older basenjis prefer their space and expect a level of maturity that many dogs don't seem to possess.

Really well said! That is so Zip.

[nobarkus]

Interesting as Buddy is not a typical Basenji in that he fetches and loves the dog park. As soon as he steps inside that gate he will run right into the middle of the pack gathered and wrestle and run with any dog for an hour/hours. People love Buddy because he'll wear out all the dogs getting them to chase him around and around. He'll body slam too which makes me cringe! People are amazed and say he is quite different from the Basenjis they have seen or known. Dogs are just standing around until he arrives and then he stirs everything up. He's quite the entertainer!

[lvoss]

My mom's dogs go to the dog park and love it but they have been going all their lives. I think it is very different to take a mature adult dog to the dog park if they have never been than it is to introduce a young adolescent dog to the dog park.

[nobarkus]

@lvoss:

My mom's dogs go to the dog park and love it but they have been going all their lives. I think it is very different to take a mature adult dog to the dog park if they have never been than it is to introduce a young adolescent dog to the dog park.

I've seen even young dogs get overwhelmed there. Yes, an adult that has not been exposed to that could be a bad experience. If one was to try and take an adult it's best on a slow day where there's only a few dogs there that are adults as well.

[Shaye's Mom]

@nobarkus:

Interesting as Buddy is not a typical Basenji in that he fetches and loves the dog park. As soon as he steps inside that gate he will run right into the middle of the pack gathered and wrestle and run with any dog for an hour/hours. People love Buddy because he'll wear out all the dogs getting them to chase him around and around. He'll body slam too which makes me cringe! People are amazed and say he is quite different from the Basenjis they have seen or known. Dogs are just standing around until he arrives and then he stirs everything up. He's quite the entertainer!

Buddy sounds just like my 9 month old girl, Shaye - she runs full out, and tries to get every other Basenji or any type dog to play with her - she also stirs things up, and I'm amazed she doesn't get in trouble with the bigger dogs, because she will jump up on them with her front legs and let them roll her all over in the grass/dirt, whatever! I'm sure her puppy antics must annoy more dogs than the occasional older female Basenji, but so far, ever since she was 12 weeks and going to the dog parks, she has done this and they all seem to like it - the owners sometimes get nervous, and I try not to let her ever play with smaller dogs than she, because she is so active she overwhelms them. By the time we go home she's the filthiest dog in the park, and totally wasted.:rolleyes:

[nobarkus]

@Shaye's:

Buddy sounds just like my 9 month old girl, Shaye - she runs full out, and tries to get every other Basenji or any type dog to play with her - she also stirs things up, and I'm amazed she doesn't get in trouble with the bigger dogs, because she will jump up on them with her front legs and let them roll her all over in the grass/dirt, whatever! I'm sure her puppy antics must annoy more dogs than the occasional older female Basenji, but so far, ever since she was 12 weeks and going to the dog parks, she has done this and they all seem to like it - the owners sometimes get nervous, and I try not to let her ever play with smaller dogs than she, because she is so active she overwhelms them. By the time we go home she's the filthiest dog in the park, and totally wasted.:rolleyes:

How funny, Buddy and Shaye are about the same age and do the same things at the dog park. LOL!!. He jumps up too and sometimes the dogs growl at him. He likes to roll around with the big dogs too. Buddy overwhelms the small ones as well. I've had to pull him back or leash him at the beach. Buddy has gone full play at the dog park, gotten home and grabbed his toys to play. I'm like "Whaaaa"!:D

[Shaye's Mom]

I was happy to see your post, Nobarkus - Shaye has seemed to me to be so "over the top" compared even to the other puppies her age at the park, I was wondering if perhaps she had a few screws loose! It's reassuring to see it's probably normal. I was hoping for a little girl dog who could wear pink and be feminine - but no - her color is red, red, red! Not a bit of aggression in her, very loving to people and all dogs alike, but her energy level astounds me.

[nobarkus]

@Shaye's:

I was happy to see your post, Nobarkus - Shaye has seemed to me to be so "over the top" compared even to the other puppies her age at the park, I was wondering if perhaps she had a few screws loose! It's reassuring to see it's probably normal. I was hoping for a little girl dog who could wear pink and be feminine - but no - her color is red, red, red! Not a bit of aggression in her, very loving to people and all dogs alike, but her energy level astounds me.

Buddy doesn't have a mean bone in his body either. He has a lot of energy too. Takes a lot to wear him out but it's keeping me in shape with the long walk/hikes. These too would be kick together! When other dogs snap at him he just backs away. Totally opposite of my other previous 3 Basenjis.

[Shaye's Mom]

Wouldn't you know it, we're at opposite sides of the country! Shaye does the same when other dogs snap at her - except, on a recent vacation, she tried playing with two different Jack Russells, both smaller than her of course, one a year old female and one a 4 year old male - it took very little time before both of them started growling and went after her - in both cases she fought back and they had to be yanked apart. She's never done that before or since with any other dog. I guess I believe the two breeds don't like each other. She also doesn't like Sheperds or Akitas, because they try to "herd" her in one direction - her tail straightens out and her ears go down - that is a clear sign she is afraid. I take her out of the park when they show up.

[Basenjimamma]

She also doesn't like Sheperds or Akitas, because they try to "herd" her in one direction - her tail straightens out and her ears go down - that is a clear sign she is afraid. I take her out of the park when they show up.

I have heard of other B's having issues with shepards before, I never thought of it being because of the herding, but that makes sense.

[nobarkus]

@Shaye's:

Wouldn't you know it, we're at opposite sides of the country! Shaye does the same when other dogs snap at her - except, on a recent vacation, she tried playing with two different Jack Russells, both smaller than her of course, one a year old female and one a 4 year old male - it took very little time before both of them started growling and went after her - in both cases she fought back and they had to be yanked apart. She's never done that before or since with any other dog. I guess I believe the two breeds don't like each other. She also doesn't like Sheperds or Akitas, because they try to "herd" her in one direction - her tail straightens out and her ears go down - that is a clear sign she is afraid. I take her out of the park when they show up.

Same with Buddy but he does well with the Sheperds but there's one white Akita named Coconut that's quite aggressive and he runs away but it chases him down. The woman took the dog out of the park. It's had issues with others and has had to leave the dog park before. People don't like the dog. I haven't seen it there in some weeks.

[Shaye's Mom]

An Akita was the first dog we noticed that about. It was only a 10 month old, but it ran right next to Shaye, touching her all the way and looking down at her, and kept turning her to the right - I don't really know whether it was trying to get Shaye back to the place we were sitting or whether it was an aggressive move, but the result was the same. There is a Shepard here in the neighborhood we live in. When the man who walks it passes by us, he has to practically get down and physically hold the dog, because it tries to charge Shaye, ears back, hackles up, barking its head off. I don't know if it's like that with other dogs. At the park, there was a young Shepard who initially started playing with Shaye, but when Shaye went up like she does and came down around the dog's neck area, it lowered to the ground, bared its teeth, growled and scared me to death, I thought I was about to see Shaye get picked up and shaken to death in those jaws. It was not in a playing mood any more. So, I figure better safe than sorry. The man who owns the Akita who was herding Shaye told me Akitas are bred to be guard dogs and are naturally aggressive in initial meetings - so why he had that dog at a public park is beyond me.