I had a spinal injury a few years ago and the surgeon warned me of permanent nerve damage causing incontinence being a potential consequence if it got worse. It's called "cauda equina syndrome", I did a quick search and it looks like it occurs in dogs too. Essentially you lose all nerve feeling on your bowel, hence not knowing when you need to go. I'm not sure what the solution is (if any) but it could be a clue.
Anxiousness when alone
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We all know basenjis hate staying alone, but our situation is becoming quite difficult…
Some months ago our basenji lost her best friend, a whippet we had had for 13 years. Since then she has problems with staying alone at home. When alone, she cries a lot, runs around, destroys plants, doors, walls and so on. She is really anxious and can't calm down. We always have to have someone at home with her, and it is almost impossible to arrange.
We are looking for suggestions or concrete advice. Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences.
P?ivi
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I have several questions. How long do you leave her? Can she stay in a crate or out in the backyard if it's fenced? If no, how about using a pen in an area of the house like the kitchen? How long have you had her?
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How about getting her a little friend? That might help some then at least she will not be alone.
Rita Jean
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@Rita:
How about getting her a little friend? That might help some then at least she will not be alone.
Rita Jean
That's definitely the workable option if you can find the right one. Is that something you were considering?
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I was just thinking maybe another whippet it don't have to be a puppy lots of them that need and want a loving home. "Maybe"
Rita Jean
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This may sound silly, but have you tried leaving a TV or radio on when she is home alone. Also to contain her from being destructive have you thought about a larger indoor pen or possible a couple of baby gates stacked on top of one another across a bathroom or kitchen floor? the reason I said bathroom or kitchen is that ours both have ceramic floors so there is no carpet to chew or get damaged.
Jason
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Thank you very much for all your kind answers.
Our basenji is almost 14 years old and we have her since 1996. She had never been alone before because our two dogs passed all the time together, they were inseparable!
Luckily my partner works at home, so we do not have to leave her alone for a long time. But even if she stays alone for less than an hour, it is too much for her.
Our backyard is not fenced, and our basenji does not like to stay outside for a long time. She loves warm places and often sleeps under the blanket. As to an inside pen, I think it would be a piece of cake for our dog, she would be perfectly able to destroy it in a few minutes…
We have tried to leave radio on when we are away, but as she is almost 14, she does not hear very much any more. We have not tried TV yet, it could be worth trying.
We have been thinking about another dog, but for the time being it is not an option. In fact, we would like to have a "dogless period" after this dog. We both leave far from our home countries and would like to be more free to travel back home.
Please don't give up, we need some more ideas...
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I've been giving my B some herbal extract drops that are used specifically to deal with an anxious dog. Azmira's Calm & Relax. I add the drops to his water everyday when I fill up his water dish. It took a few weeks to kick in, but lately he's been very relaxed while I'm away. This could be used as a buffer for the time being for your B to adjust to not having another dog around. Something to consider.
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Kananga, thanks a lot for this advice! This sounds perfect and absolutely worth trying. I'll find out tomorrow where to get this product.
