New update: Tika is no longer in heat! Yay! Remy got neutered and is doing great! We got a dog trainer to come in assess the situation and she thinks it is starting to improve compared to how I described it when I booked her to come. Only Maia seems to need the muzzle, she seems to be very unsure of the puppy. We are working with her to build her confidence. The puppy doesn’t seem to have any stress with Maia around and won’t start anything. The muzzle is on just in case when I am home alone as I don’t want anything bad to happen when if I can’t separate them. The puppy is getting lots of training time to help her learn how to behave properly. With 2 people here we can have the girls on short leashes and they are fine together. They did have a small altercation of snarling but no biting and no one got hurt. The older female backed down and walked away. As much as I want her to be the top dog it seems that the puppy has a much more dominant personality. If they figure out the pack hierchy hopefully everything will settle down. The trainer says there are no pack instincts in domesticated dogs, but after having 6 basenjis I can’t agree with that in regards to basenjis. We can walk the girls together without muzzles now so I think things are more positive and they seem to be improving every day. When Remy is healed from his neuter I will get the puppy spayed and hope that calms things down even further. So far there is a lot more peace in the house. Please anyone let me know if there is anything else I should be doing to keep these girls on track. Thank you for all your advice and guidance! I am so grateful for this forum as what is normal for other dogs is not so much with these guys!
Japanese Basenji Blogs
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I recently came across a stash of Japanese Basenji blogs, listed here in order of popularity:
http://dog.blogmura.com/basenji/
It doesn't matter if you can't read the text. The photographs and overall aesthetic of most of the featured sites are just TOO CUTE. I am fascinated. Very cool to see how Basenji live in Japanese homes, too.
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Yes, I would think the basenjis in Japan have a more limited living space. Years ago, I had heard about basenjis being quite apartment adaptable, but I don't hear much about that any more. Comments, folks?
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I got my first basenji when I was in an apartment. He did just fine. He enjoyed his daily walks and training classes and lure coursing provided mental stimulation for him. Living in an apartment requires the owner to be committed to daily walks, no matter the weather or how you are feeling. It also means being creative in making sure they get enough mental exercise to help keep them from getting bored. If you are willing to do those things, basenjis can be good apartment dogs.
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I have had three couples that have had Basenji's in an Apartment. They do fine as long as they get enough exercise. Which all these couples do. The one couple has now moved into a house and are finding it a different experience, but they are still a very active couple.
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I'm in a hi-rise with my B. He gets plenty of exercise, but it helps that my condo layout is very open. He has a good 700sqft+ in the living room/dining room at his disposal while I'm gone during the day, which I think we can all agree is plenty of space for a Basenji on his own. A very welcoming course for a B-500.
Best part is, on top of his walks, he gets a daily "sprint" down the hallways on my floor when we come in after a walk. We've had some funny moments when someone decides to open their door, and Kananga feels curious enough to poke his head inside their home. But usually they just witness him flying by.
I've always had him at a healthy weight and he doesn't appear to be frustrated. It's all about how you work with your environment. I know plenty of dog owners that have a yard and a large home that do not give their dogs enough exercise, and it shows by the weight issues.
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They might make good apartment dogs due to their size and cleanliness, but I've long since learned that size is hardly relative to energy levels! I just don't know if people think "good apartment dog" means you can KEEP them in an apartment all day long… I go by the assumption that all dogs, regardless of size, need to be out at least once a day, if not for exercise, at least for socialization and getting used to the big bad outdoors.
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They might make good apartment dogs due to their size and cleanliness, but I've long since learned that size is hardly relative to energy levels! I just don't know if people think "good apartment dog" means you can KEEP them in an apartment all day long… I go by the assumption that all dogs, regardless of size, need to be out at least once a day, if not for exercise, at least for socialization and getting used to the big bad outdoors.
Of course. But in a building like mine, a Basenji gets the benefit of having a wonderful view of the outdoors while I'm at work.
60 linear feet of 8ft tall windows… Basenji heaven....
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Wow what a view! I know my Bs are envious as they love to sit in front of the sliding glass door and watch to see if there are any animals like squirrels, rabbits, birds, etc. out there. If they see something they scratch at the door, whine and cry, until I let them out. I am well trained!
Jennifer
