As some of you know (and have seen :rolleyes: ) Maya likes to give a paw on command. She is very proud of her one and only trick!

I taught her to do it the way I did with my lab, when she did it she got a tasty treat… Simple!!

However... Being a sly basenji, Maya has since decided that its not me rewarding HER for doing a trick.. Oh no! What is actually happening is that when Maya gives me a paw, that means I have to feed her So now, when im eating anything in sight of her, she hits me with her paw then sticks her head in the plate/bowl

Im a very well trained basenji owner, dont you think? Hardly took her anytime at all to teach me the food command, im very proud of my new trick

LOL. Buddy knows a similar paw trick. Only I didn't teach him. I'm sitting on the edge of the couch eating because he climbs up on the back, sits there like a bird on a perch then taps me on the back with the paw.

I too have a tri-ing that knows that trick.

@agilebasenji:

I too have a tri-ing that knows that trick.

Me tooo!!!!! So wishing she didn't!

Otis knew that one too..he would High Five his heart out..so it was only "fit" for me to feed him..hmm, now Moses, the podengo wonderboy, does it, but he is much stronger so it feels as if he is giving you a wollup..all for a treat or a taste of my smoothie, or an almond, or an apple core or ..you name it he will do it for anything and all.

LOL, I tell mine give me 5, but I learned lonnnnng ago to only treat if they do it on MY command. Not from them, but from chow-coyote who would… when she wanted a treat... go through EVERY SINGLE TRICK (sit down wave twirl sit down wave twirl) frantically trying to trigger the "mom gives treat" response.

I think i must be soft because I do give Maya a treat everytime she does it (or a big fuss if i have no food around for her) as I think its adorable I shouldnt but.. She's so cute! I mean, just look at that second pic! Couldnt you just kiss that adorable little nose?? lol!

She is adorable, and she knows it.

Bowpi loves to reach out with her paws, especially when greeting – not quite a high five, but definitely higher than a shake. We didn't teach it to her -- maybe her previous owners did? I don't know. We "treat" her with love and kisses, which seems to satisfy her just fine.

A couple days ago we bumped into a couple Basenjis at the dog park, and one of them was making the exact same gestures. Maybe this is something B's are naturals at?

My Lola is learning to beg the same way… perhaps it's in their DNA?

@Patty:

My Lola is learning to beg the same way… perhaps it's in their DNA?

BEG? A basenji never begs :eek:

I do think it is a basenji thing though, Maya has always used her paws a lot, she hits the other dogs to get them to play :rolleyes:

hahaa! glad you are so well-trained!

suki uses her paws all the time, too. she tries to steal from me, and she bats me when she wants my attention. i am grateful every day that she does not have opposable thumbs! if so, i'd be in even more trouble!

@tlish:

i am grateful every day that she does not have opposable thumbs! if so, i'd be in even more trouble!

Dear spirits you have now doomed me to nightmares. Basenjis with opposable thumbs.

Tilly does the same trick. Only she smacks poor old Humphrey dobermann on the head repeatedly if he is (in her opinion) closer to the fire than her - and only stops when he moves…
Good job she wasnt around to try it with some of my previous dobes - we would have had basenji mince...

@Elscodobermann:

Tilly does the same trick. Only she smacks poor old Humphrey dobermann on the head repeatedly if he is (in her opinion) closer to the fire than her - and only stops when he moves…
Good job she wasnt around to try it with some of my previous dobes - we would have had basenji mince...

Maya does that too! Except we dont have the luxury of a nice fire (i miss that! :rolleyes: ) so its usually when someone is sat where she wants to be, or if she has scoffed her chews down too quickly and decided she wants someone elses, that sort of thing. The labradors just give into her but Delilah the pug is very much top dog (noones told Maya that though lol) and has put Maya in her place on more than one occassion! Thank god for Lilah, i'd actually have to TRAIN the basenji if it wasnt for her :eek: