I have never had a problem with potty training or crate training… so I disagree with your assessment. Might be true for your Basenjis, but not for mine or any of my pups that were placed. Potty training was the easiest.... Depends on the Basenji... each one is different...
Olive - 5 month old peeing machine
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Hey all, just got my first b pup yesterday and have already had numerous accidents in the apartment lol. I know its all about patience and catching her before she gets goin but I just wanted to see if any of you had helpful tips to make the process easier. She's 5 months old and went the first night without needing a potty break or messing her crate. She whimpers when she wants to be let out but she's already showin her crafty nature by whimpering right when I put her in the crate but not eliminating or even looking to eliminate when I immediately take her outside
. I took her out about 8 times today with no luck lol. The area I took her to is frequently visited by other neighbors dogs so I assume she can smell that other dogs use the area but still not even a sniff around for a potential potty spot. I'm only on day 2 with her and she's crackin me up, just fear I'll be going through gallons of pet stain remover before we get a week under our belt :rolleyes: -
Do you know what she pottied on with her breeder? Grass? Cement? Dirt? Dogs are substrate specific when in comes to elimination. So if she is used to peeing on grass then that is what she is going to look for, if she is used to dirt then that is what she will look.
You need to get her on a schedule and remember that if in doubt take her out. In my household, a typical puppy routine means we start the day getting out of bed and taking the pup out for a potty break then I feed the puppy while I shower and dress so when I am done it is time for another potty break but this time it is a short walk so the excitement of the walk helps to stimulate them to pee. Then it is off to work for me and crate for the pup. Me or my husband come home at lunch and the pup comes out of the crate and goes straight out for a potty break. Pup gets some attention and snack then out for another potty break before the crate. Get home from work and the pup goes out again. Then some play time with another potty break after 10-15 minutes. After playtime is dinner then an evening walk, again walking is good for stimulating elimination so if you are having trouble getting them to go, take them for a walk. After the walk some quiet time, if they decide to wake up for more play, then out for a potty break. No matter what another potty break before bed. Sometimes they may need another break before morning and then we start all over again.
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every time the puppy's activity changes, put a potty break in between. so, if she wakes from a nap, taker her out, as soon as she stops playing, take her out, when she's finished eating, take her out, when her B500 is finished, take her out. any transition in the activity is a good time for a potty break.
when you are first starting the process, don't let her have any freedom until you know she's empty. if you take her out and she doesn't go, put her back in her crate for 15 min. and then try again. if she still doesn't go, straight back to her crate for 15 min. and try again. if she goes, she gets to play and have fun, then just take her out if there are any activity transitions. when she doesn't go, put her back in her crate and start over. if anything, she'll at least learn to fake it and dribble a little bit when you take her out. at that point at least you know she understands what you want.
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For older puppies and dogs, I truly believe you do quicker by leashing to you if not actively walking so there are no chances for "mistakes." tlish has it head on
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Thanks for the advice all. When I picked her up the crate she travelled in had a piece of carpeting and shreds of newspaper which smelled like she had been consistently peeing on it. Other than that she just keeps peeing in her crate. I wonder if she thinks eliminating in her crate is a surefire ticket out of the crate? She has her first vet trip today but after that it's the crate until she pees outside routine I guess.
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Not sure what you mean by "crate till she pees outside?"… And have you talked to the breeder about what her schedule was like for the months the breeder had her? That will give you clues to her possible habits. Especially if she was kept in the crate alot, she may have just learned if you got to go... you got to go and uses the Crate... One thing, make sure that if you are still using the same crate it is totally cleaned and the pee smell is gone and use fresh bedding.
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suki was a pet store pup and had the habit of peeing in her crate. it just took a week or so for her to understand that there was a schedule, and if she held it, she would get to go out and alleviate herself at a particular time. i think until she got the schedule down, she just didn't know when there would be a chance, so she just went whenever she had to go. just be patient and consistent, and i think your girl will figure it out as well.
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I'm using a new wire crate, chucked the old one cuz it was way too big and cheaply made. I got her online, puppyfind.com and the breeder isn't super talkative. I had a minor victory with her since my last post actually. Gave her a bowl of water and them took her out, no luck. Then put her in the crate, she immediately peed (tried clapping, making a loud sound, whatever the books say to stop her before she started but she just stared at me and kept goin lol). Cleaned it up and gave her her morning bowl of food and water. Waited a bit, held her on leash near the water bowl. Went outside after about 15 min, saw that her backend was gettin ready so I booked it to the potty spot. Get there and she just seemed frustrated with me, kept tugging on the leash to go back but I just stood there. Eventually she dropped one while on the move, at which point I praised her to high hell and took her in. The war isn't over but feels good to have at least one minor victory lol
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I should take her out after playing, eating, sleeping and so on and stay out until she done something outside. When she pees tell her that she is a good girl and then go in.
Good luck -
From your description, you have a puppy that has learned that the appropriate place to eliminate is in her crate. Does you crate have a "pan" in the bottom that is removable?
If so try taking that out with you potty her and see if she will potty outside on the tray. If she will then you can slowly try to associate the try with other materials so you can fade the tray altogether.
I hope that you at least required that your puppy have come from Fanconi tested parents or had the breeder test her prior to your purchasing her.
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It seems to me that she is in the habit of using her crate as a toilet - possibly because she has always been kept crated and not supervised when let out to toilet.
Make sure that all smells have been eliminated each time she pees in her crate before she goes back in. You've been given plenty of advice on the necessity of frequent visits outdoors to toilet so I won't repeat it. Praise her inordinately when she does perform and also use a word that she will identify with going to toilet.
This is all a matter of patience I'm afraid and in the meantime you might indeed have to use a great deal of odour eliminator. Personally I don't buy commercial ones but use white vinegar from a spray bottle which is much cheaper.
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She may be soiling her crate due to anxiety to confinement or separation anxiety.
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My dog, Joker, spent the first four months of his life in a pet store window. I'll never forget that when we first brought him home (he was the only dog), he would literally eat and pee at the same time! It took him about a week to understand what real dogs do.
Patience… patience... patience. High praises when she listens... repeat the command that you want her to respond to, i.e. "Go Potty".
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^ yeah, suki would would take two bites of food in the morning and suddenly have to poop immediately. it took a couple months and constantly watching to break her of that!
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Yeah the breeder "said" she was fanconi clear but didn't give me any paperwork when he shipped her. . . took her to the vet today and he said she looked healthy. You might be onto something with the separation anxiety bit since she only seems to relieve herself as soon as I leave the room. More good news though, I had to go pick up a friend from the airport and so left Olive in her crate for about an hour and a half maybe 2 hours after a failed attempt at getting her to relieve herself outside. I expected to come back to her having messed her crate but when I came back, I just found her taking a nap inside instead! I had to step out again but thought what the hell one more attempt couldnt hurt. With no visible signs of needing to eliminate, I took her to the spot I've been taking her for the past 3 days, at night mind you, and she just wandered into a nearby bush, stared me in the eyes and started goin. Both 1 and 2! My neighbors must have though I was insane cuz all I could do was yell "good girl" as she went to town!
Well after that I petted her and praised her a good bit before putting her back in the crate and stepping out for an hour. When I came back she had torn up the puppy pad I placed in the crate but had not otherwise messed it. She's currently at my feet napping, but I can already smell her so a potty break is in order soon lol. Lets hope she's catching on
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WTG.
On the puppy, you can look up sire and dam in OFA to see if proof of testing there.
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I agree with Debra, check for yourself about Fanconi and if she or her Sire & Dam have been DNA test.
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I have read that basenjis real fairly easy to house train. My aunt has a female name Deena and she was really easy to train. Praise is the best reward for a pup who goes outside. Can't wait until next week. I will be getting mine!!
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I've just read about your successful progress with your girl - I'm so pleased. The first steps are heartening as you know you're on the right track.
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Thanks all. Olive's about 70% house-trained now. She doesn't poop inside or inside her crate. She still pees once in a while on the carpet if I let her out of my sight as well as in her crate occasionally in the middle of the night or when I leave the house for a few hours. SOOOOO glad she's a quick learner ha ha. Gonna start puppy school Sunday after she gets her rabies vaccine and spaying today. Top of the class, here we come!
