Hi Dawn, my names Colleen and i'm from Melbourne!
I'm really interested to hear peoples thoughts on this as my 6 almost 7 month old male basenji who isnt desex as yet is displaying quite a lot of seemingly random aggression toward my other dog who he lives with. Food is the main trigger, but more and more i think it's his testosterone really kicking in, i think hes trying to test out my other dog too see how much he can get away with and how much he can boss him around.
Its making life a bit edgy for myself and my dog who cops the outbursts!

I'm a vet nurse and it is well know that desexing a male will definitely drop hormone levels significantly and therefore any hormonal aggression along with it. It usually calms them and dog/territorial related aggression can be helped by neutering.
I think that if you really want to keep Cougar the best way to go is to desex him. If it becomes unbearable, then its not going to harm anyone by getting him desexed. And to be honest i think the breeder should think twice about breeding from a basenji who has bitten people… but basenjis will be basenjis. No doubt desexing will help, but no doubt the aggression wont be 'cured'... i think then you need to do your bit by training him in conjunction.

Best of luck, sounds like we both need it!

Hi Dawn, my names Colleen and i'm from Melbourne!
I'm really interested to hear peoples thoughts on this as my 6 almost 7 month old male basenji who isnt desex as yet is displaying quite a lot of seemingly random aggression toward my other dog who he lives with. Food is the main trigger, but more and more i think it's his testosterone really kicking in, i think hes trying to test out my other dog too see how much he can get away with and how much he can boss him around.
Its making life a bit edgy for myself and my dog who cops the outbursts!

I'm a vet nurse and it is well know that desexing a male will definitely drop hormone levels significantly and therefore any hormonal aggression along with it. It usually calms them and dog/territorial related aggression can be helped by neutering.
I think that if you really want to keep Cougar the best way to go is to desex him. If it becomes unbearable, then its not going to harm anyone by getting him desexed. And to be honest i think the breeder should think twice about breeding from a basenji who has bitten people… but basenjis will be basenjis. No doubt desexing will help, but no doubt the aggression wont be 'cured'... i think then you need to do your bit by training him in conjunction.

Best of luck, sounds like we both need it!
Colleen

@tanza:

Nope to the bitterants and sprays…. LOL

So basenjis will just ignor the bitter taste and chew anyway?
sheepskins and fleece blankets would be a favourite thing to sleep on for Bs, soft and warm :)

I Love these collars, limited slip and soft chock collars available. Someone i know who breeds basenjis loves these collars because they are SO soft she can use them for training puppies. they also come in a few different widths for adults also. I have felt them myself, they are like velvet, and the colours are exquisite and so vibrant! they are super strong too.
http://www.mesamisonline.com/category/mes-amis-collars/

I thought that might be the case, with basenjis it woudnt matter how well trained they are when your around, they will still try to get away with it when your not. thanks for tips. good to hear that leather has stood up to the basenji test, so i just have to stop them from leaving scratches on the leather, seems im going to have to invest in some covers for the couches. although i would crate a very young basenji any way to avoid chewing furniture, and only use the best beds… which might end up being destroyed anyway.
Another question, has any one used bitterants or sprays to deter chewing on certain objects? and have you found that successful?
thanks again

my friend also has shelties, and she thinks they are the Best breed in he world. after spending the entire day at a basenji specialty champ show, i met up with this friend to tell how all about how they day went, and i told her that some breeders have very nice dogs with flawless temperaments, and others were aggressive. one dog went to bite the judge. well i knew that that was a mistake! she immediately said 'colleen i just dont understand how you could like them! they are such a nasty breed, i mean you just cant go past a sheltie" pointing to her two over weight, boring, lazy fluff balls on the ground….. i find shelties far too boring! So i proceed to remind her of a sheltie we both knew well that has such a shocking temperament and fear aggression toward people that she had bitten Many unsuspecting people, and had even sent one woman to the hospital to get her face stitched up...... NOW tell me which breed is better!

i was just wondering if it is possible to train a new basenji puppy to not jump onto the couch… the bed doesn't matter so much, but we have leather couches so they are a No go zone!! i dont have a puppy yet, but i need some tips before i get one.
has anyone successfully... or half successfully trained a basenji not to go on the furniture? any training tips?
thanks!

Thanks for the reassurance Krunzer! no doubt there will be lots of differences between Ben and a basenji puppy.. i cant wait!
i think im expecting the worst, and hoping for the best :) and my little experience with friends basenjis will help im sure. the first time i tried to handle a basenji was a disaster, he knew straight away i wasnt confident and walked ALL over me!! the second time He wasn't so lucky ;) i got the upper hand, and he showed beautifully for me. we reach an understanding then :)

Hi all my names Colleen, i live is Australia, Victoria and im hoping that in a few months i will own my very first basenji! im am extremely excited and nervous at the same time. although i have done years of research on the breed and have met many, Many basenjis, their owners and breeder, i just cant help but feel that i dont know what im about to get myself into!!! ;) so i thought it would be a great idea to join this forum to get as much advice as possible from experienced owners!
in saying this i am in no way a new dog owner, i currently own a 6 and a half-ish year old boy named Ben who is supposed to be half basenji (pic of him to come) if it wasn't for my family adopting Ben, my obsession for Basenjis would no doubt have never started!
Ben, i fear, is giving me a false sense of security when it comes to basnejis. As far as they come Ben is an easy dog to live with. easy to train, Fairly obedient (sometimes!) and doesnt often put a foot out of line, doesnt chew (he did a little when he was a puppy), or dig holes and generally does the right thing when i sound serious enough!!
In saying that he is a mean hunter, and will Not listen to anyone while tracking down a rabbit. He is a perpetual bin scavenger, and quite the escape artist. he Never goes on the furniture, unless everyone has gone to work all day then he will take it upon himself to reside on the couch for the day to sleep (but has never left a scratch on the leather) and if you cant see him then its time to worry that he may be up to no good. Compared to my friends shelties, he isnt as easy to live with. so maybe i do own Half a basenji after all? lol
I show dogs, Shelties and Basenjis mainly, also i competitively trial my dog Ben in obedience (but so far all he has managed to archive is GREATLY embarrassing him mum in front of lots of people!!!) and have trained him in agility.
Anyways i do have plenty of question, and surely more once i actually have a basenji, so im sure you will see my questions around the forum.
Colleen and Ben