I hope it helps. Im sure in time your body will get used to it. I did. Good luck!:o

@tlbuddy:

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I have been taking Benadryl and I spoke with my doctor today and he told me to take Claritin and Singular and has given me a topical creme for the itching. I also have asthma, but have not been having any problems with it. The itching and hives are starting to get better. I think it is the grass so I have been wiping her down every time we come back inside from our walk. :)
tlbuddy

tlbuddy~
I understand your pain…well...your itching. I to have the same problem. Im allergic to everything. My allergest told me to live in a bubble. I dont think so. I have a cat and it took me quite some time to adjust to him. Dogs too! Kept sneezing and had itchy eyes. My arms would itch and I would get a rash all over my body the moment I was touched.
I am in the process of getting my first basenji but the ones that I have met I too broke out in a rash/hives all over my body.
Best advice...
Go to your doctor and try to get him to perscribe you an allergy medication. Zertec worked for me. If you are unable to do that try benedryl. Makes you a little sleepy but it keeps the itching down. Try Aveno too. Hope this helps :)

Oah my gosh!!!! What a cutie!!! I love the picture of him under the couch! What a guy!

@jessi76:

yes, my dog has completed all the classes offered at the training school I use (OB 1, 2, 3 and took-and passed-the Canine Good Citizen test).

The best advice I can give is find the right trainer, who ONLY uses positive reinforcement. Small classes worked well for me. To keep my dog "interested" I had to almost make the commands seem like "his idea". As long as you have fun training, always end on a good note, never force anything, and have high value treats to use in conjunction w/ training, you should be just fine.

Thank you for the tips!

jessi76~
Your basenji completed all the classes?!?! Thats great!! I have been wondering how my puppy will do. (I dont have a basenji yet but will be getting one this year as soon as the litters born)
You said as long as you keep them interested…what do you mean by that? I understand that they sometimes become less interested in doing what you want them to do. What tips could you give me so I can be prepared.
Thanks.

Now that is too funny!
Sounds like a true Basenji. I have read many articles about their temperment and that seems to be the general conclusion. Basenji's think that they are superior to other breeds. HA! Im going to love this. :p
I do hope that I can train my dog. I know it will be a little harder to do. :rolleyes: I am up for the challenge though!

That is very informative. Thank you!
I have contacted my vet regarding vaccines. The pup will be brought home w/ only its first shot at 10 weeks of age. After discussing vaccines w/ my vet he recommends that we give the pup its second shot but than wait then after a month or so for rest. There was talk about a parvo shot and kennel cough. Reasons being I plan on enrolling it in puppy schools which require these shots.
Maybee it is just me being rather overprotective. With so many diseases out there I would rather be safe than sorry. Plus this is going to be my first dog .

@Quercus:

<>
And I forgot to add...that when owning a basenji...the word command should just be dropped from your training language ;) It is really more like a request, or a suggestion ;)

Nicely put! I guess commands are out of the question. :)
I will make sure to keep treats close by when wanting something:D

Watching the girls try to squeeze in the sharpa bag would be a sight to see :)

I think I will need to invest in some earplugs. As for my neighbors…I don't think they will have a good sense of humor about a screeming puppy. ;)

How did you first hear about Basenji's? What made you decide to raise them?
Was it challenging?

Quercus~
I have decided to enroll my pup in puppy kindergarten. They enroll at 10 weeks. According to the trainer they only allow pups who have received their 2nd set of shots and you must have a copy of the vet records.
By taking your basenji's to puppy kindergarten were you successful in training or did your Basenji train you? From all the reading I've been doing, numerous people say that Basenji's are difficult to train. Do yours sit on command? Come when called? Can I expect my dog to listen when I command it or will it just do what it wants? :eek:

Thanks!

Regarding crate size…I’ve read in websites that a basenji will not potty where he sleeps. A trainer told me to buy a small crate. A crate the size for the pup to only turn around. No extra room. Others say a large crate so they have a place to potty if necessary...away from their bed. What do you suggest? I am aware that a lot of this will be trial and error on my part. A huge learning experience but If I can receive knowledgeable information in advance this will make my pup much happier.
Again Lisa, thank you for your advice. It is hard to find good advice on basenji's.

I want my new pup to be as comfortable as possible. I know that there will be much stress in the beginning. I will be traveling out of state to bring him home so the plane ride I am sure will not be pleasurable. Luckely, I have researched an airline that will allow me to have him with me flight w/ me.

Do your Basenji's Yodel? I was able to download some sounds. Do your neighbors complane. I read once that pupps sound like screeming children. Is that true? Will I be needing earplugs? :)

My concern though is that not having completed all of its puppy shots, could the pup be more prone to infections.?

Thank you for the information Lvoss! I like your rule of thumb on how many hours before taking the pup out. Thank you! I will use the kong as a positive reward to going into the crate but what about when the crate is closed. How will I be able to minimize the screeming. I would like to have a dog that can be created while I am at home if need be. How to you keep that a positive thing in the pupps eyes?

Books that I have read state that a dog should be introduced to other dogs/cats before 10 weeks or else they might have a more difficult time adapting to other animals. Is this true with Basenji's? I have already spoken with my vet and he doesn't want to give the pup all his shots at once. Im not comfortable introcucing my new pup with people/other animals until he has all his shots. This will take longer than 10 weeks. Should I be concerned?

Hi,

I got a couple of questions about crate and potty training for a basenji puppy i am going to be getting soon I hope someone can answer.

Crate Training~

I have never crate trained a dog before and know through reading that the crate is supposed to be a den for basenji's. How do I get the pup to enjoy going there. My neighbor has a dog who is crated and it doesn't seem to be working. The dog screems and scratches the crate as though he hates it. He also has accidents in his crate. I want my pup to enjoy its crate not think of it as jail or a place to go potty.

Potty Training~

How long on average does it take to potty train a Basenji. Most websites and books I read did not give a timeframe. I plan on taking my pup to the office with me during the day but would rather have him pottytrained beforehand.

Thanks for any advice!

Thanks! I will:)

Hello Everyone!
First off I would like to say that I am happy to find this Forum. Thank you!
It is tough finding information about this amazing breed.
For 2 years now I have been reading about Basenji's and I am happy to say that this winter I will be getting my first pup! I am really excited and ready for this. I hope that this forum can answer a few questions I have though.
#1. Creat Training
I have never creat trained a dog before and know through reading that the creat is supposed to be a den for basenji's. How do I get the pup to enjoy going there. My neighbor has a dog who is crated and it doesn't seem to be working. The dog screems and scratches the crate as though he hates it. He also has accidents in his crate. I want my pup to enjoy its crate not think of it as jail or a place to go potty.

#2. Potty Training
How long on average does it take to potty train a Basenji. Most websites and books I read did not give a timeframe. I plan on taking my pup to the office with me during the day but would rather have him pottytrained beforehand.

#3. Socalizing
Books that I have read state that a dog should be introduced to other dogs/cats before 10 weeks or else they might have a more difficult time adapting to other animals. Is this true with Basenji's? I have already spoken with my vet and he doesn't want to give the pup all his shots at once. Im not comfortable introcucing my new pup with people/other animals until he has all his shots. This will take longer than 10 weeks. Should I be concerned?

I know my questions may sound stupid to most people. I just want my new pup to be comfortable so That is why I have researched this breed for such a long time and made sure that this is the breed for me.