Best posts made by eeeefarm

@MrsCastro , so sorry to hear of your loss. And I agree with you, we don't need to be "elitist" about our Basenjis. Yes, they are one of the oldest breeds, all the more reason why there may be dogs that seem to have a link to them, whether a DNA test shows it or not. It's always lovely to see the pictures and hear the stories about Basenji-like behaviour!

In a word, "no"! Basenjis do not thrive on being alone, they are very social dogs. And yes, left to their own devices they will definitely rip up furniture or belongings. Keeping a dog in a crate for so many hours is just cruel, so unless you want to invest in doggie daycare, you should absolutely not be getting a Basenji (or any dog, for that matter). Maybe an older, settled cat for company?

@jholsing said in Basenji alone in large pen in garage?:

I hope to hear actual experience rather that theories or opinions.

Other than the last reply above, you aren't likely to get many people who have experience with this because most Basenji owners would not leave their dog in the garage. In theory you might think it is kinder, but Basenjis like to see out, they like to be warm, and they like to be part of the household. You might want to experiment with a "dog proof" room in the house, somewhere that is light and preferably where your dog can see out. Alternately you might consider doggie daycare or a dog walker to help you out.

I pay most attention to eating. If the dog is still eager for his food and otherwise doesn't seem uncomfortable that to me is a sign his life might be worth living. If in pain, has to be coaxed to eat, then I think it is time. The seizures OTOH are worrisome. In the end you will have to make that call, and as Zande says, better to think it might have been too soon than to know you waited too long. This is the hardest part of pet ownership. My thoughts are with you in this difficult time.

If you are going to use a crate during the day you absolutely shouldn't be using it at night too, way too much crate time, so yes, let your dog sleep with you at night and crate when necessary during the day, but not when you can supervise. Dogs don't learn much while in a crate. They learn by being with you.

@chlloe-k said in Basenji Reactivity- please help!:

We will try, we have also used the command ''Let's go'' with a tug to get him moving the opposite way, the only problem is sometimes if you pick him up when he doesn't want to he will growl, I don't think he would bite though so we will try it.

Not unusual for a Basenji, and generally speaking it is a bluff, but one caveat. If you opt to pick him up, do not hesitate or change your mind if he growls. If you do, you are teaching him that growling gets him his way. You have to be confident and willing to take a bite if it comes to that. If you are unsure of yourself, just don't even start, because you can teach him that he can back you off and then if you do insist he may escalate to biting. Never, ever let biting result in him getting his way! I am serious about this. If you aren't sure of yourself, then the alternative is to just insist with the leash, even if you have to drag him a few steps. Most dogs would rather walk than be dragged!

Sometimes a "let's go" combined with excited running steps away from the object of his interest may work. At some point you have to be the boss and he has to be the dog....

Why are you trying to remove her from your room? Basenjis do not like being left alone, and they do not like being separated from their people. It sounds like she is becoming insecure and anxious. Don't expect her to behave like your bulldog. She is a Basenji.

Regarding invisible fence, I know of one dog (not a Basenji, but I can see one doing this) that figured out if he stayed close enough to the fence to trigger the warning tone but not the correction, eventually the battery on his collar would wear down, the tone would cease, and he was free to leave without consequence. Really smart dog! Probably discovered it by accident, but after that there was no keeping him in....

@ashleigh1994 said in Crate Training Struggles:

Our house rules are no upstairs so unfortunately we want to refrain from bringing him into the bedroom.

Well, there is your problem in a nutshell. Pups, particularly Basenji pups, like to be near their humans, and that means beside or in the bed at night. Of course the pup is distressed when you lock him away from you. He may or may not adjust to this, but my advice is take him and his crate to your room at night. Also, he needs to be warm, so if your house is cool, cover the crate to keep out drafts at night.

@mikesull, is the screaming happening because you are leaving him in the crate while you are in the house? Generally Basenjis do better with supervision but no crating while you are home unless absolutely necessary. When you take on a pup, you take on a responsibility to be observant, which is the fastest way to having a reliable dog. Shredding things or having accidents shouldn't happen when you are paying attention. That said, how do you react to the screaming? If you return while he is making a fuss, you are reinforcing the behaviour. You need to wait for a moment of quiet and reinforce that. If there are no moments of quiet, create one by making an unusual noise, e.g. knocking on the wall or some such, just so the screaming stops for an instant, then make your entrance. Be creative, be patient. This too shall pass!

@kembe said in Basenji Beginner:

@pawla
“..... I've heard basenjis described as independent dogs - not true! Mine wants to be with me and supervise everything I do.”
Same with my Basenji Pawla - she is my shadow. She follows me and watches everything I do.

They are "independent" dogs in that they like to make their own decisions, but they do like to be with their people.....on their terms. Many have said, think cat in dog disguise. Usually a Basenji will know what you want, but like cats they will often decline to do it because, well, "it has to be my idea, not yours!" Almost as a matter of principle they will decline to do what you ask just to assert their independence. If you can get past that attitude and gain their cooperation, there is little you can't do with a Basenji, including off leash recalls, but the dog has to have decided that you are worthy of their trust and their obedience. Some will give this much easier than others!

@RogueCoyote I'm glad you clarified a few things for us. It's early days and I'm sure you will find solutions that work for you. Rogue will settle down and get used to your routine, and in turn you and your family will become accustomed to looking out for her. Yes, as DonC says, it isn't unusual for a Basenji to slip out the door. A short lapse in attention is all it takes, although some will look for the opportunity and others are never a problem. It's encouraging that she didn't take off. When one of ours got out at the farm, they headed to the barn to eat horse poop! At least that was more attractive than the road.

People on this forum will be a good resource as you settle into Basenji ownership, and believe me when I say we all want you to be successful. Enjoy your girl, try not to worry too much, and all our best wishes and support are yours when you need it.

I would not blame the dog for this, the dog tried in the only way he has available to tell the child he didn't want to be disturbed. This is why it is often a bad idea to introduce a pup of any breed when you have a young child. Better if you want a dog to get a mature one with previously proven child tolerance! That said, now you are stuck with a problem. It won't be easily solved but can be managed. The first step would be to forbid the child approaching the dog, let the dog set the agenda and decide when he wants to engage with the child. Obviously this requires close supervision. If you find you cannot cope, then perhaps rehoming the dog before things get more serious is the right choice.

I never crated any of my dogs when I was home, and only briefly when they were pups or new to me adults when I was absent. My solutions were various when I couldn't supervise. When Tamu arrived as a pup at our first house she and Lady were In the finished basement with the wood stove blazing in winter, out on the sundeck in summer when I left them alone. At the farm, we had a wired gate to the kitchen, confining them to there and the breakfast nook, or alternately kept in the sunroom on a nice day. In summer at the farm, out in the dog run. But when I was home they had the freedom to follow me around, although access to a few rooms was blocked.

As my dogs got older and more reliable there were less and less off limits areas, until there were none. Pups learn very little when confined. Under your supervision they learn the rules of the house, what is permitted, what is off limits. Yes, you need a safe place initially when you can't attend to them, but that should be kept to a minimum, IMO. The more they are with you and learning, the sooner you have a reliable dog that doesn't get into trouble the minute your back is turned.

Since the subject comes up from time to time, it is useful if everyone applies the terminology correctly. I dug around and found a pretty good explanatory article here.

For anyone who took psychology, this is not new news, but with the current popularity of "all positive" dog training, it's useful to understand where it comes from. B.F. Skinner's work is hardly new or modern, but it is certainly in vogue these days! Unfortunately it is also frequently misunderstood or misinterpreted. Understanding the basics is helpful when you are observing how an animal is reacting to your training methods, and can help one make good decisions about both reinforcement and punishment. IMO, many people make the mistake of not moving to a variable reinforcement schedule once a behaviour is established. Anyhow, I hope the article is helpful in clarifying the terms and the science behind them.

@jkent said in Ellie 6 months old today!:

@zande she loves sitting on the back of that sofa monitoring what's going on outside!

Basenjis like to see outside. Mine would sit on the back of sofas as yours is, until I moved to a home with large floor to ceiling windows, which turned out to be very popular. What Basenjis do not like is to have their view impeded. I had blinds that suffered until I figured that out. I had to keep them up high enough that my boy could see under them, or he would attack them.

My boy Perry loved his roller ball that dispensed treats, but we saved that for when we were going out. He had separation anxiety and that ball was key in solving his problem. Other than that, I find most toys that don't dispense food become less attractive in time. New toys are generally a big deal at first, but the novelty wears off quickly! Perry was unusual in that he was very kind to his stuffed toys, and he definitely had his favourites. A good way to keep their minds occupied is to teach them the name of each toy, eventually working up to a named retrieve after hiding said toy. Perry loved playing that game, although he could be lazy if I asked for his roller ball. Bit harder to retrieve than his plush Froggie!

@malik said in How do we get our puppy Basenji to stop pooping in the Kitchen and Bathroom?:

Puppies can't hold it long, so if they pee inside, it's really not the puppies fault but the owners. It's our job to anticipate when they might need to potty, and take them outside.

Absolutely! And they learn very quickly if there is consistency in taking them outside. My girl Tamu learned in less than two weeks, and she was very young when we got her (7 weeks, which is not recommended, but my 7 year old girl, Lady, pretty much adopted her and taught her manners).

Wrinkles and colour pattern and partly curled tail add to the picture. Will be interesting to find out for sure!