haha thanks for the info. will definitely check out that book as well.

i was really worried about taking my new basenji to the dog park this past weekend, because his last owner said he was bad with other dogs, but he had so much fun! i'm proud of him! he even got a girlfriend (and boyfriend!!) (this gorgeous rosey light fawn-greyish colored italian greyhound - absolutely beautiful!) and then this grey male i.g. started humping him, lol.. that's the boyfriend :p . so good job to your basenji! it's so nice to see them get along with others!

i posted in a previous thread about how my basenji lunges at my cats. i think this is a more appropriate section to put it in..

ive got 2 cats, and raleigh, the basenji. they're getting used to eachother, and getting along pretty well now, being only about a week into knowing eachother. things are all fine & dandy until raleigh does this crazy move that completely freaks out the cats:

it's a very abrupt, in-your-face bow/lunge/jump thing. kinda like he's saying "haha gotcha, scared ya!" i tell him NO! right when he does it, to hopefully show him that that's a definite no-no. help!

another thing he did this past weekend was: my boyfriend was on 1 side of his dad's backyard, and raleigh was on the patio. eric called him over, C'MERE RALEIGH!! C'MERE BOY!" and raleigh came charging, and eric kind of bounced around, trying to do a little "catch me" thing. and raleigh started growling, and tried to nip at his leg!! what is that about? how do i fix it? his tail was wagging the whole time, he had a huge smile on his face, and it didnt seem very aggressive, but erics dad said that's definitely aggression, and needs to be fixed soon. again, help!!

his "special needs" were that he was extremely hyper in the house with 3 dogs, and wouldnt walk on a leash well – because the last owner walked all 4 dogs at the same time! he just needed to get out of that crazy enviornment, i think.. and it's doing him very good. and yes, raleigh's got the deep chest & long legs like a whippet, and the slender snout. still a cutie pie, though.

ive had raleigh a little over a week, lol. i know – VERY SOON to be complaining about him & the cats. he's now used to them, and they're used to him. i unfortunately had to get rid of 1 cat because he was getting very aggressive with raleigh, but i was meaning to find that cat a new home before i got raleigh anyway. one thing that bugs me about raleigh is that he lunges at the cats. its kind of like an abrupt bow-- like BOOM! GOTCHA! and the cats of course hate it.

he's got a crate, and sleeps in it from time-to-time. as far as accidents go, he's had a couple. i bought puppy floor pads, and hes used them once, but never again. :( luckily i see that once he eats, whatever form thelast time he ate comes out, so i can time when to take him out. another thing – he doesnt eat his food! he always eating the cat food, and wont eat unless i sit on the floor with him, and hand feed him a few kibbles until he's like "hmm this isnt so bad" and finishes the bowl. & it's weird because im feeding him the same stuff his last woner did,. so its not like i completely changed his food.. :(

now that i've got him, i definitely see whippet in him. he's got the pigeon chest, same ears, same thin snout. but still very cute :)

ive gone with the baby gate and so far there hasnt been a need for it other than when im not around to supervise him, to make sure he has no "accidents".

thanks again for all the advice; ive bought a baby gate, and he seems to be more open to seeing the cats, when he's behind it. im surprsed about what you said, christyrutherford! id have thought the comforting would be good for him, but ill try not to. i have taken his blanket form the crate he came with, and laid it over where the cats sleep, and have laid the blanket they used to sleep on over his doggy bed. the cats havent gone back to the spot i covered with his blanket, but he doesnt seem to mind their scents.

thank you everyone for the advice, it will definitely be taken.

nomrbddgs - i have no idea what his previous owner was talking about when she said he has "special needs", he is great! he's got a healthy, happy personality! i'd say so far his only "issue" is that he's afraid of the cats, but that's normal. he's slowly but surely getting used to them, as are they.

i just brought raleigh into my home yesterday, and he's doing great. absolutely wonderful!! except.. the cats. they're so curious about him, and just wanna sniff & meet him, but whenever they come around, he cowers as far away as possible. i think if the cats get a chance to smell him & meet him, they'll back off & he wont be so scared when he sees they're nice. how do i get them together like that, without forcing them or making them uncomfy?

raleigh is here & adapting WONDERFULLY! no problems yet! i am so happy, he is perfect!

i was leaning towards raleigh as well. thanks everyone!

a crate does seem like a better idea now.. with the cats, they'll probably jump over the baby gate (i was going to get an extra tall one so no matter how high raleigh jumps, he wont get out) and bother him. i just have never cratyed an animal before, and when i was a groomer, seeing the dogs in kennels kind of made me feel bad. being that he is used to free-roaming, i just dont want to make him worse by locking him up. but if you guys say thats the best way to go, then i'll do it. i want to get a big crate, so he has room to stretch out. as for no food or water in there, ill be gone 8 hours! i guess i could feed him in the morning before work.. but i cant force him to.

is there a certain place the crate should be? i was going to cushion it with a crate pad, and then cover that with a blanket i use, and put some toys in, and a little food & water.. that seems like a good idea. i just will be feeling really really bad leaving him in there all day, even though his current owner said

"I don't know if you will want the kennel I have. He goes in it sometimes but it is actually my smaller dogs kennel. You'll have to see what you think. He crams himself into it and sometimes he sleeps in it with the door open. He does not tear things up around the house but with a new environment I might use a kennel the first week you have him. He is prob going to be really nervous so I don't know if I would trust him to not tear up anything. He seems to feel safer in a kennel."

so i guess ill go with the advice i asked for! thanks everyone, definitely appreciated!

i will definitely speak to his current owner about the friday scheduled pick-up. but im so excited, and hate waiting! his current owner said he does have a kennel/crate, and likes to sleep in it, and she thinks he sees it as his safe place. she said he's good about holding "it" in, but then again, she's got a doggy door in her home, so he can come & go as he pleases, whereas i do not. i'm thinking very much about getting a toddler gate & keeping him in the kitchen during the day while im at work, until he's used to things. but then i think he'd be able to jump over it. are there taller toddler gates i can put in the doorway? i dont know where to look! any suggestions as to how to keep him confined while im gone?

hes never been around cats, but comes from a home with 3 loud/rambunctious dogs.. so im just assuming my 2 exxxxtra-mellow cats will be fine with him. ive introduced new animals into the home with them before, and they were fine, after getting to know them

i've got 3 cats as well.. i'm hoping there isnt a territorial issue between them, or any dominance issues. raleigh (my favorite spelling too!) seems really shy/timid, so i'm hoping he wont try to make my cats feel like they're being bullied.

i'm adopting rawley/raleigh/rahli (which spelling should i go with? – seriously!) from a sweet woman tomorrow, and i am so excited! he is a 3.5 year old "special needs" dog, and hope to make him happy & live a fulfilled life!

he is supposedly a basenji/whippet mix. i see no whippet in him, but definitely basenji! i wish he was pure bred though. i'd like to know his family line, and know he's got good stock. but i guess that's out of my hands. does anyone else here think he may be mixed with something other than basenji?

anyway, i am a brand-new owner, haven't had a dog since i was 15, and would love some helpful hints on raising a special needs dog. his current owner says he is "reactive", and i'm hoping the environment i'm bringing him into will be good for him, and he will be receptive to it.

i've also posted a thread in the obedience/training section concerning C R A T I N G!, and would LOVE some feedback on it.

as for where he's coming from, here is the post i found him at.. please tell me what you think. what precautions i should have, what to prepare for, and how to make his life easier on himself & me.

"_I am looking for a new home for my basenji/whippet mix dog. He is 3.5 years old and needs to be the only dog in a calm home. He can not live with children. He loves to run and would be a great companion for someone who runs long distances. Or he would be a great companion for someone who is home a lot. He can be an either/or dog. He loves exercise but also just lays around when left at home.
He has a very misunderstood demeanor and is insecure around dogs outside of his home. He can be very skiddish around new people, but warms up with a little time. His name is Rawley and he is extremely smart. Love his chew toys and is housebroken.
At this time he lives with three other dogs and he gets along with them great.

However, when we leave the house it is a different story. Due to his reactive-ness with other dogs and people when he first meets them (outside of our house) I have done a dog socialization class with him (a reactive dog class)which was helpful. He has improved but he really needs to be the only dog or with just one other dog so that he does not react so much (he does not act up as much when I walk him alone or when he is the only dog). I have also talked at great lengths about my situation with my dog trainer and she recommends taking him out of his current situation (the increased stimulation of 3 other dogs) and try to re-home him. I do not have the time to work with him like he needs. He needs to be in a home with someone who can give him more attention than I am able at this time with three other dogs. He is really sweet and smart. My fiance originally rescued him from the OHS (oregon humane society) when he was 6 months old. We have exhausted our resources and at this time really do not want to take him back to the OHS. I think the loud environment there will just shake him up worse and he will not show well. I love this dog and want to find a good home for him. Since we are getting married we have four dogs total. Please do not fault me trying to find him a new home, it's easy to find one a new home as oppose to the other three. I know someone out there will love him as much as me and he will be calmer and happier. He is really a sweet dog_."

im adopting a male basenji tomorrow, by the name of rawley. i dont like the spelling, so i was thinking..

rawley (hmph)
raleigh
rahli

what do you think? which should i go with? what different kinds of spellings could i use?

i'm adopting a 3.5 year old basenji tomorrow, and will have to keep him home during the day while i go to work on monday. is crating okay for him? i hate to only have him all during sunday, then leave him alone for 8 hours while im at work. i was thinking of having his current owner hold onto him until this upcoming friday, then i will have the WHOLE weekend to have rawley/raleigh/rahli (would love your opinion on which spelling is best! i cant decide!) to myself, and get him a little used to me & my home environment, then maybe he'll be a little less weird about being crated? should i even crate him, with 3 cats in the home, and lots of stuff to get into & knock over? HELP!
does anyone understand how weird it would make him feel to take him away from his current situation, only to leave him crated/home alone during the day? help, help, help!