Posts made by mikesull

Thanks Elbrant- tried all those!! The window with his head out of it - he seems to like it when he is actually doing it- but he stops on his own to come back in and whimper some. I think its just a phase- a few more months and confidence and he’ll be a -ok.

Hi - tried crating and then doggie seat belts. Even the calming vape things from amazon. He cries and cries - I think it’s just puppy’ness and he’ll eventually be ok? Hope so.

Thanks Beth!! So far - maybe two weeks now - i give him cooked boiled shredded chicken 3x a day on top of some of that canidae or instinct kibble (one day he eats kibble next wont touch). It has been great. No bad poops and he is booming. He is really a great dog. I am first time dog owner and think i may have gotten lucky with this basenji. I do tire him out tho - lots of miles - he drops by 7-8pm every night. One thing is the car - he hates it - whimpers - hopefully just puppy stuff. He needs to learn car rides mean big time hikes that he loves!

Hi - my 4 month old basenji was so picky and hardly eating (he looked fine but it was so odd) - so i started boiling chicken and giving this twice a day with some kibble in between. I imagine this is a-ok if i just continue this route? Anyone else do this? I figure once a week i’ll boil lots of chicken, shred it and feed him what he likes?

Yes! Boston Basenji. Great guy and wonderful dogs

Hi - we took our 3.5 month old for 6 mile easy hike in woods off leash and he did great. Lots of stops tho and water breaks and even a picnic with food for all. No people around so his recall was perfect. (No cars anywhere for miles). If my guy doesn’t get LOTS of exercise he burrows his bed and is def unhappy. Minimum daily exercise for him now is 3 miles and lots of wrestling with other dogs in dog park.

His recall is so good alone and horrible in parks etc with other dogs. But he’s not even 4 months old so all well.

Hi all - just an update on Felix and the “non-crating”. He is doing sooooo well being gated in kitchen now. Zero whimpers or complaints when transferring from couch with me (he is always zonked) to his dog bed. Now that he is 3 months he is having less and less pee/poops on newspapers. I wake up two times during night and he goes outside for a minute to pee. So the crate is gone forever. What a difference.

Other thing is I am getting him tons of exercise and maybe should scale back? He is limping today. Seems fine but maybe 3 months too early for so much action. The limp seems minor. Limps a bit and then i see him put weight on it 2 mins later. Might be nails as i clipped them yday. He snoozed all night long and after eating this morn he is out cold again lol. Have exercise in store for today but maybe scale back and get this little one some rest?

Hi - still not sure why neutering is “bad, bad, bad”? Understand if thats an opinion and thats cool but 100% of every dog owner i know has had their dog spayed/neutered. Seems the responsible thing to do as well?

Hi - curious why so many are against neutering? Vet recommended that for me too but wasn’t pushing it or anything. Seems as if everyone I know has has their dog/cat spayed/neutered. Is it a city thing? My dog sniffs 3-20 different dogs a day on the beach/streets.

After my total experience of 5 weeks with a basenji I think lots of these folks have it right - there needs to be TWO Basenjis. My neighbors have a great dog so that will do for now - but yes, these dogs get bored fast. I have him on walks and runs and all that is good - but he is 100% in his favorite place wrestling with other dogs. And then he drops like a rock at home.

Quick update - Felix (now 12 weeks) slept in gated kitchen two nights in a row with zero - zero whimpers or complaints. Transferred from couch around 9pm to kitchen dog bed. Peed on newspapers only. I have a bed set up along with a dog carrier “den” that is not zipped shut. He seems to use them both throughout evening. He is getting tons of exercise daily. I think the reality is simply 8 weeks was just too young to do anything. The metal crate has been packed away.

After two horrendous episodes of crate defecating and pacing in it...... my 11 year old son talked me into taking our 11 week old Felix jumping in bed with him. I set the alarm for every few hours but was sure there was going to be an accident. Nope. Felix peed outside within 10 seconds each time i woke him up and each time was rewarded back in with son. We all had wonderful sleep. Son told me doesn’t care if Felix poops the bed he loves him so much. There goes crate training lol. We’ll see. What a ride.

Hello all - my 11 week old Felix just switched from free feeding to now 3 times a day feeding (and lots of treats all the time lol for training etc). Problem is Ive had horrible experiences three nights with crate and defecation and then him pacing in it. May be just a coincidence on the food timing but let me know thoughts. Also, last night - bc i could not deal with another night of crate defecation so I just gated him in kitchen which is 100% puppy proofed. Much less crying and he pooped on newspaper when i checked him/walked him at 1am inspection. So in my opinion a major improvement to the previous nights. I also got him a carrier bag - hoping he would warm up to its den like feel and he has. All in all - lots of trial and error but conclusion is dont get a basenji at 8 weeks! Definitely wait until 12-15 weeks if possible. Great dog but needed his mama for awhile longer.

Happy to relay Felix is adjusting to crate and life is so much better for all. He is treated wonderfully rest of time but crated nights (and maybe a few hours a day when am in conf calls and kids at school). I did get that snuggle heartbeat dog - he seems to like it but at same i see him tempted by the ears and nose on it lol. Tried to post pics on here but cant figure it out. Today is first day with 3 meals a day and already fed and took it away this morning. Lets see what happens. Another random food question- he sometimes doesnt eat too much out of the bowl but when i gently hide it under toys or in a tunnel he eats everything. Anyone have similar experience? There are toys out there that double as feeding devices - for example something called “the game” from revol? Maybe thats best for basenjis? Hilarious how different these guys are than traditional dogs haha. Growing up our dog would wolf down any food at any time. Tks

Thanks!! I thought the food available at all times was unusual. Will start new routine tmrw!!

Thanks all. How about feeding? Breeder left food out all day for the puppies and his adult dog. They seemed to nibble all day and not over eat. I have kept same so far - but maybe better to change to 3x a day?

Hi - all has improved dramatically with the crating rules. Its just 100% better and structured vs me breaking every rule so he didnt cry. Now he cries some but already slowed that down. Today he ran on beach for an hour and was so tired i had to carry him home lol.

Thanks and yes I researched. All well - agree to disagree on dogs in beds.

I am giving him tons of love and commitment, etc. not 24-7 and he doesn’t enter the bedroom etc. he’s a dog. quite the condescending crowd.

I agree with 8 weeks was definitely too early. The dog will be fine. This is not an advice forum as fyi. Its a my way or highway column.

Thanks. Based on all I have read I have been mixing up the crating - 15 mins to start. Then an hour, the 30 mins - then 2 hours etc. sometimes home, sometimes not. I never return when he makes a fuss. By shredding i mean classic puppy shredding - toys etc. he is a great dog but i need to be able to leave the room without him screaming. Is the solution crating him 100% of time when cant be with him? Even 10 minutes? Seems insane but maybe this is it? The crying, whimpering - no, these are not the right words. It is absolute screaming madness. Crippling!