Nina & my baby boy Dallas
It figures that the first morning I decide to get up early & walk him for a few minutes, it's down pouring! :rolleyes: Ah, summer weather.
He did go outside to use the bathroom & came inside immediately when called. I know this was due to the rain though. Haha. I gave him his breakfast in a kong, mixed with some peanut butter. He went into his crate very easily after sniffing the kong for a second. Hopefully this continues 
I will start walking him for a few minutes in the mornings, when it's not down pouring of course 
I am hoping that helps him burn a little energy before being stuck in his crate all day.
Thanks for all the advice!
How high is the fence? Is it low enough for him to jump over? Can he dig under easily?
How about getting a dog run set up in the backyard?
I believe he could jump over it. He hasn't yet, nor shown any desire to try. However, I'm not convinced that if he didn't try he wouldn't be able to clear it. I just don't want to take the chance. I could put in a dog run. Although how expensive are those usually? I cannot really afford anything too expensive.
I walk mine for 30 minutes in the morning first thing at 4:30am, then feed. For the first month I had him I crated him while I was at work but now leave him in the yard all day with the crate out there, with the door open under a shade tree. Why can't you leave him in the yard during the day? He sleeps all night then with no exercise he has to stay in a crate all day? No wonder he's not hungry and is probably frustrated and wanting to stay out in his new yard.
I just don't trust him in the backyard all day. I truly believe that if he really wanted to get over the fence we have, he could. I worry that leaving him out all day will just be too long unsupervised & if he escapes, he'll be gone.
He does get exercise. While I have the yard, I do walk him in the afternoons once I get home from work. I also chase him around the house or play some games with him. He just doesn't get much exercise in the mornings.
How old is Dallas? Maybe low thyroid.
He will be 2 in Nov. I do believe it is him just being a stubborn basenji who doesn't want to get put in a crate all day long. He's fine in the afternoons when I get home.
If putting him in the yard is not working, do you have time to give him a walk instead? Mine get a morning walk, they enjoy having that time with me and/or my husband. They also enjoy participating in our morning routine like being able to lick wet toes when you get out of the shower and catching some morning rays of sun before we leave which our backyard doesn't get in the morning.
I also wonder how is overall energy level and his appetite? You say he doesn't want to get out of bed in the morning nor does he want to eat his breakfast but how is he when you get home in the evening? It could be that a vet check is in order if he seems to have a significant change in energy and appetite.
If it is just his morning meal, try a Kong with his breakfast in it. You can mix it with a little yogurt and pumpkin and then give it to him in his crate. If you think the crate is the issue, can you give him more space like an ex-pen or gate off an area like the kitchen.
I suppose I could get up and walk him in the mornings. It's just difficult because I already get up at 5:30. I work in DC & have an hour plus commute from the suburb I live in. I do walk him in the afternoons when I get home. Those have been less frequent lately with summer storms coming through every evening.
Energy wise, he is fine when I get home. He darts out of his crate, ready for our walk. I let him run in the backyard after our walk for a little while. Then, typically before bed, I will chase him around the house, play some fetching or something similar to really wear him out.
I think it's more that he just doesn't want to be crated during the day. My roommate won't let me leave him out during the day though. She does not just laugh it off when he has detroyed things. He did rip a hole in her new carpet & well, he's lucky we are even still living at the house! Haha. A kong put in his crate is a really great idea. I will have to try that!
It has been a while since I lasted posted on here. Life has been busy! However, things have been going really well for me & Dallas. Well…except one thing...
We actually moved into a house back in May. The house has a huge fenced in yard, which Dallas adores. We have had a standard morning routine since moving. I get up at 5:30am & let him out. He stays outside until I let him inside for his breakfast. After eating, I put him back outside to go potty before being crated all day.
Lately he has not been following our routine whatsoever. :mad: For the past month or so, he has been refusing to get out of bed. I have had to carry him to the back yard. Then, after getting outside, he has decided to stop coming inside. Have you ever tried catching a basenji in a backyard at 6am? Yea, it ain't easy! I obviously cannot leave him outside all day & thus, he has made me late for work more than once!
On the off days where he actually does come inside on his own, he won't eat his breakfast. Actually, he never eats his breakfast anymore. There are days lately where I haven't even put him outside prior to leaving for work because I know I don't have time to try getting him back inside. I have tried taking him into the backyard with a leash to get him to go but he refuses to go potty that way. I only have so much time I can stand in the backyard in the morning!
He has been trained to be in his crate during the day since I brought him home at 9 weeks old. He is given toys in his crate to play with during the day. I give him treats whenever he goes into his crate. I just don't understand why he was accepting of his crate for so long & now he refuses to come in the house knowing that is where he's going to be put. :mad:
Do any of you have suggestions???
I'm about to just go get a tie-out & use that instead of giving him free range of the yard every morning. Although, I don't believe that would solve the no eating in the morning issue...
Great pictures. Cody is such a handsome boy. Love his face in that last picture!
As always, outstanding pictures! I visited Sweden a few years ago & loved it. It's such a beautiful country! Stockholm would rank as one of my top 3 favorite cities I have been to!