Posts made by rheidt

I've just spent the evening trying to catch up on everyone's suggestions. And I've come across some good ideas. And in response with the xpen, the reason it's not an option is because where I currently live there is just no space. Literally. I had to move in with my father and it's his home, in which case there is one area that may be used for a xpen, if it hadn't been a room full of priceless item's belonging to my dad. I did discuss this option to see if there was anywhere else we could put it, and there is not. I have contacted a couple trainers/behaviorists around the area and am awaiting their response. I will be getting her a new crate this week and plan on moving it to a more desirable area for her. She is potty trained however, leaving her out even if she's in my room, she has been having accidents for some reason, even if she's in there for a short time. What do you give a dog for toys, when she really doesn't touch them to begin with, and doesn't want anything to do with them while she's crated? I've tried peanut butter or cheese when I leave the house to distract her as she likes those, and it seems to help for short periods but then she gets distressed again. Hopefully I can put a structured plan together to make this work for her. I know when I'm able to move into a place that is my own, I would then try the xpen, just right now, it's not an option for me. I'm trying to work around a very stubborn dad, and my b can be very stubborn herself.

@phoenix3:

then give her some benadryl about 30 mins before putting her in the crate until u can find another idea that might work better for her

How much do you give?

I do appreciate your crate retraining info. I'd be glad to try to make it work. As well as you putting me in contact with your friend. If you could kindly answer a question regarding the crate training, I do believe I'd be able to make it work. You say that I cannot crate her while retraining her, but rather find her an alternative while I retrain her. First off, how long does this process typically take? I'm asking for planning purposes, if I would possible need to take her to doggie day care, then I could plan that in for the time it could possible take. Second, do you recommend a crate where she has a little extra room or one that allows her to stand up, turn around and lay back down?

Okay, so am I understanding that because I can't give her an xpen or because I can't lock her in a room, the best solution is to rehome her? What is going to happen if I rehome her and these issues continue? Chances are she'll be put down then, even if I rehome her through BRAT or go through the classifieds. She has a great home where she's at. I'm just curious where the conclusion came up that her home isn't good enough or that I'm not able to work with her. Pardon me, if I seem a bit defensive, but I'm wanting to help her and I'm wanting to work with her, I'm asking for the best way to go about it.

Methods I've used to try to help her are as follows: shock collar(left on her for not even a half hour, the thing didn't work so I took it back), she also was put on puppy prozac and I did start with positive reinforcement training. I'm actually still doing positive reinforcement training with her. She's just not on the medicine anymore. As of now, those are the only two methods I've tried. And if all you guys have, is the idea of rehoming her, then I'm stumped.

I really do appreciate any help you can offer in ways of training. I'm asking for tactics you might have used in your process of training your basenji's. Cuz we all know they didn't train themselves.

I guess consider me a bad pet owner, but I don't have that information. When I got her, they didn't have any papers for her. Also, I really don't want to rehome her. But I just can't seem to find anyone who can really help with the issue at hand. Does no one have any other advice? I mean, I'm gladly going to try to find a way of feeding her in her kennel. That is something I can work on, and if that would help, of course I'll do that. I am willing to try things to help her, however, xpen is not an option, nor leaving her out of a crate is an option. So if someone knows of a great way, that includes feeding her in her crate, of crate training or the process in which I should go about doing that. That would be great. I'm looking for resolution to the problem not a way to rehome her right now.

The problem with this solution however is there is physically no room in the kitchen for the xpen you speak of. I'm not even sure if the xpen would be an option as she is a jumper, even if there is a top and bottom to it, she I believe, would find a way out. I have looked into classes for her and I to start attending. I would love to find a solution that will work. If this xpen is the only option, I'm afraid that I will have no choice but to rehome her. Which deeply saddens me because I do believe that there are other choices out there, then just this option.

No I do not feed her in her crate, mainly because her crate is located in the basement and she would not have access to it at all times. I do walk her when weather permits, she won't walk if it's too cold, as of late the sub zero temperatures have made it next to impossible to walk her. And when I do walk, it is for around 40 minutes.

I have not spoken with the breeder as their number is disconnected. When I got her, they both had mother and father on site and seemed to be just fine. I've had her since a pup and I used to never crate her until around the age of 2. She is potty trained but if I also leave her out when I'm gone to work, she has had accidents. She sometimes will be okay if I get up and go to another room but usually if she hears me get up, she's alert and ready to follow. Any suggestions on where to start? She never used to nip at people until she started to get crated.

My vet put her on doggy prozac as well. She seemed to act more relaxed while being out of the crate but once the time came for her to be crated she started freaking out. Would the benadryl be something I could use to try to sedate her? I know putting it in those terms sounds harsh, but before I moved into the house I'm in, I was in an apt and got an eviction notice because of her. I try to make her crate a happy place with giving her treats and bones and such, but if she has blankets or bedding in there, she'll shred it and I don't want her eatting the bedding and such. She has demolished 3 crates and shredded the pan of the crate. I really am not sure where to start with trying to correct this behavior as I've never had an animal act like this. I used to have another dog that did just fine in her crate. Unfortunately we had to move her crate to the basement because she has moved her crate so much that she's gotten ahold of things to pull through the crate and demolish. Would taking her to obedience classes help at all with her issues? I've read Cesar's books and things he's instructed to do in there don't even seem to work. I don't want to get rid of her but I just don't have a clue what to do about this issue.

She destroys things like blankets, she's destroyed blinds, she shredded a pea coat, clothing, things of that nature. She doesn't really chew, she digs. She also doesn't play with toys usually. She likes bones and what not, but that's as far as it goes. She's been able to get her collar off her and destroy that as well.

I have a 4 year old Basenji that when crated, never stops whining. I recently had to move back in with my dad and it's driving him crazy. The vet diagnosed her Separation Anxiety and we tried her on some meds. She became violent to herself and her whining worsened while on the meds. So we ended up removing her from them. She is on her third crate and I'm in process of trying to find yet another one. She also whines when I leave her locked in my room while were having dinner or while I'm in the shower. She'll nip at someone if she knows they are going to try to crate her. I'm almost to the point that I'm going to have to find her a new home. My vet doesn't have any suggestions for me, and the behaviorist I spoke with said there was no hope for her. She is a very good B and for the most part get's along with people and animals alike. She gets a little aggressive around other female dogs but is fine around males, I have also been working with her and walking her, when weather permits. She is crated for up to 8 hours at a time because she can't be trusted to not destroy things while I'm gone. I did try a bark collar that said it also worked with vibrations and that didn't help. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've looked into the Tri Tronics bark collar, is that any good? She'll aslo wonder into her crate freely but just doesn't like being shut in it!!! For both her and my sanity, I need some help fast!!!