Behavioral Issues

I'm having the same problem with my current basenji that gbroxon mentioned - it's not the crate at all. And working on solving SA (different from boredom) is tough, I've found. You just need patience and lots of it.

I had a mixed breed when I was in college that was the nicest dog - even tempered when strangers were around. Then one day I was talking to a fellow (at a campground) with my dog just laying nearby and the man suddenly raised his arm to make a point in the conversation - my dog took after him just like you described. I think my dog thought he was attacking me and so went after him. The situation with your dad kind of sounds like that.

I did all the right things with Apache when I got him too…took him to outside malls, parks, the beach..had people of all shapes and sizes meet him and was going to handling class after handling class. Everything was going fine. The fourth show we were ever in we got excused from the ring because he became a bucking bronco on the table every time the judge came toward us. The judge tried 3 different times. I was so frazzled by his actions and couldn't get him under control, so we got excused. Later that day he stood fine on the table for some of the breeders. I have no idea what set him off, if it was the judge or the fact that I had had him to the vets the week before the show and they took a skin scrape while he was on the table. To be on the safe side, I never put him on the table at the vet's again...they had to examine him on the floor. Luckily they were more then willing to do that. I wasn't going to take any chances putting him back in the ring anytime soon, especially since I was so nervous. At handling classes and at home we did what you're doing. He would go up on the table and be fed treats. I would put him on the table at home and just treat him for being up there. We gradually had people in class and at home start going over him all the while treating him. On top of all that, I also had/have a problem with noise sensitivity. Some boys threw a huge firecracker right next to the dogs at handling class one day and since then Apache startles at sudden noises. Almost three months passed before I entered him in another show. This one was inside too, something we had never done. I held him out the first day because the noise really had him jumpy, so we just sat there all day getting him used to it. The second day I decided we were going in. I was the only class dog entered, so there would be no points..but that was fine...I needed to see if he would stand still for the judge. I was more nervous then I'd ever been and it will be a show I always remember for the simple fact that he was REALLY good on the table. Every once in a while he would still get a little fussy, either getting up onto or while on the table.....but would settle down quickly and let the judges go over him. Anyways, it took a while, but I finished him.:D So, hang in there!

I know our family dog growing up made several attempts to go off as the end grew near. It was very sad. But I think there is something to that survival of the fittest thing- that animals accept their fate easier (and dare I saw with more pride) than we as humans do. I don't think they see death as this "terrible ending"…

It true that many dogs give signals humans miss. Its amazing when I go over to see someone about their bad basenji, how I watch them much closer than the family does. I think it just comes from most folks not knowing what to see. Hopefully, someone can come over and help you. It would so be worth the $$

That's good news. Hopefully he won't develop any bad habits.

@sharronhurlbut: Training with treats will work, if you take it slow. Clicker training works as well. I was going to say the same thing. I would carry a treat bag with me, and a clicker when out on leash. Use the clicker to mark correct behavior, i.e., sitting calmly while another dog passes. If my dog gets snarky on leash, I promptly stand in front of him, and put him in a sit/wait with a focus on ME (not the other dog). if he persists, I simply become a "goalie" and continue to block his path, get eye contact, and again, get a sit/wait.

My mom had a wood chewer (Rottie pup). The breeder suggested making a cayenne pepper paste with a small amount of water and then apply it to the wood. It worked great and didn't stain the furniture. Just be sure to scrub your hands and nails after working with the paste.

@Vanessa: Update So last night I decided to try another tactic. The ever famous squirt bottle. Just the pure sight of it stops both our B's and it worked! I only had to use it 3 times and she got the clue. It was great. :) At 7am when it was time to get up I let her know it was ok to sit on the bed and cuddle with us for a few minutes. We have always allowed Chance to do that in the mornings as a reward for sleeping on his bed the whole night. Kiya was really pleased when I told her it was ok to join us (for a few minutes only) before it was time to get up. I just have to sleep with the squirt bottle now. Fun Fun! Glad to hear that that worked for you. Be sure to find a way to wean her off the presence of the squirt bottle, or you really will have to sleep with it forever!! I just want to point out, that it sounds kind of confusing from Kiya's point of view, that Chance is allowed up on the bed in the morning and she may not be. Keep in mind that dogs CANNOT understand consequences that don't immediately follow a behavior. So, if she is not allowed on the bed because she didn't stay on her bed all night, there is NO way she can put all that together. Keep it really simple for her…good behavior equals reward immediately...if you are going to use consequences they have to happen immediately. Good luck, and good sleep :)

Move the crates to different rooms. The female won't be able to see what's going on. Give the male his food first, then feed the female a little later. Don't let them out of the crates at the same time.

@BasenjiByTheBay: Oh, that's great to hear - thanks for the update! Funny how we come to "know" and worry about the b's we meet on the forum ;) Absolutely!;)

And also you need to train your kid´s to handle he pup it has to respect all humans.But yes they can play quite roughly although I didn´t start the rough playing until I was certain with the on/off button.Now we can play really rough and all I need to say is stop and he quits immediately my youngest son who´s 9 yrs old has the total respect from both my dogs.If screaming and water doesn´t help then making nipping unpleasant is worth a try but only by an adult if they nipped my hand I pushed not hard but deeper in the mouth and kept it there when they stopped and tried to lick I praised them.

Thanks for the encouragements and the site full of helpul tips. Elisabeth, bravo pour votre français, c'est très gentil d'avoir fait ce geste! I actually managed to let my dog alone in the flat for a full 15 minutes (needed to do it beacuse I had to move a piece of furniture and had to take her car crate out) and…no problem! She sleeps with me most times but since she's had her DAP collar on again, she sleeps on her own in her basket and comes and see me in the morning. It is a good new start. Will take her out for an extra long walk today as it has stopped raining! Thanks for all your advice, et merci!

No help on the training piece, I just try to get Spike to sit and stay when a motorcycle passes or he will lunge at it…and get this one....also despises WEED WHACKERS!!!! Inspires the same behavior.:eek:

Hello, My lovely leather handbag and shoe chewing B nipped my leg when I came to get her from a friend who had looked after her for the day. She must have thought I wasn't paying enough attention to her after my absence. In fact, she also makes those odd noises (sort of groans, beginning of a yoddle I suppose) when I come back to my car after I have left her in it with all sorts of goddies to chew. Nipping is exceptional but I am careful as I wouldn't want her to do this to strangers or visitors. She does try to push them off her place on my sofa, funny to watch but a dog is a dog and I don't think it is a good idea to let them nip us, whatever the reason!

Just found this other thread with some useful info: http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=4396 One reply on that other thread mentioned listening to the play/fight sounds - if they hit that next octave, then it's time to intervene. It's only ever gotten to that extra intense level a few times, and then they either stopped by themselves or I sprayed them with water to split them up. I'd like to be as hands off as possible, but without being irresponsible or allowing bad habits to form. It seems like a tricky balance to me.

I feel for you, and you'll do what's best for you and your pup…My ex bf had adopted a bullmastiff/shepherd mix from the animal protective league, we were told he was dominant, difficult to walk on a leash, not well behaved in the home..what fools we were for believing all this..he was great in the home, great with humans, and great on a leash..in the back fenced in yard, until he saw another dog...he wasn't dominant, he was viscious..one particular day Max bent the gate door, and he bolted..right for a shepherd walking with his owner..scared us all, the police were called and we were given a warning..we paid their vet bill, and worked with Max...You could tell his previous owners had him properly trained..he listened so well, so well..until he saw a dog...we had taken him to many ball parks where my son was playing, children would climb all over him, he loved it..but with another dog, we held the leash tight, and kept him close..One unfortunate night, at a ball park, Max broke the leash out of my ex's hand and tore for a toy poodle, took it in his mouth..it was horrific..he did not kill the poodle, cut his ear up though...I think there is a difference between viscious and aggressive... Anyhow, after speaking with several, and being advised this behavior would not change, he was older and his blood lust was deep, my ex chose for the safety of others, we could not keep him. In July of '07 after weeks of my children begging for another dog, I caved..my ex talked endlessly to my children about the responsibilites of a puppy...training a puppy, etc., etc., we chose to adopt through a local animal rescue..and found an adorable black shep/husky litter that we went to visit..and in the crate next to these two little girls was this little brown dog with white paws..and he was so damn cute..every time my daughter walked near the crate..he got up and ran figures 8s..that was it..we were talking this little brown brother home..we had done the basic, come, sit ..stay..etc., training, and he'd listen here and there..but not like a shep would.. We kept Sultan crated during the day unless someone was home, and then for short periods of time when someone wasn't home..and OMG...the destruction...It's been a year and a half now..and now I've learned I have a B-mix..and thank you all for being here, I've read more in the last few weeks and learned more..and I guess I'm fortunate, I have a fenced back yard that he plays in all day..and since he's mixed, he tolerates the cold (not the rain) I'm also not home much, I work two jobs to survive the no health insurance issue, so Sultan is home most days alone and at night with the kids here and there, but he's adjusted to the schedules, and when I'm home, we play... I had spent many nights crying over this pup...but he's mine, and I'm his... You'll do what's best for all of you...

In my experience (only as a long time dog owner; and several dog personalities) dogs don't like to be awakened suddenly - it's a survival instinct. I don't think anyone/dog was at fault in your situation but I would definitely heed the advice given in earlier posts, including training your baby how to behave around the dogs as well (babies learn early about the world around them). I've found that even young children can elicite unexpected responses from my EL D – the neighbor girl (preschool) across the street likes him but has a (bad) habit of shreeking whenever he comes to her -- not only does it get on my nerves, her shreeking iritates EL D (his hair starts to rise) and I have to always talk/pet to him to calm him. Another neighbor has a grandson (with a constant grin on his face) who loves to call EL D to him and then tries to poke him in the eye or nose. Luckily so far EL D has always taken that as accidental (which it clearly is not) and has generally turned away. People have a tendency to train/change dog behavior but ignore/forget training the behavior of children.

I will take a bit of time, but it does work. Please let us know how it goes.

hard to say if crating was a big negative in her puppy place for her that could account for her behavior now? Have you called her breeder to ask her/him? They sometimes can give you wonderful ideas that can help faster than the rest of us because they know their puppy.