@Saving thank you very much for the suggestions!
What should I be expecting?
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What should I be expecting from Oakley between now (he will be 6 mo. old on April 30th) and 8 months? He is not altered and I am trying to wait until at least the eight month mark because I feel like he still has a lot of developing to do, but as one might expect I can sense the testosterone flowing. He has become much more intent on play biting me… and he certainly has started to have moments of complete ignorance towards commands (haha, I know :rolleyes:) which I attribute towards his age....Hopefully those who have experienced this stage of a Basenji's life can share their stories and give me some insight....the good, the bad and the funny!
Thanks
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suki is now 10 months, and a spayed female. however, i could tell at 6-8 months she was definitely testing the boundaries. she is a little more calm now, for longer moments, but is still a wild child! however, her chewing has lessened quite a bit and is correctly directed at appropriate things to chew. she doesn't steal the area rugs daily anymore, but still thinks any and all towels, socks, etc. are fair game. i think you are in for some craziness ahead, but it does get subtly better. just keep an eye on him, be consistent, be patient, and laugh a lot! you'll both get through it!
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Get your b into a gentle basic obedience class. It will helpp teach your dog boundries and burn off some energy.
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Yes, agreed… a class will help, but remember at home to "work" his mind, not just his body
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Pat, I found, with Wheat, training her does work on her mind. She has to think, we interact, and we both learn.
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Impulse control is a great thing to work on at home to set some of those boundaries Sharron mentioned and begin to manage their crazy behavior at that age (which isn't ending any time soon even when you neuter him). It's an important thing for a puppy to learn how to think through when they get highly aroused. If you aren't already, you can start with simple things like requiring him to sit (or whatever else you like such as watch, down, stand) before he gets his food bowl, treats, gets to go outside, gets to play with a toy, chase a lure whip, etc.
As an example, my dogs, like many basenjis, like to chase a lure whip, so usually what I do is run around a bit with it and then stop, stand still and hold the lure. Then I wait for my dog to sit, and then I very excitedly start running around again and then stop after a minute or so. She gets very excited chasing the lure but is now able to stop and sit very quickly because she knows if she does it will start moving again.
