Piranha with 4 legs and curly tail!


  • Try the paper towels..what do you have to lose?? The dog will have something to "tear" up and it will also have a nest of small pieces of papertowel to lay on.
    Lose the fabric items…its just a vet visit waiting to happen.


  • I agree, definitely no more blankets or sheets, will try with the paper towels…
    Thanks a lot
    D


  • I don't put the sheepskin in their daytime crate. They would destroy it!!!! Only at night time when I know they don't chew because they know we are in the same room.


  • @BasenjiDiva:

    I don't put the sheepskin in their daytime crate. They would destroy it!!!! Only at night time when I know they don't chew because they know we are in the same room.

    We do something similar with Malaika. We are lucky that she doesn't chew her vet bed when put in the crate when we are out, but the minute we return and let her out she dashes into the crate, hauls the bedding out and attepmts to chew it. Consequently we keep the crate shut when not in use.
    Also watch your bathroom towels, we have to keep the door closed because she chews the towels.


  • Hello,
    I tried the paper towels, he tore the roll up in seconds. But today I caught him chewing the pieces and swallowing them. What should I do, in the meantime I removed them, I know it's not string material like you said but still….


  • Just a word of caution.. I had a ROTTWEILER bloat on paper towels. If they ingest enough, it can cause a problem.

    Sheepskin is wonderful, but I have also had 2 dogs able to shred it. Only 2 in all these years but most won't. Certainly worth a try.

    You can also try crate flooring: http://primopads.com/

    They guarantee them and a rottie rescue friend swears by them.

    I have had 2 dogs… Arwen and my first Rottie, Tasha, who never quit shredding. Fortunately Tasha didn't have to be crated. Arwen only shreds certain materials and doesn't eat them so she has some options.


  • How about using cardboard as bedding - rather warmer than paper and when shredded it is quite comfortable.

    Two of my current Basenjis (Spring and her daughter Gbala) eat their bedding regularly and I've never had blockages so I'm always surprised to read on this forum about serious problems some people have had. I never allow them to eat anything which chew up with stringy bits as I feel that the lengths might be too long and so cause problems.

    I think we keep my dog bedding supplier in business!!


  • I'm pretty sure Simon would shred anything. It's his second favorite hobby after eating. Or maybe third after harassing the cat.

    I had heard that fleece was better because it didn't come off in strings? No?

    Also, one night we heard him methodically ripping the towels – the way a quilter rips strips. Loooong rip sound. He was very pleased with himself, especially when it meant we got up out of bed and took him outside and cleared all the bits out of his crate in the middle of the night. PARTY!


  • Patty, just because you have lucked out without blockage doesn't mean you won't. Having seen a dog die from blockage and having to deal with my own dog's bloat… I can only ask is it worth the risk? Dogs cannot digest material. Period. And in dogs this small, blockage is a serious life-threatening possibility.


  • @DebraDownSouth:

    Arwen only shreds certain materials and
    doesn't eat them so she has some options.

    HEY! I only eat the good stuff.


  • yeah, i,m not sure what to do. in the meantime ive kept some newspaper, which although i agree e chemicals arent good it seems to be the only thing he doesnt eat, I am going to order the primopad for his crate, see if that works…..


  • Got some raw bones from the supermarket today, he should enjoy that as well. Can you believe, one of the supermarket chains down here wouldn't give me some bones, they said it was company policy that they can't give them away, even though they throw them away!!!


  • Well! I have to say that I knew this would happen, and it was kind of funny, but Ayo is extremely protective of these bones. I had to repeatedly remove it from him and give it back with him growling like crazy to get him to let go of the bones without growling.


  • LOL yep once they love raw they love it. I just feed mine in crates so no fighting.

Suggested Topics

  • 4 yr. old WILL NOT stop peeing the house!

    Behavioral Issues
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    4k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Obviously I agree that a vet check for a medical issue is first and foremost. The dramatic increase is a signal that something medically is off-- could be urinary track, hell could be crystal or thyroid or many things. A full evaluation is called for anytime your dog has a sudden change or increase in a behavior. However, >>We've always had a bit of difficulty getting her entirely housebroken - she messes in the house every once in a while, but had a months long streak of being good.<< is not a great sign. Even if she has a medical issue, you still have a problem because you have a dog that is not housebroken and it is so much better to spend the next 3 or 4 months really addressing this than spend the next 8 to 10 yrs living with it. Housebreaking is a bit like being pregnant... you are or you aren't. Sure, a sick dog doesn't count. But unless sick, or some crisis leaving a dog so long it has no option, pottying in the house is simply not okay. So once you get the medical checked out, go back in time, and retrain as if a puppy. It's a little easier since she already knows to go out when you are home... but a whole LOT harder because when she does potty, you generally aren't. I see no way to do it without returning to crate training, not just when you are gone, but home also. Basically you are going to have to go out with her to potty, sing her praise, give her a treat. Take her out when she gets up in the morning, every 3 or 4 hours during the day, after meals, before bedtime. If she doesn't ever potty in the house at night, great. If she does, then her new sleeping zone is a crate. It helps if you have one where she generally sleeps and a 2nd on near the main action for during the day... because you need to start putting her in the crate when you cannot actively watch her even when you are HOME until you get 100 percent no house accidents. I'll put a couple of links with clear instructions. Since this mostly is if left alone, separation anxiety might be the stimulus. Sometimes medications for a while, plus really good toys they only get when left alone (especially mind stimulating ones like Shirley suggested), Kongs with some smeared cream cheese or peanut butter (don't use a lot!! Keep a couple in the freezer!), safe chew toys, can help get the dog over the anxiety. Talk to your vet, because you can't effectively do housetraining while not helping with the separation issues. http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/its-never-too-late-to-house-train-an-adult-dog-heres-how-to-start http://www.canineprofessionals.com/housebreaking-adult-dogs
  • 0 Votes
    14 Posts
    12k Views
    tanzaT
    The surgery to reopen the growth plate was 2 wks after the first surgery. We had x-rays 4 times in those two weeks to keep an eye on the growth plate condition. Her surgeon said that usually if the growth plate is going to close early, it will happen usually within 2 wks of the trauma
  • Biting his Tail?

    Behavioral Issues
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    11k Views
    ErinElisabethE
    @eeeefarm: Sounds like transferred aggression to me. He knows not to bite the person, but is annoyed enough that he wants to take it out on something, and his tail is handy. :) I wouldn't worry about it if it doesn't get worse. I also wouldn't provoke it. Avoid annoying him if you can and the behaviour may extinguish on its own. Okay! Thanks for all your help!
  • Longing for a tail wag

    Behavioral Issues
    18
    0 Votes
    18 Posts
    8k Views
    ?
    My breeder said that if your basenji lays his ears flat backwards when greeting you it's a sign of affection. I see that my 3month old does that to me and she adores me and my boyfriend. Maybe thats your other signal .
  • Tail wagging

    Behavioral Issues
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    7k Views
    P
    Spring, who has a loose curl looks so funny when she wags her tail! It really makes me laugh and join in her happiness.
  • New rescue Rocky from MN wags his tail?

    Behavioral Issues
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    3k Views
    crystalncodyC
    Cody wags his tail when he's extremely excited, like if there is a cat outside or in the neighbors' yard, when he's about to pounce on Moe, or when I come home from work (not only am I home, but I work in a pasta/seafood restaurant, so he thinks I smell yummy). He doesn't bark though.