Suki is a scaredy-cat!

[tlish]

is this typical behavior? my ferocious beast of a puppy is scared to go outside in the dark!! at night, when we (yes, we, because she will not go without an audience) go out to potty, she will not even walk out to the yard. instead she just squats right there on the cement patio near the door! i have never seen anything like her! she is just a nonstop riot!

[Lysh]

just curious -what indicates that shes scared of the dark? sure its not the grass itself?

do you get much dew? she might not like the wet grass ^_^ - hence not wanting to go out in the yard. Just a thought

[Kananga]

My B tends to be more anxious at night outside. Not scared really, but shows more caution.

[dcmclcm4]

She may have some night vision problems.

Jennifer

[tlish]

well, she pees and poops in the grass during daylight hours without any problem. and she's not scared of the dark in the house at all - she just doesn't like going all the way out to the yard (like 20 feet, max.) at night. i don't really think it's a serious issue - just a funny quirk! that's why i posted in the story forum versus the behavioral issues or training forum.

[Kipawa]

Is this common with Basenjis, being that they are sight hounds? With no light, does it just bother them not being able to see as well as they normally do?

[crystalncody]

Cody doesn't really like to be outside alone at night either, and won't stay out long while he does his business. He does go to his regular spot to go potty though, which is the farthest spot from our porch.
During the day I have to outsmart him to get him to come inside or he'd stay out until it gets dark, and he doesn't care if he's alone then.
I always just thought it was one of his weird little quirks.

[Lysh]

hmm.. i might have a strange one then.

Hope gets up and goes out herself at night (any time of the night, she sleeps with us and we just leave the doors ajar and she comes/goes as she pleases). She also goes downstairs any time we bore her (bathtime or the one tv show i sit to watch each week) and just chills out and chews her bones or plays with her toys. She will even just go down anytime she wants.

The only time she wont go out is when its raining.

If its not raining but we've had dew she also wont go out in the yard until 7.30am.

[DebraDownSouth]

I have heard of many who didn't like the dark. Mine don't seem to mind but I am going to fix the backyard spotlight because I am tired of having to go out and hand a lantern since I have to go out still with Cara. She hasn't had loose stools in a couple of months, but she still wants to eat bugs so til the first freeze or 2, I go out, flashlight in hand and hang the bright lantern lol.

[Patty]

Mine will go out in the dark but are much quicker to go is there is some sort of artificial light for them. Of course if they scent prey in the garden there's nothing stopping them, even pouring rain, in fact then I have difficulty persuading them to come back in!

[thunderbird8588]

Malaika is certainly more wary in the dark, she is happy to go on a walk with us but looks over her shoulder frequently. She will also stop and stand very still if she is unsure.
Our first Basenji, Benji was quite happy in the dark and let himself out into the garden during the night.

[dcmclcm4]

I have one girl who will pee on the cement patio if the grass is even slightly damp. I have to watch her and tell her "on the grass" a couple of times before she will go on the grass.

Jennifer

[tlish]

she's getting better… if i turn the back yard lights on before we go out (rather than waiting for the motion detector), she will mostly go out into the yard. sometimes, though, and maybe she just senses something is out there or maybe she's just in a hurry, she just plops right down on the cement. but she doesn't do that during the day. we haven't any rain, yet, though. and i'm DREADING the snow!

[sharronhurlbut]

My 3 b's like me to go outside in the yard with them at night.
They sure don't stay outside for long! I do think they have a bit of fear of
the dark.