Suki is a scaredy-cat!

Basenji Talk

  • 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!


  • 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 :)


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


  • She may have some night vision problems.

    Jennifer


  • 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.


  • 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?

  • First Basenji's

    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.


  • 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.


  • 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.


  • 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!


  • 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.


  • 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


  • 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!


  • 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.

Suggested Topics

  • Cat+B=help?

    Basenji Talk
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    7k Views
    JazzysMomJ
    @Patty: I would think that some Basenjis have a stronger hunting instinct than others. I have had Basenjis innocently free roaming among sheep and others that would immdiately go in to kill. Exactly. When we had only Jazzy, she lived in relative peace with our cats. They weren't friends or friendly, but she didn't chase them much and when she did it was without much enthusiasm. Then we got Keoki and everything changed. I know I've talked about him before – he broke three baby gates in his efforts to get at our cats. We've tried various things to bring them together peacefully -- crating the dog, crating the cats, slow introductions, etc. -- and nothing has been remotely helpful. It's been three years. So, now the cats live upstairs -- which is bigger than the downstairs and where the kids spend the bulk of their afternoons and all night -- and the Basenjis live downstairs. I should add, the cats have never been the problem. They have both lived in peace and friendship -- sleeping together etc -- with our dogs in the past. Neither one had ever been chased by a dog, Until Jazz, whom as I said did okay with them, but they were never friends as they'd always been with our other dogs. And Keoki....forget about it.
  • Fight with a cat - Lenny injured?

    Basenji Talk
    22
    0 Votes
    22 Posts
    8k Views
    phoenix3P
    When Phoenix got into a fight a few mths back with his brother My vet prescribed the same thing and it made Phoenix sleepy it's the pain killers i believe that do it cuz when he was done with them he was back to his ole self again . i wouldnt worry too much maybe just the excitment from the vet the fight and the meds. He's not throwing up right ? But i would say it's the pain meds that are making him lethargic.. I hope he feels better soon !!!!
  • Only a basenji…..(or a cat)

    Basenji Talk
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    653 Views
    No one has replied
  • Basenji and Cats Question

    Basenji Talk
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    5k Views
    myieM
    =) That sounds much like our place just not nearly as spacious. Well, they appear to have been calmer but they're probably just messing with my mind.
  • Basenjis and cats

    Basenji Talk
    18
    0 Votes
    18 Posts
    7k Views
    jys1011J
    I know aaaaall about that they're slippery little furballs & quick too!!
  • Basenjis and cats

    Basenji Talk
    27
    0 Votes
    27 Posts
    12k Views
    bellabasenjiB
    I am so glad to see I am not the only one dealing with this issue. We got Bella when she was four months old and the chase has been on ever since. She turned one year old on December 27th and I am still dealing with this. Eight months of cat chasing and I think I am going looney here. :eek: