Agree with @elbrant and I'd like to add, when you return be very matter of fact, do not make a big fuss, particularly if she is excited and effusive in her greeting to you. Sure, acknowledge her if you must but don't make any sort of big deal out of it. Go about your business, e.g. if you've been shopping, put your things away before spending any time with her. Your goal is to make your absence just part of a normal routine, nothing to be excited about. I've had two separation anxiety dogs, and you know you have won the battle when the dog just glances at you in an "oh, you're back" way and doesn't bother getting off the couch! Yes, people like it when their dog greets them and makes a big fuss, but if you feed that behaviour you give too much emphasis to your absence and that can grow into anxiety in your dog.
Leaving pets alone
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This article is from the newspaper I read each morning. It talks about how much time people leave their dogs on their own. What I find most interesting is that it notes that hounds do not do well when left alone.
http://www.theprovince.com/health/afternoons+long+lonely+pets+left+alone+Report/4410969/story.html
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I think every dog differs… even in a breed. Dogs in general sleep 15 to 18 hours a day. I think puppies of any breed need a LOT of attention, exercise, etc. Adult dogs I don't have any issue with people working 8 hr days. But I think the "enriched" environment comment was spot on... they need chews, toys and ability to relieve boredom in a safe way.
I think hounds, being more pack dogs, might do less well alone. But really, with basenji I think their energy levels are more the issue!
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All the Basenjis I have had and now have have had no problem being left alone. The last 2 and the one I have now stay in the house alone for 10-11 hours. Currently I walk Buddy in the am before work for 20-30 minutes then when I get home for 1 hour. He just get's in his chair or on my bed and could care less when I walk out that door to leave. Maybe I just got lucky and they individually have no separation anxiety. I try to go on good quality walks and new adventures. They mostly sleep all day. I was gone twice for 2 weeks and left 2 Basenjis in the house with a dog door and my neighbor to feed and walk and they had no issues at all.
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All the Basenjis I have had and now have have had no problem being left alone. The last 2 and the one I have now stay in the house alone for 10-11 hours. Currently I walk Buddy in the am before work for 20-30 minutes then when I get home for 1 hour. He just get's in his chair or on my bed and could care less when I walk out that door to leave. Maybe I just got lucky and they individually have no separation anxiety. I try to go on good quality walks and new adventures. They mostly sleep all day. I was gone twice for 2 weeks and left 2 Basenjis in the house with a dog door and my neighbor to feed and walk and they had no issues at all.
About the same here, except my B gets a little worked up when I leave. Usually involves him chasing me out of my home :rolleyes:.
Every time I come home, he's stretching from a long nap, it's like he doesn't even care that I was gone. I think it's true that a lot of them sleep all day.
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I never had an issue with mine, that said, I don't have to crate them when we are at work. Even when we lost our first 3 elders and Kristii became an "home alone" girl, she was pretty much content…
C-Me and Franie are quite content on their own, of course they do have each other.... but in the mornings when I am ready to go and as soon as they see me get treats, they run to the doggy room and wait.... -
We do a good walk before work, then they sleep, on the couch/bed, and we play, walk when I get home from work.
I think they mostly sleep, except Wheat who bothers the old ones! -
Mister Two Dicks is five years old. I got him when he was 18 months old. Because I was a police officer, I had to work 12 hour shifts and would have to leave him alone for 12.5 hours each day. While I was away, he had the full access to the inside of my home through the doggy door and the backyard as well. He had lots of toys to play with and when I returned from work I would play with him for hours both inside and outside. One of my favourite things he would do was the basenji manic run around my house and out the doggy door into the backyard and back again. After a while I felt that although he was a happy dog, there was something missing. So I decided to get a companion for him. Pepper is 3 years old and I especially wanted a younger dog so that Mister Two Dicks would be higher in the pack, as he was here first. The best laid schemes of mice and men oft awry. Although Pepper is 2 years younger than Mister Two Dicks, from the very moment she arrived, she was determined to be the alpha bitch. The amount of times that I have had to take Mister Two Dicks to the chiropractor because of her jumping onto his back from the top of the stairs. But I digress. All those toys that I bought (my children often lament that I bought more for Mister Two Dicks than I ever bought them) that he loved playing with, he never even looks at anymore. It wasn't until after Pepper came onto the scene that one of my neighbours remarked that often when I was at work, Mister Two Dicks would sit alone in the backyard and yodel for hours on end, however now he happily plays in the backyard with the evil one. Do you ever wonder what your dog does while you are at work for 8, 9, 10 or more hours. Now that I am retired I get to spend more time with my basenjis and I feel lucky for that.
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LOL, about 32 yrs ago I had a rottie/shepherd mix. I used to come home and find my dog waiting for me. She also could go in and out. When I was working, I locked her inside, but if going to store or errands, let her decide. Til one day I turned the corner on the street to see her JUMPING THE FENCE from the neighbor's yard back into ours. On further investigation, I learned that when I left her out, as soon as my car left, she jumped the fence to play with the neighbor's beagle. They thought it great fun so no one told me.
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How funny was that, Debra. Didn't it become a little obvious when your dog kept on nudging you towards the front door and not wanting to come with you? LOL
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I can just see it – oh goody, you're leaving; hurry hurry I know you want to get to work; I'll sit in the window and make sure you're leaving; hurry hurry.
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LOL well she probably liked it better when I took her, but if not, oh well… lol.
Also, btw, the neighbors said their dog's name was Sarah. I thought, how sweet. Til I found out why... it was short for "Midnight Serenade" ... which she did and you could hear even if she was in the house lol.
