Distractions distractions….

[krunzer]

I don't know about limiting her walking time outside, definately don't start running her until she is over a year old, that put stresses on their bones and joints and can cause problems. But walking around outside and playing with her inside should not be a problem, unless you have to drag her. She is going to run and play inside or out. 15 mins is great but if she is not tired or has not gone potty I would stay outside longer with her if you want to. Yes, maybe try the newspaper or puppy pads inside, for a just-in-case measure. Have fun with your baby though and don't worry so much about 'not doing it correctly' I am sure you are doing just fine.

[ownedbyspencer]

Basenjis are very clever. They will soon (very soon) learn to solve almost any problem to their satisfaction. When Spencer was a puppy, he was a condo dog, so I would have to take him out or walk him. He immediately learned to hold it until he was ready to go in, then he would run and take care of business and lead us happily back inside. On his terms. Otherwise, as soon as he would do what I brought him out to do, I'd want to go back inside while he still had a lot of exploring left to do. Yep, they train us. They're smart. Very smart.

Spencer came home with me at eight weeks, too. It really is too young. He needed another month with his mother and his littermates, and your little girl probably did, too. But you have her now, and it sounds like you're doing a great job! She might need a little more patience and she might be a bit needier and more insecure than if she had gotten that extra month. But it'll all work out. We live and learn. (She'll teach you.)

She's adorable. Enjoy her!

[YodelMa]

Two things have worked for me: 1) Mixing a SMALL amount of plain Bran cereal with lots of water in their meals to stimulate excretion right after meals and create a schedule. I've only done this with unhousebroken adult mill fosters so far, to coax their tummies into a morning/evening-right-after-meals schedule so they'd go outside and not in their cages. While it worked really well (all 3 dogs I tried it on had "Potty A-ha Moments within 48 hours) I'd be really cautious trying this on a puppy so young. Definitely add plenty of water, otherwise the fibre can ball up and cause constipation or even a blockage.
2) After meals soak a very soft cloth in luke warm (body temp) water, ring it out well and very gently swab the pup's business end. This simulate the mother licking his/her anus to encourage excretion. Then take the pup outside. Again, be careful the water isn't too hot–obviously, you don't want to scald him/her. Also, be very careful about getting puppy's bottom wet and then taking it outside in winter--make sure she's dry to avoid frostbite. This worked on my elderly girl who hated winter so much she'd try to hold it for days.

I feel your pain, having once housebroken two dogs from a 22nd floor condo. I felt like I lived in the elevator for a while. Be patient!

Just as an FYI, it might be wise to avoid any loud, sudden noises around your puppy like shouting or vacum cleaners until she's 12 weeks of age. While I've never researched it (never had a pup that young) I've heard they imprint fear between 8-10 weeks of age. It might be something to research or maybe one of the folks on the forum would know more...

[Patty M]

@ownedbyspencer:

But you have her now, and it sounds like you're doing a great job! She might need a little more patience and she might be a bit needier and more insecure than if she had gotten that extra month. But it'll all work out. We live and learn. (She'll teach you.)

She's adorable. Enjoy her!

Thank you, Spencer's owner, for reassuring this young couple about their little baby. As you said, everything will work out in the end, and she will teach you!

For the Fanconi testing, it's important to get it done, so that as she gets older, you can monitor her for symptoms. Breeders that are on this forum are very passionate about the Fanconi testing, because they do everything in their power not to propagate this horrible disease. Many owners that are on here have had dogs inflicted with Fanconi, so they, too, want you to get the testing done, for your peace of mind.

I hope today was an even better day for you and Waffles!

[ownedbyspencer]

Yes, the Fanconi testing is very important. Your little girl will probably not be affected, and that will ease your mind. If she is likely to be affected, you will know and can get out in front of the disease. Early detection and management is so important. If your breeder tested the parents, that will give you a good idea. If not– or even so-- you can test your puppy. It's such a small expenditure for such a big benefit!

[mdean8]

We will be buying the Fanconi kit from the site you have all recommended, so thanks for that information…much appreciated.

Good news is that she is understanding her routine more and more every day. She hasn't had an accident in the house for a few days now...unfortunately we found day-old poop in the corner a couple days ago from one time, but that hasn't happened again since. We make sure that she goes #2 outside when we know she needs to go (i.e. after she eats a good amount of her food).

@ krunzer - When we take her out she loves to run naturally out of excitement, at least for a little bit. Our walks don't exceed 15-20 minutes and we make sure to stay out there until business is taken care of.

@YodelMa - you have some awesome advice regarding B pup's having bathroom issues from digestion/eating, but she has been doing well actually from her diet.

Anyone have the best method to get them to stop doing something (you can probably guess chewing is one of them)? We usually try to get her to chew on a toy when she begins to chew on a pillow or something she shouldn't be on. I'm just curious what would be the best method (clapping, saying "no," tapping on the nose, etc)?

Thanks again everyone, you've all made this experience much more comfortable since we've joined the forum!!!

[lisastewart]

I have used puppy training pads with all mine till at least age 6 months, by then they are more focused and likely to do their business outside. We always leave a pad in our bathroom in case one of the 6 needs to get out of our bed and go potty during the night. Our 5 yr old whippet uses it on a regular basis. Do not stress over the potty training, it normally takes till 4 or 5 months to get it down.

[Patty M]

When one of my dogs is misbehaving, I don't resort to anything physical, because in my experience, it won't do anything positive. If you catch her in the act, then my response is to raise my voice with a distinctive noise (I use a sound like, "Agh Ahh!") and then when she looks, I say, "NO", and take whatever it is from her. Whatever the word/phrase/action is, just be sure the two of you are consistent, even if it's saying, "OUTSIDE", before you open the door, so that as she gets older, she'll associate that word with going downstairs. I wouldn't use anything physical to reprimand her, but that's just me.

And when there's poop in the corner, unless you catch her in the act, I don't see any value in bringing her to the mess, rubbing her nose in it, and scolding with a stern, "what did you do????" When I first got my basenji puppy 9 yrs ago, I made that mistake. My Lucy looked at me so innocently like, "YUCK! Mom, get me away from this mess!". She didn't seem to connect the smelly stuff with her actions from hours ago. (The look is probably similar to the look you get from Waffles when she is done going up stairs, lol. ) And while you never suggested that you were going to rub her nose in it, I thought I'd let you know about my experience.

You guys are doing great! Congrats on the successes!

Hugs and roos-

[Barklessdog]

Remember always keep things positive. Basenjis learn quickly with positive reward training. House Breaking can take up to 6 months to where they can be trusted. They have to develop physically to go longer between potty times. Also keep your dog on a schedual. When you wake up take her outside right away. Don't go in till she pees. Any time she goes potty outside, reward, reward, reward !
After her breakfast, go out again and wait till she poops. Also always have her on a leash when you go outside. If you can leave some poop outside this helps her associate that this is where to poop.
You sound dedicated, you will do fine.

[tanza]

Always remember if there is an accident in the house, it is your fault…. not the puppies. And also keep in mind that during teething, I have found that there can be a set back when they totally forget about house training. Why that is, I don't have a clue, but I have had it happen with a few of my bitch puppies.