Crate training

Basenji Training
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  • AnaA

    Hi!!
    I have had my b baby for about two weeks now. I have been home a lot lately and have been trying to crate train my pup. It is a disaster. Everyone says pups don't like to soil their living space. But every time I leave him in the crate for a few minutes while I am home or leave him while I go out (not for more than 1-2 hours) he seems to have a nervous poop in the crate and jumps around in it. So I have to wash his feet and his crate every time I come home. I make sure he does his business before I leave but it is like he gets so scared that he poops, not to mention the amount of screams he makes. I have tried making his crate smaller so he doesn't want to soil his spot but it just doesn't work. Even when I just leave the crate open he goes in it to pee. At night he is just fine and doesn't have any accidents, but I leave the door open.
    Someone has told me that some dogs just don't like crates and I should try blocking him off in an enclosed space like the kitchen. I have tried that and it seems to work a lot better. He isn't potty trained yet and has little accidents in the kitchen. I leave him with a Kong and he seems to cry a lot less.
    I don't mind closing off in the kitchen but I am wondering if it is very bad that I choose to do that instead of leaving him in his crate.

    Thank you so much!

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  • eeeefarmE

    It's true that some Basenjis can't tolerate crates. I have had two such dogs. The defecating in the crate does seem like it is from anxiety. If the dog isn't so anxious closed into the kitchen, I would try that. You may have an issue with separation anxiety, or it may be crate anxiety and giving him a larger area may indeed make things better. Yes, you will potentially have "accidents", but the crate isn't solving this for you in any case!

    "In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"

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  • BenkuraB

    I too have a dog who cannot tolerate crates. It does make some aspects of life difficult for us since we are a multi-dog household but we have found other ways around it. Trouper prefers to sleep on the sofa at night so that is just fine, we can trust him not to chew etc. My other dogs are all perfectly happy in their crates and I am working on training my pups who are now 9 wks old. There is a DVD called Crate Games you can get. I believe you can also see some of this DVD on Youtube.
    Good luck with your pup.

    Victoria Miller & the hounds of Benkura

    www.benkurabasenjis.co.uk

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  • TimesthemythT

    I'm not sure if this is the case with you or not, but I had the same problem with my puppy for several months before I was able to figure out that the defecating in the crate was not directly due to nervousness. I also tried reducing the crate size, etc. I would take him out a couple times, watched him go, before leaving and would come home to find a mess every single time (regardless of what treat I would put in there)…in addition to him screaming... I finally was able to figure out the problem. I take him out once, but in addition to that, I have to take him out for a walk shortly after that first time (he'll only go a second time if we're well away from the house and down the street). This only happens in the morning. In the afternoon he has no problem holding it .... the "crate anxiety" hasn't gone away completely , but there are no messes to clean up (which is helping reduce his anxiety day by day). Thought I would share my example, since I kept stumbling on " some dogs can't tolerate crates" and "signs of separation anxiety" when I was looking for an answer. It might be something that doesn't fit the norm. The clue for me was that he only pooped in his crate...I rarely found urine.

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  • AnaA

    He does only poop in his crate, no urine usually.
    I am trying to gradually get him to like his crate, but I do think it might be a lost cause. But yesterday I left for about three hours and left him in the kitchen. When I got back, I opened the door and looked down to see not only my cat waiting for me but my dog as well… He found a way to get out of the kitchen and have the run on my apartment. I now know why basenjis are called escape artists. I was happy to find that although he had an accident in the living room, he didn't destroy anything. But I won't count on one time to trust him alone.
    I am going to stick with the kitchen and try to make sure he can't get out.

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    @sanjibasenji said in Crate training: I have much respect for that accumulated knowledge, but, not to sound rude, that does not make that person a certified or licensed trainer. I actually was offended by what you posted. You said you respect the knowledge, but disregard it because they aren't a "certified or licensed trainer"? These are well-intentioned breeders who volunteer to engage with others on the Forum in an attempt to educate and celebrate this amazing dog breed. They share their knowledge. You don't have to agree with them. Offer your opinion and move on. Please don't suggest that their opinion, experience, and education isn't valid because they aren't "certified" or "licensed". Your overall intent screams that you believe yourself to be better than the rest of us: "I'm a scientist with a PhD." Which puts the rest of us beneath you? In education and social stature? You couldn't know about anyone's socioeconomic status, educational achievements, or expertise on any subject. But you deemed to think it was appropriate to put us in our place. And that, was rude. Even the analogy you offered is an indication that you don't value anyone who doesn't have a degree. Frankly, if you are hearing conflicting opinions about the same piece of art, get a third opinion. The person with the degree may have just scraped by with a C+, while the person who devoted decades may have been under the tutelage of a Master Artist. And really, if you are planning to purchase such a prized piece of Art, shouldn't you educate yourself so you can make an intelligent decision instead of allowing others to tell you what to buy? As an aside: The original YouTube link remains, but we certainly do not need her entire catalog of videos. Sharing information is one thing, advertising for someone is another. I would hope that you understand that not everything you see online is true. Including claims to be an expert, certified, trained, Dr., etc., etc. Lots of people in the world are just selling a story.
  • R

    Does crate training get better?

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    I agree, but it does take time and patience for some dogs to understand. My basenji, Charlie knows now his crate is his “home”, but from 8 weeks to now at 12 weeks, focused first on making sure he felt safe in it. This meant a Charlie proofed area that ended in his crate if he wanted to be with me while I worked. We are now introducing away time, but as mentioned, it’s building up from a mere few seconds to hours.
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    @Lisa67: Thank you. I think we are doing a bit better than 75% so hopefully it wont take forever to train her. I guess when someone asks where I got her they mean the "kennel" name? I'm really new at this, sorry. I guess the correct reply is SunDiata Basenjis. Kennel name or breeder name…. and I know Chris and her Basenjis. Congrats and again welcome
  • cazC

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    When you feed him in the crate and close do you walk away? I had a foster that was terrified of the crate and also suffered terrible anxiety w/peeing in the crate too. So I would feed him in the crate and then close the door and sit right there with him. At first I only closed the door half way, did that way for about a week then was able to close it all the (without latching) for another week. I would sit right next to the crate and praise him for eating his meals. Then I would scoot a few feet back at one meal, move back at the next and do that for a for a few times. Then I would stay at the few feet back. It is a slow process but it really really helped him in his crate training process and getting him over his fear. I was soon able to feed him in his crate and walk away. He was running to his crate and sitting for his meals. He still had his anxiety for long periods w/the peeing problem but we even worked on that were we could leave for short times and he wouldn't pee in his crate
  • BellaJaneB

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    @BellaJane: Oh yeah and his name is Ringo…. Where did you get Ringo?
  • TroyBoyT

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    @tanza: Crate training is something that "if" possible all dogs, not only Basenjis should learn… in your case Shaye's Mom, as you will I am sure read of hear from other Forum members there are some that you can just not crate train.... but the reasons are many, not just house breaking, but a safe place if you are having work done in the house, no worries about someone leaving a door open... work in the yard, no worries about someone leaving a gate open... traveling, all should be confined/restrained when in a moving vehicle, visiting with family/friends... by taking the crate along there is always a place that your dog is familar with and comfortable... Most responsible breeders have usually started crate training before you get your puppy... so usually they are somewhat used to them... however this is one reason I will never ship a puppy as cargo... and people need to personally pick up a puppy... one great way to freak a pup out (in my opinion) is remove them from their litter mates, stuff them in a crate that they have no idea what it is, haul them to the airport to be put in the belly of the plane.... well, you get the idea... Of course that said... there are just some that can't be crate trained and have never had a bad experience You're absoluty correct Pat. I had 3 that I could not for the life of me crate train. Crating would have been wonderful.