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    Yes and No (Sorry about your couch!) Yes, because he could be feeling hormonal and strange due to it being the season...but that is more likely to express itself with interatctions with other dogs and people rather than couches. And No because it isn't bad behavior....it is DOG behavior. He doesn't know that you value your couch...he just knows it is something fun to dig in.
    He has shown you that he can't be safe by himself for even 20 minutes (unfortunately it was a costly lesson for you); you have to protect him from himself.
    And you are so right about many people not wanting to put up with this kind of behavior. So many people want their dogs to act like little humans...they think the dog understands "being a good dog" without them putting any effort into training the dog...well with basenjis, so many never even care what "being a good dog" is....that is why so many end up in rescue. Those of us that stay with the breed usually all have horror stories of things being destroyed, food being stolen...dogs behaving "badly"...but that is part of what we love about the breed...That is why so many of us say "Basenjis aren't for everyone"
    I am glad you can still smile....you must be a basenji person 😉


  • And No because it isn't bad behavior….it is DOG behavior. He doesn't know that you value your couch...he just knows it is something fun to dig in.

    Thanks Andrea! I agree it is dog behavior. I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt me because he "loves me and he trusts me. He's just a youngster, the way I see it. He must have been bored. We have been busy lately with son's hockey and yes, the DETROIT TIGERS! 🙂 Duke really hasn't had his due attention. Walks are back on the daily list, and he has a fresh supply of toys. I can't forget he is not a lazy old dog. I'm already thinking about the next sofa. Until then, I'll invest in a sofa cover. I will try and sew up the hole by hand tomorrow.


  • I had alot of problems with Buddi also. We started crating him very soon after realizing what that little puppy could do while we were gone! But my dog is a little Houdini… he figured out how to get out of his pet carrier. It was horrible!!!! On top of being bored, I believe he was mad at me, because the house was a complete wreck. Atop of the mess I soon found out that I couldn't use my computer because he ate through all the cords... Had a few occurances with that. Anyways we had to put a C-clamp on the corner of the carrier where he broke the plastic. He is a very interesting and smart dog!!!!! Good Luck!!!


  • Zahra ate my laptop cord and I don't know when. I don't let them out of the crate unless I am watching them but she is sneeky and all of a sudden my laptop would not go to ac power. Hmmmmmm, maybe I could figure out a way to use some of that energy from the B500 to power up my laptop!

    I have been pretty lucky, Zahra has not damaged too much in our house. Our Puggle has actually done more damage then her, although Zahra loves to dig in the couch, our bed and blankets.


  • Well the reason we had to start crating Buddi is because he ate through the bathroom closet wall and when I came home he had two puncture wounds on his side where he fell on nails. Called the vet and he said to give him childrens benadryl. He is a handfull, to say the least. But we love him very much!


  • LOL….Cleaning up the mess and toys around the lounge room last night after Bandit and Alfie had gone to bed.... I thought ran through my mind... I'm still picking up after kids.... but this time it's my darling kids with 4 legs....LOL

    I too, give Bandit cardboard tubes, empty tissue boxes which he spreads all over the place.
    The other night my daughter gave Bandit and Alfie a Happy Birthday balloon she had finished with. It still floated up to the ceiling when let go... so we had some fun with Bandit and Alfie.... you should have seen them trying to catch the balloon..... gosh it was funny!!! When they got hold of the balloon, they ran along the floor and each time the balloon would try and float away!!!


  • Great topic!

    I too have have a 3yr old male & a 2yr old female. The male requires lots & lots of attention & he needs lots & lots of running exercise to let off steam. Sometimes I don't know how much is enough???

    We crate while at work too. The dog walker comes mid-day for potty & walking.

    When we come home they are let out in the kitchen area ONLY under our supervision & unsupervised for MAYBE 10 min. tops. We don't trust them alone in the living room/dining room yet. They've been introduced to this area but only on a leash & while we supervise. Otherwise they can roam freely in the kitchen which is fairly large.


  • I just gave Joey a cardboard tube and he had a great time with it, only a few minutes of course. I did wonder tho if this would encourage him to chew on other paper products that we have around the house such as magazines. We have had Joey for a month now(he's 11 months) and I won't say this too loudly but he has been very well behaved. I think he is still adjusting to a new household and will exhibit more B behavior as he becomes more comfortable. When I catch him in the act of going for something off limits and say, ah uh, he drops it immediately. Could the breeder have trained him this well? Thoughts? (Obviously, I am a first time dog owner)


  • For the last 3 nights i have come home from work and had to pick up my back yard from Sandies "I found the newspaper on the floor and…." I keep telling my husband and the kids not to leave paper in her sight but thier memories seem to be short lived till i yell who left the paper in the floor ... she loves to shred paper.


  • My Sahara does the same, don't leave any paper out, toilet paper, and the latest cardboard boxes. She was opening our boxes left by UPS until my hubby put up a nice brass shelf for the boxes. Once we came home to find the box had been torn open and his new bedroom shoes were in the yard. We were so surprised, this was the first time she had done this.

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