Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Training
  3. crate/potty training and biting

crate/potty training and biting

Basenji Training
  • J

    Hi there!

    I have a 7.5 month old tri-coloured Basenji named Akela who we are absolutely in love with, but we have been having some issues with her!
    The first issue is that she is constantly going to the bathroom in the house. We got her at 8 weeks and began crate training her right away which was a nightmare because she would scream bloody murder the whole time, but she was understanding that you don't soil your crate, you go outside to do your business. However after a couple of months she began soiling her crate, so naturally we don't want to have our pup sitting in that all day, so we decided that when she is to be left home alone we would leave her in the kitchen (we have doors to the kitchen that close it off from the rest of the house. But ever since doing that, she sees it as her personal bathroom. I've come home at times when the floor is completely covered in pee with drops of poop everywhere! If we are at home with her, she will usually go to the door and scratch at it to let us know that she needs to go out, but if it's a time when we are in the shower or bathroom, she will just go straight to the kitchen and do what she has to do. We are thinking about going back to the basics and trying to do the kennel training again, but we have also heard about these little patches of fake grass you place in a certain area of your home and they learn that is there they are to go to the bathroom!

    The other issue we have is that she is a bitter. Mainly with me. My husband is 100% her human so when he's not home she tends to get restless and goes a little crazy running around, throwing herself at the cushions on the couch. If she playing with something that she shouldn't be and you take it from her, bites at you. And I also find that when she is on the couch or sitting on the bed and she is in one of there "moods" she will bite at you if you are walking around the bed or the couch. I don't think it's meant to be mean or aggressive, it's just her way of trying to get you to play. We have tried ignoring her, replacing whatever she is biting with one of her toys, yelping really loud when she bites, but nothing seems to deter her!

    All tips and opinions are welcomed!!! Thanks in advance!

    Jill

    0
  • M
    This post is deleted!
    0
  • M
    This post is deleted!
    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    Jill, there is a thread on the biting issue, so I'm going to post the link to that. Join in.

    The potty issue... yes, starting all over as if a new puppy is the best way to go. That means:
    In crate, tied to you with a leash, or outside. If loose it is with your eyes on her every single second so that you can say "NO" and scoop up and go out if she even thinks about pottying. Praise and treat. Better to do that for a month and get this fixed than continue. If you are not home, then you may have to resort to an indoor potty pad. There is one I like from PetSafe, but there are a ton of others.
    http://www.petsafe.net/petloo

    Thread on biting:
    https://basenjiforums.com/topic/14463/newbie-i-think-i-have-a-basenji-mix

    Debra

    0
  • eeeefarmE

    @jilliansquires said in crate/potty training and biting:

    Hi there!

    I've come home at times when the floor is completely covered in pee with drops of poop everywhere!

    Sounds like you may have a separation anxiety problem. Is there a way you can arrange to video her behaviour when you leave? Often these dogs are very upset and typically will do something immediately after being left alone, rather than not being able to "hold it".

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

    0
  • tanzaT

    @jilliansquires Housetraining, you need to go back to potty training 101.... start all over again.... take her out "all" the time, after eating, sleeping playing, etc.....
    The biting as you describe it is NOT normal behavior. Have you done any Obedience training with her? Work her mind?

    And most important have you talked to her breeder?

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0

Suggested Topics

  • E

    Crate training

    Basenji Training
    38
    0 Votes
    38 Posts
    4k Views
    elbrantE
    @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.
  • AnaA

    Crate training

    Basenji Training
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    4k Views
    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.
  • S

    Needs Help-Potty Training

    Basenji Training
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    2k Views
    NerdyDogOwnerN
    It's a natural puppy instinct to NOT pee/poo outside their "cove". This is to prevent predators in finding them with their smells all round the area. Sometimes it takes longer for some to go outside. A neighbor of mine got a puppy, and they too where having a hard time with pee/poo inside. I told them to just take it easy, and don't punish. Spend a good time outside, and award when he/she does go outside. It took until their dog was 8 months until he started going regularly outside.
  • BellaJaneB

    Puppy Crate training

    Basenji Training
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    4k Views
    tanzaT
    @BellaJane: Oh yeah and his name is Ringo…. Where did you get Ringo?
  • C

    Crate type/size and training advise

    Basenji Training
    19
    0 Votes
    19 Posts
    7k Views
    QuercusQ
    @Basenji_Boy: That sounds like progress.[image: eusa_clap.gif] I agree…let's hope it just gets better and better :)
  • F

    Struggling with Potty Training

    Basenji Training
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    4k Views
    ChaseandZahrasmomC
    Fluffypony, Consider the kennels the best investment that you will make. We did not agree with crate training in the beginning when we got our Puggle, I felt that it was cruel to lock him up all day. We bought an excerise pen, put the pee pads in there and everyday we came home to shredded pee pads and a huge mess. Finally we decided to get the kennel because we could not take the mess anymore not to mention that we would have to bathe the Chase everynight after we cleaned up the mess. In time, we were able to trust Chase to be left with the kennel door open and he could be free in the kitchen because we had gates up. This took about 6 months. He hardly ever had an accidentonce he learned and got older. Then, we got Zahra, our Basenji, now they are both locked in their kennels all day, I don't trust Zahra to not destroy our house. She still has not fully learned that she can not potty in the house. She is getting better but if I give her too much room in her crate she will potty on one end and hang out in the other. I thought Chase was hard to train, Zahra is much worse. Maybe it is the fact that we got her from a pet store and she was there for so long and it was acceptable for her to potty in her cage and sleep in it. Yuck. Sometimes we let them share a kennel because when we first got Zahra she did not like to be apart from Chase, I think it made her feel safe to be with him in his kennel all day. Anyway, as a person who originally did not like the kennel idea this was my first dog, I thought it was mean now I know that they actually enjoy the security of it. They are pack animals. Hope this helps, Jenn