@Saving thank you very much for the suggestions!
What The Heck Is Going On!!!
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Ok..
I really have to vent. Something changed in our basenji and now he is just crazy!!!!
He does NOT LISTEN PERIOD. This morning he drove me over the edge. I couldn't get ready for work. He would run into the bedroom and grab anything in sight and try to destroy it. Then it was off to the living room where he would find some papers to destroy. Anytime I would try to get whatever he had in his mouth, he would do a B500 sprint throughout the entire house and he would not let me catch him. I know he thinks this is play but seriously…I wanted to kill him! :rolleyes:
Right now we can't even let our cat into the living room. The moment we open the babygate, Chance attacks him. The poor cat has to sit there locked into one half of the house where the dog can't get him and howel.
Its like Chance has become this insane pup. Im familiar with this type of play but its all the time now. He will even try to attack my feet if I am walking. One day he bit my calf and put a bruise on the back of my leg. If I swat or push him away, he swats back and will try to hit me in the face or try to bite me. The biting isn't hard...its just mouthing but still!!!!!
My Basenji hits me back...try telling this to your friends who don't have a basenji...they don't believe that a basenji can hit back! Hahaha
He is just pushing the envelope and I don't know if this will ever subside. He is about to turn 1 here in a few days and I am now starting to wonder what else is in store for us :o -
He sounds like he is bored or jealous.
Bad attention is better than no attention, just like a kid.
I find our Tri pulls that crap when he bored or needs a walk. He also does that when ever I talk on the phone. My son when he was a toddler, did the same thing.
I also find that challenging a basenji will just escalate, even a puppy. He sounds like he needs some training.
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I've trained him. He is great on a leash now…No pulling. He used to listen to us but now he just doesn't care.
Thats what I find odd. He used to know not to get on the couch when we were eating...now he jumps up all the time and just has no regard to us. -
sounds like he's going through a naughty period. You can always control a basenji with food.
Maybe some positive training that re-enforces that you are the boss, along with some time outs.
No means nothing to our dogs, but treats mean everything.
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This time of year with the Holidays and weather changes my dogs usually have their activity schedule interupted. This interuption usually results in their acting out to get attention. I have found the best way to combat their cabin fever is to find games for them to play that will not drive me nuts. One of the easiest changes for me to make is to start giving them their breakfast in a Busy Buddy. The love their Busy Buddies and though it usually doesn't take them that long to get all their breakfast out they really enjoy pushing them around and playing with them afterwards. I have also tried various games with them in the house like "Find me" and hide treats for them to find. I believe in one of her books Jean Donaldson recommends some games to play indoors with your dog to combat boredom.
Most of the time when my dogs act up in the way you describe it is out of boredom. The challenge is then finding activities to burn off that excess energy.
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With him being bored, could it also be that since he doesn't have a companion he resorts to being destructive?
Will another minimize this behavior and save me? -
@Vanessa626:
With him being bored, could it also be that since he doesn't have a companion he resorts to being destructive?
Will another minimize this behavior and save me?In a word….NO... you will have two to drive you crazy... While they might keep each other company and wear each other out sometimes... many times they join forces to drive you crazy together...
My OJ is over 16, to this day he still will "steal" and run away with things to get attention...:D
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How old is your dog?
Between the first year or two most dogs go through "puberty" where pretty much every thing you taught them flies out the window and you have to re-assert yourself as the dominant one. And they'll test you on it, big time. We're kind of going through that with She-Ra right now…she does a lot of what you talk about, mainly to get a reaction out of us...which is the one thing you shouldn't do, hard as that sounds.
It may just be boredom as has been said. It's very tough sometimes to make time for playtime.
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Chance will be turning 1 next week. Gosh puberty!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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One word…hormones
Well, maybe to some extent. I agree with Lisa...that it sounds like he is trying extra hard to get your attention; and her suggestions were great. I think this is PARTICULARLY a boy thing. Querk will do this, and always has, to get attention. He also plays rough when he gets wound up....and nothing will wind a dog up better than swatting and batting at them in a vain attempt to get them to stop.I think I would have him wear a house line at this particular time of morning when the behavior is worst. Then if he does get something you can quickly stop him from having a glory run. I would also work on doing some behavioral control exercises with him while you get ready...so he feels like he is getting some attention and reward while you still get to accomplish your goals. Like sit/down/sit/down treat (doggie pushups) or sit stays, etc.
As far as a companion to help with behavior...well...uh....maybe. In this instance he would probably be busy driving the other dog crazy instead of you...but that means that you have to go rescue the other dog, or keep them from destroying the other room in play, or whatever. Querk LOVES to drive Ivy MAD by biting her butt, then running when he is in a mood like that.
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I agree that it is more of an issue with my boy than with my girls. Nicky is the one that really gets into a shredding mood when he is bored. He will also harass the girls though that usually just ends up with him sulking and shredding more stuff if they are not willing to play. It is not too bad with Sophie in the house right now because she is game to play almost always but she is also game to learn all of Nicky's ways of getting into trouble.
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@Vanessa626:
Chance will be turning 1 next week. Gosh puberty!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it lasts a "lifetime" with the boys…. like I said, OJ at 16+ will still steal and "try" to shred... his teeth are not what they used to be...
And it leds to the saying:
The Girls have an agenda, The Boys don't have a clue!!!!And the goes for when enough is enough....
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I would agree that the females seem more serious some times and less teasing for play.
IMO I don't think you can say all males are the same and clueless, I just don't see it with ours.
Willy is a clown and Jasper is as serious as they come. Max is the brightest dog I've ever had, very clever and hardly clueless.
