Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Behavioral Issues
  3. Basenji Help!!

Basenji Help!!

Behavioral Issues
  • H

    Hi. A bit of history to start with. I have gotten some great advice on this forum before and just need some more. I have had a 8 years old female since she was eight. About 2 months ago i decided to introduced 8 years old male. He is from the breeder where i used leave mine when we went away. They got along really well and thats why i didnt think there would be a problem.

    From day one she didnt want her in the house. Now, 2 months later…there is no problem going for walks, no problem just hanging out at home, no problem when left alone.

    PROBLEM 1:They are fed them in their crates and my girl who used to take an hour to eat her food, finishes it in 30 seconds goes crazy wanting to get out her crate and eat his. She literally goes crazy biting the crate. He just minds his own business and finishes his food at his pace. When i let them out once they finish their food, she immediatly attacks his crate and goes in to find food. My female has always been food driven. What do i do to stop this?

    PROBLEM 2: Same behavior when i let them out of their crates in the morning. I have tried both ways, letting her out first and letting him first. If she is out first she will attack his crate biting and pulling on the crate and if i let him out first she will attack him. In both situations she gets crazy and all worked up.

    I really need her to calm down and get along with him. I got him fixed about 2 weeks ago. He is easy go lucky but when she pushes him, he knows how to defend himself. He is a lot stronger than her. Please advise...

    Thanks in advance.

    Joti & Karen

    Surrey, BC

    Canada

    0
  • S

    Oh, it does sound awful. I don't have anything helpful to add, but I am sure someone on this list can help.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

    0
  • H

    I really hope so….a friend of mine suggested hiring "BARK BUSTERS" I am not sure what their reputation is like. I am in Surrey, BC, Canada and if anyone knows of any trainers with basenji experience?

    Joti & Karen

    Surrey, BC

    Canada

    0
  • NexaN

    You might want to get her one of the bowls at the website below to slow down her eating. This would at least give him time to finish. I know it doesn't really solve the problem but it might help.

    http://www.brake-fast.net/

    0
  • nomrbddgsN

    Really crating both of them while eating is the best. You may want to put a blanket over her crate so she can't see what is going on and only let them out when they are completely finished. It may also help to leave them in for a couple of minutes until they settle down after eating before you even take the bowls out.

    Arlene, the Basenji Brats with the Boxenji![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

    0
  • agilebasenjiA

    if you'd like her to slow down her eating, put her food in a food dispensing toy (think buster cube). it sould engage her brain and slow her eating. and covering her crate is a good idea too.

    0
  • H

    Ok…i will try the above BUT what is the reason behind attacking his crate....food or no food?

    Joti & Karen

    Surrey, BC

    Canada

    0
  • nomrbddgsN

    Personally, I really wouldn't like to give an opinion without seeing what works up to this. It could be as simple as jealousy, domination, odour, anything.

    Ohhh, sorry, just thought of something else too. When my younger bitch used to come out of the crate, she would bolt and run around like an idiot growling at everyone. I started opening her crate and not letting her run out. I would get in front of the crate, (she would always have a collar on) and grab her before she could run and spend a little time quieting her down while she was kind of standing inside and outside of the crate. It did take a while, probably a month or two, but now she just walks out and is a lot calmer coming out. I find with her attitude, she needs some slow petting and time to calm down when she gets a little excited about something. Her prey drive kicks in and goes into overdrive. If I calm her down a bit, she's a lot easier to handle. Just a thought. This is kind of like what I mean in you have to find out what the behaviour stems from before you decide on what correction to take.

    Arlene, the Basenji Brats with the Boxenji![](images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin")

    0
  • V

    Move the crates to different rooms. The female won't be able to see what's going on. Give the male his food first, then feed the female a little later. Don't let them out of the crates at the same time.

    0

Suggested Topics

  • C

    Desperate for help with my biting basenji

    Behavioral Issues
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    9k Views
    M
    Hi - a few thoughts in case they are helpful, although ours doesn't bite. For biting: Figure out the reasons for biting first. if it is around toys/possessiveness - we gave him the toy on his bed and let him be there gnawing on his own. Then walked close by (not too close) and threw him something yummier in his view (eg a small piece of sausage that he can eat quickly) and walk away. Do this at random (though not too often) and have different people in your family do it. Soon she will associate your coming close to her and her favorite toy as something good. Progressively get closer (ie throw the sausage from closer), and then squat down, then touch on head briefly, then hand sausage to her, then move hand towards toy but don't touch it. By this time she will anticipate your coming to her when she has a toy as "yay, something more tasty coming my way". Evenutally, you should pick up the toy/bone hand her the sausage then hand back the toy/bone. Pretty soon she'll let you pick up her toy/bone without biting or thinking you are going to take it away. The key is to progress slowly in terms of distance etc, and mix up the treats (sausage, cheese, chicken). -if she does bite someone, then immediately isolate her in a basenji-proof room where she cant destroy things. And when letting her out, ask her to sit and be calm for a few seconds first so that she's not hysterical and she learns to watch and listen to you. There may be something else that one does for biting, so maybe others or a trainer would have good ideas. For pulling on walks, 2 things worked for us: A gentle leader - suggested by our trainer. This means she can't control her head (if they pull forward their head moves to the side like a horses halter) and so she won't be able to forge ahead. It will give your arm/shoulder immediate relief while you work on the rest. In the yard and on walks start rewarding with small treats every time she looks back at you/checks on you. At first she'll do it by chance, or if she is checking to see what you are doing, and sometimes it's a side glance. As soon as she does it - give big verbal praise and get her to come to you and give her a treat and lots of pets. She will begin to do this more often. initially treat every time she looks at you, and once she is good at it, then randomly. On walks you'll find her looking back and coming back to you more often, and as a corollary less pulling, which is a relief. We usually keep the leash in one hand and a handful of small, soft treats in the other - so you don't run out and have to keep going into your pocket to get treats. So, she'll come and nose your hand and you can pet some times, treat sometimes, etc. The one thing is to progress slowly, praise the right behavior and don't get impatient (count to 10, stop training or go do something else for a bit till you feel ready to try again). When doing the praise really have an excited voice and go overboard even! Our basenji really loves being praised. It takes more time perhaps than other methods, but it's long lasting because they see these behaviors as rewarding so you don't have to get into a battle of wills. And once they get the idea, they'll improve rapidly, even over one walk. Good luck!
  • Heinz57H

    Help!

    Behavioral Issues
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    5k Views
    KipawaK
    Kipawa went through a rambunctious stage at 13 months - he didn't do anything bad, but he seemed to be 'testing' who the boss was. He was reminded, consistently. (Grin) At 15 months he started to show very nice maturation qualities and a complete understanding of his place in our family pack. Be patient, be consistent, give him lots of exercise and really praise him when he is good.
  • P

    Help! Not sure about a trainer to help with a kid-nipping basenji

    Behavioral Issues
    32
    0 Votes
    32 Posts
    16k Views
    Buddys PalB
    Wow! this is one of many, many threads that I have responded to and I am very interested in the outcome of Poopydog and the nipping. As I was going through the Thread, I really had to bypass any of the responses of those who enjoy attacking one another. I sure hope this behavior did not thwart our member who really needed help. The majority are replies to one another trying to impart important knowledge or experience to someone who did not ask for it in the first place. Don't try to sound important. Everyone is, just give happy good-hearted advice and let us just not dig into the other who has a different opinion. Just dig, digs, and more digs. Really getting old….........................I know you won't miss me, but this is just too much.................................................................
  • H

    Help

    Behavioral Issues
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    4k Views
    S
    Do let us know what you found out from the vets.
  • P

    Help….What do I do...

    Behavioral Issues
    20
    0 Votes
    20 Posts
    7k Views
    QuercusQ
    I agree with Debra…dogs who feel it is okay to growl and snap at their owners to get their way should not be sleeping in the bed. Paulajean, you can work this out...just get some good advice from a good trainer...she is not a bad dog, you just need a way to communicate to her that you are the leader :) Check out Patricia McConnell's book "How to Be the Leader of the Pack (and have your dog love you for it)" you can google it and find it at several different vendors.
  • U

    Help!

    Behavioral Issues
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    3k Views
    U
    Thanks guys! I will be checking those books out!