Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Behavioral Issues
  3. Major issues

Major issues

Behavioral Issues
  • A

    Okay… where to begin?! My 8 months old female B has been pulling up the carpet in our apartment. When we leave her in her crate while we leave for work she goes nuts!! We purchased a large wire crate that is placed in our bathroom when we leave. There was plastic flooring in the bottom of the crate until she started chewing on the plastic, so I removed it. NOW the new problem is that she has figured out how to move the crate without the plastic bottom. That would be why we don't have any carpet in the doorways of bathroom. I know that she has separation anxiety but have no idea how to solve the problem. We are so fed up with this behavior; however I do NOT wait to get rid of her. I can't say the same for my husband. Please help!!!!

    0
  • lukrisL

    How long is she left alone?

    0
  • A

    She is left alone for no longer than 4hrs.

    0
  • lvossL

    Patricia McConnell has a book on working with dogs with separation anxiety, I'll Be Home Soon.

    http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/product/dog-separation-anxiety

    0
  • nobarkusN

    How much exercise does she get before being crated? Total exercise per day? Does she get a treat upon entering the crate and does she enter voluntarily or pushed in?

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

    0
  • lukrisL

    that's not excessive but has she always been left or is it a fairly new arrangement? Why i ask is if it has always been the arrangement, she should be used to it by now. But if not, maybe she still has to adjust. Can anyone look in on her for you while you are out, say after a couple of hours? Have you tried leaving a radio on, some background noise. Do you take her for a good long walk when you get home? etc

    0
  • A

    We do not exercise her before we crate her bc it's usually early in the morning. She has been crated ever since she was 6wks old and still hates it. She gets a treat in her crate but we do have put her in there. We leave the radio on while we are gone and my mom comes by to take her out if we will be gone longer than 4 hrs.

    0
  • Rita JeanR

    Everyone on here question???? Could it she has came into season causing this???? Would this not be her first time?????

    Rita Jean

    0
  • lvossL

    It sounds like she has never truly been crate trained and that is contributing to her anxiety.

    http://www.askdryin.com/movies/CrateDogLR.pdf

    0
  • A

    Thank you Ivoss for the article. We will try these tips but we will still have to put her in the crate while we are gone. This won't confuse her?

    0
  • lvossL

    You may want to use a large vari-kennel plastic crate so it is different then the crate she now has the negative associations with.

    0
  • A

    Haha yeah we have one of those too. That is what we tried to begin with. Would using a muzzle her while in the crate be cruel?

    0
  • lvossL

    Not only would using a muzzle in the crate be cruel, it could also be life threatening.

    0
  • lvossL

    I have used the process in the video and even after a day of intensive work there is a difference but it is a long term process. You could use that in conjunction with DAP spray or diffuser to help with anxiety.

    Since this has been going on for quite sometime, you will proabably be best served by hiring a behaviorist or trainer to help you with the short term and develop a long term plan.

    0
  • YodelDogsY

    I would highly recommend that you get the book that lvoss recommended. It is inexpensive and very helpful. In the meantime, buy a large sheet of plywood to put under the crate to keep her from eating the carpet. A muzzle is a bad idea. The dog is stressed out enough already and a muzzle would only compound the problem.

    Robyn Dubbert

    Sherwood Basenjis

    One thing that I have learned in life is to accept that things are not all black or all white. Life is shades of gray and just because someone sees a different shade of gray than you do, it doesn't mean their shade is right or wrong, its just different. ~ Robyn Dubbert

    0
  • A

    I bought the book on amazon. We will try the wood under the crate and work with her to be stress free. So the muzzle should be a no-go then?

    0
  • lvossL

    Right, you should never muzzle an unattended dog.

    0
  • Rita JeanR

    I do a lot of stange things but I would never use a muzzle and go away. Just to many what if's.

    Rita Jean

    0
  • tanzaT

    What happens if you just leave her loose when you are gone?…. Have you tried that?... is there a way you could leave her in an area that is gated off from the rest of the house... ?....

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • crystalncodyC

    I had a similar situation with Cody when I first got him. One of the things that helped was that I put an old sheet in his crate that smelled like me. I slept on it for one night before putting it in there.

    I don't have to crate him regularly anymore, but I still put it in there (wash it once a week, sleep on it for a night, the put it back in there). I also still put his favorite treats and new toys in there instead of giving them directly to him. Now he willingly goes in his crate when he needs some alone time away from Moe (or my family :) ).

    0

Suggested Topics

  • Buxton's DadB

    Couple issues with my Buxton ...

    Behavioral Issues
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    2k Views
    tanzaT
    @buxton-s-dad - Have to say, wire crates are better.... raised Basenjis with wire crates (fold down type) for 30+ years including bitches whelping in them.... remember in plastic crates they really can't see what is going on around them... and he should be fed in that crate. And sorry I don't agree with peeing for attention...
  • wizardW

    Leash issues

    Behavioral Issues
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    3k Views
    D
    I agree. It upsets me to see people walking with Flexis and their dog attacks some other dog because they're not paying attention, or don't know how to work the trigger mechanism properly. I've come to think that maybe people in cities just shouldn't use them because errors will inevitably occur…humans will be humans. I live in the country though, and there's no one around where I walk my dog. The long Flexi is the best choice for me because I like to let my dog explore some on her own when we're on walks, and she can run here and there while still not being able to take off. Not every situation is the same for everyone. If I were in the city or around people and congestion I'd probably use a 5 or 6 ft. fixed lead.
  • wizardW

    Walking issues

    Behavioral Issues
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    3k Views
    QuercusQ
    I always offer my clients a choice. They can train their dog to heel in the same position each time, or they can train their dog to simply be enjoyable to walk with (to pay attention, not pull, not criss-cross in front, or tangle up) So far every single one, scores of clients, have chosen to have a polite walker, not a perfect one. With my own dogs, the only time we work on 'heel' is when we are training for Rally. In the show ring I want them in front a little bit, and on a walk, I want them on the "fun" side of the trail. Now, they do sometimes forget with the stimulus is overwhelming…squirrel, etc...but usually I can do some attention work with them right away and get them back under control. Those of you who see me walking my dogs at the National will probably laugh...I am bringing my two WORST trained dogs...one is virtually resistant to training, and the other just hasn't had the training time he needs..it will be quite a circus :)
  • BookwormB

    Sleep issues

    Behavioral Issues
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    5k Views
    BookwormB
    We've been leaving the crate door open. The worst thing he has done is during the night, he goes to the other dog's pillow, plops down, and the other poor dog gives up and moves somewhere else. We haven't heard a peep out of either of them all night, so we can sleep. Only problem is stepping on them if you don't know where they are! Right now we have two visiting dogs for a month - big female yellow (clueless) lab and a big blonde retriever mix. Buster thinks he can go up and nip their necks and he growls and snaps at them. I know I've read about this type of behavior on the other discussion boards. The thing is, for the first few days, they were getting along and playing. Now, Buster is getting a little more aggressive. Is this just part of the Basenji charm?:confused:
  • kiyapapayaK

    Thunderstorm issues…help!

    Behavioral Issues
    19
    0 Votes
    19 Posts
    5k Views
    QuercusQ
    @basenji_fan: She's stay hiden for days sometimes, and wouldn't come out to eat or use the litter box (she'd just hold it), and not eating or pottying is really not good for cats I see, yes, it is important for them to eat and eliminate, for sure.
  • MiaM

    Behavior or health issue?

    Behavioral Issues
    23
    0 Votes
    23 Posts
    6k Views
    tanzaT
    Hmm, didn't realize that she was just spayed, could be end result of surgery and healing… and in that case just a fluke... But keep and eye on it.. as sometimes when they are spay/neutered if the surgery is not done perfectly they have problems with peeing... and they are not able to control it on their own... for myself I have never had that problem with any of mine after spay/neutered, but I know of people that have.