The only time Abbey ever growled at me was in the middle of the night when she wouldn't move over and I gave her a little push. She stopped when she woke up and realized it was me. Sahara wants to be the boss like all basenjis do and she thought if she "mean growled" you'd stay home with her.
I agree, it may have been a "Hey, you're not going without me" growl.
Lots of Basenjis don't like to be moved when they're sleeping and will growl then. Our old boy used to snap even, but he was always careful to miss us - you could tell he would have been able to connect but made a conscious choice not to, it was just a warning. He's never been anything near an alpha, really a zed! His idea of punishing us was to jump up on the couch next to us and pointedly turn his back on us.
Terry
Do you suppose these B's sound angry to get our attention if they're afraid? Yesturday, hubby & I began to winterize the camper. We were leveling the thing in the drive and had a bit of a struggle with the wheel jack. While were were tugging on it, Duke went all out and sharply growled, barked, jumped and nipped at me & my shoes as if to insist "STOP IT!" We of course put him in the house. He could have gotten hurt by putting himself in harms way. Just like a 3 yr old tantrum. . . It was a bit shocking to see this behavior.
I honestly think B's just want their way most of the time. Sahara has not growled since that day about 2 wks. ago when I was leaving her. She does like to be in charge and every day I have to stand my ground with her. Today at lunch she tried to bother my husband while he was eating, I made her go to her spot and she tried to disobey, but I won in the end. She does not mind my hubby and he usually calls me, but I have told him that he needs to get in charge of her, I can not be around all the time. He does not make her understand that he means business when he gives her a command.
Candle will grrrr if I try to put her outside when it is raining or it is late at night . I guess she figures she is old enough to know when she had to go out and be miserable. She just grumbles a little if we try to wake her up when she is in a deep sleep.
Max grrrrrrrrs when he is comfotable and someone tries to move him over. I's so funny. We also have a problem because if I get up from my bed in the middle of the night and try to come back he is almost always in my spot. He Grrrrrrrrrs at me and may even snap.
If Max has to pee he trots around in a large circle, just like a horse.He will just keep on trotting until we take him out, but if we wait to long he will come over and paw at us.
Buddi doesnt like when I get him out on my lunch and then put him in the crate. He growls until i no longer touching the crate. If i talk to him or acknowledge his growling he does it louder and more angry than before. So I ignore the behavior and then if he is good the next time he gets a treat.
Jazzy grumbles if she's sleeping and we move her. It sounds very different than her growl though. Definitely a distinct difference. We ignore the grumbles. Growling, however, is not allowed, and usually will stop with a snap of my fingers.
Hollie only growls when she sees someone she doesn't know or someone/something outside. However, she does make the funniest sighing and groaning sounds when sleeping sometimes, especially if we try to wake her up to play. She has never growled or snapped at us and for that I am grateful.
