It's a coincidence that you should mention this Crystal. Yesterday i was writing to a young child who lives in Northern Malawi and was unsure whether to mention our Basenji.
When corresponding you are asked to be careful about mentioning certain subjects in case you cause offence.
However when i emailed for advice i have been told it will be ok to mention Malaika.
Aggresiveness toward other animals at meal time?
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Lady has begun to show agressiveness to our other animals (dog and cats both) at mealtime. She isn't like this to us or the kids though. Today she was snarling and yapping at one of the other animals (I can't remember which one now). I can't even remember whether she was eating or just wanted the other animal to get away from the food. I put her in her cage and put the food bowl right next to it. I let our dog eat right there in front of here and said NO! when she started to get upset. She quit it pretty quickly and finally laid down and just watched him eat until he was done. I then let her out and let her eat. I don't think this method is the best, because I don't really want her to think her cage is a punishment (it's for keeping her contained while we aren't here and while she sleeps.) I thought about getting a shock collar with a remote control or something and only putting food out at certain times of the day in separate bowls. I could then reprimand her if she became hostile. I considered only feeding the animals separately, but you never know when food will fall on the floor cost and she'll beat someone up over it. What do you guys recommend I do?
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This is resource guarding. She is gaurding the food from the other animals.
Why don't you feed Lady her meals in her crate and the other animals where they usually eat? That way she doesn't feel she needs to gaurd her food from them and they get to eat in peace. Once they are finished eating you can pick up the food dishes so there is no more resource to gaurd.
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I kinda figured this is what she was doing. As her previous home, they had many dogs, like 7 or something. They always had to fight for their food. I just wish I could teach her not to do it. Now, if we're hand feeding, everyone is fine. If we aren't involved and it's just animals-dish then she gets mad.
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By feeding her in the crate she will be able to relax and eat and not have to worry about another dog eating her food. Since she comes from a household where she learned every kibble should be a valued resource she may never fully give up on guarding her food.
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Consistant feeding times and route might make her less prone to this.
Time and route might do the job. -
Because i have 3 dogs i find it easier to separate them when eating. I figure its better to be safe them sorry. mine havent fought but they have gotten snippy a while back so i just put them in there "own" space to eat . Do u free food yours? I wouldn't just cuz you never know who is eating and who is not and also can overeat.
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I have 5 loose and at mealtimes 3 of them are crated-even the one that hates the crate the most and will throw herself. She knows it's feed time and is quite content to eat in her crate. Everyone is safer when they are crated. And if she came from that scenario whereby she had to fight to eat, my personal opinion is why stress her further? Let her eat in a safe spot for her and the others. JMO
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I have 5 loose and at mealtimes 3 of them are crated-even the one that hates the crate the most and will throw herself. She knows it's feed time and is quite content to eat in her crate. Everyone is safer when they are crated. And if she came from that scenario whereby she had to fight to eat, my personal opinion is why stress her further? Let her eat in a safe spot for her and the others. JMO
Exactly… and by putting her in a crate with food next to it... and another dog eating it... is just a form of teasing her... at least IMO
Feed her in a crate... put the other food bowls well away from her... so she can eat as can the rest....
My personal opinion is that all should eat separate in crates.... that way you know who is eating what... when and how much
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I just wanted to update you guys on this. Last week I was going to start feeding the animals separately, but I hadn't had a chance to get to the store and buy more bowls. Lady was eating and Freddy wanted to get in there and share with her and she kind of attacked him but didn't hurt him. I was standing right there so I grabbed her, flipped her on her back, kneeled over her and held her there while pinching (not hard just to feel it) the skin on the front of her neck. I told her NO repeatedly and explained that she can't do that, she has to share and blah blah blah like she can understand me. I let her go, and proceeded to work on dinner. Lady came to me and sat right next to me until the other animals were done eating. She would not go near that food bowl until they were done and I gave her permission. Now, she will always sit and wait if someone else is eating and she doesn't get upset if another animal is sitting nearby while she eats. I hope this lasts. She's a very very smart girl.
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I just wanted to update you guys on this. Last week I was going to start feeding the animals separately, but I hadn't had a chance to get to the store and buy more bowls. Lady was eating and Freddy wanted to get in there and share with her and she kind of attacked him but didn't hurt him. I was standing right there so I grabbed her, flipped her on her back, kneeled over her and held her there while pinching (not hard just to feel it) the skin on the front of her neck. I told her NO repeatedly and explained that she can't do that, she has to share and blah blah blah like she can understand me. I let her go, and proceeded to work on dinner. Lady came to me and sat right next to me until the other animals were done eating. She would not go near that food bowl until they were done and I gave her permission. Now, she will always sit and wait if someone else is eating and she doesn't get upset if another animal is sitting nearby while she eats. I hope this lasts. She's a very very smart girl.
You are very lucky that you didn't get hurt…. aggression begets aggression and you became the aggressor. Had she decided to fight you, for sure you would have lost or worse yet get bitten.
If you were to feed them all in crates, then you are setting them up for success instead of failure
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I agree, this rolling an angry basenji is just asking for trouble.
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FEED the dogs in the crates with the door closed - if you don't have enough bowls - go to good will and I bet you can find something there that would work OR get them in their own crate with a treat and feed as a bowl is available.
You were very lucky that you did not get hurt - and then the dog would be at fault for your mistake. Please please pleas - we have years and years and dogs and dogs of experience here - use the easy fix and seperate the dogs when you feed.
A piece of dropped food will be easily resolved a whole food bowl - can really provoke a fight.
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Lady has begun to show agressiveness to our other animals (dog and cats both) at mealtime. She isn't like this to us or the kids though. Today she was snarling and yapping at one of the other animals (I can't remember which one now). I can't even remember whether she was eating or just wanted the other animal to get away from the food. I put her in her cage and put the food bowl right next to it. I let our dog eat right there in front of here and said NO! when she started to get upset. She quit it pretty quickly and finally laid down and just watched him eat until he was done. I then let her out and let her eat. I don't think this method is the best, because I don't really want her to think her cage is a punishment (it's for keeping her contained while we aren't here and while she sleeps.) I thought about getting a shock collar with a remote control or something and only putting food out at certain times of the day in separate bowls. I could then reprimand her if she became hostile. I considered only feeding the animals separately, but you never know when food will fall on the floor cost and she'll beat someone up over it. What do you guys recommend I do?
hi, ti all depends on who was first in the house!! and you have to be alfpa!!. not the animals. my basenji was the first pet in the house when i moved in then got a kitten, i got the same thang out of my dog with his food. do i put the cat in a cage and put his food by there. and when he would snarel and snap, i would say no!, and take his food away and wait a little bit and give it back it took 4 days to do this but it has worked !! atleast with the cat. i'm looking into getting a female blk&wht basenji then well have to do this all over again. but the female will be put in the cage not the male !!.because of the ladder statis. all animals have a stauis ladder is what i call it exsample : me alpha, daughter next in line, then my boy, then the cat , then the new basenji.that's how i have my pack in this form. and it has worked out very well sofar!!. try it and let me know., but dont't get mad at him/her.it wont help !!.
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I think the worst possible thing to do is apply aggression to a Basenji in response to their aggression. I have seen basenjis turn savage because every time they growled or went for another dog they were hit. And I find that people who do this tend not to listen when advised not to do it. The attitude often is - It's my dog.
I am also surprised to hear of people suggesting to give a Basenji an 'alpha roll'. I do think that the TV does a lot of damage in this respect. People see this being performed with apparent good effect on some dogsbut are never shown what could happen if a dog reacts badly to this.I'm so glad that there are such sensible people on this forum giving excellent advice and hope that everyone with Basenji problems recognises that it is.
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Pedro, I want to tell you, I think your telling us you are doing something you have heard from TV. Please, TV is fine for a lot of things, but training dogs, dealing with behavior issues, isn't the place to get your only info.
Dogs deal with aggression from humans with aggression. If you notice, the best behaved dogs are calm and know the human will be calm and consistant. Overdoing punishments only makes the dog feel that your not in control.
There are many ways to help a dog turn around any behaviors that are not acceptable.
Anything harsh, will NOT work..please, trust me, it won't.
You need to help your dog learn to talk to you, and you need to learn to talk to your dog.
This only comes about with calm, consistant behaviors from the human.
Honestly, we are so happy you found us and we are really trying to help you bond with your dog..it doesn't take a hard hand, it takes a soft hand with consistant rules. -
thanks guys and i will take your advice!!. but i need help and there are no dog trainers in my area that have been or know the basenji breed! it's like im on my owne out here.
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if you had a basenji that was attacted by a doberman what would you guys do to turn his attitude around ., so i can take him to the dog park and play with other dobermans. it's hard not to spank him when he trys to go on a head hunt of the doberman meaning he will try to fallow and start a fight with that dog and only that dog ! like he's trying to prove a point to the other dog!!. just don't know what to do!!!!!!!?????????
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Pedro, please, never, never hit your dog with your hand. Its just such a way for the dog to learn to distrust you. Honest…no hitting...
Re your question on trainers. Did you ask your vet? Most vets have puppy training classes. I would do that first.
I can tell you love your b and you want to help make him the dog to bond with you.
We all here would like to help that happen as well. -
i will never spank him again!!. now that i know even more on the breed!!!> i will have to check with my vet. but i don't thank he's got time for stuff like that. he's a young guy!!. coukld you guy on here help me find someone close to here that has a basenji ?> i need sooo much help i'm going crazy here!. i just did the ofa test today to.!1 i have my fingers crossed that he's clear. i want another basenji but i can't aford another 600-800. ! if i could fine one for 300. and keep them both as a pet and not breed i would do it in a heart beat!!. but there all so exspencive pet or show basenji. i'm looking for a black and white female.!but not to breed! i thank i'm done with that for now till i know more!!. and see some basenji shows!. but my daughters b'day is comming in april and i'm trying my hardest to fine a blk& white female basenji for her because she loves the colors. and the breed too.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!> i guess i have to brake her hart and tell her i can't find one for her b day!.
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Why don't you get your boy neutered and then apply for a rescue? It may take awhile before your perfect black and white girl comes along but that will give you time to find a trainer and work with your boy so you are ready when she get there.
There are many rescues that never even get posted so your best bet is to get your application in and get your home visit done so when a good match comes into rescue you will be all ready.
