Very bad behavior

Behavioral Issues
Log in to reply
  • basenjiprinceB

    well if i leave him in kitchen he will still pee on floor bc he gets mad (i think) when we leave. i dont want to put gate up bc he would chew thru it or jump it. last time he was out and about in the house he was fine in am, bc he slept very lazy in morning! but in the afternoon he ate every wire behind my computer and the refrigerator!! i havent been walking him in the morning bc i am tired from working 7 am to 10 pm the day before but i guess i need to quit being lazy and go for about 30 minutes or so… just to give him more time! he plays hard when he is outside... we chase each other and he does the B 500 over and over and over again. But never in the am. I also use the medium blue and white crate with all the c- clamps and vice grips on it bc he breaks it apart. the one he had yesterday now has and softball size hole where he chewed the break the clip on the side.

    Melissa and her "B" Buddi

    0
  • basenjiprinceB

    he has been trained and never makes a mess in the house until he is shut out of something or a room that he wants to be involved in. one time we had the door shut for some adult private time and he whined and cried then pooped outside of the door….

    Melissa and her "B" Buddi

    0
  • renaultf1R

    Yeah, to me it sounds like separation anxiety. One thing that I did with Ruby was put the smaller wire crate in an xpen (exercise pen) with a top on it in my bedroom. So she had expanded space. That seemed to help as her crying was significantly less when I set that up - as well she wouldn't watch me leave - instead she would dig into her treats. The only things about xpens are the wires aren't heavy gauge so you'd probably want to give it a test.

    Oh, and put really high value treats - have you tried things like frozen marrow bones…something that will hold his interest for a long time.

    And I hear you about the exercise thing - after a long day/night, the last thing you want to do is get up early - but in my case it really helped with Ruby as it took the edge off her.

    0
  • nobarkusN

    @basenjiprince:

    like i said we have only been there for 2 weeks and i work excess of 64 hours a week. I have walked around it but see no where for him to get out. from what i can tell the fence is buried… he was getting out of the gate until we bunjee corded that together so he cant wiggle and push his way thru. if we are out there he is fine but as soon as he cant see us walking past the windows, he is gone. I am off this weekend so hopefully we can get it fixed but just didnt know if any one has ever had these problems. someone also told me to get a natural drop called relief remedy for pets to have a calming effect for anxiety. would anything like that work? he is so finnicky about things wasnt sure i could give him something like that?

    OK, what about a vet check up? When was the last time? How about a full blood work up?

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

    0
  • basenjiprinceB

    well sept is time for check up so i guess i will get that in the works…. i have to put a muzzle on him at the vet bc he doesnt know them well enough. i love him and his personality to death but i just want to cry!

    Melissa and her "B" Buddi

    1
  • nobarkusN

    @basenjiprince:

    well sept is time for check up so i guess i will get that in the works…. i have to put a muzzle on him at the vet bc he doesnt know them well enough. i love him and his personality to death but i just want to cry!

    I understand so let's try to be patient and we'll try to help you. I just got my 4th Basenji named Buddy. He's 9 months old. Anyway let's keep this tread going because there's more people here that can offer suggestions and help as well. We want to help you solve this and not get rid of Buddi. OK?

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

    0
  • basenjiprinceB

    thanks i really appreciate it. I am going to get new treats and start working with him more. show him more attention. try to get up and play with him outside in mornings to calm him down… we will see how it goes. In the mean time any other comments or suggestions would be wonderful!!! i appreciate everyone who has commented so far!

    Melissa and her "B" Buddi

    0
  • tanzaT

    So, I am a bit confused… Are you saying you have had him for 5 yrs and he has been doing this for 5yrs? Or did I get something mixed up?

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • SchouiffyS

    FIRST: Nobarkus is spot on, take him to the vet and get a full blood panel - it could be a thyroid problem. There are a few threads explaining this on the forum

    IT sounds like there are some serious training mishaps that happened along the way with this dog. Remember that your stress about the situation does transfer to the dog, so if you want to make significant changes in his behavior you need to sit down and see how you guys have molded him the past 5 years. For example: When he was growing up, did you allow him to always sleep in the bed with you and never sleep alone?? If so, you can't fault him for eliminating all over the floor because he wasn't trained to sleep with out you two. That's not fair, and he will not understand why you are angry at his actions because in his mind, all his past history tells him he sleeps with the pack, not being with the pack all of a sudden is scary, even for one night. Finding solutions to your dog problems usually needs to start with reflection on how he learned the behavior - when did it start, what is happening when the dog does something you don't like etc.

    At 5 years old, I'm certain you could ease the anxiety but I would be very surprised if you could make it go away completely. He sounds like he needs to be re-crate trained, but keep in mind some Basenjis never accept crating later on in life and need other accommodations (ie, an x pen, or doggie daycare)A DAP defuser or collar could help, you can order them online or ask your vet. I completely agree that exercise can GREATLY reduce the stress your dog feels when he is alone, primarily because he is tired. If you have the time and the resources you might consider adopting a female buddy for him to play with him and keep him company. Go and get "I'll be Home Soon" a book about separation anxiety - in fact brushing up on some dog behavior literature works wonders in communicating with your dog and modifying his behavior because you BOTH understand each other better (Patricia B. McConnell has many excellent books).

    Lauren - Lycia's Mum

    Wellington, New Zealand

    _

    I know they say dogs don't understand spite… but I swear Basenjis do._

    0
  • basenjiprinceB

    no he peeid and was a bit destructive but it has gotten really bad in the last few months. its like he gets mad that we leave him. before i could just talk to him and tell him i would be back soon and he wouldnt pee. now it doesnt matter what i say he bites the cage door and growls at me. and i am the one who always puts him up bc my husband is gone by that time. so i put him up in the morning, let him out on lunch put him back up then my husband lets him out in the afternoon.

    Melissa and her "B" Buddi

    0
  • KanangaK

    @tanza:

    So, I am a bit confused… Are you saying you have had him for 5 yrs and he has been doing this for 5yrs? Or did I get something mixed up?

    That's what I was wondering.

    If this has been going on for 5 years, that is some impressive tolerance. :eek:

    DAP Diffuser might be worth trying. It has helped my B at times, but he still occasionally chews on furniture while I'm gone. I wouldn't dare crate him during the day. I can place the wire crate on the granite floors (the only thing that is indestructible when it comes to Basenjis :D), but he takes his frustration out by trying to chew on the wire crate and I worry he will break/chip a tooth.

    0
  • jonny b.J

    We have to b's that hate their crates. Jonny came in january. chewed holes in the crate but had almost stopped. then we got hansel in may and he HATES his crate. at the moment, they have both eaten 3 of the 4 crates we have. so we took the small crates we have and put them inside the larger crates we have. they are both DOUBLE crated. so the holes in the smaller crates dont match up with the holes in the larger ones. Jonny started chewing again i think because hansel gets so worked up he bothers jonny. but the vet put hansel on anxiety meds. He thought hansel was way beyond the dap. so he started out on 3 pills a day,and that was toooo much. 2 worked better and now we are down to 1. they are about 20 cents each. pretty cheap. i also put a bone called CHEW LOTTA . got it at walmart. both dogs get diarehha very easy (which i give them 7.5 ml at a time for as per the vet.)these bones dont seem to cause them much tummy upset and the take forever to chew up. THEY LOVE THEM. just know you are not alone and we have experienced the same things, maybe just not as sever or as long. we also just built a 10x10x6 out door kennel with roof of 4x2 wire and cement blocks around the bottom to make it escape proof. and the lock is at the top. boy, we must love our dogs. you ARE NOT alone.

    jonny b. and HAnsel, he's so hot right now

    0
  • nobarkusN

    @tanza:

    So, I am a bit confused… Are you saying you have had him for 5 yrs and he has been doing this for 5yrs? Or did I get something mixed up?

    Something wrong here as she said 5 years but he's only 2.

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

    0
  • basenjiprinceB

    no he will be 5 in dec, Dec 16th… so almost 5 years we have dealt with the crate issue. I havent been to this site in a long time so none of my info had been update... that info was from 2006. sorry

    Melissa and her "B" Buddi

    0
  • nobarkusN

    @basenjiprince:

    no he will be 5 in dec, Dec 16th… so almost 5 years we have dealt with the crate issue.

    Wow 5 years! OK, first I would get the blood work up done and a physical. You know getting the thyroid checked is tricky as a regular vet may not do a complete test and say everything is OK when it's not. The best thing to do is send a sample to Dr Dodds as she is very through and knows the Basenji.

    http://www.apubasenjis.com/bhealth.html

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

    0
  • agilebasenjiA

    I think you need to find a behaviorist DVM and ask about some anti-anxiety drugs. It sounds like this is a bigger problem than rescue remedy or DAP will/can address. Once he's feeling better, you can start re-training him. For crate issues, try the dvd Crate Games, but if he's crate phobic, you'll need the drugs BEFORE you start the training program. Otherwise, you may want to look into a doggie-daycare.

    0
  • lvossL

    This sounds like a dog that is very stressed. He has had a major life change, the move 2 weeks ago, and it sounds like he already had some anxiety issues prior to that. First, you need to rule out medical issues but if there is nothing wrong physically, you may need to consult a veterinary behaviorist.

    I would also recommend going back to basics with crate training.
    http://askdryin.com/movies/CrateDogLR.pdf

    There is also Patricia McConnell's book on separation anxiety, http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/product/dog-separation-anxiety

    Any solution is also going to require time to work on the issue.

    0
  • nobarkusN

    OK, 1 step at a time and I think if you do some of the suggestions given here Melissa you can help turn Buddi around. Let's just start with the physical first.

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

    0
  • BasenjimammaB
    Houston

    I've got to ask, not for any other reason but I think it is good to know..can you retrain a dog that clearly seems to be this crate phobic? If he has been having issues with the crate for almost 5 years, is there anything else that could be used to contain him, but isn't a crate? I guess I am thinking about an exer-pen or the like..Would it work?

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

    0
  • tanzaT

    @agilebasenji:

    I think you need to find a behaviorist DVM and ask about some anti-anxiety drugs. It sounds like this is a bigger problem than rescue remedy or DAP will/can address. Once he's feeling better, you can start re-training him. For crate issues, try the dvd Crate Games, but if he's crate phobic, you'll need the drugs BEFORE you start the training program. Otherwise, you may want to look into a doggie-daycare.

    I think this is exactly right on… While ruling out the medical issues a behaviorist can begin to help with the behavior, especially if this has been going on for all this time....

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0

Suggested Topics

  • agilebasenjiA

    Poopy behaviors

    Behavioral Issues
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    4k Views
    TimesthemythT
    This is an interesting thread. Any afghan owners notice this in their dogs as well? When Beo was younger, back when I was using the crate with him, when he would have a 'poop' accident he would take a blanket and use his nose to encircle said accident, didn't do the same thing with pee accidents….I don't know if it's the same thing or not, honestly I think he just wanted it as far away from him as possible. He still does this mounding behavior with like bones and the like; he'll use his nose and push a blanket or something on top of it, and then further us his nose to bunch it up into a relatively good looking circle shape. He won't have anything to do with dog feces now though ....he prefers to go in the bushiest/covered area he can find, and then wants absolutely nothing to do with it afterwards (I have to literally drag him through public areas where there's a lot of dog poop lying around).... It is kind of funny to see his "wide-eyed, EW! ICK!" reaction when he accidentally steps in some. Seems like it's more common for basenjis to half halfheartedly attempt to bury it, as opposed to take the time to cover it up with their noses?
  • Heinz57H

    Aggressive Behavior

    Behavioral Issues
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    NemoN
    A way to do what Debra is suggesting in a game format is Crate Games, which you can get on DVD. You said this happens when you are getting ready to leave. Pay attention to exactly what you are doing before you leave and then see how your dog is reacting. You should be able to pick up on the cues that your dog is picking up on. You can try changing the pattern of how you get ready and potentially remove the cue to lessen the behavior until you can build the good associations others described. visit BCOA on Facebook. http://facebook.com/basenji.org
  • V

    Basenji behaviors common ??

    Behavioral Issues
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    8k Views
    KipawaK
    I can only comment on my experiences with Kipawa, my first basenji, who is just shy of 2 years old. @viv58: 1. OBS #1: they were only affectionate on their terms and didnt like to be petted or picked up.Is this more common than not. They wanted to be by you, but hands off for the most part. 2. OBS#2: Off the leash - they are unpredictable and may not come when called. Had some wild roaming experiences at the off-leash beach. Always kept treats -and 95% of the timeit worked.Can you train them to counter this? or is this a stretch ? 3. OBS#3: Not snuggly 4. OBS#4: Only looked me in the eye when I had food- everything was a distraction. 1. Kipawa is just an extremely affectionate dog. His affection for me is special, but he recognizes all family members and care aides who come into the house and enjoys their attention and gives it back. He loves being petted and adores being massaged, but has a preference for it being from someone in his 'pack' (family members and care aides). He will tolerate being picked up by anyone, but prefers it when I do it. He is a little uncomfortable when turned on his back, however, we practice this quite a bit and he's getting better at it, especially if tummy rubs are included. 2. The only areas Kipawa is off leash is in our backyard or dog parks that are fully fenced. For these places, he is predictable, because he is very used to them. He usually comes when called, but if it doesn't work, I carry the squeaker part of a squeaker toy with me, and that most always brings him back. If he needs to come to me based on an emergency situation (say he got onto a street by accident), I have a word/sound that I only use in emergency situations. He is excellent at responding to that. All this said, if he spotted a bunny in the dog park, I don't think the emergency recall would work. Based on his breeders seeing him this summer, they have indicated he has a very high prey drive. 3. Kipawa is super snuggly all the time and is also a 'velcro dog'. We are tightly bonded. He is on my lap when I watch TV, or at least laying against me. He sleeps under the blankets on my side of the bed. 4. He easily looks me in the eye. If I am talking to him, we have full eye contact. He enjoys when we give each other 'soft eyes' - the slow blinking a person/dog might do when fully relaxed or before settling down for a nap. If he is distracted (only happens outside) I use the command 'watch me' to get eye contact. Usually 95% success rate, but that would go down to zero should he see a bunny. I can't answer your other questions. Kipawa will be a solo dog in our home. As for the breeders, his breeders were Therese and Kevin Leimback (FoPaws Basenjis) from Washington state. We researched for a year before selecting them. Their breeding program concentrates a great deal on temperament. Hope this helps.
  • sabaS

    Weird Behavior ???

    Behavioral Issues
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    5k Views
    KipawaK
    @DebraDownSouth: Fran, there are times when I might mean to be condescending, but I assure you that it won't be "a little" or usually any question. That you could take my comment above as condescending… I can only suggest you may simply want to block my posts because it is entirely unlikely I will write 100 words to say what I said in under 20 because SOMEONE might see my observation as insulting. Now if I had said it condescending, such as: How could you THINK it could be that? Don't you think any dog living with females would already have reacted? How silly! The person threw out the idea of periods, which sometimes could be it .. and btw, pregnancy hormones set some dogs off… but it hit me he had lived with them too long for that to be probably. It wasn't an insult to the OP, just a response. People contradict my ideas daily on here, doesn't make them condescending or insulting. THEN, I could see it. I simply tossed out a quick response addressing that logically it probably wasn't that. If you read that as condescending instead of my own view, I am sorry. One helpful rule for forums is that you look at any post and see if there is another TONE than the one you ascribed. If there is, take the other. Like your post. I COULD think you are a jerk, not at all "friendly," addressing this here and hijacking the thread instead of sending me a private message. Instead, because I see you post a lot and like you :), I took it exactly at face value... you simply are expressing your view and trying to be helpful. So please remove any tones you might ascribe to the answer. The tone in my head is simply factual, that I am not responsible for your taking that as condescending and probably won't be able to stop you seeing other posts that way. Now if I actually say something you cannot take any way than as an insult, feel free to let me know. But the above... sorry, Fran, it was simply a logical observation. LOL, and in fact, let me now be "condescending" to my post. (I am joking while making a point.) SOMEONE (but it will be me, since it just hit me where I could easily be wrong...) could have responded to my post and said: Yeah, but dds, you are wrong because maybe she has an infection or urinary tract infection also with a period, that might do it. See? Debra, not a problem. Thank you.
  • G

    Waking up Badly

    Behavioral Issues
    18
    0 Votes
    18 Posts
    5k Views
    tanzaT
    @Patty: Spaying is not usually the answer so don't expect miracles! Please don't neglerct to follow advice given on the site. Well put Patty. While I agree that she should be spayed, it is not the end to end problem solver… the suggestions regarding training are just as important and maybe even more so. You might even want to look into a behaviorist to come to your home and work with you and her.
  • RedVelvetLynxR

    Bad B

    Behavioral Issues
    18
    0 Votes
    18 Posts
    5k Views
    tanzaT
    That is usually one of the biggest problems… someone in the house is NOT good about remember to pick up after themselves... or putting things out of reach of the "Basenji"...