I think ideally you have a yard, but of course also take the dog for walks. Having to go out immediately when you get up can be a nuisance and every Basenji I have had will "go pee" in the backyard, although getting them to defecate can be a different matter. And rainy days can be a problem. Yes, you can keep a Basenji in an apartment, but bear in mind if you have an issue with separation anxiety your neighbours may not be happy when you go out!
Cody vs the harnesses
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When I came home from work last night, I got quite the surprise… although, I guess I really should have known better. I always remind my mom, who watches Cody while I am gone, to take his harness off after a walk and to put it up on top of the refrigerator. Apparently she forgot (the second time this week). When I walked in the door, Cody ran inside from the back yard to greet me, and he was trailing his harness. He had completely chewed the bottom part off, as well as the part that encircles his neck. This harness was a patched back up from the last time he started chewing it while he was wearing it, and because he had found his new one (which he had only wore once) sitting on the bar and decided it was something fun to take outside and chew to bits. I had to laugh though, which was nice after an extremely long day at work. I think it's time to either invest in a lupine harness or make the switch to a martingale style collar :).
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So both the old and new got chewed? Such a little devil! But such a cute one. Do you think all basenjis know that when they are doing something rotten, they are so darn cute while doing it?
Has anyone tried wire rope? Just kidding. -
Whatever you decide, spray them down with Bitter apple. You can get it at Pet Smart, Pet Co. It slows some b's chewing down. My 2 won't touch anything iwth bitter apple spray on it.
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Hah, so nicely cut, too! I plan to get a harness for Paco once he's fully grown…let me know what works for you!
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jepp, been there done that, bought the t-shirt..Otis will chew on anything besides his collar, if it is on him..sometimes I even see him chewing on the other 3 dogs' collars, as if to help them..
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LOL! Kipawa, Cody always looks so proud of himself after he destroys something. Then he wrinkles his forehead and looks up at me as if to say, "Pet me!" I can't resist that face, and I'm sure he knows it.
Sharron, I will definitely pick up some bitter apple on Thursday when I go buy a new harness or collar (still undecided).
Oh yeah, Bmamma, Cody chews Moe's collars. He completely shredded Moe's last one while he was wearing it. When they are play fighting, that's the first thing Cody attacks.
I'm also thinking about making him a harness since I have so many left over buckles and rings from the many harnesses he has destroyed over the last 10 months. Maybe I can figure out a way to make it more comfortable for him. I also found a really cool site that shows you how to make your own martingale collar, so I may play with that a little too.
I'm sure sometimes I'm a little too indulgent with Cody, or so my brother tells me, because most of the time I laugh his destruction off, but my theory is that we (both humans and dogs) are now trained to do certain things, and if we (humans) don't follow through (ex: taking off the harness and putting it somewhere high enough he can't reach it), then we are at least partially–if not wholly--to blame. Cody also never really destroys things that aren't his anyway (anymore).
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No offense but doesn't your mother notice the harness all mangled up?
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I asked her the same thing, wizard. She said he was just hanging out on the back porch while she was cooking. She glanced up at him every few minutes, but she thought he was grooming. He can be pretty sneaky about it, and I know that he can chew through one in no time.
