Basenjis know who is a strong, confident, benevolent and affable "Alpha." The first paragraph below is not for those folks, because Basenjis don't usually give benevolent alphas any guff. The second two bullets can, and should, be used by everyone, whether alpha-challenged or not.
How To Be a Benevolent Alpha (even when
you don't feel that way)
- Don't pretend that you are a strong, confident, benevolent Alpha if you are one of the alpha-challenged. Basenjis will see through you in a heartbeat and say to themselves, "Yeah...you and who else!" (snicker).
- Never, never, never set up a situation where you have to confront a Basenji with force. The frequent end result of this is bites and/or getting rid of the dog. This is particularly true for alpha-challenged folks, because the Basenji knows he can outbluff you.
- As Pat Miller writes in Does Your Dog Bite?, An article on aggression and biting in the March, 1999 Whole Dog Journal:
- Do be kind and loving to your dog. You cannot love a Basenji too much. They love to be loved! Sometimes these fellows will amaze you and behave beautifully-just because they absolutely adore you. Maybe they also feel a bit sorry for you because you are alpha-challenged, but they adore you enough to mind anyway.
-
"...progressive, humane trainers have come to understand that aggression
begets aggression. Many dogs respond to a physical correction by escalating
their own aggression in their own self-defence. Unless you are willing and
able to out-escalate the dog, the dog "wins" the fight, and the
aggression worsens. Even if you succeed in overpowering the dog, all you have
done is suppress the signs of aggression; the risk factors for the aggressive
behavior are still there. You have simply taught the dog not to growl
or snap in warning. "When you suppress the warning signs of aggression-the
growling and snarling-you actually increase the risk of a serious bite,
since the aggression is then more likely to erupt into a full-scale attack
without giving you the chance to be warned off by the growl."
For Anyone, But Mandatory
For the "Alpha-Challenged"
Do one or two short (2-5 minute) sessions of practical, household obedience commands daily, always with treats and petting for compliance. "Sit, Down, Shake Hands, Leave it!" Anything where you command and they obey. Ignore noncompliance or bad behavior. Basenjis hate to be ignored! This painlessly, and without confrontation, raises you up on the "Alpha Totem Pole" without being pushy. This also starts heading them in the direction of listening to you and doing what you ask them to do. (heh, heh...)
Snarking When
Suddenly Awakened
A lot of Basenjis are snarky when awakened from a sound sleep--don't get mad at them, I think it is instinctual. In Africa, when something woke them up like that, it wasn't friendly! Talk them up instead. Don't put hands on them at all. Once they are awake, lure them off the sofa, bed, etc. You can also let them drag a 6-foot leash for several days, and you can simply pull them off when they are fully awake. Always reward for compliance--very important!!! These guys are an independent breed of dog who "work for a paycheck", not to please you. Read the book, So My Dog's Not Lassie.
Not
Wanting To Go In The Crate
One of the neatest things I have read is Ian Dunbar's idea of making up cream-cheese-stuffed bones with great theater--"Yum, oooo, doesn't that look good to eat!!" Put the bones in the crate and shut the door-with the dog outside of the crate. When you are ready to leave, open the door of the crate and let them in to get the bones.
Some dogs get rather claustrophobic about crates, and you might want to very gradually start to train your dog to be loose alone in the house while you are gone. Leave lots of things for them to chew and do, and leave a radio playing. This must be worked up to very slowly, increasing the length of time that you are gone by minutes until they are comfortable with the increase before moving on. Some folks throw a handful of dog food or yummies in the middle of the floor as they leave for distraction. (My husband, Don, calls that chumming, as in the fishing practice.)
If the dog is in a small, plastic crate, get a larger, open-wire crate. Many Basenjis do better in these. I think some Basenjis are truly claustrophobic. I KNOW I would be!!!
Consider getting your dog a buddy of the opposite sex to keep him/her company while you are gone and train them both to be loose in the house alone OR crate them side by side in open wire crates. Frequently separation anxiety can be eased or eliminated by getting a buddy.
Fear
of People/Children/Things
You dog needs to be gradually retrained to associate the feared object or person with good things. Fear of strangers, for example, can be helped enormously by having a bag of cookies hung high by the front door. Hand one to each person who comes in and have them give a cookie as they come in the door. If your Basenji is very fearful, simply let the folks drop the cookie on the floor for later consumption. The idea is that good things must always be happening and be associated with the feared object, person, or child.
In summary, you don't have to be a strong "alpha" leader to be get your Basenjis to mind. Use practical, household obedience commands with lots of praise to convince them that it is fun to do what you want them to do. Be kind, gentle, persistent and sneakier than they are, and love them to death.
Copyright © 2001 by Betsy Polglase
All rights reserved.