[RubaiyateBandit]

I have a Basenji/Terrier mix puppy who is about 2 months old. Her house training is going pretty well, and she's learning a few basic commands already.
However, I currently have a small issue I'm not too sure how to deal with:
She's currently able to go through the night without any accidents -- She's gone two weeks now sleeping outside her crate, either on my bed somewhere or curled up next to Dazy, my other dog, on the bean bag chair. However, during the day while I'm at class, I still keep her in her crate. Now, my question is: How do I know when she can be trusted outside the crate? With Dazy, she picked up on house training within a few days, and we never had to crate her, so I'm not 100% sure how crate training is done.
Also, she's really nippy. I remember Dazy being this way when she was young, but I can't remember how we dealt with it. Is there a proper way to discourage this behavior? So far, I've pretty much been giveing her a sharp "No biting!" and I give her a little tap on the nose. It sort of works for a while, and then she just forgets. I think I remember hearing that that was a way to deal with it, but I could be wrong. :eyeroll:

I've heard, too, that Basenjis can be hard to train, and while I can't say I've had too many unusual issues in training, are there any tips you Vetran Basenji owners can give?

 

[tiggiler]

Crate training is an educated guess/trial and error. When you feel comfortable that she's able to hold it in your absence and doesn't have any accidents for a while, you can gate her in a smaller area (in case she does go potty). If she does well with that, you can open her area a little. If she does have an accident, go back to the crate training for a bit until you feel comfortable again and repeat the process.

Also, don't start off leaving her out "alone" for a long period of time. Start with short stints and increase it as time goes on. She'll begin to learn that you will come back and will take her out to relieve herself when you get home. Until that point she won't make the connection and will go where ever just because she has to go.

For the nipping, when she does bite you should let out a higher pitched "yelp" and ignore her for a bit. She'll eventually realize that then she uses her teeth playtime is over. Since dogs are social animals, she'll want to be interacting with you and won't want to do anything that removes that.

 

[FancyPaws]

To use the crate to help potty break your pup you want her to have just enough room to stand up, sit down, turn around, and lay down all comfortable, but not much more than that. If you get a crate that is too large your pup might potty on one end and rest at the other, defeating the purpose. Also, if you think I might actually use the crate when your pup is full grown as well, you can get a crate to fit her at her full size that comes with a divider that you can move back as she grows.

You'll want to crate her while you're away at work, but keep her with you at night since she doesn't have any accidents during the night. Also start her on a type of potty schedule to take her outside during the day at maybe one hour intervals and limit her access to the house to areas where you can supervise her. That way if she starts to have an accident you can catch it and take her outside right away and praise her when she potties outside and not inside.

Hope this helps you.

 

[coolsteve1129]

i agree with them about the potty training and the biting. in addittion mothers bite their puppies across the nose (not on the nose) when they don't want them to do something. so in addition to saying no biting be physical because thats how they learn. instead grab their nose with a firm grip and then say no biting

 

[RubaiyateBandit]

I'm got her... sort of house broken already. We got a baby gate that we put up in the hall, and she runs around in that during the day with only a few accidents when she gets left in there a little longer than usual. She doesn't go to the door when she wants out, but she is pretty much on Dazy's schedule, and Dazy goes to the door, so we just put them out together.
She doesn't bite me anymore, and only occasionally nips at dad when he's playing with her, so that's working itself out, too.
Now it's just teaching her to come when I call, and to let me catch her without playing "hard to get".

 

[coolsteve1129]

the house breaking will get better just stick with it. as for the catching her. let her come to u. start keeping treats in your pocket, have a toy for her and praise her when she comes. make yourself a game and she wont run from you

 

[mooimacow]

OMG! I used to have basenjis. They're the best, hey? As for the training, they're very smart dogs, but they're stubborn. They don't care if you want them to sit,they don't want to, & that's that. If they need to pee, they'll go where they are, lol.

Don't worry about it. Persist & you'll get it...eventually.