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Do the animals in your household play together nicely? With appropriate training anything is possible. Start off on the right foot when you first bring a dog into your home. Help your basenji adjust to the new sights, sounds, and rhythms of your household. It will take time for both you and your dog to adjust. If you already have cats and dogs, be sure that your new Basenji gets along with them and other members of your household. Help your dog understand who is the "top dog" of the pack. And in case you were wondering, that is supposed to be you! Follow our training tips to focus on positive reinforcement, distraction, and avoiding situations that are likely to fail. These are key to the successful training of Basenjis. Basenjis are notoriously mischievous, so learning how to crate your dogs may be key to protecting them and your valuables when you are not home. A dog will go eagerly into a crate if it appears to be a den and not a prison or a place of where put when punished. If your dog is fearful or aggressive, it is your responsibility to recognize it and help your Basenji interact socially in a positive manner. If you have adopted a Basenji that has been rescued, you will probably be challenged by a dog with special needs that requires understanding and guidance. In all cases, consistency and patience are required. |
"Tooth and Claw" |
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"Sonny and Sara" |
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Books
So Your Dog’s Not Lassie by Betty Fisher and Suzanne Delzio. A must for anyone trying to train a Basenji. Gives excellent insight into understanding what’s inside the heads of independent breeds (like Basenjis) and the different methods needed to work with them. (Reviewed p. 11, September/October, 1998, Basenji Companions’ newsletter.)
Clicker training: Don’t Shoot the Dog and A Dog & a Dolphin 2.0 by Karen Prior. These explain the basis of clicker-training, a training style which usually works well with Basenjis.
Childproofing Your Dog by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson. "Must” reading, even if you don’t have children.