Pug Q&A

I want to get a basenji but I need to know if they are easily housebroken?

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I have a basenji mix, but his temperament is mostly basenji and he has outsmarted me more times than I can count. As a pup, he chewed everything in sight and did a lot of damage to the house. He potty trained very easily, though. He shredded my house and belongings for about a year and a half. One day I came home and he was laying down with his front legs crossed (as basenjis will do) and I realized that he had grown into a big boy that day. For a second, I totally missed his puppy days, but he never tore anything up again. It may take a while for you to train one, but once they get it, you can trust them.


We have 2 full bred Basenjis, one female we got as a puppy and a male we got at 10 months old. I had done A LOT of reading about the breed before looking for onw and the breeder we got the dogs from was VERY forthright about their nature. I have had one item (office chair leg) chewed slightly and NOTHING ELSE IN THE HOUSE. Teresa H. said to be sure to provide them with lots of hard chew toys and we do, still to this day. They have a very stropg need to chew. They choose their toys over everything in the house, but. . . you CAN NOT leave a candy wrapper in a pocket and leave that pair on pants where they (she) can get to it. Our female chewed a hole through the outside fabric to get to the wrapper but did not chew up the rest of the pocket area. Basenjis are scent hounds and boy do their noses work! As for potty training - the dogs learned very quickly to go outside - it was US who needed more training on recognizing and listen to their 'requests' to go out. They both will 'look' at us when they need to go out - it's hard to 'hear' a dog looking at you. Then the female will pace and then we know she needs out. They CAN bark but usually don't. They will give a single bark when excited but usually it's a in throat chorgle sound and they put their ears back when they're HAPPY TO SEE YOU. We live in a country environment and they NEVER go out without being on a lease or training collar - they ARE hunting dogs and WILL want to hunt. Our dog trainer has taught us a lot about them and if we keep up our training they can be off leash in our yard, but for my own feelings of security they never are. Also, when we have to be gone the dogs are ALWAYS locked in a crate/kennel. They never have the run of the house when we're gone - it's for their safety as much as it's for my sanity. And, in our case, they are much better in pairs. Find a repritable Basenji breeder and ask her/him lots of questions. Also speek with others who have Basenjis and they can help you two. Just like people, no two dogs are alike and each one will have their own uniqueness. I have no desire to have any other breed of dog since these two have caputed my heart.


Yes, but you have to dedicate yourself to the task. I'm retired and was able to closely supervise both my dogs and catch them in the act and take them outside. It helped me to attach a word or phrase to this action. Choose your own ie., tinkle, poopy, outside so that when you catch them staring at you all you have to do is ask what they want and they will respond. They are very smart and learn quickly. My dogs know the names of several people and react when I tell them "Pam is coming" What do you wan, Outside, cookie, etc.. Cookie is learned almost immediately. If you work and have to leave the dog alone for long periods, A Basenji is not the dog for you. They are extremely pack oriented and animated. A solitary life stunts them mentally, physically and borders on cruelty.


Yes, but you have to dedicate yourself to the task. I'm retired and was able to closely supervise both my dogs and catch them in the act and take them outside. It helped me to attach a word or phrase to this action. Choose your own ie., tinkle, poopy, outside so that when you catch them staring at you all you have to do is ask what they want and they will respond. They are very smart and learn quickly. My dogs know the names of several people and react when I tell them "Pam is coming" What do you wan, Outside, cookie, etc.. Cookie is learned almost immediately. If you work and have to leave the dog alone for long periods, A Basenji is not the dog for you. They are extremely pack oriented and animated. A solitary life stunts them mentally, physically and borders on cruelty.



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