Basenji Rescue and Transport, Inc.
BASIC RESCUE GUIDELINES
Please read these tips and ask your adoption coordinator
any questions you may have about these items and how they apply to your
new basenji. Expect to be tired for the first few weeks your new
basenji is in your home. Soon you will find you are relaxing and in a
routine.
1. DO keep your basenji safe. Trying to catch an
escaped, scared basenji is nearly impossible. Plan ahead. As soon as your
basenji comes home, practice calling him in the house and each time he
comes, give him a fabulous treat.
Basenjis will bolt through any open doors. Be certain
your new basenji is in your control before opening any doors. Basenjis
will back out of their collars. Make sure your basenji's collar is fitted
properly. It should be buckled tightly enough that you can just squeeze
two fingers under the collar.
If your basenji escapes, chasing it will make it run
faster. Several things to try: run the opposite direction, as he may
decide to chase you; lay down on the ground and roll around or act like
you are eating treats. Your basenji's curiosity may bring him back to see
what is going on. Notify your placement counselor immediately for more
guidance.
2. DO remember that it takes up to four months
for a dog to settle into its new surroundings. (For a basenji who has been
placed multiple times, it will likely take longer.) Try not to pressure
the dog to work with you too much or expect anything extraordinary from
the dog during this time.
3. DO act like you get a new dog in your house
every day of the week. It's no big deal. This is hard because you're
nervous yourself, but it's SO important. If you are nervous and uptight
the dog will get nervous and uptight also. Your confidence will be
contagious and help your basenji realize s/he has a confident
"leader".
4. DON'T touch the dog. LET THE DOG COME TO YOU
in its own good time.
When a basenji is in a new environment, the only thing
that's familiar to them is the immediate space around their own body. This
space becomes inviolate to the dog. He may likely feel threatened if you
touch him before he is ready If you drop something next to the dog, either
wait for the dog to move, or, if it's edible, kiss it good-bye. Avoid
making quick movements with your hands or body that might startle the dog.
5. DO talk to your basenji a LOT. Use your
natural voice. Talk to the dog about anything -- just babble meaningfully
and go ahead and throw the dog's name in every so often. What you are
doing is getting the dog used to your voice and helping it to learn to
read your body language. The faster the dog learns this, the more quickly
it can start to settle in, so talk to it a LOT.
6. DON'T act sympathetic toward the dog. Dogs
don't understand sympathy. The minute your voice gets sympathetic, the
dog's immediate reaction is "Uh oh, something's wrong."
7. DON'T expect ANYTHING extraordinary from the
dog. The only thing you want to do during these first weeks is to show the
dog your basic leadership skills. Just show your "stand tall,
self-assurance" type traits for now. They help the dog understand you
know what you're doing.
8. DO have the dog SIT before you set their meals
down by the second or third day, *if* your dog already knows SIT. If your
dog doesn't know SIT, begin teaching this command in a positive manner. Do
not risk stressing your basenji by jerking, pushing or over-handling him
into a SIT position. One way to train sit is to simply wait for your dog
to SIT then immediately praise by saying "Good SIT" and offering
a treat. (Carry treats with you in a Ziploc bag).
9. DO feel comfortable about petting your other
dogs, if you have them. It's VERY important for them to realize they have
not been displaced and for the new dog to see you interacting in a
pleasing way with them. Watch for tension this might create. If your
original dog is feeling needy, you might give him lots of special
attention away out of view of the new dog.
10. As you are providing attention and cuddles, DO
be aware if you are causing tension between dogs. Ownership or protection
of "my" human can cause disagreements. Calmly leave the area and
avoid aligning yourself with any one dog -- this helps to reduce the
stress.
11. DO remove all toys if there is another dog in
the home. Let the dogs adjust to each other before adding the stress of
squabbling over toys. If you can't help yourself, provide toys while the
dogs are individually crated.
12. DO pay personal attention to the dog when
they begin to ask for it, but be cautious. Some basenjis want attention
but then revert to fear when you reach out to them as they're still unsure
of your movements and what they mean. Reach out slowly with your palm up
and watch the dog carefully.
If he looks the least bit tentative, stop. Don't jerk
your hand back; just stop your hand wherever it is. If the dog IS
tentative, the dog will turn away. Then you can pull your hand back
slowly.
13. DO expect the dog to become a "Velcro
dog" the first weeks. They have been abandoned once and don't want to
let you out of their sight for fear it means they've been abandoned again.
Just try not to fall over the dog if it really sticks close. You can tell
how well a dog is adjusting by when it starts letting you out of its sight
and for how long.
14. Should the dog growl at you for ANY reason, stand
(if you aren't already), turn your back to the dog, and slowly walk away.
Should the dog try to nip you as you're walking away just STOP and stand
still, ignoring the dog completely.
15. Keep a leash or line of some sort, about 3 feet
long, attached to her collar at all times when she's in the house. (You
could use cotton clothes line rope dipped in Bitter Apple.) New basenjis
tend to try to find a place that they can claim as "theirs". It
may be an overstuffed chair, the couch, the bed, etc. You don't want this
to happen. If she growls while she's on any piece of furniture, say
"OFF!" and use the line to pull her off. Don't jerk the line,
just pull gently but firmly until she's off. When she is off, then you may
invite her back up if you so desire, but it's important she knows she has
boundaries and limits.
16. Never wake up a basenji by touching or shaking it,
unless you know the basenji very well and the basenji knows you very well.
Many basenjis will awake snapping at whatever woke them. Simply call the
dog's name. When it is awake, return to your normal interaction style. If
your dog has a hearing or vision problem, slightly stomping on the floor
to awaken the dog and to get the dog's attention before touching will help
your basenji.
17. If your basenji becomes frightened and hides in a
crate, under a bed or back in some "hiding place", do not reach
in and try to pull the dog out. Wait patiently and let the dog set the
pace.
18. Children require the highest degree of supervision
when around the new basenji. Children's play frequently consists of making
loud noises and running, flapping arms, and sometimes waving toys in the
air. This type of behavior may be very frightening to your new basenji.
It is essential that you talk with your children and
require that they not push themselves on the new basenji. If they want to
do something, they may put the basenji's food bowl down for her and they
may put treats on the floor for the basenji to then pick up. Going slowly
is the best policy.
* These tips were originally compiled by Jean Skaggs and
have been modified and enlarged upon by volunteers of BRAT |
