Read all you can about Basenjis. They are an ancient breed and are not known for obedience, but can be trained with patience and perseverance. And once you fall in love with a Basenji, it's for life!!! They are endlessly entertaining. I've owned 4 in the last 20 years. They are challenging!! Their love is unconditional.
Train,train, and train. Everyday in 5 minute spurts. Socialize him with other dogs is a must, and take him everywhere you go. In this was he will be accustomed to sights and sounds and wound get spooked when your in a store and a lady in an electric wheelchair zooms by you. You must be the alpha in the relationship, don’t be intimidated by the puppy eyes. Kinda like when Aaron gives you his pouty puppy face, NEVER give in! Enjoy your beautiful new family member!
Crate training for a Basenji is a must!!! I have had them in my life for over 30 years. They are so worth the work. Training is a must. But remember. NEVER let them off leash. Or alone in your camper and not in the crate. THEY WILL EAT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING!! Good luck, enjoy the puppy breath and hold on for the wild ride…it will be so fun!! I can guarantee you will want another basenji. We have 12!!
Neuter when appropriate and train him from the beginning. Don't confuse him with different messages from different parents. Crate/kennel train him as soon as possible so he knows his safe place. Watch the chewing. Start brushing his teeth now so he gets used to the feeling of a brush in his mouth. Enjoy him throughout his life and fully leash train and socialize him with other dogs as soon as he is fully vaccinated against kennel (group) infections.
Aw. He's gorgeous. Dogs are natural pleasers. Give him clear praise when he pleases you and he will respond. He needs his own possessions. When he chews where he shouldn't: distract and replace.
My lovely Harley Hunny is the love of our life. Remember they are stubborn. But they love to give hugs and loves. Hard to train but not impossible. Harley loves to climb trees and walk along the tops of fences. The breed is very fast and is known to run. Harley loves to run Zoomies. Harley is a rescue, she was so abused. But now she is so very loved. One of her favorite thing is sunbathing, warm weather dogs. Just love your little cuddle butt, they are so worth the trouble
Be the leader! There are some simple things to get him to understand your leadership. A couple of examples are... When you put his did down make him sit, wait and make eye contact with you before he starts to eat. Always go through a doorway first. Glad to se you are crate training. He is a beautiful pup - enjoy.
I'm a long time Basenji breeder and was shocked to see a beautiful little man on your video!! You're hooked and they are wonderful. Sounds like you either did your homework or found a breeder that educated you on what to expect. Because the breed is less known than most, we probably know each other. We all meet up at the shows and the Nationals. Good luck with little Louie. He's precious!
Get a crate but never use it for discipline. We’ve had Scottish Terriers which are territorial and difficult to train so obedience training was the first thing we did when they were old enough. Our Scotties loved their crates and never resisted going in. They feel secure if properly crate trained. Crates were essential in our RV travels. Good luck.
As active as you are, running etc, he should get lots of exercise which will help with the mischief. Boredom is your enemy. He’s adorable! We’ve always traveled with our dogs & love it. Enjoy!
Congratulations on your basenji puppy. I am a long time basenji lover and owner. Positive reinforcement training is highly effective for this breed and just like humans, they learn at different paces. IMO….Training is 90% training the owners and the rest is transferring that information to the puppy. Patience is key. If it isn’t working out that day, end the training on a positive exercise and return later to try again. It is always exciting when ‘the light comes on’ and they understand what you want. As others have said crate training is important as is recall. These dogs are both sight and scent hounds so they can easily be distracted by things…..leaves blowing, squirrels, birds, noises,etc. The basenji community is here to help you. Reach out if there are any specific questions or issues that arise. Chances are good that we’ve seen it before and can help guide you through it.
Thanks Bob, appreciate this comment. We are already seeing the ups and downs after one week, but he is so smart and learning well! Big break through on the crate training today!😊
OMG. beautiful! TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN. He doesn’t have to have the traditional temperament if you work consistently with him. Get him chipped and tagged with your phone # ASAP as they get lose easily. I can’t wait to see him grow with you. Put a shirt or blanket with your scent outside the trailer now so he associates the scent and the trailer. Enjoy!
Congratulations! Brings back many memories. We got our first Basenji a couple of weeks after getting back from our honeymoon while living in the married students dorm at college. We got her because we'd heard that Basenji's don't bark and we thought that would be fitting for our situation, but unfortunately, we soon had to move out because, rather than barking, she screamed a lot and the neighbors complained. Not muck later, we got a male to keep her company and everybody was much happier. A couple of years later, we bred them and had six puppies (as well as a Saluki and a cocker mix that my wife had picked up off the freeway after she'd been hit by a car. That was the situation we were in when I was drafted into the Army and sent to Alaska. That's how we got into RVing. We bought a 20' travel trailer, thinking we could live in it and found out very quickly that that wouldn't work. But it was an adventure two years later when we drove down the Alcan (1,100 mile of un-paved road) and all the way home to Southern California. My father-in-law had purchased 5 A. of raw land bordering Joshua Tree (National Monument at that time) and we had many fun trips there with our two kids, three Basenji's and a cat. That was the only place that we could let them (the dogs, that is) off leash and they loved running so much that they would wear the pads off of their feet on the decomposed granite. Once, our male stopped to take a poop and backed into a cholla (that terrible cactus that causes laughter when other people get stuck by it, but crying by the stuckee) and picked up a sizeable brand in his rear end. He reached around to try to remove it and was lanced with a whole bunch of spices on his face and tongue, causing a ton of stress for everybody. So my advice to you is, if you're ever in a desert that contains cholla, never take the leash off, and always carry something like a comb, pliers, or forceps to remove the spines, even when you're without a dog. Oh, and don't let them sleep under the covers, between your legs, because when they get warm, which is usually after you've both gone to sleep, they'll throw their legs out straight, wake you up, and cause a lot of pain.
A tired dog is a good dog. Potty training is based on consistency. Crate training will make life so much easier for you and Louie. You will make great dog parents. Congratulations. LUCKY LOUIE !
Basenji's are also usually very quiet dogs. Louie is a learning MACHINE right now, so teach commands in order of his safety, with "Come!" at the top of the list! If he will stop what he's doing and run back to you (make it a game with lots of praise!), then you'll be well on your way to having a well-trained companion for all the adventures!!
We've been traveling/camping with a 50lb dog for years now. She's well behaved and we love her dearly. Sadly, she's very old with just a few years left. We've had so many fun times with her we can't count, but...You will find everything will evolve around Louie, anything you want to do he will need to be included as you can't leave him in the camper alone. And you can't leave him in the truck when it's too hot or too cold. There'll many times you'll want to hike or attend a concert or some type of gathering where dogs are not permitted and you'll just have to pass those places/opportunities by. It's happened to us more often than not. Forget going to a restaurant for an hour, or grocery shopping together or sharing a museum visit. You'll find yourself repeating this sentence many, many times... "What about the dog". Yes, we've missed a lot of experiences in our travels because of our dog, and she's still an anchor ha! But you asked, I'm sharing. BTW our latest camper is a 22FQS Titanium also. And we bought it at Holliday RV in Poncha Springs! Best of travels!
In my earlier life, my family had two Basenjis. (African Barkless Dog) They are awesome dogs. They run like a Gazelle. They can run at 35mph and they Yodel instead of bark.This breed is VERY high strung! They have a mind of their own and can be a challenge to raise. One of our Basenjis got into a fight with my friend's German Sheppard and even though the Sheppard was nearly twice the size of the Basenji, it was the Basenji who handed the Sheppard it's lunch. These are ferocious little dogs! Absolutely beautiful animals too! I hope you enjoy your boy immensely! Joe Parrish
Congrats, we had our dear Basenji for 14.5 years and such a sweet boy, miss him so much. Yes, training is most important because he will assume he’s the alpha, lol. My wife took our guy to obedience training and was having difficulties so she said to the training, why can’t mine act like that one over there? The trainer responded, well that is a Labrador and they were bred to serve their masters. You on the other hand have a Basenji that were used for herding lions. By the way they herded by nipping at their feet then running to where they wanted them. They are fast and smart and challenging but lovable and so affectionate. Enjoy!
Louie is going to bring you a lot of fun and frustration. We have a Basenji, he is almost eight years old now and has not slowed down a bit. They are great dogs, that act like a cat sometimes. Watching the video is sounds like you have done your research. A lot of people do not and it is sad for this great bread. Train every day if you can, because if you are not training Louie he will be training you. Our Basenji is named Commander and we have taken him about everywhere except on an airplane. They love the outdoors and Louie will make a great hiking companion. Stubborn and smart, and not afraid of anything. The first time we heard him yodel, we thought the house alarm was going off. And he was only about 6 months old. I look forward to watching Louie grow and remember a tired Basenji is a good Basenji.
I recommend using a halter for walking with a leash so he doesn’t pull and damage his throat. I am having issues with a bad cough in my 13 year old. basenji whom I adopted when she was about 7 years old. Good luck!
Congrats! Our family had a basenji (Sparky) as a child. Wonderful dogs but very stubborn! They are high jumpers so you likely need an enclosed cage. Sparky liked to escape and roam the neighborhood. Have many memories of getting in our car looking for him! They are the sweetest dogs. During the night he would check up on our entire family going from bedroom to bedroom. Give Louie lots of love! Happy for you both.
In my opinion the greatest breed. Had two Basenji in my life. And they are super smart . But if you stay on top of training. They can be very obedient. And amazing family pet.
Definately crate train. Our dog could sense if we were going out and would immediately get in his crate. Also in car or rv when driver sat in driver seat the dog automatically went in crate. It was a lot safer for the dog and us. We also got a sticker from petsmart to put on window of car and rv so emergency people knew a dog was inside. We dearly loved our George and still mourn his passing after 13 years of unconditional love.
Louie is darling, what a fun dog he will be. Make his crate a really fun place to be, and at night be sure to cover it, to make it more of a den. K9 Ballistics Tough Crate dog beds are the best! Washable, and dogs cannot chew them up. Michelle Lennon’s “How to train a dream Dog”, has lots of videos on RU-vid, and a course if you are interested. She is very puppy oriented, and I used her in the beginning with my Australian Cattle Dog. He is 14 months, and our ORV will be ready this month, so we are hitting the road soon. I also use a harness for the car to hook him in and keep him safe. When he was much younger, the harness also kept the pressure off his neck while leash training. Limit his exposure to other dogs until he is fully vaccinated. Good luck and enjoy the journey!
Congrats! Pee pad training is a must! Bad weather, nighttime Issues, it is just a wonderful thing. Best way to get him pee pad trained is to dip the potty pad in a little of his urine and he will go right back to it. I have trained dozens of dogs this way. For the outside we purchased a screened in 10 x 10 tent with an attached bottom and 2 exit points for us -that we butt right up next to our stairs. This is great for keeping your dog contained and also keeping the bugs out for you. We just put our lawn chairs right inside the tent and the puppies run freely inside.
I drive an 18 wheeler and have had two dogs travel with me. One piece of advice I would give is to get pet insurance. You may not need it when Louie is a puppy but you will as he ages. If you have to go to a vet Petsmart has them at most of their locations, which helps keep a health centralized record of treatments, prescriptions etc. I had my vet put together a list of common drugs that we use that can be used on digs as well. Things like Benadryl, baby aspirin, pepto bismal. Small bandage wraps. It saves you money and is ready at hand if you need it for bee stings, upset stomach etc.. Potty training is extremely important as us socializing with other dogs. I trained both of mine with a leash to start and as they started to obey my commands we went everywhere off leash. When your away from the RV and you don’t want to run the AC and your leaving Louie behind but some high speed oscillating fans to keep him cool and with fresh circulated air. Research the food you buy for Louie the mist expensive ( Blue Buffalo ) are not always the best. Most of all enjoy your new travel companion, take lots of video’s & pictures to savor the memories you will have.
We are picking up our first RV Friday and will be traveling with 3 adult basenjis. Basenjis are unlike any other dog and extremely high energy and very inquisitive so I am actually more nervous right now about keeping my dogs safe while traveling than anything else. My dogs have a high drive to chase any animal or thing that moves. If you work with little Louie and he becomes accustomed to traveling and living in an RV, he may be the exception to the rule in behavior when it comes to basenjis. I have a friend who has two that she can let off lead and they listen to her and she travels with them and takes them everyplace. Socialize Louie while he is young. Introduce him to other dogs and people. My advice is take your time working with Louie before adopting a rescue as one can influence the other, but not always in a positive way. He is adorable and you will have so much fun with him. Good luck.
Congrats on the new RV! It sounds like a it will be a fun journey for you guys! Louie is doing very well with traveling so far. He just turned 4 months and is just about fully potty trained. No inside accidents in a full week! He is also now comfortable in his crate🤗
My basenji rescued me. He was the greatest riding partner 12 to 16 mile runs were his favorite chasing off dear and sneaking up on turkeys were his favorite pastimes. Get a bike he will love to run with you.
Congrats on the new family member. 🐕Get him a spike collar for out in nature to protect against coyote, bear, mountain lion, wolf, werewolf attacks. Buy him one of those gps locaters on his collar & give him lots of wine... just kidding about the wine. 😜
I've lived with dogs all of my 70 yrs, working dogs (herding) and pets. Three points of advice: 1. Learn about your breed (sounds like you have done that), so you can train for problem behavior, and know when the dog's breeding will trump any behavior modification. For example, I never broke my Norwegian elkhound of barking; she tried but she was a hound! 2. If you want to create train, do it immediately. Was never successful with older puppies. 3. Get a book, Dog Talk; can't remember author, but red and white cover. Gives easy step by step training. Short time working each day and then consistent commands and expectations. I love my dogs and you will love having a well-behaved companion. Congratulations!
You both have to be consistent in your training. Use the same simple word commands. Come, sit, down, stay, heal, stop. (Outside, inside, we use these to words when camping to go in and out of the RV) crate (or bed) or words that you both are comfortable saying, and you both need to say the SAME words.. Instead of putting food in a bowl to eat for breakfast and dinner, use the food as you train and play as a reward. Key is to do it ALL the time. It's alot of work but worth it to keep him safe and all of you happy.Good luck and enjoy. We LOVE our 2 labs and they love camping!!!
Hi: I am so jealous of you and your new Basenji, I had 3 of them back in the 1970's and to be sure they were absolutely the most wonderful dog I've ever had.....I could go on for days about them......I think you are training him in a smart way, I know I would take them out hourly, then every 2 hrs and so on......the one thing I have noticed over the years is that no one every carries them on their shoulders.....if we were in the car and I forgot to get something in the Shopping Mall I would put him around me neck and go in to buy what I needed, people had the best reaction to see a dog around my neck no pictures because no cell phones......we also did that if we figured there was danger up ahead, when on a long walk he got tired or in the winter his feet got too cold (no booties and things like that for dogs in the 70's).....most people today also say they are a 2 scent hound, but in actual fact they are a tri-scent hound in fact they can scent 250 before other dogs (unless that has been bred out of them).....anyway enjoy I'm sure he will keep you laughing.....Oh! and watch out for your coffee cup, mine liked coffee and knew when a drop was left in a cup.....Cheers Kathryn Keenan
Although we aren’t full time RVers, we totally recommend crate training as it’s a wonderful way to provide shelter and protection for pups when they need to be secured (like when we have guests in our house). Such a cute pup, congrats!!!
Adorable pup. Crate training is great and their crate becomes their comfy safe place. A li ways make sure he has chew toys in the crate. Get a Waggle temp monitor so you can check the te.p in the rig when you have to leave him. Start trading right away. Use positive reinforcement only. As a RVr, teach him to sit and wait inside the door until you go out and tell him OK to come out. Remember there are coyotes and I have heard they can be hiding under the rig. I boondock in the wilderness and at night for potty walks I go outside first with my high powered flashlight and check under the rig first then scan around 360° the area to look for the red in eyes shining back. I camped outside of Valky of Fire at Poverty Flats for 5 days and sure enough one night there was a coyote trotting toward us. I went inside and waited a half hour and tried again and he was gone. I believe Basenji's are known as the harkless dogs. I once babysat a friends for the weekend. He never barked, but he yelled. Rough weekend. I would maybe talk to Basenji owners or breeders on the best way to train. I also have a camera inside I turn on when I leave the rig. It is a Zmodo and it cam 2 to a pack on Amazon for uner $60. It runs off wifi so I use a Verizon jet pack. You can check in on how he is doing from wherever you are. You are going to be great pet parents!
Hi Chris and Aaron!! Congrats on your new addition!! Try not to over walk him. Their bones are still forming. Most say to walk five minutes for every month in age they are. Other than that … you’re doing it right with crate and taking him out often. When we got Finley in October we woke up every couple hours all night too. Good luck!! He will be soo great. Also. On RU-vid there is a great trainer called Zac George - he’s awesome!!
Wow, looks like you got lots of advice! Instead of stubborn, think untrained. If the pup isn't responding, back up and think of what you can do to make him successful (and thus reward). Build a positive relationship with him and reward often. I believe in positive reinforcement because you build a lasting relationship with a dog that wants to please you instead of being afraid of you. Check out Susan Garrett's stuff- she's the best at it. And please crate train, especially in the car. Imagine an accident and where Louie may end up if he isn't secured. Ruff Land Kennels are my personal favorite (no affiliation). The Mutts travel in a 36' Class A motorhome (toy hauler), crated when we're moving and hanging out when we're camped. All the best, Nadja
The American kennel club has a Good Citizen test/training list that can give you an idea of what socialization training is a good idea (so he gets along with people and other animals in a positive manner). It's a good starting place for picking training priorities especially for RV full timers. Enjoy Louie's his love ♥️
I just got my 3rd Basenji and think they’re excellent dogs. Mine just turned 11 weeks old and like yours can be affectionate one minute and crazy insane the next. My only advice is be consistent which it sounds like you already are doing. Best of luck
Congrats on your new addition. We are full-time Rvers going on 1.5 yrs with our pup who now weighs a whopping 160 lbs! Our English mastiff takes up most of the bed AND Rv. We spoiled him rotten 😃 but he's a ton of fun with a great big personality.
Kong toys are almost indestructible. Crate from day one. Protect the lower part of your screen door. His paws will tear up the screen. We bought a Minnie Aussie 2 years ago, first dog we have owned. Lives on 12 acre farm and he loves it. Enjoy.
It looks like you are crate training your new pup. That is great. Couldn’t really tell the exact size of the crate vs the puppy’s size but you could always consider partitioning it to make his living space smaller. The smaller the space means they are less likely to have an accident. All our dogs are crate trained and even though they are older now they will run into their crates when we say go to your bed! You are both really conscientious about training so you should have no issues! If you leave him alone, keep him in the crate cuz pups can get into anything especially when left alone!
You didn't mention this so wasnt sure if your aware. They dont bark. But they can and do howl with the best of them. He is adorable congratulations and good luck.
After owning my last Basenji for 17 1/2 years with all the various ups and downs of ownership… you are absolutely right! … they don’t bark but they can make so much noise, I can only guess similar to an ancient African wolf 🐺
What a cutie. You need a temperature monitor ASAP. Waggle makes a pretty good one. If you leave the rig on an even moderately hot day, you need to make sure the rig doesn't overheat. I've heard too many tragic stories of power outages or where AC's fails and people come home to the worst imaginable. We have a cat and a dog fulltime, be prepared for dog throwup on drive days. Dogs tend to get car sick until they are about two. Consider waiting to feed them on drive days until you arrive. Pee pee pads are awesome if you notice they are gonna spew to catch it. If they are hyper aware of outside noises, you may need a white noise machine so they sleep better, but it's nice to have the 'security system' as well. Vet care on the road is a challenge. Be prepared to have to pay the initial vet fee everytime you need to go to a vet in a new town. Get good dog food airtight containers, bugs and mice love to find it but a good container prevents it completely. Watch out for hot surfaces when the dog is walking, just check it with your hand. Train for walking on leash, and don't be one of those off-leash dog owners. Ya, some dogs are great off-leash but they often run away and poop and you don't realize it so it doesn't get picked up.
On departure day, AFTER you have packed up and just before you leave, take him for a walk. Helps our dog with the anxiety that comes from packing up and gives them a known bathroom break before starting a long drive.
Hi Louie, you have to meet Mylo & Yogi here in Miami, Fla. Mylo is a Jack-o-Poodle and Yogi is a Parson Jack Russell. Blessings they are family & kids. Our furry family go everywhere with us on the road.
Congratulations to your new family member. We have our dog for 13 years now. We had a trainer on the beginning to avoid mistakes. What he said that the crate needs to be small so they can't turn around. So we put like a box in the crate to make the crate smaller on the beginning. Louie is absolutely adorable. Very good luck 🍀
No No on that crate training in not allowing the dog to turn around!!! The dog needs to be able to turn around, stand, and sit up in comfort. What you don’t want is the space that would allow him/her to potty inside. They sell crates with a divider that you can adjust the space as the puppy grows. The crate is a safe place that your dog will go into on their own when properly used and puppy trained. Reach out to MJ at Endless RVing, she is a professional dog trainer 🐶😊
Very cute, make sure you keep his nail trimmed so his quick wont grow out to much. rub his feet get him used to holding and touching his feet it will make trimming his nails easier.
Congratulations on the puppy. Puppies love to chew with their sharp teeth. Have plenty of hard chew toys to play with. I would also keep him in the crate when you are not able to monitor him. Enjoy.
Louie is so cute, congratulations! ❤ Even though Louie is young and healthy now, I recommend health insurance. When our dog was young and in top physical condition, her back was injured while running and playing with her buddies, which she did every morning. Her vet-neurologist appointments and x-rays cost nearly $5K, and that was without surgery. Luckily her treatment was two months crate rest, and she was cured. If the x-rays had shown that she needed surgery, the cost would have totaled about $15K. We immediately bought insurance after that experience, and it paid off later when she was older. Have fun with your adorable pooch!
Definitely crate train. I got a metal bucket and clipped it to the side of the crate with a snap hook and my girl Molly never spilled it and always had water. She slept in there for like the first two years of her life till I made the mistake of letting her in my bed!! ;) But she came to consider her crate her safe place.
I saw how much Irene loves Jasper during one of your blogs featuring tails of wanderlust that's why i knew you guys will have one when the right time comes 😉
Louie is so cute. Puppy’s are like new babies, u just have to figure it out as u go. BUT I do have major warning. I bought a string toy like the blue one Louie was playing with at the end of the video. My Border Collie/Lab mix was 7 months old and decided to start eating it. The strings lodged in her intestines and stomach and had to have emergency surgery. The vet said waiting to get her there another hour she would have died. It’s now been 4 yrs and several thousand dollars for the surgery later and she is perfect. Just wanted to warn u about those string type toys and how dangerous they are. Enjoy Louie, he’s going to be a great camping hiking companion.
That’s awesome! We’ve had Beagles for 30 years and they can be similar to the Basenji. Lots of exercise. His ancestors ran many miles a day. They do eventually mellow out after a few years. Enjoy his unconditional love. 👍😊
Looks like you’re gonna have your hands full! When I had my puppies I had a good rotation of new chew toys to keep them occupied and interested in not chewing what they shouldn’t.
So happy for you both and especially Louie! Initial vet appointments shots and all are very important, as I am sure you both know. Also, purchase pet insurance, it is well worth it since you travel a lot and any vet trip could cost a lot. Purchase while he is puppy is the lowest premium. Typically you pay and then submit and the insurance pays you back. Most policies have some sort of deducible and pay 90% of fees after. Some deductibles are per type and others per policy. Look at Healthy Paws is one we use for example. Also, saw you gave Louie a Kong. We fill ours with their wet food (they eat dry also) and freeze it! Great for crate training associating something good and fun with a crate! Takes them lots of time to get through it and great for a puppy, well actually any age! LOL! Cannot wait to see more of Louie in your travels! Good luck!
Forgot...they have a trait which means they are attentive or wish to play...they drag their paw across their faces from the top of their heads. They also are sometimes thought to be worrying all the time due to the deep frown lines on their foreheads. Will remain curious at most times. I do wish you and your doggies well...easy to live, hard to keep up with!
Welcome home Louie! Get ready for lots of fun adventures. Traveling with a pup in an rv, get him chipped, get a good harness and safety system for riding in your vehicle,and make sure your have a temperature monitoring system to alert you if temperature is out of range such as My Waggle. There is a great Facebook group called canine enrichment. It was recommended to me by my vet. Lots of great ideas of solutions for tiring out dogs inside with important mental stimulation. My pup's favorite so far is the lickmat. Also learned that it is great to let your dog lead and sniff within safety of course. The stimulation is even better than brisk walking. With dogs a hurried walk is not actually as beneficial as a leisurely stroll. Never get mad a a dog for accidents, it is always a people problem.. Learn as an pet parent Most importantly, lots of love. Wishing you guys the very best.
Louie is adorable - you guys will be excellent pet parents! You'll need a 'temp stick' to keep him safe in the RV when you guys run out and he stays home. Best!
1 good tip I can give is to not punish him in his crate if he chews something or has an accident, etc. He needs to feel safe in there. He's going to be a great addition to the family 🤠
Oh! My! Gosh!! What a doll baby! Congratulations! Ok … for the advice. I taught hand gestures along with verbal commands. My dog is a puggle and when the beagle side is active she tends to not hear me but responds really well to the gestures. I also taught her a game of “find the treat”. This involved having her in stay and placing a treat down somewhat close to her. After a very brief time I’d point in the direction of the treat and say find the treat. Then we’d repeat with the treat further away, eventually getting it into a whole new area out of sight. Eventually she got to the point that I could get tricky and place it in things or on different levels. It works great to exercise their brains and noses but most importantly her response to the stay gesture is rock solid and never fails because it’s so tied in with her favorite game. Personally I think stay and leave it are the two most important commands. Lucky puppy and lucky you!, congratulations again!
Congratulations on adding Louie to your family! Such a handsome lad. Our dog, a yellow lab named Hank, loved RV travel until about a year before his passing in 2020. He just didn’t/or maybe couldn’t make it up the steps to our Class A pusher. We are now in the process of looking for a dog to add back to our family. Of course, you should consider chipping Louie. Socialization with people and with animals is very important. Words and consistency matter when communicating with your pet. Whether you choose “come”, “return”, or whatever, consistently use that exact command when wanting your pet to return to you. I like “come” because the harsh “C” sound carries in the air easier than a softer “return” sound. The same with the other commands. We worked with on hand signals too. Both are important. Crate training was something that we didn’t do with Hank, but certainly will do so with our next dog. I made the mistake of feeding Hank from the table when he was young. How could I not??? Right? This was a mistake. In Hanks latter years, he started to pack on some pounds as he slowed down. I like the tip above about handling his feet quite a bit while he is younger. This familiarization helps the dog cope better with nail trimming. Just give Louie your love. You will receive his love back ten-fold.
Aaahh. Who doesn't love puppies! Utilize that crate for potty training. But here's my best advice, having successfully trained a dachshund who are also known for their stubbornness. You will hear/read to never scold them when they pee/poop in the house, because it's too long after-the-fact and the puppy won't understand. I followed that with a frustrating lack of success. So I gave that up and when I found a puddle on the floor, I took puppy to it and scolded her firmly (never spanked). Then I put her outside. And when she peed/pooped outside .... threw a party with praise and treats. She was perfectly trained at 4 months and now 3.5 years old with zero accidents! Also, prong collars. I know, I know. Controversial. But I learned this from a seasoned professional dog trainer. Get the brand that does not have sharp prongs, for leash training. The dog will quickly learn that as long as he/she doesn't pull, nothing will poke. An ecollar for general training. Very effective with good how-to videos on youtube. The same professional trainer highly recommended it. It's so important to teach them to immediately come when called. The dog's life may depend on it. Home Depot or Lowes are good places to socialize him around people. They welcome dogs. And, of course, there are always dog parks. Buy your dog poop bags at Dollar stores. Last I checked, you won't find quality (with high protein content) dog food at grocery stores. I buy ours at Petco. Our Petco also offers vaccinations each month. Some feed stores do also. Just ask. Much cheaper than taking to a vet for shots. Finally, and this is very important ... If you plan to have him fixed, wait until after AT LEAST a year when he's fully grown. Studies say that dogs need those hormones for proper growth. Enjoy your new baby! He's adorable!
Congratulations on your new puppy. As you know, nutrition is a big deal for humans and also Louie. You might want to check out the book "The Forever Dog". The author also has youtube videos; Dr. Karen Becker. Very insightful. Good luck.
Dr. Karen Becker has great products and information! Our Maltese was diagnosed with cancer when she was 10 years old. She will be 15 in May. NO chemo, just great products from Dr. Becker. High percentage of dogs are diagnosed with cancer after the age of 10. Lots of parks still use Glyphosate(causes cancer). Soak your dogs paws in water and white vinegar for 2 minutes after walks.
If he nips at you...Yelp like you are his pack member. TRAIN, TRAIN TRAIN... Dogmocs for the hot pavement. They are the best brand ever. Even if you think that the paws will get used to running. I use these with our Pitbull, and she does great. I would also get him Rattlesnake snake training.
Congratulations! Here is a good idea. Set out a chime or bell by the back door. When you take him outside have him tap his nose gently against the bell. Then say something like, “let’s go potty.” Take him out on a leash. Take him where you want to potty. Don’t talk to him. Just look out away until he pees or poops. Once he does it, praise him and play for a minute. Over and over. He will want to do what you want.
Louie is adorable! Congrats! Sounds like you are giving him what he needs to keep him mostly sweetie: consistent activity, attention, training. Throw in generous socialisation with people & other animals, and he'll be a perfect travel companion. We also travel in an ORV (21KVS) and recently found out about your channel thru the ORV Owners Facebook group. Looking forward to watching more of your vlogs! Here's to continued safe & marvelous adventures🌞
We have a jack-russell/beagle mix that looks very much like Louie. We took Sage to a puppy class to get her used to being around other dogs and learn some basic stuff. That might be tough as you guys travel. We have always been very consistent in our the language of commands so she associated inflection and words with the desired action. We give a lot of little rewards as well as verbal praise even after 4 years. Louie is adorable.
Congratulations on the new family member cute little fella I was looking at the exact same dog it’s been a while since I had a dog I’m still on the fence be blessed
You guys are going to have so much fun!!! He’ll be your child and such a great addition to share your travels with. Keeps socks and underwear under lock and key. That’s the biggest danger to puppies.. And rawhide till his digestion is mature. Look for digestible treats for puppies.
