How To Stop Your Basenji From Growling

As anyone who has ever owned a Basenji will tell you, these dogs do not bark. However, they do make a series of other sounds including howling, yodeling and growling. One type of growl that your Basenji may make that is unmistakable is what is called a warning growl. This growl is exactly what the name implies. It is a growl that your dog gives to warn people and other animals that they do not want to be approached or do not like what is going around close by and feel threatened by the action. This growl is telling the intruder to stay away because your Basenji is prepared to defend himself if he feels the need. Defending himself could mean that anyone or anything not heeding the warning could get bit.

The first thing you and any family member should do when your Basenji issues a warning growl is to immediately stop what you are doing and slowly move away. In doing so you relieve your dogs fear and will defuse the situation temporarily giving your dog time to calm down. Never, reprimand or punish a dog for growling. Doing so may stop the growling but, it won’t stop your dog from feeling threatened and a threatened dog who cannot issue a warning, may simply attack without warning making for a serious situation and possible injury.

Keep track of when your dog growls and under what conditions these warnings occur. If the growling only occurs when a child is too rough with the dog, then the solution to the problem lies in training your children to treat your Basenji properly. Once the dog realizes that the children are not going to hurt him he will lose his fear and be more relaxed and less likely to growl.

However, if your Basenji seems to growl frequently no matter who approaches him or what is going on his fear may be due to the fact that he was not properly socialized and feels threatened all the time. In this case you will have to take steps to earn your Basenji trust and to properly socialize him. If your Basenji is still a puppy you can socialize him yourself with patience and consistent training. However, if he is already an adult you may want to consult a professional for tips and advice.

The first step whether your Basenji is a puppy or an adult dog is to earn his trust. You can do this by allowing your pet to approach you rather than you approaching him. Offer him treats and kind words to encourage him. Once he approaches and allows you to pet him, then you can begin approaching him. Take things slowly and always back away when he becomes fearful. Make sure everyone in the home does the same thing, as you want to be consistent.

Once you have gained his trust, start teaching him simple commands such as sit and stay. When he learns those, then you can slowly start socializing him to new people and new situations. Go slowly and make sure he is comfortable in one new situation before introducing him to the next. With your love and support he will soon become less fearful and more confident and will stop growling simply because he is less fearful.