friend for bax

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Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

beginning to seriously entertain the idea of getting a friend for bax. i think 90% of his barking is just pent up energy that no matter how hard i work with him hes just never done (terrier, duh) if he had a buddy to tussel with or at least mutually groom or something it might help. every time i come home from work im met by this tsunami of bax that doesn't relent all day. (and even sometimes into the night when im trying to sleep)

my only concern is that i get another dog and we just end up with synchronized barking.

TLDR Bax isnt getting his needs met and i think getting another dog might help. thoughts?

edit: hes tearing my apartment apart >.<
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

NVM...sigh... cap of one dog on the lease. stuck dealign with bax on my own
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

i gotta do something though, bax is MISERABLE. hes going crazy here
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

i think i need to invest in more toys..... stuffed my empty paper towel tube with treats and paper towels and hes quietly tearing it apart...... giving my poor baby even a minutes rest so he doesnt have to think about all the noises makes me so happy.

i have a job, i have the means, i am okay with the idea of making my dog super fat if it makes him happy. GIVE ME TOYS/IDEAS!!!!!!!!!

things he currently has: roller ball that dispenses kibble as its rolled(no longer used. i dont think he really lieks kibble), kong(soooo much peanut butter), rectangular wooden treat board (nose the sliders over to reveal treat pockets. hes bored with it and can do it in seconds)

I'm gonna get the treat tower that Lotsa has (possibly for xmas, sooner if need be), im gonna make a snuffle mat to, prolly this weekend

I've perused the Mind thread repeatedly but alot of it just wont work very well with bax.

Any thoughts?

edit: https://www.amazon.com/TRIXIE-Pet-Produ ... =9325&th=1 buying him this to
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
jacksdad
Posts: 4887
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by jacksdad »

have you tried teaching him to hunt for small bits of food hidden around a room at his nose level or lower?

if you use something smelly, you can keep the size of the food bits small. if you play a lot you can deduct a bit from Bax's regular meal.

to teach Bax to 'hunt' for the food, start by placing the food very easy to find. you can even combined things like a sit / stay with the release of "find it" when you have finished hiding the bits of food.
Ari_RR
Posts: 2037
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:07 am
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: friend for bax

Post by Ari_RR »

What is your walking schedule like with Bax, and what do you do on walks?
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

jacksdad wrote: Wed Nov 15, 2017 9:55 pm have you tried teaching him to hunt for small bits of food hidden around a room at his nose level or lower?

if you use something smelly, you can keep the size of the food bits small. if you play a lot you can deduct a bit from Bax's regular meal.

to teach Bax to 'hunt' for the food, start by placing the food very easy to find. you can even combined things like a sit / stay with the release of "find it" when you have finished hiding the bits of food.
he used to LOVE to hunt for food in class (we did a nose work class together) but my instructor told me to not do it at home because hed never settle, hed get fixated on finding food around the house once he knew it was a possibility. do you think thats a possibility? id hate to add to his anxiety by trying to erase it. :(

@Ari, we go a mile stop and sniff(which i consider the bare minimum) but its not safe in my area. there was another shooting around here just the other night. it's just... not a good neighborhood.
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Lotsaquestions
Posts: 646
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:06 am

Re: friend for bax

Post by Lotsaquestions »

I've always found Trixie puzzle things to be a bit naff if you haven't bought it already! They're always far too easy.

You could fill up a big box full of ripped up newspaper, then wrap some small smelly treats in some of the newspaper balls and let him snuffle through there. Merlin loves doing that. Then he'll only think food is in the newspaper box and won't try and find it all day if he's that way inclined, and he'll be forced to use his nose to wear him out.

Also another thing you can do is some fake assistance dog training. Any house chores you need to do, give Bax a task to do alongside it. I have Merlin bring me any 'accidently' dropped wet socks to the dryer, for example, which makes him focussed on helping me out instead of barking at me to play. You could 'accidently' make a mess and drop random things behind you, and have Bax pick them up and bring them to you.
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

aaaannd now hes destructive. tore down a blanket id put up over the window so he wouldnt bark through it and THEN broke the blinds. been here a month and hes allready breaking ****. im pissed at him beyond words and borderline ready to start looking for a new home for him.
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

okay i took a few deep breaths and im doing better now. not waiting for xmas on those dog toys and reaffirming my desire to turn him into a stuffed sausage with food which will hopefully keep him calmer
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: friend for bax

Post by Erica »

If you have a Facebook, the group Canine Enrichment has sooo many ideas for things to do with dogs.

I wonder if you could try to find someone else with a terrier who needs a playmate and get together for play sessions in a yard or small dog area of a dog park? Few people use those, at least in my area, so they're almost always open.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: friend for bax

Post by Erica »

And Nando Brown just posted this video on "reducing arousal with minimal stimulation" which could be useful!
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Lotsaquestions
Posts: 646
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:06 am

Re: friend for bax

Post by Lotsaquestions »

Being a terrier does he love tug? There is an indoor Tether Tug you can buy which might help him when you're not around. There are also automatic ball throwers if he likes to chase, but he'll have to be taught how to put the ball back in!

There is also a kong dispenser you can buy that chucks out a new kong on a timer, which means that the dog isn't left with all the goodies at once. KongTime Toy Dispenser.

If he's being destructive whilst you're not there you could playpen train him. Merlin is hyper vigilant, but in his playpen he won't even bark at the doorbell because he's been conditioned to see it as his safe space. I did this by giving him three (yes three!) kongs for nighttime in there, and a kong if we ever left him alone. Then slowly reduced the kongs, and now he'll happily go in for a small cube of his favourite treat and within seconds he's asleep. The entire playpen is covered so its like a large crate, which limits any visual stimulation.
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

tether tug looks amazing, knowing my luck he'll ignore it but ill try anything! got a few more toys (the treat tower for one) arriving soon so i think ill hold off till december after my bills get paid. (still trying to figure out just how much money i have left after bills)

and that arousal video was like a balm to my soul erica. thats exactly what bax does when we're just sitting trying to settle. that also makes me feel better about my decision to block the window he was barking out of. i was all "well he barked at home when people pulled into the driveway...." yes but this isnt home and anything i can do to keep his arousal levels lower is a win....

as far as puppy play groups he's snarled and lunged at every dog hes seen since we moved soooooo i dont wanna risk it. he was always iffy with other dogs before we moved anyway so i would have been hesitant to try even then.
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: friend for bax

Post by Shalista »

biting the bullet and buying him a new t touch harness. its a strain to buckle the belly as is right now and i forsee him putting on a pound or two i nthe future
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
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