Basenji mixes added to the BRAT mix site during August

BRAT unfortunately lacks the resources to foster the many basenji mixes that we are asked to rehome. Joanne Free works with the owners to obtain information to post these dogs to the BRAT mix website.

Check out these mixes added to the BRAT mix site in August

female mix - RUBY - AZ

male mix - ROO - CA

female mix - CHLOE - GA

male mix - RUSTY - GA

female mix - ISIS - IN

female mix - BELLA MIA

female mix - NELLY - TN

male mix - RINGO - TX moving to IL

Please consider helping these sweet dogs find a home. Click on their link for more information. To contact Joanne, email her at: giza1@wildroseinternet.ca

It’s a Small World...when it comes to basenjis

I live in Georgia about 25 miles north of Atlanta. I was visiting New York this weekend with my son and everywhere we went we saw dog owners walking their dogs (and sometimes dogs walking their owners). I was trying to imagine my BRAT, Fenway, living in this great big city. And I’ll have to admit I was missing him quite a bit.

Then walking through Central Park looking for the Alice in Wonderland sculpture near the Conservatory Water what should I see but a handsome red and white basenji just like my Fenway. And he was pulling on his leash, just like Fenway was the very first time I saw him. Of course I had to speak to the owner because I rarely see another basenji. And I learned that, like Fenway, her dog, Dude, was a BRAT!!! Our dogs are almost the same age, approaching five years old, and we adopted from BRAT at roughly the same time, when they were each around the age of two.

Of course we swapped stories about living with a basenji (hers is less destructive than mine, but he once gave her quite a scare when he climbed out of the dog run to chase a squirrel), then we went our respective ways. But I can’t help thinking what a small world it is. And how seeing Dude for that brief amount of time was just what I needed to tide me over until I can get home tomorrow and see my Fen!

Cheryl Grier

Proud owner of Fenway, BRAT rescue, January, 2007

Adventures in Photography or Schrodinger’s Basenji

I often get the comment, “Oh, what a beautiful dog!”

I smile and nod like a proud parent, and Denny Basenji, if he’s there, will look at them with his patented, “Yeah? So you just noticed?” look. It’s the look of the cool kid in high school who knows he’s bad to the bone.

When I first got Denny, I pondered at great length why these adorable, scrunchy-forehead dogs with personalities a-go-go weren’t all over the greeting card/gift book/calendar industry. I mean, Poms, Pugs, Labs, Boxers, Weimaraners and Poodles all had their day in the sun. I decided on a one-woman crusade to fix this. I would take pictures of this Basenji and send them to my friends and family, starting a viral fad that would spread over the world, bringing people of the world together in adoration of the Basenji’s devastating cuteness.

I was prepared to spend some time trying to get these pictures. Turns out, Denny had other ideas about how to spend his time. There were toys to eviscerate, bones to chew, dogs to snark at, and cushions to be snuggled. There was barely enough time in the day for all of that, plus getting his two walks and two square meals, let alone for modeling.

I tried to get photos of him at different times of day, on different pieces of furniture, outside, inside, sleeping, awake, eating, playing, looking out the window. I must have shot thousands of digital photos during those first four years. In most of them, he’s blurry, got red-eye or reflective-eye, making a face, covering his face with his paws, sneezing, growling, barooing, showing me his butt, pawing at me, looking away at the last minute or just blatantly running away.

Getting a really good picture of Denny became like an exercise in Schrodinger’s Basenji, trying to prove that a Basenji can be in the room and captured on camera at the same time. My husband Eric has joined me as an enthusiastic photographer of our dog, and he has taken it to a new level with videography. My dreams have now grown to capturing a video that will go viral on YouTube. Ha!

If you want to see first-hand what it takes to get a perfect Basenji picture, I invite you to visit the album of us trying to take our holiday card picture this past December.

Cait and Eric Holiday Pictures

In the end, though, I’m beginning to realize that the charm of the Basenji is not about being picture-perfect, but being picture imperfect. I asked Denny how he felt about all those cute Yellow Lab puppies being used to sell everything from antacids to tires, and his response was to open one eye to look at me accusingly and then go back to his nap.

Picture Imperfect.

You can also catch me blogging about life, love and transplants over at The Borrowers Club

Apollo & Asta

We got our first basenji, Apollo, eight years ago when he was two.  He belonged to a friend of a friend who had four basenjis and realized his life was out of control.  Apollo's former owner was aware of the possible difficulties with basenjis, so he was giving up the one he thought would make the smoothest adjustment to a new life.  We fell in love with Apollo the minute we met him, and he has been a part of our family since.  While Apollo has many basenji qualities - he's aloof, he loves toilet paper, he sometimes steals an entire loaf of bread from the kitchen to eat on our bed - he is generally much more mellow than other basenjis.  If it were up to him, he wouldn't wake up until noon, and he has not been house destructive.

Hallie decided a few years ago that we needed another basenji, and I agreed.  It would be good to have a friend for Apollo.  We got Asta through BRAT two years ago when he was two.  Asta came to us anxious and traumatized, but so sweet.  He never sat still, and compulsively turned in counter-clockwise circles, looking like he wished he could stop.  We fell in love with him and so did Apollo.  After a few days of establishing rank, Apollo and Asta became fast friends.  

Asta has been a joy to have in our lives, and he has also been extremely destructive.  He has eaten almost all of our books and pillows.  He ate a down comforter and the keys off of my laptop.  A friend commented that it was like having a pet shark.  For the first year and a half we had to hold him at night to keep him from getting up and destroying our room while we slept. At the same time, Asta is the sweetest and most agreeable guy.  If you pick him up, he relaxes immediately and collapses into your arms.  He is like a living teddy bear.  Over the last six months Asta has matured and calmed down.  He actually willingly lays down now, and sleeps much of the day.  He still runs in counter clockwise circles, but less often and with less desperation.  

Even when it has been difficult, we have never been anything but happy to have Asta in our lives.  Along with making us laugh, keeping us warm in the Winter, and being Apollo's best friend, Asta teaches us every day the fleeting quality of material objects.  We think of it as Darwin's Theory of Decorating, or The Thinning of the Herd.  Whatever Asta destroys, we probably didn't need anyway!

Why? Because I live with Basenjis.

Hi, It's me again! I had to think hard about this post. I've lived with Basenjis for 11 years now, and I can hardly remember a life without them!

Q. Why does the toilet paper in my house usually look like this?
A. Because I live with Basenjis.

Q. Why do I (try to) keep all knitting supplies at least 4 feet from the floor?
A. Because I live with Basenjis.

Q. Why do I sleep in an enormous bed?
A. Because I live with Basenjis.

Q. Why does the sunniest bedroom of my home only have a futon and chew toys in it?
A. Because I live with Basenjis.

Q. Why is there never anywhere for me to sit?
A. Because I live with Basenjis.

Q. And how can it be that I always have friends around, even though I live alone?
A. I think you know the answer. :)

My personal blog can be found at verypink.com, and my 365-day photography project can be found on flickr.

Blaze's second birthday

This week, we are celebrating Blaze's second birthday. This is a day she likely would not have lived to see had it not been for BRAT. Blaze, one of 28 basenjis rescued from a South Dakota puppy mill in March 2008, was a 7 month old severely underweight and unhealthy puppy. Her digestive problems, typical of many in her group, had caused her to nearly starve to death. She weighed less than 8 lbs when rescued, but now is a healthy and beautiful 15 lb girl.

The health expenses of the SD group plunged BRAT into the red ink deeper than ever before experienced.

Thankfully, the SD basenjis all found forever homes and recovered, and yet BRAT's vetting expenses continue to exceed our income. Without generous donations and the income from the calendar sales BRAT could not continue to save the many basenjis who need our help.

Thank you for keeping the financial needs of rescue in mind. For more information on how to donate to BRAT, click here.

(The second picture is Blaze shortly after rescue. The first photo is Blaze with her formerly heartworm positive Brat brother, Vegas, rescued in 2002.)

Liz Newton
BRAT Director, Vice President and Regional Coordinator for the Central States.
elizabethanewton@hotmail.com

My Dog Looks Like A Bag Lady

Dogs may not have fashion sense, but they can sense when someone loves them.

My first knitting project was just a plain, old scarf. I made it out of two skeins of acrylic yarn, in a color called “Old El Paso.” In retrospect, I should have done the old El Pass-o at the yarn shop. But the label said that it was “a velvety soft, 100% acrylic that looks like mohair.”

When the scarf was finished, I decided that I hated it. It wasn’t very soft, and it certainly wasn’t mohair. So, I unraveled it.

I finally decided to use the yarn and make a coat for one of our basenjis. We had three – two were old BRAT rescues. I decided that our girl Momma Roz, who at this point was 14 years old, could use a thick acrylic mohair-like sweater for the bitter upstate New York winters.

I got a pattern. I measured the dog. I followed the pattern. And I realized I wasn’t a very good knitter.

Still, Momma Roz knew exactly what that big hunk of fake mohair yarn was going to be. She wagged her tail and sat in front of me each time I sat down to work on it. Half way through, I decided to try it on her for size. When I put it on her, she pranced around the room, modeling it for me. She was probably showing off to the other two basenjis, excited that she was getting handmade knits.

My husband came home and saw Momma Roz in her unfinished sweater. Then he asked why the dog looked like a bag lady.

"A bag lady? Well, it's not finished. It needs sleeves."

"She looks like a bag lady."

"Well, it's just for going out on walks..."

"She looks like a bag lady."

He was right. She looked like a bag lady dog, in a 100% acrylic fake mohair coat.



I unraveled the sweater, and tried again. And again. Ultimately, I realized that Momma Roz didn’t really care what it looked like. She didn’t care that she looked like a bag lady. She just cared that it was warm, even if it looked ridiculous. And whenever I saw her in her little sweater, I told her how pretty she looked; she’d prance around the room showing off for me, and bragging to the other basenjis about how her sweater was hand knit, while theirs were store bought. My Momma Roz made acrylic look chic.

Momma Roz wore her fake mohair sweater nine months out of the year for two years, until she passed over to the Rainbow Bridge. She brought that sweater with her, and I bet she's showing it off, still.

~Lynda



(Dedicated to Momma Roz (aka Rosalyn) - our BRAT.)

Basenjis and Foster Homes

Without foster homes, BRAT would cease to exist. Rescue is probably one of the only businesses in the world that would love to go out of business.

Where do our Basenjis come from? All over. BRAT gets Basenjis from loving homes that can no longer care for them for whatever reason. Economic hardships, working long hours, new babies, job transfers, military deployments, and Basenjis that had gotten along in the past wake-up one day and start fighting, are some of the reasons owners have to give up their Basenjis. BRAT gets them from puppy mills and backyard breeders who decide Basenjis are more trouble than they are worth and not the "cash crop" they believed them to be. BRAT gets Basenjis from Animal Controls, Humane Societies, and Shelters from all over the US. These are the "unknowns" that especially must go through a fostering period so BRAT can figure out the type of Basenji they are and the forever home they need. All of these Basenjis need to be afforded a life that they deserve, in a loving home that wants them, and the foster home is the one that provides this opportunity.

Foster homes come with different levels of experience - from the brand new to the very experienced. And sometimes foster Basenjis need to be moved out of experienced homes into less experienced foster homes because there is a Basenji that can only be evaluated by an experienced foster home. These are the dogs with health and/or temperament issues that need to be evaluated by a home with a lot of rescue and Basenji experience. But the foster Basenji(s) moved from the experienced home are very much known and loved and just need a home that is willing to house and love them till they are placed.

But I warn you, fostering takes courage. You have to have to courage to love and work with that foster Basenji so they can find a forever home and it can be hard to say good-bye. But we foster homes find comfort in knowing it was because of us that these Basenjis do have a great home and life now. I found when one of my foster Basenjis leave, they leave with their head held high and walk into their new homes with confidence; they learned how to trust and love because of my kids and me.

If you are able to open your hearts and your home, please consider becoming a foster home. The first step is filling out an adoption application, marked "Foster Home Only" on the bottom of the first part of the adoption application, next to "Who referred you to BRAT." This application is what the coordinator uses to match the evaluated Basenji to the foster home. As an example, if that new Basenji is evaluated not to like young kids or cats and you have either or, BRAT will not place that new foster in your home. The coordinator will also be there for you if you have any questions or concerns. BRAT does not place a Basenji in a foster home and then walks away. BRAT is there to support you.

Save a life and become a foster home. It can be a hard job but one of the most rewarding you'll ever experience.

For more information about becoming a foster home, please email BRAT-HELP@lists.basenjirescue.org. BRAT is only an email away.

~Barbara

Working with shelters and evaluating rescue dogs

If you work with your local shelter, you might want to send them our letter about basenjis. The letter includes photos of basenjis and information about how the shelter can contact BRAT if they receive a basenji. To see the shelter letter, click here.

BRAT sometimes asks its local volunteers to evaluate a basenji before we accept the dog into our program for possible placement. If you are asked to evaluate a dog, these guidelines will help you in asking the right questions and properly evaluating the dog. You will be supplied with a copy of the BRAT Rescue Form submitted by the owner. Be sure to review this form before you visit the dog and ask the owners to verify their answers to all of the questions on the form. Also, if you have a camera (digital or otherwise) bring it with you to the evaluation and send any photos to us so that we can post them on the Web site.

Click here for an evaluation checklist that will help you evaluate the dog.

We are an all-volunteer group, dedicated to the health and well-being of basenjis in need. We welcome adding volunteers to the BRAT team! To volunteer, just click here.

Why the Oldies Are Golden

I learned of the joys of owning an older dog when we adopted Leo. I am often sad for the older dogs who aren’t given a chance, and for the people who miss so much by passing them by.
When I talk to people about adopting dogs, I frequently hear these comments: "I want a dog young enough to bond with me." "I want a puppy so I can teach it before it gets set in its ways." "An older dog won't love me as much as his first owner."

We have found that dogs of all ages respond to love. All four of the basenjis we've been privileged to share our lives with came to us as adults, ranging in age from two weeks shy of his second birthday to thirteen and a half years. All of them bonded with us easily and deeply. Just as with a puppy one might bring home, there are periods of adjustment when the dog gets to know and trust his humans. Everyone learns each other's preferences and personality quirks, and both sides learn the daily routine, the warp and woof of intertwined lives. (OK, there's no woof with basenjis, but there's enough warp to make up for it.)

Our relationship with our first Basenji, Reno, evolved over the years, growing stronger and more multifaceted as time went by. As with any family member, the relationship with your dog in the first week or month is not what it will be in the coming months and years. The bond will grow over time. As you grow together, your lives will become more closely interwoven, and you will become more and more attuned to each other.

Don't hesitate to take an adult dog into your heart and home. Dogs are not like ducks who, upon hatching, imprint on the first creature they see, and then socially bond to that parent figure, giving no one else an opportunity to claim their affections. Mature dogs can be full of love, energy, and joy. There are the tail wags, the paw waves, the moments on a walk when they look at you and you realize they know you belong to them. You look in their eyes and know they love you. Dogs love generously, and the bond they share with their humans is rich and full because they are so grateful for a second chance.

Our nine-year-old basenji girl Dasa came to us when she was four. She was initially shy and worried, but step by step she began to trust and love us. It was very rewarding to see her personality blossom as she realized we are her forever family. She’s affectionate, loving, and sweet natured, and she knows we are hers.

Our little Leo was 13 1/2 when BRAT found him on doggy death row in a nearby pound. He had been abandoned by his first family, but he remained so sweet, trusting, and gentle. We never doubted the love shining from his soft brown eyes.

Many people think of adopting only puppies or very young dogs, but adult dogs have so much to give. Most older dogs are housebroken and somewhat calmer, although with basenjis this degree of calmness might be subtle. Basenjis often do not "grow up" at age two, that magic number that's supposed to usher in the beginning of staid maturity. Basenjis stay active and full of energy, mischief, and playfulness long after some other breeds become more sedate.

When Ivan came to us at age two, we were his fourth home, yet he is miraculously happy, giving -- and demanding -- attention and affection. He very quickly knew he was home. He is sensitive, affectionate, cuddly, and often challenging as Ivan, in typical basenji fashion, has his own agenda.

Adult dogs can be taught any number of things. Puppies have to go through kindergarten, but adult dogs can skip right to obedience. (Our basenjis have gone through basic obedience multiple times, although I have a feeling some of my basenji children were "set in their ways" at birth.) With a basenji, age can be an advantage in obedience class because an adult dog is, comparatively speaking, past the more frenzied puppy stage and might pay attention longer. Again, adult basenjis might stay focused more easily, but that doesn't mean they will decide to do what you want. Older basenjis are generally past the challenges of potty training, and are less likely to chew and be destructive. However, if you really want a calm, obedient dog, age alone is not going to help you. You need something else entirely, maybe a Lab or Basset Hound.

(Revised from a 2004 BRAT column written to honor Leo and golden oldies everywhere.)

Meet & Greet

How is it that you can manage to get two Basenjis to meet each other (or another breed for that matter) with out growls, snarks and the "mohawk"? Heaven forbid that they be on leash. Then you're trying to keep ahead of the tangle and out of the way of that sudden head-to-tail switch-a-roo they all seem to have perfected.


We've tried unleashed in the yard, leashed on the street, in neutral territory and just about any other way we could think up. Still, how do we make sure that they're safe until they get past the sniff & growls? We've had various degrees of success with different methods with different dogs. It wasn't until I read some of the work of Turid Rugaas about "Calming Signals" that I discovered things about my Basenji that I never knew. I suddenly realized that my furkids were telling me things all the time. I was deaf, dumb and blind.


So now, I try to be as aware of my behavior as I am of what my Basenjis are telling me when a new dog comes into the picture. It is as important for me to utilize calming signals as it is for me to be aware of the signs of stress in my kids and try to implement actions that can break that stress. If we're out walking on leash, I never approach another dog directly or quickly. Slow and curved sideways type approach, stops are okay, but not directly facing the other dog. Stopping to sit at an angle can be good too. Of course it helps it the other dog walkers know how to follow the same approach! It helps even more if the other dogs are actually on a leash!!


My most recent difficulty came with a basenji foster boy who was taken to a single dog home when six or seven weeks old and who was never exposed to other dogs. He didn't respond to most of the signals I had grown so used to seeing in my other, better dog-socialized, Basenjis. We had to go very slowly, with many, many stops to backtrack.


Learning to listen/see what my Basenjis have been trying to tell me has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. For more information check out www.canis.no/rugaas or do a google search for "Calming Signals for Dogs".

Reunited!

While this isn't really BRAT news, per se, it is about basenjis so I thought I would share this story + cute pics with you. Earlier this year I got in contact with a woman who owns the sister to my non-BRAT basenji Calvin. I learned that she was also involved with BRAT and would be attending the convention along with Calvin's sister Versace. While I was planning on going to the convention anyway knowing that Calvin would have a little family reunion was an extra incentive to go.

I wondered if they would recognize each other and if so what kind of a greeting they would have. My Calvin is a silly prankster so I figured he would probably nip Miss Versace, or play slap her, or pull her tail. And when they met? Absolutely nothing. But, nothing to a basenji meant clearly something. Versace was the only dog there that Calvin didn't antagonize and Calvin was the only dog who Versace didn't get snarky with. They had a peaceful and calm acceptance of each other (which was a surprise as Calvin is never peaceful or calm about anything!). It is moments like these that I wish I could know what was going on in that little dog brain + little dog heart. But I do think he was glad to be with his sis. :)

Learning to Live with a Basenji

In my last post I mentioned my first basenji, Jazzie, as the reason for me finding and becoming a part of BRAT.

Now, I mentioned that she was my first "rescue" but technically, I did buy her from a pet store. However, in my mind, I was saving her from a life of certain horror as basenjis are rare and if someone else bought her she would be doomed. Like I knew what the heck! As a young puppy, Jazzie was a dear, sweet thing who house trained quickly, crate trained easily and barely made a peep! I didn't get the Basenji-500 at all that we watched in amazement. Even the other two dogs, a mini schnauzer and a schipperke looked on in confusion.

When Jazzie proved to be "accident proof" in the house, she was allowed to spend time outside of the crate, but contained in the kitchen with the other dogs. Soon we found kitchen towels shredded; placemats stolen from the kitchen table were also found shredded. Hmmm... Smedley, the mini schnauzer, was 11 years old. He NEVER caused a bit of destruction and had the run of the house since he was housetrained.

Flippie,the schipperke, was 2 and had her moments of destructive behavior but seemed to have outgrown them.Then the culprit was caught in the act! One of the kids had left their backpack on the floor in the kitchen. Jazzie was going to town chewing a hole in the side of it; determined to finish the snack that had been left behind! OK, so we learned to remove the placemats from the the table after use, put the towels out of reach and backpacks were NOT to be left within Jazzie's reach.

We had things under control now; no more destruction. Or so we thought... So one day, I came home and found some of the cabinet doors in the kitchen open. Kinda creepy, pots and pans were laying about the floor. The next day, I came home to find the cleaning products from under the kitchen sink ransacked and strewn all over the kitchen. How was Jazzie getting into the cabinets? There were no pulls or handles! A trip to Baby's R Us was made to purchase baby locks to install on the cabinet doors. Success! We outsmarted our basenji girl again!

A few weeks later, I came home to find some of the kitchen drawers open and pilfered. The drawer that contained all the owner's manuals for the appliances had been turned into confetti. Thumbs were chewed off the oven mitts, dish towels were turned into dog towels.Meanwhile, you're probably wondering what wasn't happening in the house for Jazzie to continue with this behavior. Well, Jazzie had doggie playmates, human playmates, a huge fenced in yard to run in and was walked daily. She was "home schooled" for obedience. Being very food motivated, she learned all the basIc commands quite quickly. She has the prettiest down-stay, crossing her front paws :-) which she will do, if it appears an especially tasty treat is in the offing.I feel we did/do all the right things, a bit sloppily at times and this is just her innate nature.

I call her the hoodlum. She sleeps with one eye open at all times. She is cool as a cucumber, patient and takes full advantage of every opportunity presented to her. Jazzie will be 7 years old in December. She is no longer a holy terror in the house, but we cannot let our guard down completely. Because if we do, she lets us know, BAD IDEA!

When I think back to the day I brought Jazzie home, I know I did the right thing. I had no idea what kind of "monster" I was bringing home. But if I hadn't, she probably would have ended up in rescue. I'm glad I got there first.Next post, I'll have to tell you about Jazzie's escapades outside the fenced in yard...

Calendars available soon

The 2010 BRAT calendar will soon be on sale. We are working with the printer and hope to be ready to take orders within the new two weeks (fingers crossed!).

To see the top ten basenji photos as voted by BRAT members, click here.

Once calendars go on sale, we would appreciate if you could help get out the word about them--by telling your friends as well as posting calendar information to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The Basenji and the Door Bumper

Since I work from home with a generally predictable schedule, I try to keep to a regular routine of three walks a day with Bow. There are beginning of and end of the day walks of at least 30 minutes and usually before and after the respective “doggy rush hours” since I am a fairly early riser. We also usually try to slip in a quick 15-20 minute walk after lunch.

This usually does the trick for a content basenji and not too much excitement when we are ready for our regular walks.

There are occasions when it’s quite clear that she wants to go out now or that she thinks I’ve waited too long for her assigned walking time. Her signal is clear and predictable – she paws the spring door bumper. It’s usually one quick hit, but sometimes if she’s emphatic enough, she will hit everyone in the house, sometimes making several rounds with a louder “BONG!!!” with each loop of the house.

A couple of people say this simply couldn’t happen or that no dog is that smart, to which I give the usual “But you’ve not been around a basenji.”

Most people (some of whom have seen it) agree that is what she is telling me, but I’d appreciate others weighing in on the appropriate response.

· Is it best to respond and take her for a walk, or is that caving in and reinforcing manipulative behavior?

· Is it best to ignore it until there is relative calm and then go?

· If ignoring it results in the behavior escalating, then what?

· Has anyone else experienced this behavior?

Although we have a small garden/yard with grass and concrete, she has never “done her routine” out there. Whenever the back door is open, she is out there in a flash, sniffing around, peeking through the fence to see if the neighbor dogs are out, and back in the house in 90 seconds or less.

To date, this has never happened more than two to three times a month, but I’d be interested in other perspectives or suggestions or if this is a brooding issue that needs to be addressed.

Volunteering, It's an Addiction

In December of 2006 I emailed Liz Newton for the first time. I had read a story about her and BRAT in a local newspaper and being the new owner of a Basenji, I was compelled to contact her. I started my volunteering ways by sending a few shelter letters out. For the cost of a few stamps, I was in the volunteering business while I learned about my new Basenji. That first week, Gizmo ate a roll of stamps, five letters, and most of a box of printer paper. We were off to a roaring start. I calmly explained to my new paper shredder that I was trying to keep dogs like him from ending up in bad company. I believe his response was to raise an eyebrow and trot off with my shelter addresses, but I've repressed that particular memory.

Once I figured out how to keep the paper goods away from the Basenji, things got easier. I just had to fill in a couple blanks, print, send. Viola! I was ready for bigger things! My next project? A BUR run. The Basenji Underground Railroad, a chance to see another Basenji in person. I was positively giddy. I drove to Liz's house, and there they were, a billion Basenji's. Ok, ok, not a billion but darn close. Liz has 2 of her own, plus the ever fabulous Marley the poodle, and she was housing a metric poo ton of Basenji pups and a couple of Mama's that needed movin'. I was in Basenji wrinkle heaven, the cuteness factor was OFF the charts my friends.

My job? Drive. Simple as that. Me, my mom, and Mapquest made a relatively short venture with the cutest cargo ever. I met up with another volunteer about 3 hours from home, said goodbye to the babies and Mama, and headed for the mall. What? You didn't think I'd drive three hours from home and not shop, did you? Since my first BUR, I've done many more. I've also screened and currently foster and coordinate, but those are stories for another day.

I promise you that the feeling you get the first time you hand off a B to it's new owner(s), or pass a passel of puppies off to the next BRAT BUR volunteer, will make your heart happy. So, if you've ever asked yourself "How can I help?", the answer is start small and enjoy. Contact your closest district coordinator and offer your services. Send shelter letters, drive an hour or two, screen a new applicant. Anyone can do these things and the more of us that are involved, the easier it becomes, the smoother it goes, and more Basenji's find forever homes.

Did Basenjis Exist in Prehistoric Days?

Flying in the face of all biological research, I am convinced that Basenjis are distant relatives of the Velociraptor. You remember…from Jurassic Park. Yep, that scary bird-like dinosaur that terrorized Jeff Goldblum and company. Now, why would I say that? It’s certainly not because my dog ‘kids’ are reptilian or have scales or gigantic sharp teeth – in fact, both of them are quite fuzzy and cuddly. It has much more to do with their behavior. Let me explain.

Nearly every day during our walk, we come across one of the many adorable creatures that meander through our suburban Tampa neighborhood – bunnies, ducks, turtles, kitties, armadillos, squirrels and occasionally deer. Being at least 4 feet or so taller than the dogs and on the lookout for ‘danger,’ I tend to notice these local critters first. They are usually nibbling grass or hunkered down in the brush after spotting our little group. Initially, I was surprised that I’m the first in our group to notice. I’ve since realized that there are plenty of other fabulous things to smell – like light poles, tree trunks, and discarded food wrappers – to keep my pups’ minds occupied. It’s what happens next that always amazed me.

Let’s say we are walking along our sidewalk with conservation/green space to one side and road to the other. For discussion, let’s say I spot the exact same gray, taunting bunny munching on the exact same piece of grass that he eats at exactly the same time every single day (our walk-time – no matter when we go). Generally, like all good, smart, still alive bunnies do, he freezes in mid-chew staring at the spectacle of pre-occupied dogs and a leash-tangled human coming up the sidewalk. He stays motionless as we walk closer and closer. For a long time, I expected both of my prey-driven sight hounds to immediately smell or see the bunny and tear off after him like the excellent hunters they are.

Uh, no. A funny thing happens, either: 1.) the bunny stays absolutely still, and my two B-kids waltz right by his fuzzy butt to sniff the next interesting light pole, or 2.) if Mr. Bunny moves even a twitchy little ear, the dogs see him instantly and a mad-dash, drag-mom-in-the-bushes chase ensues. We could walk right by without incident IF the bunny could hold it together long enough for us to pass. So I realized that, like Jurassic Park’s Velociraptors, my Basenjis were MUCH better locators of moving prey. Like the running, screaming, about-to-trip female character in the movie who attracts the attention of all the Velociraptors for a terrifying chase, my pups clearly prefer (um, notice) moving ‘prey.’

This revelation over time gave me the idea that if I, being the superior spotter but the inferior chaser, was to ‘announce’ every stationary critter along our walk, I could create excitement, be prepared for the chase (instead of the usual “caught totally off-guard” chaos), and exercise the dogs to boot. So I started calling out critters as I saw them. “Look! A bunny!” At first, I just got a few wrinkled head tilts and confused stares as we continued to stroll right on by the target. “Kids! A kitty!” Soon, my boy started to catch on after a few excursions where I literally had to walk up to the creature until it ran. He began to trust that when I hollered “Squirrel!” or “Kitty!” that there was fun to be had nearby. I added pointing to the mix - and he learned that the general direction I was facing/pointing included the “Armadillo!” or “Deer!” I’m guessing Velociraptors did not have their mothers pointing out their prey, but once spotted, Basenjis and Velociraptors are both known for their speed, intelligence, and coordinated hunting movements.

The added benefit to our newfound activity, besides ridding the neighborhood of cuddly forest creatures, is that my dogs pay close attention to me on walks when anything exciting-sounding comes flying out of my mouth. And if I need to distract them, I can just holler a fuzzy critter name and point away from whatever they should not be getting into. It even came in handy when I told my boy there was a Kitty! in the garage to keep him from tearing around the neighborhood when someone inadvertently let him out. Shameful, I know.

Finally to wrap-up my non-biological thesis on the Dinosaur-Basenji connection, I figure I should add that beyond the similarity of blindness to non-moving prey, Basenjis match the origin of the Velociraptor name – in Latin, Velox means “Swift” and Raptor means “Robber or Plunderer.” Makes sense to me – Velociraptors and Basenjis are both very swift and cunning (food) thieves. My girl will plunder your plate faster than you can say “Squirrel!”

****I am happy to contribute to the Basenji Blog and will be posting monthly on the antics and headaches with my two basenji companions - Kirby Doodle (4yr old Red&White boy) and Saana Scamperpants (5 1/2 yr old Tri girl & BRAT Rescue)****

Basenji Escape Artists

Today we have a guest blog from BRAT Director and Vice President, Liz Newton.

Visiting my parents at their lovely lake home, accompanied by our three adolescent grandsons, requires extensive planning and packing. Last week I loaded up the boys, our three basenjis, senior poodle, the grand-dog standard poodle, and all the necessary gear to keep everyone happy and safe. The gear included crates, two x-pens, zip ties to secure the pens, a tarp for shade and tent stakes to secure the pens to the ground.

The x-pens provide quite a nice “play house” for the basenjis where they can watch the numerous squirrels and yet not have to be tethered to the plastic coated steel cables that I keep at my parents. Our basenjis wake up at the first sound of someone stirring and my parents greet the day around 5:30 AM and take their coffee to the patio leaving all the doors open. I learned years ago to secure the basenjis on leashes before leaving the bedroom. Failure to do so has led to many bare-footed chases in PJ's around the yard to catch a squirrel-chasing basenji.

It was that practice of tethering the basenjis to the cables however that led to one early morning escape. I led Blaze to her cable and fastened it to her collar just as she saw a squirrel. She took off like a lure courser and ran hard hitting the end of her lead with such force she straightened out the D-ring and was out of sight in the three acre yard in less than thirty seconds. I followed, in PJs and sandals, as she rounded my sister’s house, next door to my parent’s home. Worried that she might have left their property and ventured up the lane where I had been taking them for daily walks, I ran to get dressed and enlisted the help of my oldest grandson who also gets up at dawn. We walked looking between houses, searched a neighbor’s wooded property and the nearby horse pasture without any sightings of Blaze. After going about a half mile up the lane I decided that she surely would not have gone that far without being distracted by something interesting enough to pause and inspect. So we returned to my parent’s yard to find her treeing squirrels, and not at all interested in being captured. I taxed my coffee-craving brain for something that would entice her to come to me and the only thing I had in my pocket was my cell phone. I dialed a sequence of numbers to make the phone beep and said “Blaze, look at this!” Being a curious little basenji she came close enough to sniff the phone and I quickly grabbed her.

Lesson learned: Inspect the D-rings on collars to be certain that they are welded. If not they can easily be opened by a small basenji running full-speed.

Also, last week it was reported to me that a basenji in Wisconsin had escaped. Her owner walks her with a retractable lead. The handles on these are easily pulled from the owner’s hand if the dog bolts. That is exactly what led to a former puppy mill basenji, Sophie’s, escape. The secondary effect of being loose when attached to a retractable leash is that the dog has this plastic thing “chasing” them which further frightens and makes them continue to run. Sophie was found safe and sound after two days and nights loose in a remote area.

Lesson learned: Always use a “wrist strap” with retractable leads. And don't make loud noises around puppy mill basenjis.

Any long time basenji owner has dealt with a few escapes most of which won’t be repeated as we learn and make adjustments.

If your basenji does escape, ask for suggestions for catching them from Basenji Rescue and Transport and other basenji owners. Don’t give up the search as many basenjis are found safe, even days after their escape.

Liz Newton

Herding Rabbits

My husband and I are the proud parents of two beautiful, talented, amazing BRAT basenjis, Ivan and Dasa. The four of us live in a little house on the edge of a little town in Illinois, referred to as Mayberry by some of our friends from more densely populated areas. We enjoy the peace and tranquility. The birds sing, the flowers bloom, and all is well—unless I have to deal with wildlife early in the morning. Then the flowers still bloom, the birds sing, and I stumble around untranquilly, and think very unkind thoughts about Thumper and his extended family.

I am not a morning person. I have never been a morning person, and I don’t anticipate becoming one anytime soon, if ever. Crises and complications early in the morning do not put me in a happy place. The other morning at about 6:00, still wearing my jammies, I took Ivan and Dasa into the backyard on leashes since it was still technically night, at least in my book, and I didn’t want them to encounter one of the bunnies who keep leaving bunny poop deposits.

We ventured forth and found a rabbit in our backyard who could not remember how to get out again. There’s only one very slim spot between the fence and the house, a matter of inches, not even big enough for a basenji nose, yet rabbits routinely slip in and out with ease. So there I was in the backyard early in the morning with two highly stimulated basenjis towing me across the yard, frantic to catch the bunny, I tried to herd the bunny toward the only escape, as much as one can steer two slavering and extremely focused basenjis to one side of the yard to direct the rabbit toward safety. This was not working; neither of my precious children was at all interested in being the least bit cooperative when there was a bunny to kill. I dragged them back into the house, dragged being the operative word as their feet left ruts in the yard and they snarked at each other, outraged that they were being kept from breakfast served with bunny tail.

Once inside, Ivan and Dasa pawed excitedly at the door while the clueless rabbit wandered around in plain sight, pausing under the redbud tree to nibble grass. I secured the munchkins in the bedroom then went back outside to shepherd the rabbit out of the yard. Employing much strategic broom waving, I twice maneuvered the dim-witted rabbit to within a couple of feet of safety when he suddenly bolted and raced past me to nether parts of the yard. I was presented with a perfect example of the origin of the term “dumb bunny.”

Herding rabbits was a skill I had not yet mastered, so I threw on some clothes and took the munchkins for a walk. If there’s any information of value to be gleaned from today’s missive, it’s that basenjis have a very high octane prey drive and rabbit herding is something best attempted after breakfast.

Rainbow Bridge tribute to Gambit

Today, I am sharing a tribute to a well loved basenji boy from BRAT members, Duane and Dawn in Campo, Texas.

Early, on a cold November morning several years ago, I carried out little Timi out to our vet. She had been in labor for a very long time and one of the puppies was stuck and she was just too tired to push anymore. A little medicine and some gentle help from our vet and I held a BIG puppy in my hands. With Timi licking and my gentle rubbing with a warm towel he began to squirm and cry. We named this little boy, Gambit.

On Monday of this week I took Gambit back to the vet. He had been in terrible pain all day Sunday and had lost most of the strength in his hind legs. He still managed to sit up and lean against me trembling. He always hated the vet's office. Dr. Fred Baron told me he suspected either a bone embolism or a cracked disc. Either could case the pain and loss of strength and neither could be fixed without surgery and lots of pain. He rear legs were cold to the touch. So after a tearful call to my wife, we agreed he had suffered enough.

Even in his pain Gambit never offered to bite anyone. When the vet gave him the first shot, Gambit relaxed a little and the trembling and labored breathing from the pain eased some and he leaned against me and slid down as if he was very tired. I couldn't bear to watch as Dr Fred gave him the second shot so I just petted Gambit's big head and watched his soulful hound eyes. He blinked several times, nestled his head in my hand like so many times before, breathed a big sign and I heard Dr Fred say he that he was gone. Like so many of this breed his eyes said so much and like so much of his life Gambit passed nestled up against me. Duane

From Dawn: Gambit was a true love, so big, gamboling, funny and serious all wrapped in a very wrinkled body, from his face, his shoulders and above his tail there were wrinkles abounding. Eyes that reflected a soul full of love.

I look for him on the couch where he should be sitting next to me with that big head resting on my leg or in front of the fireplace on his pillow. My pack is incomplete; he is gone way too early. I know I will treasure my memories of him in time; right now all I can do is hurt for our loss. I know he is running free and with the pack that has gone on, but right now there is only pain that will pass in time.

You can write to Duane and Dawn Schroedter at: deschroedter@yahoo.com