Basenji Rescue & Transport, Inc.

Sunny Days in January

2012-02-03T04:00:00.004-05:00

I didn’t think I’d ever have the opportunity to say this, but January, as months go, was really not that bad. We had chilly days, but only a few that would qualify as wintery. And, most importantly, very little frozen precipitation. Ivan and Dasa still wore sweaters most of the time, and on occasion even booties to protect their feet from cold and salt. However, as a whole, it was an exemplary January, one that I hope future Januaries decide to emulate. It should, I believe, serve as a role model for the first month of years to come, with the primary goal that all ice and snow stay much farther north, up by Santa’s workshop.

We’ve even had a few days that were unseasonably warm to the extent that the Munchkins could play in the back yard without sweaters, enjoying the winter sun that’s weaker and softer than the brilliant heat of July, but oh how nice. Such lovely temperate days I want to bottle.

How do you capture joy? I try sometimes when I photograph Ivan and Dasa. On those perfect days when the sun is shining, and the grass is green and inviting, Dasa rolls in the grass, innocent joy radiating from her little body. Then, with a satisfied sigh, she lies contentedly in the grass. Watching Ivan and Dasa’s pleasure in these lovely days makes life in Maryville a little sweeter.

New Available BRATs: Blackjack & Skitters, Misty, Hoover, Early & Jubilee, Toby

2012-01-29T14:51:00.000-05:00

Name: Blackjack & Skitters
Dog State: Arizona
DOB: 01/2004 and 07/2004
Gender & colors: Black and white female, Red and white male
Weight: 26 & 23, respectively

Blackjack came to BRAT with her lifelong partner, Skitters. The dogs' owner passed away and both dogs were taken to animal control before they came into BRAT's care. Both dogs are very loving, and walk well on leash after a little initial pulling. Having lost their lifelong human companion, it would be great if they could find a new home where they could stay with each other!

Click on their names to find out more about Blackjack & Skitters!

Name: Misty
Dog State: Illinois
DOB: 2006
Gender: Female
Color: Red & white
Weight: 23

Misty is a bit of a drama queen and loves to be the center of your world. She enjoys snuggling on the sofa, playing with her male canine buddies, chasing cats and oh, did we mention snuggling? Oh yes, and more snuggling! She is crate trained, house trained, non-destructive, and rides well in car while crated. She likes to take walks and sniff EVERYTHING!

Click HERE to find out more about Misty!

Name: Hoover
Dog State: Missouri
DOB: 2006? 2007?
Gender: Male
Color: Red & white
Weight: 27

Hoover is named after the president -- not the vacuum cleaner! He is a mature basenji with a laid-back attitude and very good house manners. He loves talking to his foster mom while waiting for his meals, because food is his most favorite thing. He gets along well with the other dogs at his foster home, but people are more important to him than other dogs.

Click HERE to find out more about Hoover!

Name: Early & Jubilee
Dog State: Texas
DOB: About 1 ~ 2 years old
Gender: Male / female
Color: Tricolor / Red & white
Weight: 24 / 18 pounds

Early & Jubilee, a young bonded pair, were found wandering in the cold and wet on Christmas Eve and turned over to BRAT because their owner was never located. Just like all young Basenjis, they are inquisitive and full of energy. Early is a big goofball, and will probably be a big, beefy guy when he fills out. Jubilee is petite, but she has a lot of energy! They like to watch movies on the couch and very much enjoy cuddle time.

Click HERE to find out more about Early & Jubilee!

Name: Toby
Dog State: Texas
DOB: 2011
Gender: Male
Color: Black & white
Weight: 18.5

Toby was taken to a shelter a few weeks before he was taken in by BRAT. Since then, he has adapted well to living with other dogs, leash training, and sleeping in his crate, and even interacting with cats! He loves to run and enjoys the company of other pets. He is smart and a quick learner, and is looking for a home that can offer him continued training.

Click HERE to find out more about Toby!

View the complete list of available Basenji rescues on our main BRAT website!

A New Athlete

2012-01-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

Like many younger siblings, Guppy is often shown up by his big sister, Norah. Norah is a Basenji mix (we call her Basenji 101) and my first dog as an adult. I rescued her hours from euthanasia at the shelter where I worked. Up until then, I had only fostered cats.

Norah is as sweet as they come and everyone that meets her falls in love with her (even begrudgingly, Guppy). Norah excels at most everything she tries. She is very athletic and much taller than Guppy. She is 16 inches at the withers (perfect female Basenji size) where Guppy is 13 inches at the withers (I suspect Guppy’s “birth” parents may have been related hence his dwarfism). Norah jumps higher, runs faster and listens better than Guppy.

Before we gave up the tropics for the desert both dogs had been enrolled at The Dog Training Club of Tampa where Norah was on her way to becoming an agility superstar and Guppy was working on his obedience in pursuit of his Canine Good Citizen certification.

Yesterday we attended a Dog Sports shows in Tempe, AZ. I was anxious to introduce Norah to lure coursing; she has a dangerously strong prey drive so I suspected she would love it.

What I wasn’t sure of was how Guppy would do. If he would notice there was something to chase or if he would be as distracted as he normally is.

I was able to run both dogs and Norah was of course a speed demon. I ran each dog individually and then ran them together. Guppy surprised me and though he acted like he was totally bored during obedience class (he would mess around with other dogs in the class, chew on the floor mats, chew on his leash etc.) he had WAY better focus than Norah on the lure. Norah knew there was something she wanted (and was allowed) to chase but other than that she just wanted to go fast. Guppy was so good he never let his eyes off the lure and even escaped several times from his collar to “crash” the course while another dog was running.

I’m thinking the CGC can wait, I might have a lure coursing superstar (or two) on my hands! Go Guppy go!

Hiding the Body

2012-01-21T04:00:00.002-05:00

Ivan has been exhibiting survival behavior handed down from his ancestors in the wild. Some of those instinctual behaviors surely brought Basenjis through countless perils and hardships, allowed them to smile at adversity and live to baroo another day. For Ivan, a modern Basenji living in small town USA, this behavior is exhibited by burying things in the couch. (Ivan doesn’t like to get his feet dirty, and besides, toys are not allowed outside, therefore, in his mind the couch is the logical hiding place.)

Ivan was an only child for a few months after we adopted him. Then fate stepped in, but that’s a story for another day. When Ivan was an only child, he had big rolls of US rawhide scattered around the house. He would periodically decide he needed to hide these. He situated them in the corner of the couch and elaborately pantomimed burying the chewies under imaginary dirt. We always assured Ivan we’d never find his chewies there.

Ivan is food aggressive so when he acquired siblings—first Leo and then Dasa—the chewies had to disappear. There could have been dozens of chewies lying around, but if any other dog had tried to touch one, it would’ve been disastrous. So the big chewies went away, and smaller treats last only seconds, not long enough to consider hiding.

Great Aunt Mary gave the Munchkins new toys for Christmas. Ivan’s is a stuffed animal without stuffing so it looks like a pelt, albeit a soft and synthetic one. Ivan was so taken with his pelt that he tried to bury it on the couch under dog beds. It was fun to see him decide he could once again bury things that none of us, including Dasa, would find. He was very intent on his task. After he killed the toy a couple of times, shaking it and trotting circles through the house with it hanging, freshly killed, from his mouth, he jumped on the loveseat with it. This is not unusual. Ivan often snuggles into a donut bed with one of his stuffed animals.

This time, however, he dug purposely behind the stack of dog beds, finding just the right place to deposit this new toy for safe keeping. He was busy all evening, burying it and then deciding this hiding place wasn’t quite right. He’d carry it a few more laps around the house and then jump back onto the love seat to rebury it. My might hunter at last decided his pelt was safely hidden, and he could finally snuggle under a blankie with Mom.

Four Basenjis!

2012-01-20T13:44:00.002-05:00

On October 25^th, 2011, BRAT coordinator Sharron Hurlbut brought two new basenjis to us for fostering, but the minute they arrived we knew they were here to stay. Great job, Sharron!! Who would have envisioned two more Basenjis in our small house? We now have a basenji "four-pack!"

Our two basenjis, Gumbo and Sanji, immediately accepted these new pups as part of the pack. The second day the new pups were here, all four basenjis had a "howl-in," which pretty much cinched the deal for us.

The new pups came to BRAT from Annie Davis in Idaho. Sadly, Annie has terminal cancer, and it was time for her to find a new home for her basenjis. She has bred Basenjis for many years and was the woman who trained her basenjis to be sled dogs. Here she is in the ‘70’s with her basenjis:

Annie's two most recent pups, Angel and Jaro (original call name was "Blue"), just turned two years old on Dec. 15^th. They are both red and white, brother and sister, and were shown a few times with nice results. They are beautiful dogs!

Just before we got them, both Angel and Jaro were tested for Fanconi with the new test. Unfortunately, the test results showed that Angel is positive for Fanconi, and her brother Jaro is a carrier of Fanconi. We immediately got them both spayed and neutered, so no more showing for them but maybe we'll have them participate in some other competitive sports in the future.

Angel and Jaro

Since Angel and Jaro have arrived in our house, there have been the normal "new dog" adjustments- a bit of peeing in the house, the discovery that Jaro can easily jump up onto our kitchen counters, and they both can jump up onto our table. We have learned to let the pups out every two or three hours, which has solved the peeing problem. Jaro occasionally still has an accident, but only if I forget to let him out. Angel was quicker to learn, and now we get no puddles from her. The counters, however, are another deal - if we accidentally leave food out on the counters, kiss it goodbye! Jaro has claimed it.

Initially, Jaro was a little skittish around my husband, Jim, and around men in general. In recent weeks he's already starting to become more trusting of Jim, since Jim is the treat giver. We'll continue to adjust and work on building trust with him as he settles in with our family.

In addition to us humans making adjustments, the cats also needed to do some “adjustments” to get used to having FOUR active basenjis in their house! We built a special room for the cat boxes that only the cats can get into, and the cats have left a couple of superficial scratches on both of the pups' noses as a reminder of who's in charge.

Both the pups seem to have ravenous appetites, and we have been trying to put weight on them - particularly Angel. Jaro is just about at his ideal weight now, but Angel could still use a couple more pounds on her. This is not an easy thing to do, though, since Gumbo is concurrently on a diet to lose a little weight around his midsection!

All in all though, all of the adjustments have gone smoothly these past three months, and we couldn’t ask for more loving and beautiful dogs all around. They love lap time, meal time, walk time, and play time. I love the way they are responding to Jim and I. The basenji four-pack has a great time wrestling, sharing toys, and racing through the house and yard. Angel and Jaro love their walks, and I certainly get my exercise walking them! Even though we didn't plan it this way, we are so glad we answered Sharron's request to help Angel and Jaro, because we absolutely love having four basenjis in our life.

Marj Baker

Angel (in front), Sanji, Jaro, and Gumbo

This is "Little Angel," whom we sometimes call "Misnomer,"

since she tells the boys where to get off.

The four-pack resting

And now a word from Calvin...

2012-01-17T12:24:00.000-05:00

This month I decided to let Mr. Calvin Cuddles come up with the content for this post. Here is what he would like to share with his fellow basenjis and their slaves.
1. I do not like winter.
2. It was so cold that I thought I lost my paws as I couldn't feel them. I kept looking down to make sure they were still there.
3. Mom makes me wear this stupid fleece turtle neck with polka dots. I HATE IT!!! But she says I cannot go outside without it cause it is very very cold. And I REALLY want to go on my walkies so I have to wear it.

Oh, and I went on a hunger strike and WON!!! I didn't like the boring food mom buys so I decided to stop eating it. I was so hungry and had to live off of crumbs and what I could steal off of plates and the trash. But it worked! Now I got this really good salmon and anchovy kibbles!!! YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cleo Goes Home for the Holidays

2012-01-16T08:07:00.002-05:00

My last foster, Cleo, has the best happy ending story.

At the beginning of December, an application came in from a family who caught my eye. They didn't have alot of dog experience and had never owned a basenji. On the application they stated a preference for a male basenji, but I decided to contact them anyway to see if they would give Cleo a chance. She's a very easy going, friendly girl.

The dialogue began. I sent some pictures and suggested scheduling the home visit. I explained that it was necessary for me to meet everyone in the family which consisted of Karl (Dad), Sayida (Mom) and Nadia (daughter) who was about to turn 10. I went to their home on a week day after Nadia was home from school. They were planning a sleep-over on the weekend with Nadia's friends to celebrate her birthday.

Sayida and Nadia had read in Cleo's write up that she liked carrots, so they had prepared a little snack for her along with a dish of water. She wasted no time enjoying her snack. Cleo was her basenji self; investigating things, showing what needed to be moved or put away, climbing on the furniture, etc. We chatted about life with basenjis, following Cleo as she moved from room to room. As Cleo explored Nadia's room, Nadia and Sayida sat on the bed. Cleo jumped up to join them, curling up between them as if to say, "I like it here!"

I was satisfied that Cleo would have a good home with this family. We left it that they would think things over; adopting a dog is a huge commitment after all. So I went home with Cleo. Later on, I made the adoption arrangements with Karl. He and Sayida would drive to my house to pick Cleo up and surprise Nadia when she got home from school.

That day was Nadia's birthday. The best EVER because Nadia and Cleo share the same birthday.

New Available BRATs: Sharm, Straun, and Sparky in KY

2012-01-15T16:10:00.000-05:00

Names: Sharm & Straun
Dog State: Kentucky
DOB: 2009? 2010?
Gender: Males
Color: Red & white
Weight: 20.1 & 21.1, respectively

Sharm and Straun were rescued from the streets in a city neighborhood. Although many efforts were made to locate their owners, no one ever came forward to claim the boys. They are typical Basenji boys, looking and acting much more like puppies than two-year-olds (based on the vet's estimate). Both boys love toys and they love nothing better than to romp and play all over the house and yard.

Click HERE to learn more about Sharm & Straun!

Name: SparkyDog State: Kentucky
DOB: 9/7/2010
Gender: Male
Color: Brindle
Weight: 24

Sparky is a beautiful, active one year-old male. He is very friendly. His little tail shakes almost continuously. The happier he is, the more his tail tends to curl. When he shakes it, he shakes so vigorously that it is almost straight. He will bounce on furniture and run through the house, light on his feet, recalling that cat-like characteristic of Basenjis. When he is no longer being rubbed or petted, he will rub his eyes, asking for more.

Click HERE to learn more about Sparky!

These and many other precious personalities can be found on the main BRAT page. Please stop by our courtesy listings for Basenji mixes as well!

Vote in the Shelter Challenge

2012-01-12T09:04:00.003-05:00

It's a new year and we've all made a lot of resolutions. Please add one more: Vote in the Shelter Challenge for Basenji Rescue. You'll be extremely successful and help a great cause as well. Voting began again January 9. Click here http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3 and vote. We've done very well in past years and earned money for BRAT. Every vote counts. And at the end of this year, you'll be able to say, I kept my New Year's Resolution!

Evaluating New Basenjis

2012-01-10T12:42:00.000-05:00

As a dog lover and a rescue volunteer, it's often very hard to understand why someone would want to give up their dog. When I hear about a basenji that's being given up, my first instinct is to blame the owners. Judgmental thoughts immediately start to roll through my head: "How could they do that to their poor dog?" "They must be irresponsible people!" "Don't they care about their dog enough to change?"

I imagine that many of us who are passionate about dogs often feel the same way, and it's tough to remind ourselves to reserve judgment until after we learn the details of the situation. But we must remember to try very hard to do just that until we truly understand what's going on, because time and time again I have been proven wrong after passing unfair premature judgment on an owner.

Take for example the family who recently asked BRAT to re-home their basenji because they are working long hours and don't want their dog to be crated all day and night. My initial thoughts when I heard about the situation were, "Well why don't they just hire a dog walker? Why did they get a dog if they were going to crate it all the time?" But then I went to evaluate the dog, and I found out the truth -- the family has owned their basenji for a very long time, and they love him very, very much. He is well-trained, 100% affectionate and great with handling, well-cared for and up to date on all of his vetting, and he has the most joyous baroo I've ever heard. His owners recently experienced some financial hardships and had to take on second jobs in order to pay their mortgage, so that's why the sudden change to working long hours. As a result, the basenji is starting to feel some separation anxiety when they leave, and it upsets the owners that he's crated so long in the first place. They can't afford to pay a dog walker or doggie daycare, and they considered getting a second dog to keep the basenji company but didn't think that would be fair to the new dog to crate him all day. They have tried to think of anything else they could do to remedy the situation, but since there doesn't seem to be a workable solution they decided to contact BRAT to find their basenji a home where he will be with people all day. They refuse to take him to the animal shelter because they know how much that environment would upset him, and they're not trying to "get rid of him" by any means - they truly just need some help in locating a loving and basenji-savvy home for him. As volunteers and ambassadors for the basenji breed, that's exactly what BRAT is here to do, and it makes me happy to be able to assist this family in doing the most loving, responsible thing they can do to give their dog the quality of life he deserves.

Of course, on occasion after learning the specifics of why the dog is being given up or the state of its health, it does turn out that my pre-judgment was warranted and the owners are just crappy people. But more often than not, it turns out that the owners giving up their dog are really truly caring people who are between a rock and a hard place, and just want to do the best they can for their beloved pet. Many tears have been shed and the decision to re-home their pet has not been arrived at lightly. Usually there have been many intervention measures that have taken place to remedy the situation, and quite often the family is willing to try additional intervention suggestions in order to avoid having to give up their pet. But sometimes re-homing truly is the best solution, and it's our job as rescue volunteers to help make that happen. And as much as we can, we need to remember to do so without passing judgment, and to give people the benefit of the doubt.

New Available BRATs: Riley, Benji, Olive

2012-01-08T19:32:00.000-05:00

Name: Riley
Dog State: Illinois
Birthdate: 2008
Gender: Female
Color: Brindle
Weight: 18

Riley is one of the most pleasant females her foster has ever hosted. She is very cute, a real sweetie, and loves to snuggle in the evenings while the humans watch TV. She will allow herself to be cradled like a baby. Riley greets her humans with happy baroos upon return home.

Click HERE to learn more about Riley!

Name: Benji
Dog state: New Jersey
Birthdate: 12/5/2000
Gender: Male
Color: Black & white
Weight: 25

Benji is a well-adjusted basenji who came from a family where he was well-cared for. Benji is an attention-seeking magnet who is comfortable being handled all over, cuddled, and picked up. He is very tolerant of children of all ages. Basically, Benji lives to be loved and petted, and he’s wonderfully affectionate and trusting of humans.

Click HERE to learn more about Benji!

Name: Olive
Dog state: Virginia
Birthdate: 12/1/2010
Gender: Female
Color: Red & white
Weight: 16

Olive is a super cute and petite one year old who is all PUPPY! Her motto is why walk when you can BOUNCE! Life is just one big playground for her and everyone else is just here for her enjoyment. She ensures there are never any dull moments when she is around and will keep you on your toes at all times. But when you are as cute and fun as she is, you can get away with that.

Click HERE to learn more about Olive!

If your 2012 resolution is to give a loving home to a Basenji in need, click HERE to get started!

The Bambi Look

2012-01-06T04:00:00.002-05:00

How does your basenji react when caught doing something he shouldn’t? How does he deflect any angry words before they start or make you laugh over whatever it is that was destroyed? Friends tell me their non-basenji dogs hang their heads and look guilty if they’ve done something they shouldn’t.

Dasa is so sweet and well-behaved, there’s no occasion to reprimand her. Even if there was reason, I cannot imagine raising my voice to our timid little girl. She would be stricken, her little tail would go into the whippet position, I would feel like an ogre and spend the rest of the day apologizing. It would really not be helpful.

However, when I find Ivan destroying something, the scenario is quite different. Should I say in a reproachful tone, “Ivan, what are you doing?” he would look over his shoulder to see who I was talking to, because it certainly can’t be him. If there is blame to be had, someone else must be responsible. However, if it was a good idea after all, and praise and treats are to be handed out, then he’s definitely the one taking credit.

Also, I confess I find it difficult to be cross with Ivan; he’s a very sensitive boy. We’re both much happier if I’m gentle with him. When I find him in the midst of his latest shredding project, I hug him and console him for feeling so neglected that he had to resort to shredding things. My sweet boy usually allows me to give him snuggles before I pick up the pieces.

When we come home, Ivan shows up at the door, carrying a stuffed animal and peering at us with the most beautiful Bambi eyes. I’m always so taken with his irresistible Bambi expression that I consider destruction a minor inconvenience. Eric insists Ivan practices this look in the mirror when we’re not around. I look into Ivan’s lovely almond eyes and I’m sure he’s sincere.

Shelter Challenge Results

2012-01-03T14:17:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to everyone who voted for BRAT in the Animal Rescue Site's Shelter Challenge! We came out on top as the winners in the state of Texas (where BRAT is incorporated as a nonprofit), so we won a prize of $1000!! Check out the list of all of the contest winners to see who won the Grand Prize of $5000.

The next round of the contest will start again this coming Monday, January 9th, and we'll have another chance to win either the state prize at the end of the contest, one of the weekly prizes ($1000 per week to the top-voted shelter nationwide), or maybe even one of the first, second, or third place nationwide grand prizes. In the past BRAT has won several weekly prizes and several state prizes, and the closest that we've ever come to the top prize was finishing fifth nationwide. The money that we win has helped us out tremendously in this climate of economic downturn, when donations are getting scarce and more dogs are being given up into rescue by families who simply cannot afford to keep a pet. Now more than ever before, BRAT needs to raise all the extra money we possibly can so that we can continue to save basenjis from kill shelters and bad situations -- and this is a perfect way to do it, which doesn't cost anyone a single penny!

So please, starting next week, remember to vote for BRAT in the Shelter Challenge every day. To vote, go to: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge and type in "basenji." Set yourself a reminder on your phone and another one on your computer, to pop up daily with the link to the site so that you remember to click on the link and vote. Send that reminder to your spouse and friends, to remind them to vote daily, too.

It only takes 5 seconds of your time, and it makes a world of difference in the amount of dogs we can rescue. Your votes help us save lives!

The Joy of Barooo

2012-01-02T22:51:00.002-05:00

I find basenji vocalizations one of their most intriging traits. Our first basenji, Mowgli, would baroo in greeting each time we returned home. He would baroo at our poodle, his constant companion, to invite him to play. Baroos burst forth from Mowgli for any number of reasons and always seemed such a joyful sound. I incorrectly assumed all basenjis barooed. After Mowgli passed, having become so fond of the breed, we purchased a puppy from a breeder. Initially when Katy didn't baroo at us we believed she would find her voice when she was older. It has been a ten year wait and she still remains silent except for the occasional basenji screams when startled or injured. The noises she makes creates visions of a foot shut in the door though usually the cause is much less significant. She tends to be overly dramatic! About six months after Katy joined our family we rescued, fostered, and eventually adopted Vegas. In his early days in our home he made lots of basenji noises, most of them scary and unhappy, but no baroos. Every now and then Vegas howls sounding as though he is grief-stricken over some loss only he is aware of. Twice he has howled in his sleep possibly having a nightmare (if dogs can have nightmares?). Only about once a week, he will baroo telling me I am a little too slow at delivering his breakfast. That is the sum total of his vocabulary. In 2008, Blaze, a puppy mill rescue, became our third permanent basenji resident. She talks but her voice sounds like a cross between a growl and a gargle, never a joyous tone. The timing of her speeches leads me to believe she is really just sassing and if what she has to say were words she might get her mouth washed out with soap. She also growls, her tone much louder and fiercer than expected from such a little girl, to tell the others that her food dish is totally off limits to anyone but her. Recently, we have been fostering a young brindle female who has a wide variety of vocalizations. Riley baroos to welcome us home as Mowgli used to do. She baroos to invite the other basenjis to play. Sometimes she baroos for no apparent reason. It would be tempting to keep her so we could enjoy her constant baroos for many years if we did not already have three lovely basenjis. Riley will soon be posted and placed for adoption allowing someone else to enjoy the pleasure of her frequent happy baroos.

Basenji featured in Dog Fancy Magazine

2011-12-30T13:15:00.000-05:00

I finally remembered to pick up the January 2012 issue ofDog Fancy, in which the Basenji is featured. The three-page article by EveAdamson begins:

Congo Leeza Rice isn't like other dogs. When Julie Jones findsher agile Basenji on the kitchen sink licking the dishes, she does what most dog owners would do: "Leeza, get down!" Most dogs caughtin suchan act would jump down and cower or run away and hide. "Leezajustlooks at me as if to say, 'Hold on, I'm almost done here,' and goesright back to licking," says Jones, a Basenji breeder in LosAngeles.

There are four nice color photos, as well as a full-page one ofthreeadorable B puppies. If I didn't already know and love this breed,I'ddefinitely want to meet a Basenji!

Also, there is a quarter-page, full-color BRAT ad (designed by MarkZiegler) just a few pages away. The dog in the ad is my Ruby, taken in her last year during a row boat ride up the Erie Canal. Mark Ziegler saw the pic on my Facebook page and thought it was perfect for the new BRAT motto, "Providing safe harbors and strong anchors for basenjis set adrift - since 1999."

The magazine will be off the newsstands soon, so hurry if you hopetobuy a copy!

-Chey Miller

The New Year's Resolutions of Denny Basenji

2011-12-30T11:36:00.000-05:00

I, Denny Basenji, hereby resolve that in 2012, I shall:

1. Never miss a chance to nap in a sunspot

2. Catch a squirrel

3. Make friends with Bobo the cat next door

4. Or eat Bobo the cat next door...whichever

5. Increase my daily intake of tummy rubs

Favorite Toys

2011-12-26T15:19:00.000-05:00

Like all dogs, Guppy has favorite toys. Like most Basenjis, Guppy shows his affection for said toys but destroying them. One such toy I picked up at a discount store not realizing its future importance in our toy repertoire. Said toy happens to be a chicken wearing goggles and a cape. It is a “Hartz Stunt Pilot” and rather than squeaking it obnoxiously crows.

This toy crows when Guppy shakes it in his mouth or even better smacks it against anyone that’s sitting near. The toy crows and crows and crows and continues to crow. Obnoxiously crowing while whomever it’s being whipped up against is trying to take cover.

One day the “Stunt Pilot” lost its leg, then the other leg, then it lost its stuffing and the noisemaker was at one end of the house with a trail of stuffing leading to the carcass of what used to be the favorite toy. Cue the classic Queen song, Another One Bites the Dust.

I managed to salvage the noisemaker and stuffed it into the back of a stuffed animal I had bought at a thrift store. This stuffed animal was a pink frog that now crows. It thankfully lived at my parents house 3 hours across the state. When we moved away, we left the dog toys at my parents house, including the crowing pink frog.

Recently however, we got a care package from Grammy and what was in the package? That’s right! The crowing pink frog! Thanks Grammy-you made Guppy’s Christmas.

The 12 Dogs of Christmas

2011-12-19T15:14:00.003-05:00

Check out this great graphic by our friends at the Pet 365 Blog: http://www.pet365.co.uk/blog/12-dogs-of-christmas/

Merry Christmas

2011-12-17T04:00:00.004-05:00

Our stockings are hung from the ceiling with care, and it’s time to send Christmas wishes to all of our BRAT friends. Cheers to all the BRAT folks who help basenjis find forever homes and bless the lives of their new families. We are so very fortunate to have our BRATS.

Ivan and Dasa made the past year infinitely more: more energetic, more enthusiastic, more loving, more grateful, and in so many ways, just more fun. Our lives are richer and happier because we share them with Ivan and Dasa.

For a Smilebox greeting featuring our sweet Munchkins, please follow this link:
http://tinyurl.com/84ccdfg

Merry Christmas!

All the Best from Our Pack to Yours

2011-12-14T19:11:00.002-05:00

December is an important month in our house -- not just for the holiday season but for the birthdays of our pack. Since my two arrived with very little information and direct from a shelter, I only know that Shaka turned six on December 13 and that Audrey turned four likely sometime in December. So we have made her birthday December 14 so that she has a day of her own and so we will have a tradition of two days of extra celebration and sharing of treats equally.

This has been a busy year in basenji land for my household. It was very, very sad to lose Bow at the end of March, but Shaka and Audrey arrive in early May as "fosters" and it soon became evident that a happy family was created the moment that entered the front door.

There have been quite a few "extreme" rescues (including them) in northern California this year with owners surrendering dogs because of evictions and new homes that did not allow pets, owner incarceration and owner death. It is a good reminder that we all need to have our "affairs in order" regardless of our age or personal situation. This weekend I dealt with a dear basenji boy whose owner died suddenly, and then the dog spent the past year shuttled from one home to another and developed severe separation anxiety in the process. It's all a reminder that we must think of the dogs if the worst possible scenario happened to any of us.

This has been a wonderful year to know more of the BRAT community and to meet so many in Chicago back in June. From our pack -- including Santa Shaka and his lovely elf assistant Audrey, we thank the many other volunteers in the community for making our journey together so rewarding.

The PERFECT gift for a basenji!

2011-12-13T07:43:00.005-05:00

Had to share this:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/18766649/naughty-dog-tee

I also have a couple other funny ones (like "Bad to the Bone") as well as some dog collars http://www.etsy.com/shop/HappyFantastic?section_id=5817574.

I do all the silk-screening by hand. All tees are in VERY limited sizes and it should arrive by Christmas if you live in the U.S. and order by the 18th. Plus 10 bucks is a great price + ALL THE PROFITS ARE BEING DONATED TO BRAT!!! :)

Small and petite basenjis take a size Medium, bigger basenjis take a size Large.

Have a Happy Fantastic Day!
-Joanne
----------------------------------------
Joanne Kalisz
Happy Fantastic Designs
Burlington, VT
website: www.happyfantastic.com

New Available BRATs: Diane, Biscuit, and Benji

2011-12-12T01:14:00.001-05:00

Name: Diane
State: Arkansas
DOB: 12/30/2005
Gender: Female
Color: Red & white
Weight: 23

This sweet little lady is timid with new people, but is very affectionate once she gets to know them. Diane's ideal home would be with another canine playmate, preferably a male companion. She likes bigger dogs, sleeps in bed with her foster mom, and is not destructive in the house or yard. She is looking for a family, perhaps with respectful older children as well, that will include her in their activities, from snuggling to playtime.

Click HERE to read more about Diane!

Name: BiscuitState: Minnesota
DOB: 11/20/2000
Gender: Male
Color: Red & white
Weight: 23

This sweet boy is a super snuggler! He also enjoys walks, sleeping on the sofa and getting stories read to him by his foster human brother. He is a fantastic listener. Biscuit roots around in the covers. He is not destructive indoors or outdoors. He is good with respectful children, but is very vocal in letting them know when it becomes too much. His foster family gives him "two thumbs up" on the sweetness scale, and "two thumbs up" on the snuggle scale!

Click HERE to learn more about Biscuit!

Name: Benji
State: New York
DOB: 11/09/2009
Gender: Male
Color: Tricolor
Weight: 23

Benji is a gorgeous and sweet boy who will snuggle his way into your heart. He loves other dogs, loves to cuddle and be petted by his humans, and he loves to play, play, play! Benji is also quite the yodeler, but we’re still not sure what makes him sing—sometimes he may just be sitting by himself in a room, and suddenly he’ll start to yodel! Perhaps his forever family can figure it out and train him to sing on command—what a great basenji trick that would be!

Click HERE to learn more about Benji!

Please visit the main BRAT page to meet more Basenjis available for adoption!

A message from the Board: Keeping Basenjis Safe

2011-12-05T17:34:00.005-05:00

In recent months many reports of basenjis getting loose are coming in. It can happen to anyone; on a transport or at home. The best approach is to be prepared. Take measures to prevent the possibility of your dog or the dog in your care from getting loose.

First, start with a martingale type collar. It works like a choke collar without the "choke." It hangs loose around the dog's neck. The collar is adjusted so the dog is unable to slip or back out of it when tension applied from a leash that is properly attached.

Martingale collars can be found at just about every store that sells pet supplies; even Walmart. If you do alot of fostering or transporting, you can buy them in quantity, at a discount from www.petedge.com.

Lupine (http://lupinepet.com/) has a line of colorful and "fashionable" martingales, as well as an unbeatable guarantee. If the collar is damaged and can't be used (even if it has been chewed), they will replace it free of charge. No lie; I've put it to the test several times!

But, BRAT has a couple of volunteers who make their own versions of the martingale collar. Nick Russell is in KY and can be found on facebook (Bluegrass Collar and Lead). Joanne Kalisz is in VT, her visit her on-line store: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.happyfantastic.etsy.com%2F&h=pAQHW6181

Dixie (L) is wearing one of Joanne's designs. Jazzie (R) is wearing one of Nick's.

Venus is wearing a Lupine martingale. They are made here in NH!

Titan is sporting a Nick Russell design.

A harness may also be a good option. Some of them can be used in conjunction with the seatbelts in your car; especially good on a transport if a dog does not tolerate crating.
http://www.ruffwear.com/ or http://kurgo.com/

Sid

Every dog on a transport or newly adopted dog should be considered a high "flight risk." Use a martingale type collar; make sure the leash is properly attached. For the especially timid or fearful dogs, you may need to double leash using a martingale collar AND a harness. Be sure the configuration you are using is secure BEFORE any doors are opened.

Using a chain-link leash on a transport is a good idea. The leash can remain attached without fear of the dog chewing through it. Keeping the leash attached requires less handling, which is good for a fearful/head-shy dog. It provides more control and less opportunity for the dog to bite.

If your dog does escape or get loose; get the word out as soon as you can. For starters send a message to brat-help@lists.basenjirescue.org, call the adoption coordinator, call Animal Control. Make and post flyers EVERYWHERE, enlist as much help as you can. NEVER give up. The following is what one adopter did when his newly adopted basenji escaped.

Last Christmas we lost a female basenji name Bunny that we adopted one month prior. She backed out of her harness and ran away just as a snowstorm began. Bunny was lost from December 22 until December 30, when I was able to trap her in a very large Hav-a-Hart trap. Bunny survived 3 snowstorms, single digit night temperatures, and local predators. Because of the snow, I was able to track her immediately after each snowfall, and I saw plenty of coyote tracks running the same paths she took through the woods. The reason for sharing the perils she survived is to let the party who lost this dog know that they should not give up.

Also, some advice. We printed and distributed about 1,000 flyers over the first six days. (We asked our teenage daughter to help, and a number of her friends also helped. People will volunteer to help in this kind of a situation; you have to ask!) We delivered the flyers door-to-door and/or mailbox-to-mailbox in the area where she was lost (around our home) and in ever-widening radii. Some people suggest a reward is a bad idea, and some people suggest including your phone number is a bad idea. We did both. We offered a $200 reward and we included ALL of our phone numbers (home, business, cell). We received numerous calls reporting sightings, some of which were false, but all of which helped immensely. And we received aid in the form of a number of people (about 12) volunteering to help after reading the flyers. In addition, we emailed a photo to local TV stations, and one of them broadcast the photo and our contact info. We also made a few large posters and posted them at major intersections near the area where she ran away.

We also used online basenji resources. We called our regional BRAT director and asked her for help and advice. She posted our daily or twice-daily email updates (which consisted of her photo and daily sighting locations and search details), and we received great advice, support, and physical help from local basenji owners.

So, primarily because of the flyers and posters and BRAT advice and exposure, we received a lot of local help and, after 8 days, we got Bunny back. Basenjis are tough and resilient, and they won't quit until they absolutely have to. Bunny was hit by a car within a few moments after she escaped, had a (literally) cracked skull and lacerations that required surgery, endured single digit temperatures despite the severe head injury, stayed a step ahead of predators, lost nearly 25% of her body weight over 7 days, 22 hours, and about 15 minutes, AND SURVIVED. Please tell the person who lost the dog to work at it and keep trying, even after it SEEMS futile. We experienced a number of moments during which we did not believe it was possible for Bunny to survive, but she did. (Bunny's exploits were posted daily on the basenji forum beginning on Dcember 23rd or 24th, 2010.) There's a lot we did that can't be covered in a short note. If you think I can be of any help in offering more detailed advice, give me a call at the number below.

Finally, we now use both a harness and a collar. In other words, we keep a harness properly adjusted and we fasten the leash to both harness d-rings AND to the collar d-ring. We found it is not possible for her to wriggle out of that combination.

Greg Pinto

Roberta Kosek

BRAT Vice President

New Available BRATs: red and whites from Idaho to Virginia

2011-12-04T15:07:00.001-05:00

Name: Lady
State: Virginia
DOB: 1/5/1999
Gender: Female
Color: Red & white
Weight: 20 ~ 25

Lady is a quiet dog who enjoys curling up on the couch opposite the humans and watching them. She will allow pets and cuddles but remains aloof at all times. Since she has been in foster care, she has gotten along with the house pack, which includes her daughter. She is also friendly with other dogs in the neighborhood. She now meets her foster daddy part way to the gate for walks. She also starts play with the other dogs. Even though she is shy, she follows her people around and sits outside the room they are in if it is not the living room.

Click HERE to learn more about Lady!

Name: Sheba & Little Egypt
State: Texas
DOB: 2005
Gender: Female
Color: Red & white
Weight: 17.5

Sheba and Little Egypt had difficult lives prior to BRAT and need lots of love and affection. These two girls are bonded, and have been together most of their lives. They are both shy and timid. Sheba is the more confident of the two, whereas Little Egypt takes time to get to know you and trust you. Sheba is very affectionate and loves to cuddle; Little Egypt is more cautious but has been gaining confidence and trust and has begun to cuddle more and more. These two girls are more of what you would call "house dogs"...they go outside to potty then want to come inside to be "House Princesses”.

Click HERE to find more about Sheba & Little Egypt!

Name: Pepper
State: Texas
DOB: 11/8/2010
Gender: Female
Color: Red & white
Weight: 20

Pepper is a lovely young girl, well-socialized with people and other dogs. She is very playful, high energy, and loves to get into trouble! When she tires herself out, she finds her crate with bed and curls up or would love to occupy your lap where you can give her your undivided attention and a warm place to snuggle. Pepper has gone to several lure coursing competitions and is an exceptional courser. She has speed, follow, and focus. If you are thinking about a dog for dogs’ sports, she is an excellent candidate!

Click HERE to find out more about Pepper!

Name: Razz
State: New York
DOB: 11/29/2007
Gender: Male
Color: Red & white
Weight: 27

Razz is a sweetheart who is past most of the puppy craziness. He loves meeting new people and dogs and is ready to play within a few minutes of meeting them. He is very well behaved and knows several tricks. He enjoys frequent visits to the dog park where he gets along well with most other dogs and enjoys playing with them. So he would do well in a home with other playful dogs, but he could also be happy being an only dog. He is fine being left loose in the house alone during the day. Although some basenji mischief is always to be expected, for the most part he is content to nap while you are away. He is also crate trained but since he has been so well behaved, he has not needed it for a couple of years now.

Click HERE to learn more about Razz!

Name: Rango
State: Idaho
DOB: 2008?
Gender: Male
Color: Red & white
Weight: 28

Rango is a very handsome boy, around three years old, and still loves acting like a puppy. He tends to prefer female companionship, both human and dog, but with a little time and care he could bond to males, too. He loves to be around people, and will lean into you -- so that you can pet him, of course! He has a great sense of humor, grinning when he plays "Catch me if you can!" He's also pretty athletic and enjoys a good workout.

Click HERE to learn more about Rango!

All these Basenjis and more are listed on our main BRAT website. Please take a look!

Turkey Day

2011-12-02T04:00:00.002-05:00

Turkey day is always exciting at our house. Ivan and Dasa are driven to extremes by the smell of roasting turkey, and station themselves in the kitchen to repeatedly petition the cook for tasting duty. On days leading up to the turkey feast, they were tortured by the smell of roasting turkey wings as Eric made stock for gravy. They faithfully stayed underfoot while I baked desserts, unstinting in their devoted interest in all things food related.

On feast day, the Munchkins are fed and walked before guests arrive so they have full tummies and empty bladders. All of our guests are dog friendly, and appropriately attentive to Ivan and Dasa. Guests are always admonished not to feed the starving animals because gravy and other rich fare are not good for basenji digestive systems. Ivan and Dasa sit on rugs next to the table—they’re not going to sit on the cold floor—and look sorrowful and sadly malnourished.

After dinner we wander into the living room and hastily throw dog beds on the floor so humans can also sit on the furniture. Dasa lands in the remaining dog bed on the loveseat beside Eric. There’s a minor kerfluffle when Ivan tries to leap up into the same bed. Although it sounds as though they’re rabid Tasmanian devils, it’s of no consequence and peace is quickly restored as Ivan is diverted to the sofa to sit among his fans. Ivan insinuates himself between a couple of guests, and regards their attention as his due. (He started out sitting on one guest’s lap and then sort of oozed onto the sofa between two humans.)

Except for the need to be ever vigilant about keeping dessert away from basenjis who were waiting for guests to lean a bit too close while holding their plates, the munchkins were charming and adorable after dinner hosts.

However, they cannot be trusted with food as the concept of food belonging to anyone other than themselves is completely alien and absurd. This is so ingrained into our lives, that we are fascinated by tales of dogs who apparently operate under a different code.
Our dental hygienist’s wolfhounds fall into this category. Eric came home from his appointment yesterday to report on Thanksgiving with wolfhounds. The wolfhound mom heard a shriek from the kitchen from a visiting in-law who was near hysterics because a wolfhound licked the turkey. The wolfhound’s human said, no worries, we’re going to cook the turkey. It’ll be fine.

We tried to imagine what, if any, food would be left if Ivan and Dasa stood eye level with the counter. That turkey would’ve been stolen before the guest could even open her mouth to scream.

Small World

2011-12-01T21:49:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays from Cammie's Corner

Writer's block has gotten the best of me over the past few months as well as other things. Let's just say my humans were in a bit of a rut and somehow I ended up having two residences. Now things have calmed down and time will tell if I eventually have one residence with several doggie beds ;)

Anyway the holidays have approached and in southern Ohio the thermostat is moving up - brrrrr! Needless to say my humans and I have found out exactly how small the BRAT world is and it never ceases to amaze us.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I was walking down my street. When suddenly appeared another set of humans chatting up a storm with one of mine. I never before had seen this pair. Oddly enough, they followed me home. They seemed to be very nice and friendly. They both were very happy to spend time with my pack. As I was listening, I heard several key words in the humans' conversations - BRAT, coordinators, convention, Chicago..... Need I say more, they were my kind of pack peeps!!! Here in southern Ohio there appeared more B-peeps. They were visiting family and seen me walking. Just what are the chances of meeting more B-peeps. Ones that helped bring the largest pack of B's and B-peeps together in the nation.

Then as the visit continues - they discover who I am. I'm Cammie of Cammie's Corner. Wow!!! I'm famous. They've read my blog!!! How excited my humans were not to mention me. I thought my foster brother, Benny, was famous by making the Indianapolis tv news. And on a side note, that famous foster brother of mine is now a big brother - his pack got a new little girl that is just absolutely adorable. It seems she got a rough start and Benny's forever home B-peeps stepped to the plate and adopted Tess. I'm sure all you B-peeps on Facebook have seen Tess - she's even more famous than Benny and I - she has her own fb page. You can follow Tess on the BRAT fb page and on her fb page - Tess.

Thus, this just goes to show you how really small the big world can be, especially the BRAT world! Speaking of Indianapolis - guess where the next convention is???

Oh let's not forget to give a big baaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrroooooooo to Nicole and Robert - here's hoping you had a safe trip back to the windy city.

Pet Obesity

2011-12-01T12:31:00.001-05:00

Check out this new article on pet obesity, from our friends at the Pet 365 Blog:

http://www.pet365.co.uk/blog/pet-obesity/

Timing is Everything

2011-11-28T14:51:00.000-05:00

Guppy can’t read or tell time, but he knows how to time the most embarrassing mischief anyway. Over the summer I subscribed to “The Bark” magazine. I noticed they had a feature article on athletes and their dogs and a beautiful brindle Basenji boy caught my eye. He belonged to US Marathoner Fasil Bizuneh.

Being that I am the BRAT Twitter maiden I searched for him on Twitter and “followed” him. I even Tweeted about his Basenji, Ras being a companion for the distance. I got a retweet from it and nearly fell off my chair I was so excited.

Recently Guppy and his sisters and I moved across country from Tampa, FL to Tempe, AZ. Having lived in Arizona for many years before I moved to Florida, it was like coming home again. We quickly found our way to the dog parks and the hiking trails. One day as we were approaching one of our “home” dog parks I noticed a cute little brindle Basenji popping around the park. We entered and my pups took off and I scouted out who belonged to said Basenji. I found my target and started chatting her up. I introduced myself and mentioned my rescue work with BRAT. She said she was babysitting the dog for a friend. I asked where the dog lived when he wasn’t being babysat and she told me. Just about then the light bulb in my head turned on and I realized I was amongst a celebrity! The dog was Ras, Fasil Bizuneh’s Basenji and I just started gushing about the tweet and rewtweet-how exciting! I’m so starstruck! I had forgotten that Ras and Fasil live in Arizona. During a pause in our conversation I stopped to get a visual on my dogs, Norah was fine as usual, but where was Guppy? OH NO! Guppy was humping Ras. Guppy’s not a humper but I guess he was as starstruck as I.

How embarrassing Guppy! Your timing couldn’t have been worse-I just told that babysitter who I was (in regard to BRAT) and now you’re humping her friend’s dog. Good thing Guppy is so cute and so charming (and has such epic timing.)

Photo courtesy of Melissa Dunstan Photos

New Available BRATs: Jojo & Cleopatra

2011-11-27T18:33:00.004-05:00

Name: Jojo
State: Texas
DOB: 11/22/2009
Gender: Female
Color: Red and white
Weight: 22

Although Jojo is a young girl herself, she was recently a mom, so she is presently working on getting her girlish figure back. In BRAT foster care, Jojo has quickly captured the hearts of her foster mom and dad. She is very affectionate and friendly to all she meets. She doesn’t grumble when she is relaxing or sleeping, and will even let you pick her up and move her. She is respectful to the foster's furniture and belongings, although she does have those Basenji traits of enjoying paper and standing on her hinds legs to check out if there is anything tasty left on the table or counter that she may enjoy to indulge in for a snack.

Click here for to learn more about Jojo!

Name: Cleopatra
State: New Hampshire
DOB: 12/2004
Gender: Female
Color: Tricolor
Weight: 26

Cleo is a delightfully sweet, pretty girl. She LOVES her people and wants nothing more than to snuggle or find a warm, comfy spot in the sunshine. She is a Princess dethroned and sooo wants to get her status back. She is respectful of the resident dogs in her foster home, but would prefer to be the only shining star. Unlike the typical basenji, Cleo is friendly and outgoing towards people; even those she doesn't know.

Click here to learn more about Cleo!

Keep an eye on the listings on the main BRAT page for the Basenji that needs YOU!

A Basenji Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T10:05:00.001-05:00

His Highness' Every Wish

2011-11-21T11:21:00.002-05:00

I am learning an extreme meaning of "Basenji Slave".

For 13 years, I've practiced positive dog training. In essence, that means that I praise wanted (good) behavior, and mostly ignore unwanted (bad) behavior in my dogs. I am careful to never accidentally reward bad behavior. For example - if a dog jumps on me (unwanted behavior) they do not get the attention they are after. Instead, I use my knee to knock their feet off of me, and they are ignored. They get pets when they stay on the floor and give me eye contact (wanted behavior). This has been a very successful way of maintaining a good relationship with my dogs.

People often say that a rescue dog will spend the rest of their life thanking you. This is true in my house. I have two BRAT rescues - Abe, 7 years old; and Tippy, 6 years old. Abe and Tippy were each rescued from pretty rough situations. Now that they're living the good life, they seem to expect nothing from me. But they clearly appreciate every bowl of food, every dog walk, every treat, and every cuddle.

Then there's Ike. Ike is 13 years old, and not a rescue. In fact, he's hardly known anything unpleasant his whole life. He is the King of the Basenjis in this house. He is a kind and gentle Alpha. He's cool, calm, and aloof.

And recently he's become a demanding monster.

This has been the routine in my home for the last couple of months -

I'm an early riser. I wake up around 6am or so. I wake, yawn, stretch, rub my eyes, etc. In those 30 seconds, Ike starts whining. A high-pitched, long squeaking sound, punctuated by shorter, louder squeaks. It is insanely annoying.

What is so wrong in Ike's life that he cries as soon as he wakes up? I'll tell ya. It's because I'm not filling his food bowl quickly enough. The two minutes I want to myself first thing in the morning is really too much to ask, according to Ike.

Eventually the dogs get their food, and I pour myself a cup of coffee. I open the back door so that the dogs can run outside if they like. As soon as I take my first sip of coffee, Ike starts whining again.

Because he wants his dog walk, and I'm taking too long.

The same thing happens in the afternoon when it's doggie dinnertime. I swear that Ike can tell time. Dinnertime is at 4, and he starts whining at about 3:30. The sound of it is enough to make me want to run away from home.

The dogs were, of course, going to get their meals and their walks without Ike's whining, but that's not how he sees it anymore. I've been accidentally rewarding the unwanted behavior by providing these things *after* he has cried for them. Ike now believes that when he cries, he gets what he wants.

So now it's time to turn things around. I have to make sure that I never reward a whine, but still provide the dogs with food and walks.

Here is my new morning routine. I am a slave to positive behavior modification.

I make sure that I wake up before Ike does. Before he gets a chance to start whining, I walk directly into the kitchen and fill food bowls. Then, while the dogs are eating, I get dressed, get the leashes, grab a few poop bags. Immediately after they eat their last bite of breakfast, the leashes are on and we're out the door.

Everything happens so quickly that Ike has no chance to whine!

This is, of course, no fun for me. I find myself outside within five minutes of waking, wiping sleep from my eyes and trying to get the world into focus. After a half-hour of walking, we get home and the dogs happily go back to sleep for a few hours. And I finally get a cup of coffee to stave off the caffeine-starved headache that I feel creeping in.

The goal here is to rewire Ike's brain so that he no longer associates whining with quickly getting things he wants. My job is to anticipate his every wish, and provide it for him before he has time to realize that he wants it. I really hope this new routine is temporary.

I am a true believer in positive behavior modification. I'm just not sure who's behavior is more modified here.

Fostering... Cleo

2011-11-21T08:00:00.003-05:00

All of a sudden, Cleo arrived at my door.

Isn't she a pretty girl? She has a sweet personality as well.

It's been a year since I fostered a dog. Seems like the last several fosters I've had were tri-colored.

The reasons they come are varied.

As I get to know this girl, I find her to be misunderstood, as many are.

Cleo is a resilient, adaptable girl.

She is ready to be adopted and will soon be on the website.

I am happy to be able to help Cleo, to give her a temporary home and find her a new one. I encourage everyone to foster. At the end of the day, you can't beat the feeling you get knowing you have made a difference in the life of a dog in need.

Colleges of our choice

2011-11-19T04:00:00.001-05:00

Occasionally, it seems non-dog people worry about my state of mind, or even perhaps my lack of touch with reality. I’ve been questioned about our choice of vet—the 24 hour vet hospital, not the cheapest care giver around— although these people don’t seem to realize we make Sunday afternoon trips to the vet with one of the munchkins on a semi-regular basis. I flippantly replied that we’re spending the Munchkins’ college money. I go on to explain that our Munchkins, talented little geniuses that they are, could certainly get into Princeton (or on alternate occasions when I explain this, Brown). When asked why these schools, I explained that they’re very good schools in moderately-sized cities. I like the thought of the schools being in moderately-sized towns as opposed to large urban areas. Moderately-sized towns just seem like a more comfortable fit for the Munchkins. I know Dartmouth is also in a smaller town, but it’s so cold up there and the Munchkins don’t like the cold. I blithely prattled on, listing my preferences for colleges. My acquaintance watched me intently and finally said, “You do know they’re Dogs?”

Well technically yes, but they’re Basenjis.

Help Support BRAT with your holiday shopping!

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Fantastic Designs is donating 20% of profits from my online store to BRAT. Please check it out if you are looking for some unique and handmade holiday gifts. I have both basenji-themed items as well as other cute gifts such as baby onesies, magnets, and tote-bags. :)

A lovely dog collar modeled by Miss Toni Terrific.

Some super cute baby onesies!

p.s. My business is named after my first basenji that I adopted from BRAT over 10 years ago! The late great Happy Fantastic appears in my logo as well as on some of my designs.

My Muse, Miss Happy Fantastic

New Available BRATs: Cinnamon and Maxine

2011-11-13T17:37:00.004-05:00

Name: Cinnamon
Dog state: Illinois
DOB: 12/30/2005
Gender: Female
Color: Red and white
Weight: 21

Cinnamon is a shy, six-year-old, red and white basenji girl who is starting to emerge from her shell. Cinnamon came to us as a rescue from a very bad situation where she was not treated well. She didn't have a proper home, proper nutrition, or real love in her life. Now that has all changed! She is starting to lean into hand pets and ear scratching. She shows all the signs of wanting to be with people, although sometimes you have to encourage her to spend time with you.

Add a little Cinnamon spice to your life -- click HERE!

Name: Maxine
Dog state: Illinois
DOB: 2004
Gender: Female
Color: Red & white
Weight: 23

Maxine is a sweet girl that just wants some humans of her own. This poor little girl lost her home due to family illness and a fire. Her only wish is to have a nice warm home again with people that love her. The perfect family would have a place where Maxine could cuddle on the sofa and relax all day.

Scooch over and make room on the couch for one more -- click HERE!

These lovely ladies and many fine Basenji gents are available on the main BRAT page. Please keep an eye on the listings for more!

Roxy's heart

2011-11-10T07:53:00.005-05:00

Roxy fainted again this morning. Third time this week. She was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and a few other fancy medical terms in June; the result of heartworm damage. She's been with me three years in December. She arrived grossly underweight and heartworm positive. The vet didn't think she'd survive the heartworm treatment, but she did.

She's old--we don't even know how old, but probably around 14 by now. I'm grateful that we have a first-class vet school here; she's actually being followed by a doggie cardiologist! She's on seven pills a day, and we just increased the dosage from five to seven two weeks ago. I should have gotten more time with this increased dosage. This is a progressive disease but it seems to be winning. The last visit, they told me it's eventually going to win.

Roxy's a fighter though. I saw her win her heartworm battle. She's not going down without giving it her all. She still tries to keep up with the boys (non-BRAT B and a mini doxie). Today, though, on her walk, it started to hit home. Roxy won't win this one.

I love her. I've only had her three years, and she has been such a blessing. So for as long as she can stay, my heart will love her until that last heartbeat.

Basenjis and Celebrity

2011-11-09T00:01:00.002-05:00

Recently, I finished reading the great book Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean. Though technically a book about the famed movie star dog of its title, it ultimately serves as a history of dogs in general in popular culture over the past century and how radically that has changed. Once seen as just a part of the barnyard pack, they have managed to become central parts of our families, and much of that has been shaped by movies, books, television and other forces and popular culture.

Besides Goodbye, My Lady and the brief flash of a basenji at the opening of African Queen, I don't know that they have been featured in any other forms of mass entertainment. That may be for the good that they are somewhat obscure and people still ask "What kind of creature is that" at least two or three times a day on our walks. The 101 Dalmatian and Beverly Hills Chihuahua movies have probably sent hundreds if not thousands of dogs into rescue when people did not research the breed and then weren't prepared for what they got.

It got me to wondering if basenjis have been pets of any famous people. Just as I was contemplating that, I was reading the Sunday San Francisco Chronicle when this picture of Pauline Kael, the famed New Yorker magazine film critic popped up in a new mention of a biography about her. It turns out that she had two basenjis named Polly and Bush Baby who moved with her from California to New York in 1965. They were so central to her, that they were even mentioned in the 2001 New York Times obituary. I don't know that any other basenjis have achieved quite that level of national fame. Many of her friends reportedly loved the irony of this woman who could never stop talking would choose a breed of dog that never barked so she could continue to dominate every conversation.

A leading movie critic may not be quite a celebrity these days, but I wonder if there are any other well known people -- entertainment figures, politicians, sports stars -- who are more famous and have had basenjis in their life. Kael was known for being strong willed, opinionated, caustic, not one to suffer fools, but loyal to those she admired or at least tolerated. Not bad qualities for a basenji owner I would say.

Of course, every basenji owner knows that their curly tailed monsters are true stars in their home. At the risk of weaving in a total nonsequitor I will share this photo of my stars in their Halloween finery.

BRAT at the St. Louis Pet Expo

2011-11-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

The BRAT Volunteers

Pet Expos are loads of fun! On October 30, Tonya and Walt Ahrens, Benji, Kelli and Madi Hartgrave, Debbi Johnson, and Bill and I participated in the St Louis Pet Expo. Tonya and Walt brought one of their own basenjis and one foster. The Hartgraves brought their two fosters, and Bill and I brought our three basenjis. No other purebred basenjis were spotted at the Expo; however, there was one possible b-mix in the adoption room.

Liz discussing basenjis with a visitor

Our booth was visited by numerous individuals, and all of us answered many questions regarding breed traits. All of the basenjis were wonderful ambassadors for the breed, and I must admit that after visiting with several individuals, there were just as many people who decided they were not cut out for life with basenjis as there were those who indicated a definite interest in adopting.

Benji Hartgrave with foster

Those who were interested in adopting had a chance to interact with the foster basenjis, who were super friendly. We gave BRAT fliers and brochures to everyone who would take them.

Foster basenjis: Coby, Jack, & Zozo

Having been advised to have small items to sell for $1.00 each, we had purchased finger puppets, glow necklaces, and silicone bracelets printed with "Adopt from basenjirescue.org." We gave away lollipops and pencils. Donna Troyna donated numerous basenji Christmas stockings and small stuffed dogs, which sold well. We also received several donations.

Cardinals fan poodle

Other Expo exhibitors included a groomer in the booth next to us whose standard poodle was in true Cardinal spirit, colorfully celebrating the St Louis Cardinals winning the World Series. There were huge dogs and small dogs, many from other rescue groups and available for adoption during the Expo.

Smallest dog at the Expo

Tallest dog at the Expo

There were pets of numerous varieties-- one of the most popular was a huge tortoise who strolled the aisles all day.

Tortoise at the Expo

There were venders selling anything and everything pet related.

Princess Kitty

The best thing about the entire event was spending time with wonderful volunteers who share our love of basenjis. A good time was had by all!

Walt Ahrens with Ginger, his adopted basenji from the Wimauma (FL) pack

Peggy & Eric Pick, who came to visit us at the Expo!

- Liz Newton

Fostering: Tips & What to Expect

2011-11-05T04:28:00.000-04:00

Fostering a rescued basenji is always anemotionally-charged experience for me. After every foster I let go, my husband makes me swear that we’re notgoing to foster anymore, but in my heart I always know that I will. And of course, the next time a situationcomes along where a basenji really needs a foster and there’s nowhere else forthe dog to go, I beg my husband to let us step up to the plate to helpout. We’ve learned that ourinsecure-dominant male basenji, Biko, will accept a female foster much betterthan a male foster, but every time I bring a new dog home and start the difficultiesof facilitating proper dog introductions (trying to avoid having Biko and Reef,our female basenji, attempt to eat the newcomer), I start to question my sanityand wonder why the heck I’m doing this again. But, after the first day or so, when the dog finally gets settled into thepack and a household routine is established, I take all my doubts back and Iknow for sure that I am doing a wonderful thing. And then, when it seems like I have finallycreated a trusting, loving pet, my heart does ache to give the dog up but Iknow that I’ve picked the best family possible and I’ve given the her awonderful life. I follow-up with theadopters, make sure my foster is doing well with them, and I’m still sad for awhile that I didn’t keep her but I begin to slowly see that there is someoneelse who really does love her just as much as I do. In my distress of giving her up I have swornoff fostering, but when I see how well my former foster is doing in her newhome, I start to think about the next dog I might save….

Of course, everyone’s fostering experiencesare different, but generally that’s how mine go. The first few days are always the toughest,but if you can get through that initial difficulty you’ll have a month or moreof a wonderful and rewarding experience. And there are certainly ways to help make the first few days go moresmoothly – I’ve gotten much better at it with practice. Here’s what I’ve learned, which might helpyou too.

When I first bring a foster home, I try tohave done some bonding time individually with the dog, usually on the car ridehome. We talk, I pet and give treats,and if the dog will sit in my lap, I encourage that. By the time we get home, the dog hopefully islooking towards me as a source of trust and comfort, in a new and scaryenvironment. I try to have my husbandbring our dogs out on leashes while I let the new dog sniff around the frontyard, which always results in our dogs lunging towards the new dog like Cujowhile the new dog hides behind me in fear. To combat this, we walk all the dogs around the neighborhood for awhile, just a little bit apart, to distract the dogs while they get used to beingnear one another without going for the jugular. When we get home, we bring the new dog into the backyard first, and lether sniff around on-leash. Then, wecommence with the doggie introductions.

Reef tries to eat the foster dog's head

Facilitating proper dog introductions can bedone many ways, and it’s the first step towards having a good fosterexperience. The way I usually do it isto keep the foster dog close to me on-leash, protecting her with my body and mysquirt bottle, while we let one of our basenjis at a time come into theyard. I keep my dogs leashed just incase we need to pull them apart, and my husband sticks close by in case I needhim to assist me. One dog sniffs thefoster at a time, and if there are any growls or aggressive stances Iimmediately protect the foster by brandishing my squirt bottle. Once the foster and one of my dogs seemscomfortable enough around one another, they get to run around the backyardwhile dragging their leashes. Then, assoon as they seem okay together, we repeat the process and introduce my seconddog. After the foster is okay with eachdog individually, we slowly put everyone together again and let them play inthe backyard, dragging their leashes and keeping the squirt bottle handy incase they play too hard and fights break out – which they inevitably do, but it’sa normal part of the process of the dogs establishing pack hierarchy.

My foster Talley (Pippa), in her harness during her 1st week

Once everyone is good and tired, we introducethe dogs to the house by allowing the foster to come in first, sniff around thekitchen and living room (the rest of the house is gated off at first to preventaccidents), and decide where her “safe spot” will be. Usually we try to make a den-like area forthe new foster to retreat to, where she can feel safe and claim as her own inher new and scary environment. Dogs willinstinctively seek out a den-like safe haven in a new environment, and it doesa lot towards preventing nervous “bad” behavior in your foster if you providehim with this safe den. When the fosteris settled in her den we allow the other dogs to come into the house, and weprotect the foster in her den by again brandishing the squirt bottle at anydogs that would attempt to mess with her. The foster dog is initially fed in her den and is allowed to stay in herden as long as she wants, and we don’t mess with her if she’s in there. However, we do leave her leash attached forthe first few days so that we can gently tug her out if coaxing doesn’t workwhen we need her to come out for mandatory potty breaks. Eventually she will decide to come out andsee what the other dogs are doing or she’ll want to follow the humans aroundthe house, but until she decides on her own it’s best to leave her undisturbed.

It's not bedtime yet!

When it’s finally time for bed, we bringeveryone upstairs to our bedroom, where our dogs sleep in the human bed with myhusband and me, and where we make another doggie “den” in a corner near the bedfor our foster. Basenjis in particularoften get distressed (and may howl or be destructive) if they are separatedfrom their packs, so I’ve learned that it’s best to keep the new dog near thepack at night. Sometimes the new dog maypace around a bit at first since the nighttime sounds of the house are allunfamiliar to her, but eventually she will take a cue from the other dogs andwill settle down to sleep.

In the morning we may have to do amini-version of the dog introductions again, so I do keep a squirt bottle handynear my bed. I get up and walk the dogsto be sure that everyone’s emptied, then I gate the dogs apart for the day(double-stacking and tying the gate to be sure it’s secure) while I’m atwork. For the first week or so, I try tocome home at lunchtime to let the new dog out, until she learns that if she holdsher bladder I will eventually come home to let her release it. When I get home from work, all dogs get takenon an hour-long walk together to tire out their pent-up energy, so that theydon’t try to play too roughly and start a fight in the yard.

There may still be some fights that come upbetween the dogs from time to time, but after the first few days they seem toremember each other and there will be less and less jostling for territory. EventuallyI will stop needing to carry my squirt bottle around the house with me, and Iwill remove the foster’s leash (which she’s been dragging) because she nowknows our household routine and she comes willingly when my dogs do.

Within a few hours to a few days, all of thedogs will be genuinely playing with each other, and I will start to lookforward to coming home from work so that I can join in their clownishantics. I will enjoy our long walks together, thepride I feel when people ask me if I got another dog and I tell them I’mfostering, and I will feel my heart swell with love when the foster dog startsto willingly snuggle up to me on the couch.

I will take lots of pictures ofher to show people how cute my foster dog is, and how wonderfully the dogs allplay together. And of course, I will cryas the time nears when I have to give my foster to her new family, and I willwant to keep her, and I will wonder again why in the world I foster when I knowI have to go through this. But then Iwill see that she is loved just as much in her new home, and I’ll be gratifiedthat I’ve given her that home. I’ll besad and swear off fostering for a while, but then another dog will come along whohas nowhere to go….

So, for those of you who have never fosteredbefore or who say it’s too emotional for you, I promise you that you’ll beokay. Your dogs will be happy to have a playmate, and for the rest of your life you’llthink about your foster from time to time and you’ll smile, knowing what awonderful thing you’ve done. I encourageyou to give it a try.

Dasa's Warble

2011-11-04T04:00:00.004-04:00

The munchkins are happiest when all four of us go for a walk together. This is, in fact, such a sweet simple pleasure for them that we want to walk as often as possible just to see this happiness. However, Eric and I need to walk Ivan and Dasa separately when one of us is home alone, because there are a number of small fluffy dogs in our neighborhood who have an alarming habit of racing up to the munchkins. We have to be able to whisk a munchkin up in our arms almost before they notice the fluffy squeaky toy approaching, thus making our corner of the world safe for small fluffy dogs.
When we walk Ivan without Dasa, she has a dramatic way of letting us know she has been abandoned. Her doting humans can leave, no problem, she’ll just wag her tail and drift upstairs to nap on her king-sized bed. However, if Ivan leaves without her, she howls in distress. Her cry, full of pathos and tragedy, is very touching. It has an affecting warble: Wooo oooo oooo oooo.

The first time I heard this wail, I was at least a house or two away from home. Initially, I thought it was a distant siren, but then I just knew it was Dasa. Ivan and I raced up the drive and flung ourselves into the house. As soon as Dasa saw us, she stopped, looked at us, “Oh, there you are,” and calmly wandered off. I was out of breath and bewildered. That was it? That was all the reaction we got after such a display of torment and anguish? She howled as though she had suffered a great tragedy, and then just sniffed “Oh, you’re here,” and was immediately calm to the point of disinterest.

Ivan and Dasa get along really well. There is a great dynamic between them, for which we are very thankful. Ivan really likes having Dasa for company, and Dasa follows Ivan’s lead. Ivan is a very important part of home and comfort for Dasa. She takes a lot of cues from Ivan, and doesn’t like to walk past more than a couple of houses without him.

Dasa’s solo walks are short. Even with coaxing, she won’t venture very far without Ivan. During these short absences, Ivan is busy jumping on the couch and checking our progress through the window so he can race to meet us at the door, ready for his turn.

On a few rare occasions, one parent is ill or injured and stays behind with Dasa. To Dasa, this is still a tragedy. She cries pitifully even if a parent is with her when Ivan goes for a walk. Eric says she’s just making sure we can find our way home when we walk without her. Just follow the Woooo ooooo ooooo oooo and you won’t lose your way.

The miracle of time

2011-11-02T07:57:00.000-04:00

Roxy has been in my home 2 1/2 years now. I believed after we got her through heartworms and I failed Fostering 101 and subsequently adopted her, that her sweet personality, shyness and overwhelming desire to please would be the dog who would live forever in my home. She didn't exhibit many basenji idiosyncracies. She was just a great older dog.

Time will tell; and I am amazed how each month, she becomes more basenji, continuing to reveal to me who she really is. She must have had a really tough life before finding her way to BRAT, because she is still skittish at times--doesn't always want to be held too tightly and will cower at sudden movement. But little by little she is becoming the basenji she deserves to be.

It started with the little things, like sleeping under the covers, ripping up toilet paper and digging in trash cans. As she grew stronger, the need for longer walks (though that is now curtailed with her heart problem). But recently I'm getting full-on basenji--and I smile all the time! She is countersurfing (as best her arthritic legs will allow) and finally, just last month, she started heat seeking--moving to my spot on the couch when I got up--and wanting to be in the highest place in the room. I sometimes confuse her with my non-BRAT basenji boy!

I am so proud of her. Time continues to make all the difference. I can't wait to see what's in store!

Why I Foster Basenjis

2011-11-01T06:00:00.001-04:00

Often they arrive underweight with dull coats and eyes thattell you, “I’m lost, scared and vulnerable.”

They might be puppies, sick, unwanted, homeless, displacedby a human or old and frail.

They may all be basenjis but they come in different colors,different shapes and different sizes!

What do they all have in common?

A very sad story.

The need for a compassionate human,to provide them protection, food, shelter, exercise, a path toward learning to trust a human and aforever home.

Hi, I am a 40-something, married for 20years, have 14 and11yr old boys. We all know that Basenjis need to be walked and it is tough towalk 3 at a time….this is where the hubby and kids come in handy. That 45minwalk morning and night are wonderful times for our family. It ensures that weall have some one-on-one quality time with each other. During the week, Hubby and I walk the B'searly in the morning together and talk about the plans for the day, etc. It isan opportunity to get some exercise, communicate, plan, dream together, andstart the day out right. On the weekend we walk on the beach together – 3 B'sand 4 McCullys.

Kids need responsibilities – they feed the B’s, walk them,sleep with them and have learned to be responsible for something other thanthemselves. They have learned to care for our foster B's, and to let them go!The kids understand that we foster and don’t keep the foster B’s…because if wekeep the foster B’s…we cannot foster anymore, and there are always foster homesneeded.

Some true stories:

We have had a deaf foster boy. Our kids learned first handabout dealing with a disability during our time with this foster B.

We have had a Fanconi-positive foster boy who also had someincontinence issues that took a while to work out. Our kids learned aboutchronic illness and a medication regime.

In summary, Fostering and having 2 resident basenjis in ourhome is truly an asset to our family. They provide a connection between all ofus. Reasons to communicate with each other, reasons to care for something lessfortunate than ourselves. Fostering offers hands-on learning experiences forour sons that they will take through their lives.

It will cost very little in dollars and cents to Foster, andthe potential gains are priceless. I encourage you to give it a try!

-Sonya McCully

New Available BRATs: Xena and Coca

2011-10-30T17:59:00.005-04:00

Name: Xena
Dog state: New York
DOB: 12/2009
Gender: Female
Color: Black & white
Weight: 26

Xena is a lovely girl with a tightly curled tail. She is friendly, enjoys meeting people and can be handled all over. However, she does not like her tail to be uncurled or her nails clipped. After the initial sniffing-greetings when meeting dogs, Xena will play bow to break the ice and get the games going.

Click HERE to find out more about Xena!

Name: Coca
Dog state: Texas
DOB: 2007
Gender: Female
Color: Tricolor
Weight: 19

Coca is a beautiful, sweet, four year old girl. She is confident and shows that Basenji pride. She is not the best at walking on leash so further training will be needed. Although, when walking her, be prepared for people to come over and ask about her because she is a beautiful Basenji! She is petite—approximately 20 pounds—and has beautiful lines; she has that Basenji stance that people will notice.

Click HERE to find out more about Coca!

These lovely ladies and more up-and-coming Basenjis can be found on the main BRAT page. Check back often!

Sunspots and Burritos

2011-10-28T11:39:00.004-04:00

My little Denny was never a big one for lazing about in sunspots. However, as his 8th birthday approaches, he seems to have learned to love them. Every morning, I can now find him dozing in the sunspot in my study.

He has also learned to love being wrapped up like a burrito. I almost covered him with sour cream and guacamole the other night by mistake.

The Guppy Paparazzi

2011-10-25T10:18:00.000-04:00

What do The Beatles, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Justin Bieber and Fast Eddie MacMillan all have in common? They’ve all been the subject of celebrity crushes.

Granted the last name on that list may not be familiar to you but it is a very popular name with Guppy. You see, he has a crush on another Basenji who belongs to some very dear friends of ours. Eddie (or Ed) as he is commonly known is a tri-colored Basenji that seems to take life a little more seriously than Guppy does.

When Ed is called by his parents it is done so in a rapid fire verbal attack (think YEDDIEYEDDIEYEDDIEYEDDIE). Ed, in typical Basenji style sometimes comes and sometimes ignores. However, when Guppy is around and the Ed call is launched, Guppy starts to wiggle every inch of his body (almost like he’s having a seizure) and will launch a verbal attack of his own including his pig noises (he can oink with the best of them), he meows, he squeaks and the crescendo is when he baroos. He cannot contain himself, he gets so excited. This happens if you’re in the presence of Ed or not.

Ed is a serious kind of guy so much so that he has little tolerance for this type of behavior. He will growl and snarl and even shoot me dirty looks. But the conclusion is normally some part of Guppy’s body ending up between Ed’s teeth. Sadly, this ends the Guppy and Ed show and Ed can go back to minding his business without the Guppy paparazzi distraction.

My Life with Basenjis

2011-10-19T13:15:00.006-04:00

The look so calm and relaxed; lying there, sharing the sunshine.

All sweetness and innocence...

You'd never expect them to be cohorts in crime.

Capable of opening closet doors...

PANTRY PARTY!!!

...but wait. There's more!

Let's crash the gate...

Someone left the bathroom door open!

And there was the time Jazzie got ahold of my eyeglasses.

It's a miracle! They could be fixed.

Who would guess this vision of sweetness could be capable of...

THIS!

But after a while, we learn...

Destruction proof!

Petey

decided to customize his bed...

and then

rearrange a few items in the kitchen.

I wouldn't have it any other way!

Trick or Treat!

2011-10-18T07:56:00.004-04:00

Since it is almost Halloween I thought I would post a photo of one of my tricksters getting goofy for a treat.

Note to Self: Ivan and Dasa are not Golden Retrievers

2011-10-15T04:00:00.011-04:00

Ivan and Dasa stood in the grass, a safe distance away, and watched suspiciously as I hosed the paint off the patio. This was not the result I had hoped for when I overheard someone at aerobics talking about using her Golden Retriever, Lolly’s pawprints to make artsy frames, stationery, etc. She made it sound so easy.

In my defense, Ivan and Dasa’s feet are a lot prettier than a Golden Retriever’s. On those dreadful occasions when they encounter moisture and leave little footprints on the patio, I always think their footprints look like flowers. So, when I heard about Lolly, I thought only of how sweet those little flower-like footprints would look, and mentally skated past the whole dreary matter of logistics. Very much like the cartoon that shows someone scribbling equations all over a chalkboard with “And Then a Miracle Occurs” written at a crucial stage, my mind skipped merrily over the how-on-earth-am-I-going-to-get-the-Munchkins-to-cooperate part?

I assembled my washable kids’ paint and selection of poster board & paper on the patio while the Munchkins followed me watchfully. When I added freeze-dried chicken bits to the collection, they looked decidedly more interested. “OK. Nice day, chicken treats, we’re in—at least for the chicken part.”

My plan unraveled quickly. Ivan and Dasa were happy to eat chicken. Dasa allowed me to dip her foot into the paint, and then decided she was terrified of the paper and scampered into the grass. Ivan also allowed me to dip his foot into paint, but he too decided he could not possibly walk on the paper.

Ivan and Dasa’s plan was as follows: I will not step into the paint. I will not step on paint rolled across a poster board. I will walk all over the blank poster board until I have paint on my feet. Then, I will not walk on the poster board. I will not walk on the paper if you dip my foot into the paint. I will not do this with any color you try.

Ivan and Dasa accidentally stepped on the edge of the poster board a couple of times as they reached for the chicken bits I held over the middle. Somehow, this was not the colorful collage of tiny flower-like footprints I envisioned.

After I conceded my grand experiment did not go as planned, Ivan was happy to sit on my lap and allow me to praise him lavishly while I washed his feet with warm water and heated towels. Dasa thought the entire process was torture.

Parting thoughts:
Ivan and Dasa have beautiful feet and leave little footprints that look like flowers; however, my Munchkins are not Golden Retrievers. Thank goodness! If they unquestioningly did whatever I asked, I’d be worried that aliens had replaced them with mindless clones. No need to panic, I think the aliens would soon realize their error, return the Munchkins, and sigh with relief.

I Don't Think So

2011-10-12T00:09:00.002-04:00

After five months along in my journey in life with Shaka and Audrey, I continue to learn new things and be surprised every day. Though she has a personality that is unique to her alone, I find that she increasingly reminds me of my first female basenji, Bow, and not always in the best way.

During much of September, there was intense street construction going on our block. Jack hammers, steamrollers, dump trucks and just about every imaginable noisy, annoying machine. Needless to say, neither Shaka nor Audrey wanted to be anywhere near that racket, and it started our walks off chaos. The construction is now long over, and initially going anywhere near where the construction had been going on resulted in Audrey first grinding her paws into the pavement, backing up on the leash and giving me the most intense "I.Don't.Think.So." look. And when she is in that state, there is little chance of negotiation. Trying to pull her along makes it hard to believe that this is an 18-pound basenji and not a bank safe on a chain.

Initially this happened just when we went anywhere near where the construction had gone on. But over the past three or four weeks, it has happened at various spots along our route where there is no noise, no distractions or anything obviously setting her off. I've tried a variety of techniques to correct this -- making a U-turn which sometimes works but not usually, happy talk coaxing or dropping treats. But usually it just takes just going a different direction.

All of this is exactly what I went through with Bow about five months into our time together. And with Bow, it was also hard to know what caused it, and one day it just suddenly stopped.

Do others with basenji girls have similar experiences or tips on how to get beyond it. It's now hard to tell if it's stubbornness or fear or a combination.

New Available BRATs: Dewgan, Diamond, Nikita & Tut

2011-10-09T13:58:00.007-04:00

NAME: Dewgan
DOG STATE: Arizona
GENDER: Male
DOB: 2/25/2005
COLOR: Red & white with tri-factor
WEIGHT: 29

Think all Basenji's hate water? Want to meet the exception? Here is Sir Dewgan, the water Basenji! According to the prior owner Dewgan loves to play in a pool, enjoys chasing water from a garden hose and has been known to dive for toys. He is also described as having a large quantity of vocalizations worthy of any self respecting Basenji, and will willingly share them with you if prompted. He has been known to softly lay his chin on your leg and look longingly at you as if asking for something to munch on.

Click HERE to learn more about Dewgan!

NAME: Diamond
DOG STATE: Florida
DOB: 12/16/2008
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Red & white
WEIGHT: 28.8

Diamond is a true “gem” of a Basenji. This nearly three-year-old, tall, dark, and handsome boy is searching for his forever home. Diamond is very social and enjoys lots of playtime with the other Basenjis in his foster home. Diamond needs to have at least one other canine companion of compatible energy in his forever home.

Click HERE to find out more about Diamond!

NAMES: Nikita & Tut
DOG STATE: Florida
DOB: 2005 and December 2002, respectively
GENDERS: Female / Male
COLORS: Red & White / Tricolor
WEIGHTS: 25 / 28

Nikita and Tut are a bonded pair that are now residing as members of a pack of five in a foster home in Florida. Ideally they would like to be placed together however they could be separated if their forever home has another dog in it. Like any self respecting Basenjis they are duty bound to inspect the contents of any open trashcan and to make snow of any available box of Kleenex.

Click HERE to read more about Nikita & Tut!

Looking to add a Basenji (or two!) to your life? Check out our list of available rescues on the main BRAT page!

Blessing of the Wild Animals

2011-10-07T04:00:00.010-04:00

A few years ago we went to a blessing of the animals service in a courtyard at an Episcopal church. We stayed near the back behind assorted well-behaved dogs and some disgruntled cats, and kept death grips on Ivan and Dasa. There was a moment of panic when a woman carrying a rabbit cage came up beside us. I had visions of one of the munchkins leaping onto the cage and causing the bunny to die of fright. A whole awkward tableau unrolled behind my eyelids, but we managed to escape without any tragedies.

This year we attended a blessing of the animals event at an outdoor chapel in a grove of pine trees behind a Lutheran church. Ivan hasn’t been quite that over stimulated and hyper alert in a long time. It really wasn’t his fault. As soon as we got out of the car, a tiny poodle emerged from a car next to us, emitting very loud and shrill unhappy noises, which set the tone, so to speak, of the entire evening.

I settled our lawn chairs, bag of treats, blankets, Benedryl, and so forth off to the side to keep our wild animals from eating anyone. Then I took Dasa’s leash and she explored a few trees while Eric took Ivan to a large grassy area for some exercise. When Ivan is this hyper, you don’t really have to do much to give him exercise. You just hold the end of the leash over your head and he runs circles around you. After about 100 or so circles, we thought he would be a bit calmer, but such was not the case.

There were, mercifully, no cats, but there were lots of teeny tiny, fluffy wuffy, very vocal little dogs, and a parrot. If all the dogs had been like the two sleepy beagle/hound types who sat nearest us, it might have been less of a challenge. However, (and my apologies to small fluffy dogs everywhere) Ivan and Dasa seem to think tiny dogs too closely resemble squeaky toys.

This is why there are no photos from the occasion —because all hands were busy with the Munchkins and could not be availed upon to hold a camera. This also reminded me why it has been several years since we attended a Blessing of the Wild Animals event.

As we remembered it, the last animal blessing experience didn’t seem quite so exuberant and high-spirited (aka unruly and wildly chaotic). However, as I recall, it was a smaller crowd and had dogs of all sizes, which might have tempered things. It might also be the balm of time that smoothed out the frenetic sharp edges of that memory.

Dasa sat quietly on Eric’s lap, her usual sweet shy little self. Ivan sat on my lap and protested his captivity throughout the service. Ivan, who takes after me in several ways, does not believe in suffering in silence. If you don’t let anyone know you’re not pleased with the situation, how will they know they should fix it? Ivan made his dissatisfaction known with frequent dying water fowl noises.

Fortunately, there was so much going on that his complaints blended in with the rustles, squeaks, grumps, and service music. From what I was able to absorb when not attempting to reason with Ivan, it was quite a nice service. The minister came around and blessed each family of animals together: “Ivan and Dasa, may God, who created you in beauty and variety, now bless you and the companionship you share with your people in your journey through life.”

This is really the critical point. We are blessed every day with our Munchkins; the joy of living with them is a gift beyond measure. On that day, we were, as always, grateful for the Munchkins, but we were also grateful when the service ended. We took our little blessings home and collapsed on the couch.

Spock

2011-10-06T09:38:00.000-04:00

Was strolling along in Lincoln Square (Chicago) and saw this card in a shop window:

Live Long and Prosper, my human. Unless you do not obey.

- Bob Elsasser

New Shelter Contest!

2011-10-04T05:47:00.000-04:00

New Shelter Voting Contest!! Vote for BRAT here every day, and at the end of the contest we can win $1000 to help homeless basenjis!

Behind the Scenes at BRAT

2011-10-03T13:24:00.002-04:00

I have heard it said, "If you want something done, ask a busy person." BRAT has hundreds of volunteers, however many are less frequently called on to provide services while others are busy on a daily basis. The busiest people are, of course, the ones who live where there are lots of rescues needing help. Tonya and Walt Ahrens in Missouri, a puppy mill state, always have a house full of fosters, many who are receiving long term rehabilitation in order to help them become adoptable. Tonya coordinates all of the dogs they foster and many others who are fostered in other homes in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas.

Another District Coordinator in a puppy mill state, Richard Reinhold, likes to bring new basenjis to his Texas home if possible so he can personally evaluate them for a few days to be certain he does not pass a biter to another foster.

Suzanne Sarlls-Hartwell, having a kennel attached to her Michigan home, always has a few extra basenjis hanging out while waiting for transport to other foster homes or adopters. Suzanne, constantly on the go planning and driving BUR runs, is also co-chairman of the 2012 BRAT convention which will be held in Indianapolis next June. Tania Doran, another busy foster volunteer, lives in Indiana and is the other co-chair for convention.

Jacque Holdaway, from Oklahoma, is another busy foster volunteer. Like, Tonya and Walt, Suzanne and numerous others, I can't recall a time when Jacque has had fewer than three to five foster basenjis. Even with all the work of taking care of and coordinating numerous basenjis, Jac makes time each year to produce the BRAT calendar. The calendar, which will be taken to the printer this week, is BRAT's biggest annual fund-raiser. We should be ready to take orders by mid-October.
The record holder for number of fosters at one time is certain to be Pam Hamilton who still has a few Wimauma Field basenjis hanging out in her Florida home. The time she has spent socializing them was apparent at the 2011 Convention where the many WF basenjis present displayed perfect basenji manners!

BRAT has three Regional Coordinators counting me. Oren Will and Roberta Kosek also frequently have fosters in their home and coordinate many basenjis each month placing them in carefully chosen forever homes. Oren is currently coordinating the six Las Vegas pups and I am certain his in-box must be over-flowing with applications.

Behind the scenes numerous BRAT devotees perform administrative duties on a daily basis. Debbi Johnson, BRAT treasurer, assures the bills are paid and the books balanced, seldom taking a day off from checking email and responding to the vetting requests. Pat Dukes, B Ann Hageman and Chey Miller also volunteer on a daily basis to respond to volunteers, add basenjis to the spreadsheet, manage the paper files, issue tags and keep track of where each rescued basenji is living. Jackie Kuhwarth, answers BRAT's 800 number responding immediately whenever a lost basenji is found. Jackie and her husband, Don, provide the server and maintenance for BRAT's web site. Linda Siegel, posts the rescues to the web, an important step in the re-homing process. Lori King does her best to find rescuers and homes for as many basenji mixes as possible.

It is amazing that BRAT is fully staffed solely with volunteers who give so much time and effort to help our favorite breed. I am profoundly proud to be a part of this wonderful organization.

Liz Newton

New Available BRATs: Vanna in WI and puppies in NV

2011-10-02T18:02:00.003-04:00

NAME: Vanna
DOG STATE: Wisconsin
DOB: 2001 ~ 2004?
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Black and white
WEIGHT: 22

Vanna is a shy, mild mannered female who enjoys playing with other friendly basenjis of either gender, once she gets to know them. She is good with dog-savvy cats and gets along well with respectful children. When introduced to an infant she licked the baby's toes. Her mothering instincts have likely been strengthened by her past life of raising puppies. One of Vanna's favorite activities is walking on leash around the neighborhood. When indoors she enjoys napping on the sofa.

It's Vanna's turn to be babied. Click HERE to learn more!

NAMES: King, Queen, Chip, Ace, Diamond & Blackjack
DOG STATE: Nevada
DOB: 6/30/2011
GENDER: Male and female
COLOR: Red & white, tricolor
WEIGHT: various

These little handfuls of joy were left at a Las Vegas vet's office overnight with a note saying the owner couldn't take care of them. The vet asked if BRAT could handle things, and as a result, here they are! They all have a voice, and can baroo! These puppies are full of personality.

Click HERE if you wanna wager with the Las Vegas pups!

Many Basenjis are looking for their forever home on the main BRAT page. They need someone like YOU to look for THEM!

Sugar and Spice...or at Least Sugar

2011-09-23T18:07:00.003-04:00

Does your Basenji melt in the rain? Are their paws sweet like sugar or salty like popcorn, because both sugar and salt melt in water.

Denny Basenji is the ultimate martyr when it comes to going out in the rain. The ears go flat, the gait becomes droopy and resistant, the cold nose butts my leg to let me know that he has done his business and it is time to go in before he melts away entirely.

Baths are the worst. We have shivering, indignant suffering for about three minutes, and then...then the piteous whimpering begins. If, after a minute of this, I have not remedied the situation by removing him from the death trap known as the tub, he begins to yowl. He is melting like the Wicked Witch of the West, in cast I haven't noticed.

Denny is happiest when he is dry, sitting in the sunshine with 72 degrees, low humidity and a rawhide between his lips. Then again, can you blame him?

Dog Development

2011-09-22T12:08:00.002-04:00

Here is another very interesting blog, this one about Dog Development, from our friends at the Pet 365 Blog.

Click here to view the Dog Anatomy post.

Putting the FUN in Fundraising!

2011-09-20T07:41:00.001-04:00

Wow! What an exciting day we had on Sunday! Mr. Calvin Cuddles, my friends Ellen and Kylee (and Kylee's pug Tuffy), and I all went out to Shelburne Museum Goes to the Dogs to raise money and awareness for Basenji Rescue and Transport (BRAT). It was one "wild party" for dogs and their owners and there were so many great things going on! A cowboy parade and costume contest, dog demonstrations, disc dog Vermont state championships. Plus DOZENS upon DOZENS of dog rescue groups and dog-tastic vendors!

Ellen, Kylee, and Mr. Calvin (the ONLY basenji of the 1,000 dogs at the event)

Someone's getting tired!

And he is out like a light! :)

Basenji Magic

2011-09-17T08:34:00.008-04:00

What makes your basenji magic?
To borrow a lyric phrase from The Producers, is it that fabulous face?

Is it that little curly tail that wiggles in excitement or those dainty white feet that smell like popcorn? What about the wonderful pointy ears and the way they swivel like satellite dishes?

Or is it that soft, sleek coat that has no doggy smell? The enchanting eyes that are impossible to resist? The expressive wrinkles that make them look worried and in need of attention? The lovely elegant gait or the freckled tummy that’s so fun to kiss? Can it be the yodel when they’re hungry? Is it the impishness or the sweet snuggliness? Is it that they are wonderful to sleep with, or how determinedly they plot to get what they want? The unwavering concentration when they stalk squirrels or bunnies? The sigh of contentment when they settle on your lap? Their joy in simple things like Charlee Bears or other treats? How happily they greet you when you come home?

Or is it more than the sum of all this? More than all these parts of the equation, no matter how lovely they might be? What makes us fall, tumble happily, into complete devotion to our magical little creatures?

To paraphrase Cole Porter,
Is it just the look of them, the sweet of them,
the pure of them, the east, west, north and the south of them? Was it love at first sight, first snuggle, first donut tail wiggle? There are so many factors about basenjis that enchant and delight. Is it any wonder we love them so.

We Are Family

2011-09-14T00:01:00.005-04:00

It's official, as of September 4, 2011. Shaka and Audrey are adopted, and after four months their foster home is now their forever home.

When my first basenji Bow crossed the Rainbow Bridge in March after a battle of more than a year with brain tumors, I knew that I did not want to rush out to find a replacement. She could not be replaced. I told myself that I should give it at least six months before even considering another dog. I even contemplated other breeds -- Whippets, Ibiza Hounds, Carolina Dogs and others. All appealed to me, but I kept coming back to basenjis. While open to fostering and transporting, I wanted to really think out what characteristics might next one would have. I felt it would be impossible to adopt another red and white female since she would remind me too much of Bow or that it would be asking too much of her to try to "replace" Bow. The idea of a pair entered my mind, but I was not set on that. Tricolors appealed to me, but when I looked at them it was as if I saw Bow hidden under a partial shroud of black.

Whatever happened, I was intent on thinking out and planning my next adoption so that I would have the "perfect" basenji whatever that meant. My main objective was to be mindful and careful and not rush into anything that would result in a bad match for me or the dog.

Barely a month after Bow's departure, I got the call to rescue Shaka and Audrey (then known as Shacka and Crybaby) who after a couple of days on the street had landed at the Solano County Animal Control facility. When those two came charging out of the kennel it felt like the closest I will ever come to childbirth. Audrey was so frightened and unable to make eye contact except to give an occasional glance of "Please don't hurt me," and Shaka gave an intent stare of sizing me up and seeming to give a look of trust. I've yet to meet a basenji with such an intense stare. His auburn eyes have a unique greenish tint to them that is also unique. Audrey's coat looked more like that of a porcupine than a basenji, and she was very underweight. The white in both of their coats was dingy and dusty.

They came to me under desperate in pretty melodramatic circumstances. But from that first day, I was deeply touched by what I felt was a sense of great appreciation on their part to be treated with respect. They may have been confused, frightened and dirty, but they clearly had an enormous capacity for love and learning.

Over the course of our four months together, the changes have been gradual and dramatic. Audrey now always greets me with a wagging tail and joyful eyes, her coat is now even and silky smooth after three months of supplements and getting her weight back to normal. Shaka was gregarious from the outset but a bit pushy. He has learned to do a perfect food bowl sit, and they continues to be very proud of his "shake" that he was able to do the first day in the household. Audrey has completed basic obedience class, and Shaka will finish his this Saturday.

Four months later, I think back to our first night together and how Audrey seemed to be such an especially fragile case. She was suffering from kennel cough, and more than half of her ears were covered in mange. After going through the loss of Bow, I felt that seeing another sickly basenji girl suffer was more than I could take. I was intent that I would give her and Shaka safe harbor until a long-term foster could be found but would not let myself get too involved.

Looking at her four months later, with both the mange and cough distant memories, I realize how both of them have helped me heal from the loss of Bow and honor her legacy.

From the first day I knew they were diamonds in the rough. They are now the jewels in the crown.

My goal of finding the "perfect" basenji may not have been attained, but over the course of our four months of getting to know each other it was increasingly clear that we three are perfect for each other. That is why I set September 4 -- what would have been my parents' 63rd wedding anniversary -- as the adoption date.

Fish Oil

2011-09-07T14:51:00.000-04:00

Two years ago at the BRAT convention in DC, I remember petting someone's basenjis who had the softest fur I'd ever felt on a dog. Marveling, I asked the owner what kind of shampoo they used. They told me that it wasn't shampoo -- they simply fed their dog a high-quality food, and a daily capsule of fish oil.

In the past year, I have been experimenting with different kinds of high-quality dog food (see my previous posts on What Difference Does Food Make?) and the jury's still out on which one seems to have the best impact on my dogs. We're presently feeding Blue Buffalo, but I think I may switch again because I'm not seeing quite as big a dietary impact as I'd hoped for. However, about a week ago I was at Costco and I had a coupon for a big bottle of 1000mg fish oil capsules for $5, and I remembered the advice that I had received at the convention. I bought the bottle, and started feeding my dogs each one capsule of fish oil at night with dinner.

That was about a week ago, and in just two days I was amazed to notice the dogs' fur was already getting softer. We're now 7 days in, and my two little basenjis feel like soft velvet, and I swear that even their eyes seem brighter. They absolutely love the fish oil with dinner (I slit the capsules open and squeeze the oil over their food), and I was surprised that it doesn't seem to give them bad breath as I had feared. My only complaint is that the fish oil smells absolutely GROSS and there's no way to squeeze out the capsules without getting some on my fingers! So, if you don't mind washing the smell of dead fish off your hands (it comes right off, I promise), I highly recommend feeding your dogs one capsule of fish oil every day with their food. It costs virtually nothing for the capsules, and it really makes a huge difference in their fur and their health!

Wimauma Basenjis Update

2011-09-05T11:39:00.000-04:00

It's been quite some time since we have done an update on the basenjis of the Wimauma, Florida group. We had a mini-reunion of quite a few of the group at the BRAT convention in June in Chicago. It was great fun to see so many of the them. Fortunately, most of our adopters keep in touch with Pam and me. Here is Pam's update on the remaining ones.

-Debbi Johnson

* * *

Greetings,

It has been awhile since the last update. There are just a few Wimauma "adults" left here, with possibly only one still not yet committed to a forever home. We still refer to them as adults, even though all of the Wimauma pack have now reached adulthood. It is getting harder to let go - they are so happy, settled and easy here. They so often take a backseat to so many other things (needy new fosters...) without any complaint. Five Wimauma adults take less time than one new foster with medical issues. They are incredibly well-behaved and have done a fantastic job of helping new, fearful or not-so-well-mannered fosters settle into the routine here, teaching them how to socialize, how to play and how to enjoy life. While they are still quite keen for the hunt, they are also quite content to spend the day inside with us in the air conditioning. They all, including Nadra, will stay laying down while I approach, ready to accept some stroking. At night, getting to sleep can be a bit difficult. They have discovered how pleasurable a belly rub is - and it is hard to say no to their gentle insistence that now is the right time.

The adults who have moved onto their new forever homes are settling in, some faster than others. A few have been impressing their new families with their hunting skills - and kills... They do seem to make more progress in their settling after they have a good pack reunion. Having a visit with old pack mates seems to reassure them that the world is okay (as does the opportunity to hunt). It would be nice to be able to have the pack cycle through all of the adoptive homes to help everyone feel at home with their new families. I have been very lucky to have been able to see all but one of my Wimauma adult fosters in the past year. They have made me feel honored by appearing to recognize me. Soon, they will all have enough memories with their current families that I will become a distant memory.

The pack that remains here has a lot of fun. Twice daily tumble sessions (in the morning and at night when the temps are at their coolest) give them a bit of exercise. They have managed to get in a few more kills - rats, squirrels and, of course, an endless number of lizards. I have been lucky in that the toads are not spending too much time in the yard. A frog tempted them to go into the pool, but they are not all quite that brave. Fana did actually get in on the first step to go after it (she is the least intimidated by water), but going for the full swim was not in her plans.

The pool has provided some entertainment for them. They are quite excited or worried when the neighbors' grandkids are swimming and squealing in the pool next door. When we go for a swim, they race around the outside making all kinds of noises, very worked up. If we "flounder" by the edge, Pogo will try to grab an arm, as if he needs to pull us out. When a b falls in (it has happened a couple of times - new fosters are watched carefully to make sure they learn how to be around the pool - and learn the way out), Pogo tries to pull him or her out. He has actually stepped down into the pool on the first step to retrieve a little girl b. He regularly spends his time laying at the halfway point beside the pool, in "lifeguard" position. He will be staying with us, joining Portal as a permanent part of our pack.

I could go on about cute little behaviors of each one - Ali paws for attention, Mosi uses a pacifier (a large object in his mouth) when he is excited by squirrels or the neighbors' grandkids, Nadra acts shy, though she is one of the most serious players - but it is time to pass this on. There may not be many more updates about the Wimauma pack in the house - there are very few that are still looking for their forever homes. They will soon be a warm memory of the best basenjis I've ever had - and updates will come from their new forever homes!

-Pam Hamilton

New Available BRATs: Kinja, Ojii, and Jessy

2011-09-04T19:01:00.004-04:00

NAME: Kinja
DOG STATE: Kansas
DOB: 12/09/1998
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Red and white
WEIGHT: 24

Kinja is a sweet, inquisitive 12-year-old female basenji looking for a new forever home. She is quite friendly, calm, and yet youthful for her adult age. She would love to have a family that could spend time with her, and let her be a couch potato with them. Kinja likes to window watch and go for walks. As a typical basenji, Kinja is very curious and likes to check out bags/purses. She can be trusted in the home alone and is also making great progress with crate training.

Click HERE to check out more of Kinja's story!

NAME: Ojii
DOG STATE: Pennsylvania
DOB: May 2010
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Trindle (Tricolor with brindle)

Ojii is a high-energy young trindle boy, with a lot of curiosity and personality. In his down time, he is a cuddler. And he even gives hugs! Watching Ojii is quite comical; he is goofy and sometimes clumsy. He enjoys playing with his humans and other basenjis in the home. As with any young dog, he puts everything in his mouth and will need to be watched through this phase. Ojii's preferred family would include humans that like to have their basenji in every part of their life, because he will be following them around everywhere. A family that is home enough to limit his crate time and provide long walks would be ideal.

Click HERE if you're interested in making Ojii part of your family!

NAME: Jessy
DOG STATE: Texas
DOB: 12/15/2001
GENDER: male
COLOR: Red and white
WEIGHT: 26

Jessy is a good old boy. You would never know he is 10 years old; he is lean, fit and very energetic. He does well with other dogs, and even knows how to respect cats. He will run and play with children, but it is always best to make sure the kids are dog-savvy when it comes to being around Basenjis. Jessy is housetrained and fully knows that outside is where he is to do his business. He is not destructive, although once he did take a liking to a pair of sandals ... there was just something that intrigued him with those sandals. He enjoys the comfort of a chair or couch to relax in when permitted. He also has no fear of heights and at times may climb higher to see what is on the table.

Click HERE if you'd like to take Jessy to some great new heights!

These and many other beautiful Basenjis in need are available on the main BRAT page. Please take a look!

Our evening walk

2011-09-02T04:00:00.000-04:00

Ivan and Dasa love their evening walks through our neighborhood. This evening we went out around dusk so they wore their puplights. Dasa also has a reflective leash because we want to make sure we’re visible. Most of our neighbors know us, if not by name then as the people with those little dogs.

We also associate a lot of our neighbors with their dogs. Ivan and Dasa like to make a stop at Monti the Maltese’s mailbox diagonally across the street from ours. We stride briskly up the street, past houses and yards belonging to Charlie the Papillion and Watson the big yellow dog. A bit farther along, as we pass a high wooden fence we are greeted by a very deep woof from points unseen. We turn the first corner and send Carmen the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel into paroxysms of frenzied barking. Then we come to the black labs’ house. Dasa’s little ridge goes up and she huffs indignantly.

The black labs seem like very sweet dogs, so I don’t know why Ivan and Dasa are so horrified they live in our neighborhood. We can always tell when the labs are walking their people past our house because Ivan and Dasa act as though a lab-alert siren has gone off. They race circles through the house, jump on the couch, check out the window, race another circle, jump on the couch, etc. as the labs amble sedately down the street.

The Munchkins know exactly which house belongs to those evil labs, and they make sure they pee on the lawn every time we go past. Heaven forbid we should actually meet the labs on our walks. Ivan and Dasa go into a turbo-charged flurry of agitation. We hold onto their collars until the labs go by and then our munchkins tow us determinedly down the street, certain they must pee on every spot the labs dared to pee on or their street will be ruined. (The labs’ people are quite nice and appear to be amused by Ivan and Dasa’s blatant efforts to rule the world or at least their tiny corner of it.)

Cars occasionally slow down to ask us about Ivan and Dasa’s puplights or else how to get out of our neighborhood. The streets are all dead ends, almost like the tines of a fork with a few extra spokes bristling out of them. After dark, this can be a maze, and we’ve helped quite a few confused motorists escape to Main Street.

During some walks we go past the pugs who run out into their yard to bark and then make funny little steam engine noises in an effort to recover from the jog across the lawn. We never linger near their yard, I’m worried one or both of them would have a heart attack. Then we move briskly past the beagle’s house. If he’s out in the yard, he begins baying and galloping up and down the fence. Other days our walks go past the house with large cages of parrots and other tropical birds in their garage. The birds are quite vocal, and Ivan and Dasa find them most interesting.

Our evening walks are entertaining for all of us. When we come back home, the Munchkins are ready to settle in for some snuggles before bedtime. Unless, of course, the labs go past our house. Then tooth brushing and bedtime stories have to wait for a few more laps of the Basenji 500.

The (Mis)Adventures of Guppy First in an ongoing series

2011-09-02T01:48:00.004-04:00

Guppy came to us as a foster who was quickly going to be outnumbered at his current foster home due to an influx of dogs that came to be known as the Wimauma Pack.

Guppy has dwarfism and though small in stature-his personality looms (very) large. The first time we met, he was being carried under the arm of his foster mom, sort of like a football-I approached-giddy with excitement to meet someone so cute - I made some cooing noises and he snapped at me much like a snapping turtle, almost to tell me to cut out the baby talk. That action alone set the tone for his personality.

We took him home and he soon became part of our pack. He made fast friends with the resident Basenji mix, Norah and made sure to antagonize Kitty Love as well. Everywhere we went we took Guppy, soon potential adopters were stacking up. We were excited for him to move to a forever home and live a long happy life. Sadly though, the potential adopters dropped off and after the second potential adopter decided to pass (she now has said she regrets that decision) he became a permanent member of our pack and has been creating crazy storylines ever since.

Safe Cleaning

2011-09-01T00:01:00.001-04:00

A number of common household cleaning products are toxic to pets or, at the very least, can irritate their skin and respiratory system. Luckily, most pet stores and online pet retailers are savvy about carrying pet-safe cleaning products. Keeping pet-safe cleaning products on hand is great for those quick clean ups, but there are also some very common household items that are effective and great for pet-safe cleaning. Here are some of the best:

Alcohol: Isopropyl alcohol is a great disinfectant and nontoxic once it dries. Dilute alcohol to remove dirt and stains from surfaces like countertops or the floor. A full concentration of rubbing alcohol may hurt your pet when not dry, so as a rule of thumb, dilute ¼ cup rubbing alcohol with 1 gallon hot water.
Baking soda: This inexpensive product is a great substitute for scouring cleansers. Use it to scrub the tub, sink, and even the kitchen floors. As an added bonus, it deodorizes as it cleans. Sprinkle it into your carpets to remove pet odors; it’s even safe to use on upholstery! It can also replace your toxic metal polishes or be used to scrub out the litter box.
Borax: This product is found in the laundry aisle. Use as directed with your usual laundry detergent to get your clothes and pet bedding really clean in the washing machine. It can also be used to scrub the tub and tiles in your bathroom, and even kills fleas! Borax is a naturally-occurring mineral made of very sharp granules. Sprinkle some into your carpet, rub it in with a broom and then just vacuum it up.
Drain cleaner: Commercial drain cleaners are incredibly toxic. For a natural alternative, pour half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of white vinegar down the drain, and then cover it with a dinner plate. After half an hour, run hot water to see if the clog has dispersed. If not, try again, and then use a plunger. If that still doesn’t work, use a commercial drain cleaner or call a plumber. Do not, under any circumstances, try the natural method after using a commercial cleaner. The resulting fumes can be toxic.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch does a great job of cleaning rugs, windows, and even polishing some metals.
Mineral oil: Replace your toxic wood polish with mineral oil. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice for a fresh smell. Mineral oil is flammable, so keep it away from open flames.
Potpourri: Some store-bought potpourris contain chemicals that are harmful to pets, as do all scented candles and air-freshener sprays and plug-ins. Instead, put cinnamon sticks and cloves or cinnamon tea (don’t forget to add water!) on the stove over low heat for about half an hour. Only do this while you’re home – don’t forget and leave the house with the stove on.
Salt: Use coarse salt as a scouring powder.
Steam: There are quite a few handheld steam cleaners on the market today, and since they use only heat and water to clean and disinfect, the result is completely pet-safe.
Steel wool: Plain steel wool and a little elbow grease will clean food that's stuck on pots and pans.
Vinegar: A vinegar/water solution is great for cleaning the bathroom, kitchen, and windows. It will also clean rust stains.

via http://petid.homeagain.com/Newsletters/2011/august/pet-safe-cleaning.aspx

Transporting Banjo

2011-08-29T15:31:00.000-04:00

Check out this great blog entry from BRAT volunteer Wendy Hodges. She spent 8 hours this weekend picking up a basenji boy named Banjo and getting him to a foster home in Dallas, TX, where he will be evaluated and vetted and then posted up on the BRAT website for adoption.

Banjo is an AWESOME, well-behaved, and expressive little basenji boy, who will be ready to find his forever home very soon! Many, many thanks to both Wendy Hodges and our district coordinator Rick Reinhold for making this happen for Banjo. With just a few hours of driving, they have saved a dog's life and put him on the path to finding a happy and loving home.

If you think you would have a few hours to transport or perhaps a space in your home for a few weeks to help a basenji find a better life, VOLUNTEER! You'll feel great when you help out, and you'll make all the difference in the life of a dog. Thanks, Wendy!!

Hurricane Denny

2011-08-26T08:54:00.004-04:00

Well, here we are. Hurricane Irene is barreling up the coast, and we are expected to get a nice little storm out of it here in Delaware.

I don't believe we will have to be evacuated, but I am going to prepare for power outages. The flooding on the roads will be my problem, not Denny's. The worst thing I anticipate is having Prince My-Paws-Melt-In-The-Rain whine and complain about having to go outside to do his business. I can't say I blame him. I wouldn't want to poop in a hurricane, either.

Prince My-Paws-Melt-In-The-Rain

So, I have plenty of food and treats for him, water and candles for us, and a plan for some active play time and "wrassling" to take out his energy even if he can't get his walk. If we do need to evacuate, his food is always in a portable container, and his leash is always by the door. But, I'm pretty sure we'll be weathering the storm snuggled up together on the couch and watching "Ghost Adventures" on demand.

Denny preparing for the hurricane by getting his 22 hours

Food Fight!

2011-08-22T14:53:00.000-04:00

Having two Basenjis rather than one can be a challenge at times.

Our two boys generally get along very well. Sanji is the oldest, and has virtually "raised" Gumbo, the youngest, and they had rarely challenged one another over food until just recently.

Gumbo is now 3 years old and past his puppyhood. Gumbo has always been a little protective of food, but Sanji, being the elder, has always given in and let Gumbo have any dropped morsel of food. Sometimes Sanji has even let Gumbo eat his portion of dog food. Recently Gumbo has gained weight and Sanji has lost weight, so we have been monitoring their bowls.

One afternoon, the garbage under the sink was raided. Even though we have a safety lock on the door, it wasn’t quite latched. Sanji got a tasty steak bone and Gumbo tried to take it away, but for the first time ever, Sanji was not willing to share. With a growl Sanji indicated, “Not this time young one!” but since Gumbo has never been turned down before, he didn't heed the warning. A lot of noise ensued but thankfully resulted in no open wounds, and in the middle of it my husband Jim managed to retrieve the bone.

When the fighting stopped, Gumbo sat with his front paw up and cried and cried. We, of course, thought he was injured, but instead he kept looking at Sanji. Poor Gumbo had NEVER been reprimanded before, and this was a puppy cry. “How COULD you?” he seemed to say to Sanji. Even though dogs are sometimes hard to “read,” this was pretty obvious. Since then, Gumbo has been less willing to take food from Sanji.

It is always good to monitor your Basenjis around food. You never know when one will decide that a particular morsel is too good to let go. Basenjis fight in a very noisy and aggressive manner; most of the time no one gets injured, but when passions rise it can quickly turn more serious. Some Basenji breeders and owners have had their dogs become enemies after a fight. Stories about Basenjis not forgiving after a fight appear occasionally on Basenji chats online. So, even if your basenji appears relatively uninterested in food or seems to share well, just remember that all dogs have a heritage as hunters and food can quickly and unexpectedly become a trigger for a fight. Even a couch potato basenji may suddenly remember their hunting instincts and feel the need to protect their food, so be alert and try to minimize or avoid situations where your dogs are competing for the same food. It just might result in a food fight!

- Marj Baker

New Available BRAT: Gibbs in New York

2011-08-21T13:06:00.004-04:00

NAME: Gibbs
DOG STATE: New York
DOB: 12/08/2007
GENDER: Male
COLOR: brindle
WEIGHT: 21

Gibbs is a young, energetic brindle boy who loves to play, and can be a little “pushy” about it with other dogs. He is built for speed.

He loves attention, and is affectionate with people of all ages. He will let out loud and long baroos when excited. Gibbs is learning to be less anxious about his food and treats and is learning to come when called. He is also learning not to pull on walks, and regular exercise has tamed his wildness – remember, “a tired basenji is a good basenji!” He loves to cuddle in bed with his people and does not startle when woken. He is a slow riser however, enjoying his “bed” time.

Click HERE to learn more about Gibbs!

There are many other Basenjis looking for a home. Please check out the main BRAT page to see more of their sweet faces and read their profiles.