Yoda Baloo's Story

Sometime in 2004, somebody's basenji dog got loose in Texas.  How old he is, we will never know. How pure he is, he won't tell.  Why he wasn't searched for is a shame.  He just said it didn't matter, because he didn't want the humans to get in trouble.

Thanks to BRAT, and Robin, Brenda Castle, Terriann McGlenn, and Sharron Hurrlbut in Washington State, a basenji dynasty was set up.  There was a little red and white jewel named Topaz that was wanting for a companion.  Baloo, the escaped tri colored boy from Texas, apparently needed a good home, and they met.  It was contentment at first sight.Baloo's new humans couldn't cope with the name Baloo for an African bred dog-- and the big ears that came with him!  So it was either change the name to Dumbo, because his ears were like C-130 wings, or Yoda, because he had a Yoda pout due to several earlier injuries to his mouth.  Yoda Baloo it became.

After getting to know Yoda Baloo, we eventually decided that his ears were, in fact, actual wings.  He can clear a 6 foot fence with out even touching it, and to make things worse, he can climb trees.  So if he can't jump the fence, he climbs the 9 foot hedge and goes over.  Makes perfectly good sense to him!  And if he can't go over the fence or the hedge, he climbs something to get to the roof of the house and jumps down onto the van or car tops on the other side.  Yes, we did a lot of chasing!

Then our little jewel Topaz, who is a show and lure coursing champion, came into her season, and when the time actually came for her puppies, we got the shock of our human lives--  Yoda Baloo (who is neutered) stepped in right from their birth and became the perfect Step-Dad.  He nurtured the first born, a male, finished cleaning and warmed him, and watched quietly while the other pups were born. Then he quickly checked all the girls out, made his pick, and relaxed.  Of course then the Momma in Topaz kicked in and she informed Yoda that she would dismantle his nose from his face if he came around the kids again.  That lasted about 4 weeks.  She then turned potty training over to StepDad Yoda, along with some of the discipline and socialization.

Now all of this sounds like a fairy tale, but the truth be told, it actually happened.  These are the things that we will remember when the Rainbow Bridge calls, along with: Chewing up blankets, bait bags, plastic bags, shoes, toys, balloons, levitating to the counter top and consuming the roast that was meant for dinner -- these are typical basenji antics.  Opening the Christmas gifts and lifting his leg on the artificial tree -- this was a bit much.  Getting beat up trying to prove he's the alpha dog when he's not, screaming when left alone in another room, or at a dog show when your girl is showing -- this was grounds for muzzling. Drawing and quartering a squirrel, catching live birds, snakes, mice, even cats -- well, perhaps all of these can be acceptable under certain circumstances, because he IS a basenji. But all things aside, we love our little guy.  Thank You BRAT, for giving us this buddy. 

Debbie Nelson 
Yoda-Baloo Nelson  
DC Platinum Nelson of Taji SC (Topaz) 
Platinum Onyx of Amun SC (Ajax) 
Platinum Nelson Jewel of D"Nile SC (Jade)