Basenji Mom


First of all, all of my dogs are rescues of some sort.
Cleopatra is a 4 yo r/w s/f. I bought her at a pet store (oooops!!) that sells dogs that the community brings in. Her owner was going to give them 3 days then take her to the shelter. I had just walked in (I never shopped there) and it must have been fate. I talked to the *breeder* and talked her into basically giving me the puppy. Cleo was 12 weeks old! She's my shadow.

Pooh Bear joined us a year later. She was a snow puppy...ran under our car during a snow storm on Valentine's Day. Thought we had run over her! She was about 8 weeks old. She's a Shar Pei or Chow Chow X. The sweetest, most gentle 60 pound dog I've ever had!

Patch joined us the next year. He's about 4 or 5 yo. He's a r/w n/m Basenji. Through a series of VERY EARLY phone calls we were told he was going to be put down in the next 2 hours at our local dog pound (doesn't deserve to be called a shelter!). Within an hour I had him at our vet's! He's a great dog. Really laid back. He's pretty dog aggressive, as are many Bs, but is totally submissive to people.

I'm now searching for a brindle show puppy to join our family.


Why do I love Basenjis? For the very same reasons most people can't stand them! LOL They a re the most independent, intelligent, self-reliant dogs I've ever met. Read that as STUBBORN!!! Training them is a real chore...they have to see a reason for doing something before doing it. But when they are pressed up against me as close as they can possibly get and they look up at me with such love in their eyes, I almost cry! And who can resist those wrinkles! Their clownish behavior has us laughing all the time. Cleo climbs trees after squirrels (I'm sure they have a bounty out on her head!). And in the mornings when Hubby opens the bedroom door I have to move quickly to get out of their way! They come flying, literally, into the room, onto the bed, and into 2 perfectly executed forward rolls onto our pillows!

I can't imagine ever having another breed... unless, of course, we get adopted by another Pavement Puppy. They match my moods, my interests; they're my confindentes (sp) who are ALWAYS ready to cuddle and listen to me b**** or cry! They're almost human in their ways. And, like most other dogs, very canine-like in their total devotion and love!