Sky Hunter is Happy to Meet You!
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This is at the same beach in Oregon. Zak DID NOT want to go into the water! So as I was pulling, he was backing away and his gentle leader slipped off over his head! It was a heart stopping moment for me as he is semi deaf and can't hear me, and certainly not over the roar of the ocean. Yes, he beat feat back to dry ground but I caught up with him and the other photo of them in the water is the after effect of the leader coming off.
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You BATH a Basenji !?!?! Poor creature ! You will be taking all the natural oils out of its pelt. They are self cleaning dogs -
Mine - up to 8 for years and now down to two through natural progression over 39 years - have had a total of fewer than the fingers on both my hands between them all. Hoover, now 12, has never had a bath. Her recently deceased older half-brother had one back when he was about 2. But no more in his 13.5 years.
I have to ask about the ethics of your vet - to agree to bathing a Basenji. Must be in it for the money unless there is some underlying condition which you haven't told us about and which warrants frequent bathing ?
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Basenjis are all over the map when it comes to water. Of my five, two would go swimming voluntarily. The others would swim under protest. I do think if you are going to be around water, in a boat, or a swimming pool for example, it is good to give your dog the experience of swimming so that if he does inadvertently fall in he won't panic. Not all dogs are natural swimmers. Of my two that swam without protest, one would leap off the dock in pursuit of water skiiers! She could have competed in dock diving if I could find a miniature water skiier to tempt her. :-)
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Glad to hear your comments about bathing because I was wondering. I only bathed mine when we got home from breeder because of that "kennel" smell. He is now 7 months and he keeps himself clean. I see him kitty cleaning his face and legs and feet. I may have to board him this fall, and the kennel does have a "bath policy" where they bathe the dogs before coming home. Don't know yet if they will forego this because of the breed or not. My vet did suggest using non-scented baby wipes to wipe him off if he got smelly.
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I think over here there is often a bath-before-going-home policy, Daureen. And as a one-off it isn't going to hurt him as long as you don't make a habit of it. In fact I think I would give a once-in-a-lifetime bath to a Basenji after a sojourn in boarding kennel.
If the kennels has no experience with Basenjis, do make sure they are taught the rudiments - Basenjis clean themselves like cats so NEVER use any preparation externally that can't be safely ingested.
And I should be very surprised if he became smelly - they hate to be dirty. Mine can get flthy in the woods but by the time I get them out of the car at home, they are pristine ! Try not to use more than a damp towel on his feet if he has been in mud.
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Mine have never, ever been bathed. Many years ago when I still had my beloved Dannii (also a basenji) all 3 had gotten sprayed by a skunk through the fence in the backyard. Mind you this is around 11:30pm and I am ready for bed when this happen's. I was NOT a happy camper and the dogs even less so after getting the skunk formula on and hosing off!! Mr.T (tri) likes to go wading but that's as far as I seen him in the water. Up to this trip to Oregon, is the first time ever that Zak had gotten wet like this. He will go in the backyard to due his duty even if its raining, but that is about it. He was not happy being pulling into a giant bathtub that had no end!
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@tanza said in Sky Hunter is Happy to Meet You!:
I only bathe my Basenjis before shows.
A riding glove, the ones with kind of bobbles on the palm, is unsurpassed for getting out dead hair.
If you apply a human male hair preparation - squeeze a bit on your hands, rub them together and then massage it into the dog - first, you will be surprised how much hair comes out.
And it leaves the fur glossy and gleaming without being at all greasy. I never traveled without Vitapoint and riding gloves in the dog-bag - (along with the ketchup !).
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Very cuteeeee and adorable.
