Hello from Thailand

[anthony]

I have just been viewing and really enjoying these forums.

My name is Anthony, I am an English guy living in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

In December 2003 my daughter brought home 2 Thai Basenji puppies who were given to her by a school friend. They are brother and sister from a litter of 10.

The dog is great, he has almost human characteristics and is extremely funny, a real clown sometimes. We named him Whisky.

The bitch is a difference kettle of fish, she is quite nervy and also very attention seeking. She will growl and snarl at strangers outside our front gate, but if anyone actually comes into the house, she will run and hide. We named her Pudding. Sometimes she will growl at my family and me but we know her moods well. To love Pudding requires lots of understanding and tolerance.

In January 2005 Pudding suddenly began to attack Whisky. We tried so hard later on to keep them together, but the fights were becoming bloody and serious.

This is Chiang Mai in Thailand and unlike in the West, there are no dog rescue centres. The only option here is to literally turn the dog out into the streets that would mean certain doom for the animal.

Luckily I have a large house, plenty of land space with two & a half metre brick walls surrounding the grounds. My family and I decided to go to the extremes and had a wooden partician built inside my house separating the 2 dogs. Many of my friends thought I was crazy, I don’t care, these dogs are firmly part of our family and spoilt something rotten.

In Thailand, the King is a great dog lover and his favourite is a brown Basenji that was rescued from the streets of Bangkok.

[jaclempner]

I don't think you're crazy at all. I have 2 basenjis - 4 and 5 years old, female and male, respectively. They got along great at first, but over time the female started picking on the male more and more. When we went on a short (4 day) vacation, a line got crossed and they just don't live together any more. Things became too dangerous. The female (Rosie) lives on the ground floor and the male (Willie) lives upstairs. We have a gate at the top of the stairs (we really need one at the bottom, too!) I love them both and so do my children. As you said, they are both part of our family. So we cope, and we're pretty used to it - it's worth the effort.

[chiya]

Welcome aboard Anthony!!
Both Whisky and Pudding are very cute!
Is that a dewclaw on Whisky back leg???
They look like they are good size kids.
How much do they weight and how tall are they??

[youngandtired]

I am so happy that you didn't turn your dog out into the streets. Pudding must have been jealous of Whisky for some odd reason. I don't blame you for making allowances in your home so you could have them both there. I applaud you for such a wise choice. All of us here on this forum understand why you did that, we love our Bs and wouldn't think of turning them out. Friends might think you are weird, but your Bs will love you for whatever you do, unconditional love thru and thru.

[Vanessa]

Welcome Anthony!
I have a good friend living in Jakarta. He has been trying to get us to go and visit Thiland. Glad to have ya on the forum!

[anthony]

@chiya:

Welcome aboard Anthony!!
Both Whisky and Pudding are very cute!
Is that a dewclaw on Whisky back leg???
They look like they are good size kids.
How much do they weight and how tall are they??

I don’t know how much they weigh. Whisky is very heavy and quite a solid dog.

They are dew claws on the back of Whisky’s feet. Our vet did offer to cut them off when he was a puppy, but at the time I couldn’t see the point of putting the dog through unnecessary pain, and have caused no problems. But now I think it may have been better to have had them removed.

[WBL]

Welcome to the forum Anthony, Whiskey, Pudding and family, both your dogs are very cute.

I'm sorry they don't get along anymore, but what a great thing of you to do to adjust your home for them. I applauded you for that, you are much better than most.