Hey welcome here dear
Intro from Canada's "Wet" Coast
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Congrats on picking up another basenji for your team. And yes - I am in Ladner and it was just downright ridiculous today. I have grown up on the West Coast and the storms last night and rain today are the worst I think I have ever seen. Bet your b's don't like it either!
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Kipawa, if you thought the other day was bad, how did you like today? Someone was playing a late Aprils Fool joke on us as we went out to the Chilliwack dog show to pick Dream up in the sun, then returned to the lower mainland to a wind & rain storm where we introduced him to Vi at a local park dodging falling branches and mud puddles. Overall it has been a good first day and our daughter seems to have gotten off to a good start as Dream likes her and vice versa. Vi has mostly ignored Dream after telling him who was boss. He is especially nervous around my husband who is quite tall, but warmed up enough to me by the end of the night to lie up against me and to get a belly rub. Forgot how hard these guys can pull when they put their minds to it. Will be interesting training Dream not to counter-surf, eat the carpet fringe, take out the kids toys, jump on the table & pull at top speed…this 3 year old is reminding me how much time & energy we put into 2 pups almost 11 years ago!
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Lighthouseparkb, it totally was ridiculous - I went out grocery shopping and came back home looking like a crazy woman, with hair spun up in a frantic bee-hive. We have some large trees behind our cul-de-sac and they were literally bending 30 degrees. Our patio cushions had flown into our pond and our cherry tree out front almost got totally denuded.
Wow, I didn't know there was a show in Chilliwack. Despite the weather, I would have driven out to see it. Was it an all-breed show and were there many basenjis?
Just like the female to tell the male who is boss. It sounds like Vi established herself pretty quickly. After all, Dream is the new kid on the block and should listen to her. Interesting how Dream appears to be a little nervous around those who are not vertically challenged. Perhaps your husband can crouch down a little to make him feel more comfortable, though it sounds as if the belly rub is going to result in good feelings about his new home.
Did you ever walk Tucker and Vi along Ambleside Park? There is quite a popular place there for purebreds. Not that only purebreds can go there, but my sis takes her chow there and says all of the dogs there are 'status' dogs, as she calls it.
She has seen a basenji there on occasion.How lovely to have a fellow basenji lover in my neck of the woods. I'm going to the outdoor show in Auburn (near Seattle proper) at the beginning of August. Any chance you and your 'kids' could make the trip there? It should be a wonderful event.
Now hunker down and batten the hatches - it could be even a wilder night.
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The dog shows in Chilliwack run all weekend through Monday at the Heritage Park just off Hwy #1 - Google the site & April 2010 dog show and I think you can pull up a link to the judging schedules. Not that many Basenjis entered (4-5 each day).
Dream was good overnighting in his crate and Vi didn't even bother coming upstairs to ask for a spot in bed (not cold enough). Vi is still snarking but was fine when we started them on their walk this morning as I made sure she went through the door first and then handed the leash over to my husband. The kids are learning that a younger Basenji wants to be more involved with them, AND their toys so they are learning fast that picking up after themselves is not just to keep things tidy, but a survival issue for their stuff : )
We took our B's to Ambleside Park once in a while, but preferred to go up into the mountains and do hikes around Cypress Mountain instead.
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Would have taken a drive out to Chilliwack, but it looks like I have already missed today's basenji judgings. The hound group always seems to be judged very early. I am usually up by 7 or 7:30, but wouldn't have made it in time. Of course had I known about the show, I could have planned to be up at 5 or so, not a problem for me as I would just hit the sack earlier.
Vi seems to just be asserting herself at the necessary times (going for a walk) to let Dream know where he fits into the scheme of things. I like where you mention that your kids are now having to pick up their things or lose them to a happy young dog. That made me laugh. What a way to keep your house clean! Hikes around Cypress Mountain would be so much fun - do you let your dogs off leash there? How are your dogs with recall? I don't think I will let my basenji off leash unless we are walking in a huge open field and he is excellent with recall. I just would be devasted if I lost my dog.
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Welcome.
WOW did you ever have a storm yesterday!!! I follow the eagles in your area (Hornby and Sidney). Sidney lost a nest and thought they lost a male, but he just now showed up. Hornby nest unknown status as power is still out there. You're lucky to live in such a beautiful and wildlife filled area.
Welcome home Dream.
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Dream has decided one of his missions in life in this household is to take my 3yr sons favorite stuffy toy (a monkey that's seen MUCH better days) - my son can't sleep w/o Tico so this should be interesting. Dream pulls like mad on leash as he's not used to regular walking but we've been going through the house with a leash clipped and doing the foot stomps at the stairs & doorways to reinforce who is alpha. He is starting to learn the sit too so all those obedience courses with Tucker and Vi are still rattling around somewhere in my brain!
We used to take our B's to off-leash parks, and up in the mountains where there were no other dogs or vehicles. Had to be careful in open areas where bears might lounge, but otherwise there were some nice routes that woud take around 2 hours…you'd never see the dogs again for the rest of the day after getting home as they'd be out cold (much like after lure coursing). You can never stress enough that a tired Basenji is a good Basenji!
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Can I ask who you got your new basenji from? There are few breeders in British Columbia. It actually surprises me.
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Dream is from Orru Basenjis in Ladysmith (Vancouver Island). They have retired from breeding but we used to lure course against their Basenjis when Tucker and Vi were competing. I knew Vi would not take as well to an "all on" pup so if we got another Basenji, it would need to be an adult male, and one that Vi could meet and get along with, which would make taking in a rescue a bit of a challenge. The Verzyls had two that fit the bill and the family met both around Christmastime and Dream was the best personality fit. Tucker & Vi's breeder has also retired from breeding, and the newer breeder when we were lure coursing moved to PEI (I think). The only one I'm aware of locally now is Terrarust.
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Dream was in the backyard doing his business this morning pre-walk and there were 3 bald eagles circling above. I think that helped him decide not to explore much and bolt back indoors! All the rocks I lugged in to reinforce the base of our chain link fence has not been put to the test yet, and the squirrels are wisely staying clear of our yard for now. Even if the dogs never test it, if it stops the occasional skunk from coming in it was worth it! Vi was skunked in our backyard about 4 years ago when I was just getting over morning sickness w/child #2.
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Oh how I envy your place of living. We live on the 'we(s)t' side of Scotland and have some lovely scenary and wildlife. I have an obsession with Bald Eagles and Killer Whales and dream one day of visitng your neck of the woods to see them in the wild.
Your Bs sound wonderful. I'd love to do lure coursing with mine but there's not a lot of it in this country.
Welcome to the forum. -
My Ty was skunked last year, and Katie last month:eek: Hope now they have learned their lesson–--the skunk, too!!
Would love to be able to see those eagles. I'm on the wrong side of Illinois. They prefer the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan:(
Is my envy showing:o?
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Deb is a nice lady and George is hilarious!
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Hi everyone,
Just wanted to send out a quick update - Dream has been with us about a month and is fitting in very nicely to the household. He loves stuffed toys but has become more selective about the ones he plays with…mostly actual dog toys, and will even "fetch" his favorites Basenji style. While we still have the belly band on him indoors, he has not attempted to mark for several weeks and has been fairly good on leash during walks. He is very patient with the kids and is quite a snuggler. He and Vi still really won't have much to do with each other but there's very little snarkiness.
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Good update! It's always nice to hear when things are going well. Also, seems like he is having success with not marking. Well done to all of you!
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Now if I can just get a yodel out of him!!!
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Hi all,
No yodels yet from the "new guy", but Hakeem (renamed from Dream) & Vi will share the sunny spots now! Unfortunately I let them outside before dinner Sunday to do their business (and thought Vi had caught sight of a squirrel) and they did their B group hunting on a young skunk which was attracted to our freshly mowed lawn…Hakeem got a little on his back which went away with the first dose of Natures Miracle, but Vi got some along the right side of her face around the mouth/muzzle/nose and into the ear...that takes way longer to clear out. She has been skunked once before about 4 years ago and it took weeks for the smell to completely dissappear as it was around her right eye then. So, all you folks loving the wildlife in Vancouver, there IS a downside!
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Badgers here are our problem- mine insist in rolling in badgers' poo which has a horrendous smell which clings for weeks, like skunks I assume, if not cleaned off. I too use a specialist product but as you say to clean round the eyes is very tricky. I feel for you!!
The joys of living in the countryside!! Mind you I'd never change it for town life and I expect you feel the same
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Sharing sunny spots is nice progress. Too bad about the skunking, though!
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Just wanted to say a quick hello and say that our basenji girl turned 13 today! Vi is almost toothless after surgery a few weeks ago, but is still trotting around with energy…not bad for the equivalent of a 90+ year old human!
