Posts made by SacGirlInSearchOfBasenji

Have you looked into Basenji Rescue and Transport (BRAT)?

http://www.basenjirescue.org/postdog.asp

@Buddys:

Hi SacGirl….has yours every had any form of diarrhea?

Thanks Buddys Pal for the info…I will keep that in mind as I progress with Gizmo's diet. We haven't had any diarrhea, and I hope to get him back on solely kibble soon. I like the idea of switching to a purely raw diet, for the breeder also has her dogs on a raw diet. I am getting a second basenji pup soon, and I hope with the increased activity of playing with another dog, he will eat the kibble better. I eat a plant strong diet and I juice a lot, and I cook separate food for my husband…which means I spend an incredible amount of time preparing food. Not sure I could commit to going solely raw food yet. Maybe when I retire, I can put my fur babies on a raw diet. Or, each month I just spend the same amount of money on the frozen raw dog food as I do for the human

@tanza:

Super… let me know when you are planning to visit and if I am free, I will come too.... if you are not busy on February 9th, there is going to be lure coursing on Oakley, Ca.... not to real far for you... interested?

I will be going to go to Terri's on the 19th, @ 11am. I will let you know about lure coursing.

@QuizBasenji:

Lucky SacGirl! There are so many gorgeous puppies out there…I have a possibility of a red and white girl...

Lucky with a hefty dose of CRAZY! My first is a red and white male.

@tanza:

Trust me… he will NOT starve himself, honest... give him is food, give him 15 minutes to eat, if he doesn't take it away, do not leave it for him all day... makes them even more of a picky eater... competition helps, but not always.. My OJ (my first male that I got from Terri) was thin as a rail for his first 4 years... after that he was a piggy! Important that with a second that you crate them so they can eat separate. Are you going to get your 2nd from Terri? I know she just had a litter of 7 brindles born on Sunday night

First…and most importantly…Yes I will be getting another puppy from Terri Her litter is comprised of five boys and two girls, so I am not confident what gender I will get. Now that I have some experience under my belt, I will definitely following the suggested improvements to the feeding strategy. As Gizmo's anxiety decreases, so does mine. I slid a little backwards after he came home from surgery, but will start taking his food bowl away tonight if he doesn't eat within 15 minutes. I am looking forward to frequent visits with Terri and her litter, and will visit them for the first time on the 19th or 20th

@tanza:

When you try and "cater" to them makes it even worse (in my opinion).

I feel like I have definitely fell into that trap! Gizmo also has experienced some separation anxiety, and has been relatively thin. I tried having him focus on his food as I leave, but then he quit eating food until I came home So I started feeding the food I know he will eat whether I am home or not, but only give him that food for part of his daily serving. Any additional stress, and I can easily see his ribs. When he got neutered, he was VERY thin…so I catered to him by giving what I know he will eat. He is getting a bit better, as am I, and I hope getting a second dog will improve his eating habits.

My basenji is definitely picky! He is nearly seven months old, and goes through phases of eating well sometimes, and not so well other times. I have been using premium grain-free kibble, some canned food, and moist frozen raw dog food. He does like the frozen raw food diet, but he only likes the beef recipe. He occasionally eats the kibble, and is picky about what type of canned food he eats. I am still learning what he will eat, but have to purchase the expensive frozen raw food just to keep his weight up. When he plays all day with another dog, then he isn't picky about his food. I am going nuts trying to figure out what he will consistently eat!

We had our first puppy class yesterday, and Gizmo calmly sat while watching the hyperactive puppies in the class. He is so calm compared to many puppies, so maybe he is already moving on from the puppy stage. All of the other puppies where deemed to big and wild to allow Gizmo to interact, so now I am tasked with finding other smaller dogs to socialize him with. Our walks on the leash are getting much better, but he continues to scratch at the collar. Hopefully he will get used to it.

@ula:

He is so cute… I didn't get to experience nor enjoy Zsa Zsa at that age so enjoy the puppy breath...

Yes…I will savor the puppy breath scent as long as it lasts!

Gizmo has been living with me now for one week, and it is amazing how fast he is already changing. He seems to be a mini-adult, but the lack of training reminds me he is still a puppy. He is incredibly mellow most of the time, and only plays a little. His intelligence keeps me on my toes, and he is making me a better person! I am struggling with leash training him, but I am sure he will soon love what it means to be on the leash. I am looking forward to the bonding stage acquired through long walks.

@krunzer:

Makes me want another baby! How old is pup in that pic? He's adorable!

Gizmo is 11.5 weeks old in this picture.

I have been blessed with my first basenji, so I suppose I need to change my user name. SacGirl now has a basenji. He is keeping me very busy, and I spend the majority of my time with my eyes on him.

Hi Tanza…I have been following your Facebook page, and enjoyed watching your last litter of pups grow I have connected with Lisa Voss of Kinetic Basenjis in Woodland CA, and I am very pleased with her line of dogs and breeding philosophy.

I have come to a similar conclusion, and I am anticipating bringing home a puppy in March. I was nervous about the idea of transitioning through the puppy stages, but have connected with a nearby breeder that is knowledgable about the local resources and provides support. I now feel more comfortable with going down the puppy trail. Just need to get the house ready for a puppy!

Greetings from another basenji fancier that hasn't yet owned a basenji. Did you get a puppy or an older dog? I have been doing my homework on the breed for just over a year now, and I am trying to decide wether to get a puppy or a young adult. What were your key factors in the decision on this breed?

What draws me to the basenji breed are the characteristics that sound too good to be true…low shedding, minimal grooming, their tendency to cleanliness, size, barkless nature (and I understand they are not mute). I am also intrigued by their intelligence, and the challenge of their independent nature. And the icing on the cake is their majestic beauty. I grew up with sporting breeds: golden retriever/Irish setter, springer spaniels, ****er spaniels, labs, mixed breeds, and my last dog was a German shephard. I also spent some time exploring the bloodhound breed, but I never became an owner (mostly due to life changes...I loved that breed sooo much). Most of those dogs were relatively easy to train (except the bloodhound...their desire to smell outweighed their desire to stay focused on training), yet they were also very eager to please. I could have my German shephard stay in a sit position, I would walk a few hundred feet away, and she would just keep her eye on me 'til I gave her the command to come. She would run straight to me when I gave her the hand signal, and she kept her focus on me the entire time...I have no expectations of this with a basenji, nor would I have a basenji off of a leash in most circumstances.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and BRAT recommendations, for this confirms that my search is on the right track. I have been watching the BRAT sight for a year now, and I am very impressed with the amount of information about the BRAT evaluated dogs. Now I don't want to adopt from any organization/pound that doesn't provide this level of information. I have definitely gave pause to the mischievous and destructive behavior inherent in basenjis, so I am looking for an adult dog that has had such behavior evaluated (and I am open to the challenge). The one thing I struggle with when considering a BRAT dog is determining what distance is considered too far to transport a dog. Many dogs don't like to be crated, so flying doesn't seem to be an option. I haven't seen any dogs available in California from BRAT, and I am afraid that I did not do a good enough job in my descriptions on the application (I filled it out too fast). I applied for a basenji in Washington that looked like a great fit because he demonstrated impeccable behavior, but there were several more applicants for that dog and we weren't even in the top 5 applicants (lesson #1…be very thoughtful in how you word things in an application). I have also been watching Medfly, but I have come to the conclusion that their location is too long of a distance to travel to see a potential dog...nor do they provide the level of information on their dogs that BRAT has spoiled me with. I am currently investigating the opportunities of adopting a retired show dog. Please let me know if you think this is a possibility to continue pursuing, and I would also be interested in learning what the cost associated with flying a dog would be.

Thanks for assisting me in my search!

Hello,

My name is Roxanne, and I live in Sacramento California. I am not yet a basenji owner, but seriously considering this breed. I have yet to meet the breed, but have connected with a nearby breeder willing to introduce the breed to me before I decide. I am very excited about the breed!