Rita Jean, so where can we see pictures of your Basenjis + Shiba?? 
I hear what you're saying about Shibas that are not to be trusted off leash (the same goes for Basenji too, right?). But I count ourselves lucky to be living in such a great part of the US (if not the world) where safe, off-leash dog parks are very common. The funny thing is that just last weekend, Bowdu and I went walking around at a large off-leash dog park, and we walked right into the middle of a Shiba family reunion. Suddenly we found ourselves surrounded by a throng of Shiba owners who were shocked to see Bowdu walking around off leash and wanted to know how I did it. We never trained him specially. At certain places like parks with clearly-marked hiking trails, he just knows to keep us in sight, and has never dashed off in pursuit of critters, despite many a temptation that has presented itself. I do, however, have to leash him back up well before any parking lot comes into sight, and I would never walk him around off-leash in my neighborhood along the sidewalks or in anywhere close to streets.
It's weird, but I can't tell you the number of times we've seen off-leash Shiba in Taiwan, where we were originally living when we got Bowdu. It's a popular breed there, as it is in Japan. I was always shocked to see Shiba walking so comfortably alongside their owners in some of the most congested cities and sidewalks, where people are often very careless with driving scooters up on the sidewalk, etc. Bowdu NEVER got used to it – he'd be quaking uncontrollably, tail tucked between his legs, despite daily walks and all our attempts to get him accustomed to the urban environment. He was so nervous to the extent that he NEVER peed on three legs until we moved to the United States, believe it or not. We came here about four years ago, and it's been a good doggy life ever since.
We wanted to open up our home to a second dog because we know we can provide a good life. I think it's suddenly hit the new girl that her previous owner's not coming back anytime soon, and she seems a little down. She spent almost all of yesterday sleeping or curled up in a donut-ring on the couch. We all spent a couple hours outside at a little dog park, and at the pet store to buy some treats and new supplies -- she loved that, and rode very well in the car. But as soon as we came home, she just returned to her position on the couch and stayed there. She wasn't interested in hanging out in the backyard either, like our Shiba loves to do. I left the living room to enter my den at one point, wondering if she would join me, but she didn't come looking. There's a whole half of the house (the bedroom, the den) that she doesn't seem willing to explore very much, even though she's allowed.
I wonder if this is because she's used to spending most of the day crated, and so she is pretty low-energy in general. Or she just hasn't come out of her shell yet.
Bowdu, meanwhile, has been behaving as he is wont to do as if very little has changed. He mostly ignores her, though I found them both curled up on the couch (at opposite ends) this morning. It only gets tense when food is present, which is to be expected. So we're working on that, but taking it easy with treats and whatnot as it seems to be a stress factor especially for Bowdu.
I have another food-related issue that I'll take to another forum, as this entry is getting VERY long.
New dogs to a family can act in a lot of different ways. This dog sounds like she is a bit "shut" down. I would go about your dog, wait for her to interact with you, and just talk to her in a normal voice when your in the room with her.
I have more info I can send you, if your interested.
Sharron, I would appreciate more info. Thanks!
I will be happy to send them to you next week. We are on vacation, and I don't have those files in this laptop.
Curly Tails - yes sorry Akita Inus, I imagine - they are exactly like the Shibas but much bigger. They only come in Shiba colour and the ones I know seem to have much the same temperament as the Shibas, although we do have Japanese Akitas - they have a different head and come in a variety of colours including black/white. I don't have much to do with Akitas but I understand from some breeders that they can be aggressive , especially the bitches.
Your basenji sounds like some I know here who are crated for the majority of the time. They are wary of the great outdoors and can't wait to get back in their crates. These seem to have lost the initiative of other Basenjis and are certainly stunted in their intelligence but do recover, albeit slowly when they experience a normal life.
Sharron, on vacation and still checking the forum? That's dedication!
No rush. We'll all be here next week too.
Things are better today. She willingly spent more than 10 minutes hanging out in the backyard with the whole pack. She also came into my study den a few times of her own volition.
Sorry, I'll stop giving blow-by-blow updates soon enough. This is probably much less interesting to you all than it is to my partner and me, heh.
Oh, I am hooked on b's and rescue and helping when I can. Also, the weather down here is "iffy" and when its cold/raining, the b's only want to be under the bed covers.
Re this girl. It sounds like she is trying to find her way in this house. So, let the dog you have show here the nice things, you as a human, be consistant, re feeding, potty items, and such. and leave her be.
She wants to see if she can trust you. YOUR family dog, the way they react to you, will give her a lot of info as to if your ok.
Just be kind, cool, and gentle.
Don't ask anything of her. I try to tell folks to be like you were in high school and liked someone, you just were around them, but ignored them..until they couldn't "stand" it and came over to chat. laugh.
Let me know how it goes. I think your on the right tract.
Please don't stop giving us blow-by-blow updates. - I hope I speak for others as well as myself when I say we do worry about Basenjis with problems or illnesses whether they're our own or not. Nothing's worse than not hearing how things are going.
It sounds from your post that she is improving - well done for your patience.
I totally agree about Sharron's dedication.
Thank you all, I am basenji obsessed! It took me years to find this wonderful breed, now I want to do all I can to help folks and help dogs.
I don't want to be a collector but I think these dogs are so wonderful, I can see how this could happen.
I did have a very shy rescue many years ago. She spent months under the dining room table, *which had a long table cloth on it, and the table was against the wall. * She used it as a crate she could hide in.
All you can do is talk to the dog, go about your day, and let the dog find their place in the house. With you having happy dogs, you will get a lot of the new dog watching them, to see if you are ok, and if the house is ok.
This poor b has been bounced around, who knows what took place.
So, you just start from the beginning and let her find her place.
Once she starts to act like a basenji, you will know your on the right tract.
its raining so hard the drops are hitting the windows like hale so we are all in for the night! on the Oregon coast
The unity and organization of BRAT volunteers has impressed me greatly. FWIW, I have thoroughly read everything on the BRAT site and was/continue to be on the mailing list for new rescues (though two dogs in a household is enough for us!). We'd been on a couple of rescue mailing lists, but we had a number of criteria that most available dogs just didn't match (and vice versa). This gal was a Craigslist surrender, she basically fit everything we were looking for from temperament to size to age to location, so we went this route. I am concerned about her overall health, Fanconi only being one issue, but I'll wait until we have professional assessments.
Meanwhile, we are falling for her day by day, even if our Shiba isn't completely won over yet. Feeding times continue to be a minor issue which we're working on. She only tried to follow one couple out of the enclosed dog park today, and was checking in more regularly with us.
What ever way you get your b…from BRAT, Craigs list, or shelter, I am delighted that you have saved a basenji from a non basenji smart home.
Let us know if there is anything I can do to assist you.
It would be my pleasure.
Quick update –
She slept "uncurled" yesterday! We've found that she snores quite a bit too.
She's been doing great at the dog park and on her walks. She's doing really well with her humans, and she's slowly figuring things out with Bowdu.
I think we even have a name for her now. I want to use it a few more days before I'm sure of it. But I guess it's semi-official since we gave the vet her new name when we went in for a checkup last Friday. The vet gave her a clean bill of health, but said her teeth need to be done (not happy about the cost, but I agree! -- next payday).
Fanconi DNA test kit arrived yesterday. Gonna swab that up and get it out tomorrow.
