Basenji at Work

Basenji Talk
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  • subaruthieS

    Cooper and I haven't posted in a while. We've been busy at work!!! Last month I completed my training as a PetSmart dog trainer. One of the job perks is being able to bring Cooper to work with me to help out with teaching and selling classes. He comes in twice a week for shifts that are between 5 and 8 hours long.

    You can see in the photo that he has his own uniform for cooler days. He loves being out on the floor doing customer service, and he's getting better at sitting on his mat under the register. We get to talk a lot about the breed (even met another one yesterday!) and generally help people out with all sorts of questions.

    Cooper's doing great, and only occasionally meets another dog that is a little too forward for him. And he loves middle-aged women for some reason (and they love him, too!). His aloofness confuses many people!!!

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  • ChaseandZahrasmomC

    Way to go Cooper! That is so cool!

    Jenn

    Chase and Zahra's Mom

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  • WBLW

    Way to go Cooper and Congrats on finishing your training

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  • nala121498N

    That's great! Congrats on your training and how lucky you are to take your sweet puppy to work!

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  • subaruthieS

    Thanks!

    Cooper loves going to work (he gets excited every time I put on my work clothes!). It's also been very good for him socially, and it's giving him that ever-so-needed winter exercize.

    I feel so lucky that we have each other. At 6 months old he was a stray. At 8 months he was rescued from euthanasia at a shelter. At 9 months we brought him into our home. When he started getting more comfortable with other dogs, a Yorkie attacked him (jumped up on his back biting and scratching) and it took another few months to get over his issues with smaller dogs. And now he's going up and initiating conversations with customers to help their families. And he's participated in helping with my first private training student - a Yorkie!!!

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  • J

    WOW– Awesome job for both you and Cooper!!! I bet Cooper really enjoys spending his days with you... better than waiting at home!!!

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  • raye_hicksR

    I was so surprised to see a basenji at Pet Smart. We spoke with you we were the ones with the male brindle basenji. That is so cool that you get to bring him to work with you, your so lucky he is a very nice black and white. I have two basenjis myself. The one we had with us when you seen us at Pet Smart on Saturday is my son's so that would be my grandbasenji. We have had basenjis for the last sixteen years. Hope to see you and Copper again.

    rhicks![](images/smilies/rolleyes.png "Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)")

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  • subaruthieS

    We were surprised to see another basenji there too, especially on such a busy day! I came home and told my husband about the reaction they had to each other…. Classic basenji. Sniff. Silence. Ignore. Then Cooper went straight to you. Sometimes I think he only interacts with other dogs to ask, "May I pet your owner?"

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  • J

    I'm glad to know Hollie isn't the only Basenji that wants the people interaction! The last playdate we went to Hollie was more interested in the people attention than playing!! I think alot of it started because she is at work with me everyday and is lavished with attention!!

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  • kristinkK

    It is really great to be able to bring your dog to work. I've been bringing Sol to the gym for the last two weeks, and he is amazingly gentle and tolerant, even with toddlers– I am careful to tell people who fall in love and say they want a basenji that he is unusually tolerant for the breed, and that they need to pick their dog carefully----

    I will try to take a picture too.

    Kris

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    When I got each of my b's I brought them into my office as little babies - I didn't want to leave them home alone when they had just been through such a big change (they are a year apart - each one came into my office for about the first 4 weeks after they came to live with me). They were so easy then because they slept so much. Although they are very different personalities, they are basically the same in my office. Sweet and sleepy as babies, total nuts as adults. I bring one or the other in occasionally and can't leave either one off-leash. They hit every garbage can in the place, and would run out the front door (and have) when anyone comes in. Too curious. All they want to do is walk down Main Street and smell all the other doggie smells, so there is lots of whining and boredom on their part, but they are welcome as long as they don't do anything destructive. (My boss has actually put up with a fair amout of that from other dogs in the office). So I do have a dog-friendly office, it's just that my dogs are not easy in the office.