Thanks Lauren!
28+ basenjis need rescued
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Post from one of the gals who has one of the SD dogs.
Hi, everybody,
Thought you might like a progress report from someone who has interacted with the SD group firsthand. We met the truck in Des Moines yesterday. What a group! All those basenji eyes on us! They seemed like a sweet, responsive, good looking bunch at first glance. Closer examination suggests that they're very scared, very boney and pretty dirty. Most were fairly scrawny and their coats are a little dry.
We took our foster boy over into the grass which seemed to be an amazing sensation to him and quite unfamiliar.
At home, I am guessing he is like most of the SD group is likely to be: overwhelmed, frightened of us, unfamiliar with a house, or furniture or movements around him. He is very sweet, though, and will approach us if we're sitting on the floor. He will let us pet him just a little if we're very calm and still and he seems to be deciding that is a pleasant sensation. He seems very comfortable with our two dogs. Fiona has tried to play with him a couple of times, but he doesn't get it.
If it is helpful, this is what we're doing right now at the very beginning of his time with us to help him through this very stressful transition:
1. Talking to him ALL the time (in soothing voices) as we're doing other things.
2. Sitting on the floor a lot and letting him approach us.
3. Playing quiet music in the house.
4. Not letting visitors come by yet.
5. Taking him outside every hour or so (when we're home and awake). He will sniff around and go to the bathroom in the yard every time we take him out, so we want him to get the feel of doing this outside.
6. Making sure he has some crate time so that he can rest (he is not likely to relax right now while he is out in the house).
7. Going about our business so that he doesn't feel the pressure of being the center of attention and he feels like we are in charge and he can trust us.
8. Not taking him on a walk yet - he has never been on a leash and he has extremely underdeveloped muscles from sitting in a cage all of his life. We're starting with letting him just walk around in the yard.
9. Not giving him a bath. He needs one badly, but this is stressful even for a well adjusted basenji, so we're going to have to wait a little while. We got some "dog bath wipes" at Petco which have helped a little.
10. Putting a collar on him right away so that he can wear a tag that has our phone number on it. He has no other ID yet and this would be his only hope of being returned to us and to BRAT right now.He is a fine little dog, though, and trying to be trusting. Best wishes to all of those who get involved with the rest of the SD group!
Lindy
(& Ivy & Fiona & the as-yet-unnamed SD foster boy)====
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The remainder made it to Mattoon today. As Sharron said, two females are definitely prego; however, two more could possibly be.
Out of the 24, only two of them were really shy, and only one of them nipped. None of them really attempted to bite, but one of the males we did not handle because he was acting so fearful.
I'd bet that all of them have worms (tape, round, etc).
Almost all of them are in fairly sorry shape with sores, skinny/boney, and poor nutritional health.
There is one litter of 5, and they have a real sweet-heart of a mama. She didn't like us handling her pups, and she made it known by aggressively licking our hands when we did handle them. The females that are/might be pregnant appear to be in better health than the others.
The stud is a big proud tri, and he seems friendly also.
There were probably 4 tris under 1 year old. There is one very skinny younger brindle. There are a whole bunch of red/whites.
None of the prego ones look very prego except for one. I do not know when they can be expected to start whelping.
Overall, I really think that most of these dogs will take to new "pet" lives very well, and with much appreciation. I'd say at least 80% of them really appeared to crave some human attention.
On a last note, there's a little 7mo old male tri, that would barroo at me every time I walked by his cage. He was play bowing, and almost even acting ticked off that he was being ignored. I can't help but wonder if somebody at the mill hadn't been taking care of him as a pet, because he definitely seems like he's had some extra lovin' that he's missing.
That's it for now. When I have get my pics, I'll post them here.
Vegas
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My heart goes out to all of those poor pups. Many ((hugs)) to you and all who have gone above and beyond to help them.
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Thanks for this post. I am sorry more are pg than reported…sigh.
Breaks my heart they are is such rough shape, but its it wonderful they will be taken care of, fixed and rehomed to humans who will be their slaves.
Hugs and love to everyone who has worked to make this so... -
Thanks for this post. I am sorry more are pg than reported…sigh...
Well, it's just an semi-educated guess based on their appearances. It may or may not prove to be correct. We got the vet there today though, so everybody will get weighed, and then we should be able to more easily monitor the suspect females.
I wonder if the make doggie prego test kits?:o
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Well, it's just an semi-educated guess based on their appearances. It may or may not prove to be correct. We got the vet there today though, so everybody will get weighed, and then we should be able to more easily monitor the suspect females.
I wonder if the make doggie prego test kits?:o
Breeders sure wish they did…... but the answer is no... they don't
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How long will it take to tell if the dogs are pregnant?
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How long will it take to tell if the dogs are pregnant?
They can do ultrasound at 21 days…..
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That will show how many pups and how far along they are yes?
Not having done any breeding, this is all new to me.
Thanks Pat for the info -
That will show how many pups and how far along they are yes?
Not having done any breeding, this is all new to me.
Thanks Pat for the infoDepending on how good the person is at doing ultrasound they can tell about how many… usually pretty close... exactly how far along... not really... unless a Vet that is really up on doing/reading ultrasounds..... also vets can palpate bitches... and at least know if they are in whelp...
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The vet says that one is prego, and ready to go, and two others might be pregnant.
I went back last night, and helped feed, and clean kennels. All of the dogs had a bath except for two. A brindle female was being extremely fearful, and one of the males was about the same. We'll see if they warm up today, and when/if they do, they will get their baths too.
Those 4 seven-month old tris are soooo cute.
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I know how busy you all are, but I would love to see some photos when you get them.
Hugs and hugs for doing this.
Are you keeping one? -
Kudos to those involved for removing all these dogs from the endless breeding cycle of puppy mills. I am sending positive vibes that most will be adoptable.
Will the females who are determined to be in very early stages of pregnancy be spayed immediately?
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That I do not know.
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I know how busy you all are, but I would love to see some photos when you get them.
Hugs and hugs for doing this.
Are you keeping one?Sharron, I'm having problems with my camera/computer, or I would already have them up!
I'm working on it though…promise.;)
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I know how busy you are.
I can't tell you all how much I admire you all dropping your lives to help these dogs.
YOU ALL ROCK! -
Big THANKS to all the people involved in rescuing these pups - the thought of what might have happened is just too scary to contemplate.
I wish I could help with fostering (but I'm leaving for Europe in a few weeks) especially since I could just picture them needing love and care.
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I went to see the remaining SD dogs yesterday and help get two to Suzanne in Mi for fostering.
The dogs broke my heart but also made me happy to know that their "good life" is getting ready to start.
I took Zena and Zora from Mattoon back to Indiana and they are just sweethearts.
I have never seen such a skinny girl as Zena, I just wanted to keep her and feed and love on her. They were both shy, scared, and a bit nervous- as can be expected.
I think both will make wonderful turnarounds and just flourish. They did enjoy being loved on once they got used to it a bit, so there is tons of hope for these two girls.
Thanks to Suzanne Sarlls for taking these sweet girls and Liz for her amazing organization abilities
It was great to be part of getting these dogs to the good life. -
Christy, do send photos when you can.
How old are these 2 girls?
Are they the pg ones?
Sharron -
Is Zena the brindle girl? She was one of the toughest, I believe. That poor girl was soooo scared.
She would not be one of the prego chicas.
