• Me Me Me!! Oh my gosh I'm soooo excited. We've never had a baseenji play date or even met another basenji. We live in Abington. You?


  • Val,
    I live in Drexel Hill. I chose Valley Forge Park because I thought it'd be easy to reach and is a great place to walk a dog. Is it convenient for you? If so, what day is good for you and Mick to meet? Week day, Week-end? Sunday is often the best day for me to meet, but, if it's not good for you, I can work around that. Let me know what is best for you and Mick. I hope this will all work out!
    Donna and Hunter the Basenji-mix


  • Hi Donna!
    Do you know if Valley Forge has a fenced in dog park area? If not maybe we can find a dog park in the middle of Willow Grove and Drexel Hill. I think that might be in the area of Conshohocken or Plymouth Meeting. Funny, I work in West Conshohocken. I can look for a dog park in that area. Sunday sounds Great!


  • Hi Val,
    I am not aware of a fenced-in dog park at Valley Forge.
    People have told me about a dog park in Radnor called Harford Park, but I have never been there. That may not be any closer to you, and it may not be fenced in which I know is important for our squirrel-chasing Basenjis! In any case, here is a link to its page: http://www.radnor.com/egov/apps/locations/facilities.egov?path=detail&locId=10
    At Valley Forge, I have just walked Hunter on a leash on the paved trail, and he has always loved it. The multi-use trail is for bicyclers, joggers, walkers, and dog walkers. Hunter and I have met many friendly dogs (and people) there on Sundays and other days.
    The only "local" fenced-in dog park I've been to is in Lancaster on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College while my niece was a student there. That would be too far for either of us I think. Maybe some are closer. I just do not know of any. Let me know if you find something that looks good.


  • Hello, I havent been on the Basenji chat in awhile. I was excited to see that there are others interested in a Basenji play date in my area. I live in Malvern, PA. I have been meeting with another Basenji owner at a fenced in dog park in West Chester which is convenient to 202 and Rt 100. Perhaps we could plan a play date in the future. Any interest??


  • Hi Lorraine! We would love to meet up. What's the name of the park? Maybe we can get Donna to come as well. I also know of another couple who live in Washington Crossing with 3 Basenjis. It would be fun for all of us to get together. I'll see what I can do. Thanks and welcome back!


  • Val,
    The Dog park is part of Lambert Park in West Goshen, PA (a township in West Chester) There are directions to the park online. I can send you the link if you want or you can google it. The other basenji owner that I know is very interested in setting something up in the future. She has a brown and white male named Chase and I have a brindle female named Kaya.


  • Hi Basenji lovers,

    I am Lorraine's friend from West Chester, PA. I frequent the dog park she referred to in her post at the corner of Rt 100N (N. Pottstown Pike) and Greenhill Rd in West Goshen Township, just north of the boro of West Chester. I would LOVE to help arrange, or be a participant in a basenji hook up there. As area parks go, it's pretty dismal (the township begrudgingly built it after receiving donations of land from Wawa and grants from the state of PA, and being badgered by dog-owning residents!) - but it is a safe, totally fenced area for our little ones to have the freedom to run wild and associate with other four-legged friends.

    At this time of year, the worst time to plan a play date there would be at the end of the day. From around 4pm to dark the park can get really crowded. If we want our basenjis to have the most fun with each other, I would suggest off-hours (late morning or mid-day) if possible. Weekends, obviously tend to be overly busy as well.

    To answer some earlier post - the park in Radnor is NOT fenced and, at least for me and my little hunter, would not be a possibility. I am also not aware of a fenced area in Valley Forge Park.

    There is a fenced dog park in Phoenixville, PA which might be convenient for folks coming from Montgomery County and Chester County as well. Check out www.reservoirdogspark.com - I have not been there myself, but have heard much good feedback from others who have.

    Last one I know of is Reynolds Dog Park (Upper Prov Twnshp, Mont Co) out Rt 422/Oaks exit - fenced - also accessible to Mont Cty folks & Chester Cty folks. www.uprov-montco.org/canalandreynolds.html

    Hope something comes of all this interest in planning a get-together!

    Cindy Shuman (and Chase Utley, the dog)


  • Hi Val, Lorraine, Cindy (and other Basenji lovers?),

    If others are able to make it, Hunter (my basenji-mix) and I would love to meet up at the dog park in West Goshen! I can't believe Lorraine brought it up. By coincidence, I just went to this dog park for the first time over the holidays. If I remember correctly, it's not far from West Chester Pike (Route 3) and Five Points Road. (Someone else was driving.) I agree it's not the biggest, most beautiful dog park, but Hunter didn't care. He loved it! The park does have doggie bags, dog toys, and places for us 2-footed dog companions to sit. The humans can even buy hot drinks at the Wawa which is in walking distance.

    As Cindy suggested, late morning or mid-day on certain week days are good for Hunter and me. If others cannot make it on week days, then, on weekends, I've heard that early (before 9:30 am.) may not be as crowded, but I don't know if that is too early for everyone to make it. Getting up early on a weekend can be hard! We actually were there later on a Sunday, and there was no one else there but us, but that may have been because it was such a cold day.

    Also, I believe this park is closed sometimes for cleaning. Does anyone know when? That could affect what time we plan to meet if we meet up in West Goshen.

    Hunter and I are interested! I hope this works out.


  • I am so excited that there is such interest in having our pups meet! I have only seen videos online of basenji gatherings, and it is quite a joy to see them romping & racing together!

    I will check out the times that the park is closed for maintenance when I go this afternoon. It has been daily (M-F) from 10-11:30, I believe, but I have heard that will be changing over the winter - less maintenance - more open hours!

    I am available to meet up pretty much any week day (weekends as well, though, weekdays will be less crowded). Mid-day is best, before around 3pm when after-schoolers & after-workers start showing up.

    here's the link from the township website with directions from all points:
    http://www.wgoshen.org/Directions/To_Lambert_Park/to_lambert_park.html

    I'll re-post once I've confirmed the maintenance hours.

    Chase is looking forward to meeting all your basenjis!

    Cindy


  • Hi again,

    I just got the correct closing hours for the dog park in West Chester:

    closed M-TH 10-11:30am

    We could try meeting at 11:30 some week day. There is a bit of increased activity during the lunch hours, but not as much during the winter. Alternatively, we could meet around 1:30-2 ish. First thing in the morning tends to be a bit too cold for my weather-picky boy (who am I kidding?? I'm not too fond of freezing my tush off either!), but we'd be flexible depending on others schedules.

    Cindy


  • Hunter and I would love to meet basenjis and their companions at Lambert Park at either of Cindy's suggested times – 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Is anyone interested in meeting next week? We are available to meet any day except Wednesday.
    Donna


  • Can we meet Monday? My husband and I just happen to be off that day! YEAH!


  • The best time for me would be on the weekends, in the afternoon ,between 1-4:30 as i work during the week now.


  • Donna & Val,

    Monday works for me. Name a time. If we do afternoon, I have to leave around 2:45 to pick up my son at school, so if we want the dogs to hang out a while, I could meet around 1-ish.

    I know Lorraine can't do weekdays for now, but hopefully if this works for all, we can make this a regular thing. (meet up on the weekend next time)

    Another option is to meet this weekend and try to work it so we can include Kaya and Lorraine…either plan works for me...I'm only 2 miles from this park, and we're there all the time!

    Hope to see you soon,
    Cindy


  • We can shoot for Monday the 12th at 1:00pm and also Saturday the 17th if that works? Please let me know. My boy b doesn't really travel well but we're willing to do this just to meet other b's. We are so excited.


  • Hi Val, Lorraine, Cindy, and any other Basenji lovers,

    The only times, in general, when I cannot meet are Saturday afternoons and Wednesdays. This coming weekend I cannot meet on Sunday, but usually Sundays are very good for me.

    If you meet this weekend, I won't be able to be there, but I'll be happy your basenjis are getting to meet and have fun together. However, I will be there the next time!

    I hope to meet up with you soon.

    Donna


  • Hi Val & Cindy,

    Just looked at your responses more closely. If this Monday, January 12, is good for you, Hunter and I can be there.

    If 1 o'clock is a good time, that's fine with me. I don't think leaving by 2:45 p.m. would be a problem, as I don't remember this being a very big park. However, if you want to choose another (earlier? slightly earlier?) time, though, that's also fine with me.

    However, as mentioned in my last email, if you choose to get together this weekend so that Lorraine can also be there, I'm good with that too. As mentioned, since I cannot come this weekend, I would join you the next weekend if you all can meet on a Sunday.

    Hope we are able to work something out for everyone – if not for the first meeting, then for the following ones!

    Donna


  • I wont be able to make any weekday play dates until spring as I am training for a new position at work. My schedule will be way more flexible in the spring. I'm sorry I cant make the play date on the 12th but I could make it on Sunday 1/18 if anyone is interested (unless weather is snowy or wet) I can be flexible with the time, whatever is convenient for everyone else. I'll wait to hear.


  • Hi Val, Cindy, & Lorraine,

    Just want to let you all know that I can meet this Monday, January 12, and next Sunday, January 18.

    Donna

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