Anybody want a Basenji????

[DebraDownSouth]

As I said Pat, it's individual comfort zones. If I had your setup with privacy fence (which makes snakes unlikely :), and were off the road, I'd probably feel much safer. But your situation is not what most have. If something happens to our dogs, we have to live with it, decide if we made the right choices, etc. As it should be.

But I also think we should have the right here to say if we will NOT do something and why, whether it is leaving collars on, leaving outside, crating, etc. There is a difference between saying why we make our choices and calling someone a bad owner for deciding different. When you see me call someone a bad owner for making choices, even if it is a choice I PERSONALLY feel carries more risks than I PERSONALLY am willing to do, call me on it.

We can be comfortable with our decisions when we think them out. I wasn't bashing those of you who leave dogs outside unattended, but I do feel it's legit to point out that for most people it carries risks. We have had a couple of local dogs poisoned this week, another person has signs up for dog stolen out of their yard. I am sure you didn't mean to be dismissive or indicate there are no dangers, but felt the need to expand here. Again, you have a fairly unique fencing and situation that helps reduce risks.

[Patty]

My Basenjis come and go outside at will but i do have a secure fence (I have to because of the sheep). Depending on the weather the outside door is left open even when I'm out for a time.

To each his own and I'm sure that we respect what other people do. It's a matter of being aware and weighing up the risks.

[pari1art]

Thanks Quercus. Little bugger that she is, Pepper only wants to get inside. There is no other thing outside making her nervous. Ha, no millionaire for me. The ads for the sprinkler show the sprinkler scaring away, cats, dogs, birds, the Pope, etc. Yes, the Pope, lol.

[DebraDownSouth]

ROFLMAO, Okay I want to see the ad! That's hysterical.

[pari1art]

Wizard, please forgive me for not replying to your post earlier. I have just recently bought a new leather lounge. The previous lounge was attacked by not only Pepper but Mister Two Dicks as well to the stage that I had to dump it. It would always happen when I was never home. Boredom I guess. I don't want my new lounge to become a byproduct of Pepper's juvenile instincts. Let's face it I don't trust her. So, everytime I leave the house, they go out the back yard. And it is not that bad, because they have a 6 metre by 6 metre enclosed area that is roofed for them to spend should the weather become inclement together with their little dog house which they share. They have a trampoline to play on and many toys to play with. Also there is the occasional pigeon that flies by that Pepper is able to launch herself into the sky and bring down to curb their boredom.

Quercus, yes, Pepper is not panicked by any measure. She is just persistent. She knows that if she head butts the door enough, she will get inside. She just needs to learn that if I send her outside, she has to wait there until I let her back in. Mister Two Dicks and Pepper are my second and third basenji and I find them totally different from my first, who I must admit was the perfect basenji. It is a pity they only live so long.

DebraDownSouth, here is the link for the Contech Electronics CRO101 Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinkler. Just click on the images under the picture of the sprinkler. I must be a little slow, because it took me a little time to work out why the Pope was there. http://www.amazon.com/Contech-Electronics-CRO101-Scarecrow-Motion-Activated/dp/B000071NUS

[Patty M]

Those pictures are too funny!
Great solution, so far… until she outsmarts it?

I love your dogs names... by any chance, is Pepper a tri? lol
My Lola will get on our beds, circle around, and then proceed to dig frantically! Last weekend, she "helped" me dig a hole in my flowerbed outside!

These crazy dogs. Why must they dig?

[pari1art]

Hi Patty M. Yes, my fingers are crossed. I watched her headbutt the doggy door today, but when the sprinkler went on, she gave it a wide birth. I would love to be able to set up a camera to watch what she does whilst I am away. No, Pepper is a tan and white. Here are the photos I took of them on our holiday. http://www.basenjiforums.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/3349 Pepper is the skinny long one with the little bit of white on her nose. Mister Two Dicks is the short fat one with the longer white on the nose and wider white collar around the neck. When I first saw Mister Two Dicks, he had a protruding hernia and it looked like he had two dicks. When I went to register him at the local council I had no trouble registering him under the name, although I did get a few giggles from the clerk. As I mentioned earlier, I have had three basenjis and not one has ever dug any holes. Nor have they ever tried to jump any fences, for that matter. Lucky I guess.

[DebraDownSouth]

ROFLMAO, you just nearly made me choke. I did say before I probably didn't want to know about his name, but that is hysterical. LOLOL.

OMG even funnier than the pope, it has chuck norris!

[Quercus]

Wow…I always thought that his name was reminicient of an English dessert or something...isn't there something called 'spotted dick'? Could be that I am completely losing my mind...

[tlish]

@DebraDownSouth:

OMG even funnier than the pope, it has chuck norris!

i can't even decide which photo i like best… gizmo, michael jackson on a tricycle, the dinosaurs, the scarecrow as a contestant on jeopardy... ! hilarious!

[pari1art]

Well. Pepper did it again. I went for a 9 hour drive in the country side and left the two dogs outside. When I arrived home, everything was fine. The two dogs were happy to see me, the doggy door was intact. The next day I locked them outside so that I could visit the local shoppng centre. I was away for 45 minutes. When I returned she had broken the doggy door and the two were happily waiting at the front door for me. Well, I am sick of it and have bitten the bullet. I have arranged to have a security screen door fitted to my rear door. If she breaks that I am going to have to find an area in my back yard where I can dig a basenji grave.

[Shannanigan]

Is the leather lounge intact?

[pari1art]

Yes, so far so good. I forgot to mention that the new sliding door plus the new doggy door replacement will cost me AUS$1000.00. Gee I love my basenjis. Is there nothing I won't spend on them??? Getting back to Pepper, I have to agree that she is a smart dog. She worked out how to evade the water spray hazzard to headbang the doggy door and get inside. Who said basenjis weren't smart???