Basenji in Florida

[firefoxkatan]

Hi! My name is Emily - but I like to go by my middle name, Katherine; and I just got my first Basenji on Monday, she's a 10 week old tan and white, and lively as all get out! I love her to death, I named her Bindi. I also have a 6 year old Calico/Maltese mixed cat whom Bindi loves! Her name is Duo and she doesn't seem to mind her so much. I joined this forum with the hopes of finding new friends, some advice and to share photos! I look forward to meeting everyone and the dogs

~Kat

[WBL]

Welcome to the forum

[jenwilson]

Hi Kat! Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to make friends with other basenji owners. I have found the forum to be a friendly and helpful place. I look forward to seeing pictures of Bindi.

[red and white furever]

Hi Kat!
I can see Bindi is quite adorable by your avatar! Welcome to the forum!

[firefoxkatan]

thanks everyone! yes, she's so lovable!
I pan on posting some photos once I get some better ones
my mom took the on in my avi and a few others but she had a finger print on the lens and they all came out a bit blurry from it lol

next time I bring her over there I'll get some better ones

~Kat

[JazzysMom]

Welcome and congratulations on getting your puppy!

One note: you said, "I also have a 6 year old Calico/Maltese mixed cat whom Bindi loves! Her name is Duo and she doesn't seem to mind her so much"

I know many people here have cats and Basenjis that get along just fine, but just be aware that their love affair may end at some point.
When we first got Jazz our cats were not thrilled, but were okay because we've always had dogs and they've always wound up getting along really well with our cats. After a few months of Jazz, however, she suddenly seemed to realize that she is a hunter. The cat that used to sleep in the same chair with her can no longer show its face w/out Jazz taking off in hot pursuit. Even if the cat is upstairs and Jazz is downstairs, she is off and running.

We've tried a few techniques to get her to stop chasing, and if I see the cat first I can tell Jazz to "leave it" and though she tenses up and really zones in on the cat w/her eyes, she will almost always leave it. But if she sees the cat first, she is impossible to stop.

[JazzysMom]

I should add though – and this actually ties into my post on baby gates and boundaries -- that Jazzy will NOT go after the cat if it is sitting on top of the leather couches. That and behind the broken old baby gate are the cats' only safe zones. But let the cat jump off the couch. . . .

[firefoxkatan]

@JazzysMom:

Welcome and congratulations on getting your puppy!

One note: you said, "I also have a 6 year old Calico/Maltese mixed cat whom Bindi loves! Her name is Duo and she doesn't seem to mind her so much"

I know many people here have cats and Basenjis that get along just fine, but just be aware that their love affair may end at some point.
When we first got Jazz our cats were not thrilled, but were okay because we've always had dogs and they've always wound up getting along really well with our cats. After a few months of Jazz, however, she suddenly seemed to realize that she is a hunter. The cat that used to sleep in the same chair with her can no longer show its face w/out Jazz taking off in hot pursuit. Even if the cat is upstairs and Jazz is downstairs, she is off and running.

We've tried a few techniques to get her to stop chasing, and if I see the cat first I can tell Jazz to "leave it" and though she tenses up and really zones in on the cat w/her eyes, she will almost always leave it. But if she sees the cat first, she is impossible to stop.

yes I've noticed Bindi trying to get her to play now
but Duo, my cat, has been with many dogs threw her life and knows when they need to back off, a good swat on the nose and the dog leaves her alone
I'll keep an eye on Bindi when they play and make sure, if Duo swings, Bindi doesn't swing back :x lol

~Kat

[JazzysMom]

Our cats are really baffled by Jazzy. We've always had cats and dogs together, and our dogs have always loved our cats. The cats rub up against them, the dogs lick their ears, they curl up together, etc. The cats have never had to employ any kind of self-defense methods.

This new kind of dog that chases cats has thrown them for a loop. LOL

[Mantis]

Hello and welcome to the site! I live in Largo FL, so we are neighbors….I have a 6yr old red and white male named Caesar and a Brindle boy basenji that is 11 weeks old! We should chat about out puppy woes together!

There is a great basenji group in the Tampa area that meets every Sunday at the West Part off of Hillsborough Avenue around 11ish...

Cairo had his second set of shots so we are waiting until the rabies shot to take him to the park.

I am so excited you are so close and with child, uh I mean puppy, oh I mean teething monster.....

[Ambered]

hi katherine and bindi! welcome to basenji forums. i met a katherine from st pete once. where did you get little bindi? looking forward to more pictures!

[miss_sada]

Welcome!!! I am also new to this forum and so far it is great. Alot of info and friendly people. Like others were saying about your cat. WATCH OUT. I got my basenji as a puppy and she loved, loved, loved my cat. They slept together and everything, now my cat is in our back room with a gate between her and Sada(my basenji) because Sada caught onto furry thing running I need to catch. Sada now has no mercy for my cat and I know will hurt her if caught. It is her instinct. She also loved children when she was younger, now I don't trust her with children. I don't know what happen that she no longer likes children but I know she thinks she is the boss. Good luck with your new bundle of joy and I mean bundle. After a year you won't want to be without your basenji.

[firefoxkatan]

@Mantis:

Hello and welcome to the site! I live in Largo FL, so we are neighbors….I have a 6yr old red and white male named Caesar and a Brindle boy basenji that is 11 weeks old! We should chat about out puppy woes together!

There is a great basenji group in the Tampa area that meets every Sunday at the West Part off of Hillsborough Avenue around 11ish...

Cairo had his second set of shots so we are waiting until the rabies shot to take him to the park.

I am so excited you are so close and with child, uh I mean puppy, oh I mean teething monster.....

awesome! I hope when Bindi gets all her shots, she can come play! I normally work on Sundays, but not till the afternoons I will definitely check this place out! thanks!

~Kat

[firefoxkatan]

@miss_sada:

Welcome!!! I am also new to this forum and so far it is great. Alot of info and friendly people. Like others were saying about your cat. WATCH OUT. I got my basenji as a puppy and she loved, loved, loved my cat. They slept together and everything, now my cat is in our back room with a gate between her and Sada(my basenji) because Sada caught onto furry thing running I need to catch. Sada now has no mercy for my cat and I know will hurt her if caught. It is her instinct. She also loved children when she was younger, now I don't trust her with children. I don't know what happen that she no longer likes children but I know she thinks she is the boss. Good luck with your new bundle of joy and I mean bundle. After a year you won't want to be without your basenji.

yes I did hear about they likes the cats and children at first, I'm not too worried about Duo, she really can take care of herself, she's been threw 6 dogs before Bindi and has tough each of them to leave her alone
as for children, I never plan on having any and my nieces are almost grown into teenagers now so it won't be a problem

~Kat

[YodelDogs]

And here I thought I was the only one who had a Basenji named Bindi.

I got the name from Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's daughter. How about you?

[firefoxkatan]

@YodelDogs:

And here I thought I was the only one who had a Basenji named Bindi.

I got the name from Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's daughter. How about you?

actually the name just came to me when I got her, I had a virtual dog named Bindi but it was a Corgi, but the same colors
I liked the name then and I liked it with her, I found out afterwards Bindi was his daughter, I had originally thought it was his dog's name LOL
I also found out Bindi mean 'a drop' in Indian (India Indians) and she has a spot on her shoulder so it fits that way too

how old is your Bindi?

~Kat

[youngandtired]

My B,. never bothered my cats until she got older. She drives my cats crazy now, trying to chase them, bite at them, anything to bother them. My 17 yr. old cat has a real difficult time with Sahara, my B. She tries to grab her by the collar and pull her around the room, and she bites her feet and legs. I have gotten her by squirting her with water, got my B by the collar to pull her off my cat, everything I can think of and Sahara still goes after her. The other day I heard Sahara yap while in the yard, of course I jumped up and looked outside and sure enough she was messing with my cat. She left her alone for the rest of the day and the next day it was the same thing, bother the cats. They have such a strong instinct to chase, and sometimes I think Sahara is just plain jealous over the cats, doesn't want to share attention from me. Gotta Love these dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[YodelDogs]

@firefoxkatan:

I found out afterwards Bindi was his daughter, I had originally thought it was his dog's name LOL

how old is your Bindi?

~Kat

Steve's daughter was Bindi Sue, named after his favorite croc Bindi and his dog Sui.

My Bindi is about 1 1/2 years old now. She's tri colored. I didn't know about the Hindu red spot being called Bindi until long after.

[MacPack]

Hi Kat, Wwelcome to the joys of raising a basenji puppy, you are far braver than I am! We live in Tampa and have 3 basenjis who go to the dog park daily, and twice on Sunday. If you have a good dogpark nearby, it is a great way for them to use a bit of that energy of which they seem to have so much. Maybe we can meet up some day, that would be fun. we are looking forward to seeing Mantis again soon, her Caesar is a wonderful dog, and Cairo is too cute for words.

MacPack

[Mantis]

Yes Kat!! Come to the big dog park on Sunday!! Cairo is officially ready to get back into the pack..

I will be happy to meet you at any dog park in Pinellas county as well!! Cairo is ready to play with another basenji his age!