I'll admit that I didn't know much about dogs, let alone Basenjis, before bringing Paco into my life.

The only reason I know what I've learned over the last year, is because I have an obsession with being "book smart" on as many things in my life as I can be. I'm a total nerd. I love libraries, I love good internet resources (such as this site), and I love informational/educational television. I soak it all up.

Not everybody is like me, though. In fact, I'd say MOST people aren't like me, and it leads to so many clashes between what I've learned is right and what other people think is right. This is especially true in the realm of pets, I think.

I took Paco in for his annual a few weeks ago. Everybody adored him. He was so well-behaved, so "pretty", and "the perfect size" (he is small for a Basenji - or so my research tells me), and everybody was cooing over him.

"But you castrated him!" The vet boomed.

"I'm not a breeder, and I have no intention to show him - he's too small anyway."

"People like small pets, you could've found a breeder and made more perfectly sized, beautiful, well-behaved pets for people!"

I didn't reply, because I didn?t quite know what to say. It was almost as if he was angry at me. It took a lot of convincing to finally get Chris to understand why I felt we needed to fix Paco, and I still catch flak for it from friends of mine (usually male). Now, even the VET seems to think I shouldn't have done it?

UGH!

I've written in the past about my co-workers believing that beating a dog is the only way to train it, and I have friends who swear the dog can differentiate between them feeding him from their plate and other people not, so he won't bother other people when they eat - but this one really took the cake.

Nothing wrong with researching and being well read, i love books and a trip to the library where i come out with an armful is a great feeling :)
Seems a strange attitude for your vet to have, they usualy seem to push spay/neutering onto people from what i have seen. You do what's best for your family and pets.
It is frustrating though when you meet ignorant people like your co-workers, you could argue untill you are blue in the face and they won't change their opinions.

Your vet is an idiot.

Sorry about the food and plate, but your friends are right. My dogs know I share everything, so they nag me. They know Leora won't give them a MORSEL until she is totally done. They don't bother her. They do know, really.

@DebraDownSouth:

Your vet is an idiot.

Sorry about the food and plate, but your friends are right. My dogs know I share everything, so they nag me. They know Leora won't give them a MORSEL until she is totally done. They don't bother her. They do know, really.

LOL, Debra!!! Loved that… "Your Vet is an idiot"!!! And you, Shannanigan, are a very wise dog owner... doing what is best for your dog, your lifestyle! Kudos!

About food and plates, my girls sleep through every one of our meals... they know that they will get something when we are done and are excellent about not bothering us or company. Now, understand, we did nothing to train them to do this... it just happened. Seems when they were babies... by the time we would eat dinner, they were exhausted from play and passed out! Good timing for us, but I can't take credit of "training" them to do this.

Debra, love the 'your vet is an idiot' comment. It's totally true.

Shannanigan, I notice you are in the US Virgin Islands. Maybe your vet would just like to see more basenjis around? However, the comment is still totally dumb.

Kudos for you being an information hound. I am too. The problem with that is you often come across people who know less than you do about a particular subject. Some of these people will admit it, while others will straight out tell you that they are right and you are wrong. Sigh.

Regarding Kipawa and when we are eating - he is an equal opportunity beggar! :) But we never give him anything from our plates, so the begging is usually short lived.

I never feed my dogs from my plate but they all hover like vultures hoping that I will drop something. Baron lays his head in my crotch because he knows that is the most likely place dropped food will land. My critters have no manners. :rolleyes:

@Kipawa:

Regarding Kipawa and when we are eating - he is an equal opportunity beggar! :) But we never give him anything from our plates, so the begging is usually short lived.

HOLD STRONG FRAN HOLD STRONG! LOL I swear, I deserve what I get. I used to scoff at "small dog owners" for letting their dogs do things a "big dog owner" never allows. My BIG DOGS never begged, knew they would get some when I was done. I have created monsters lol.

LOL, Robyn. Larry says they would take food out of our mouths if they could.

We never fed Maxx from the table, but would save a little bit of food for him. However, he got to the point where he wouldn't eat HIS food…or all of it...until the "people" food was added. Therefore, we've made the decision not to feed either Blaze or Gracie food that comes from our plates.

We do, however, have two little vacuum cleaners underneath the table after we eat because, after all, people can sometimes be sloppy and drop food! ;)

@DebraDownSouth:

HOLD STRONG FRAN HOLD STRONG! LOL I swear, I deserve what I get.

We have never fed any of our animals from out plates. We've had friends who let their parrots on the table at supper time. What a mess. You don't need a bird getting tangled up in your spaghetti - we've seen it happen. Sure it's hilarious, but it's also ridiculously messy! Better to toss some pasta into their food bowl. When I do food prep, our ****atoos always get some of what is being cut up. It works best that way.

As for Kipawa, thanks for your encouragement. It's hard sometimes to turn away that cute begging face, but we believe (may not be right, but works for us) that sharing food off your plate with your dog tells them you think they are equal in household hierarchy. The humans need to be the top dogs.

I don't feed Scarlett from my plate as a general rule, I do not want to have a little beggar at my feet all the time when I'm eating. She is very good at this point of not begging…she has had very little "human" food. But I must admit when we go over to my parents house for dinners and family functions, I let my mom sometimes spoil her little grand doggy with treats from her plate. Grandparents do those kind of things, but when were home again all the rules are back on. Scarlett unfortunately knows this so she is a little bit of a beggar at my parent's...until I make eye contact with her, then she will stop...momentarily:D

@DebraDownSouth:

Your vet is an idiot.

Sorry about the food and plate, but your friends are right. My dogs know I share everything, so they nag me. They know Leora won't give them a MORSEL until she is totally done. They don't bother her. They do know, really.

I thought as much. (about the vet)

I don't think Paco gets it…he can be very difficult to handle with food around, and Chris and I are VERY adamant about not giving him food anywhere else besides his food bowl or while training outside. He used to even nip at me while I was eating, so that we'd have to put him outside while we ate.

Thus, I prefer my guests not feed him from off their plates and encourage it.

@Shannanigan:

I thought as much. (about the vet)

I don't think Paco gets it…he can be very difficult to handle with food around, and Chris and I are VERY adamant about not giving him food anywhere else besides his food bowl or while training outside. He used to even nip at me while I was eating, so that we'd have to put him outside while we ate.

Thus, I prefer my guests not feed him from off their plates and encourage it.

:D I remember the problem you had with Paco and the pizza.
We never feed Malaika off our plates and don't allow anyone else to do it either. She wouldn't need much encouragement to take food off our plates.
We will treat Kwame the same. They do sometimes get left over treats but in their own dishes.