What a cutie!!!! 🙂
My Rescued Basenji Mut
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So my roommate and I moved to Texas from Nebraska. We had dogs back in Nebraska that were "family" dogs, so they stayed there. (I had a Corgi/Black Lab mix and she had a Black Lab.) After being in Texas for awhile, we decided to get our own dog. We started looking around at shelters. The first shelter we went in to, the first dog we saw- she was labeled as a Corgi. Since I owned a Corgi before, I knew something wasn't quite right. She was tall and skinny, Corgis are short and fat. We fell in love at first sight, but we kept looking for some reason…
(Lucy originally came into the shelter as a puppy that was found on the street. She was adopted once, but brought back because she's "destructive." We've come to the conclusion that she was just bored and didn't have enough toys and interaction.)
My roommate finally decided to go get the "Corgi" that we'd fallen in love with while I was at work. But there was a problem- they make you take a test to see if you'd be right for the animal, and my roommate wasn't in the right category and wasn't allowed to even visit with her. She called me at work crying because she couldn't even meet her. I knew at that moment that that little dog was the one for us. We went back the next day together, and she retook the test and I took it. The moment they brought Lucy in the room to meet us, I wanted to take her home. She was very friendly, and wants to be near her people. She loves us holding her, and will go out of her way to be at least touching you.
We finally got through the adoption process. Which was made interesting by the fact that the desk is right by the cats, and Lucy does NOT like cats. Our first stop was the pet store, then off to her new home. She is fitting in great! When we were looking through all of her papers, trying to find out what she was mixed with, the vets that had seen her had crossed out Corgi and put Basenji. That's what started us looking everywhere for info, and what brought me here.
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Couple pics from the shelter's site-
(Yes, she is cross-eyed, but it doesn't affect her at all.)
Sleeping under my computer since she always has to be near someone-
What started out as her jumping in my lap ended up as her taking my seat-
She always wants to pick on stuff bigger than she is!
It's so funny watching her drag that tiger around by the tail when it's about twice her size. -
Great story and what a barooootiful girl.:)
The eyes just add to her mistique,
and your lucky to have one another.
Enjoy all that lies ahead….....:D -
What a cutie pie!!! And huge congrats on adopting her!!!
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Great story…welcome (again) and she is just a cutey-pie!
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Yes, she is a cutie pie!!!! I agree!!!
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She looks like a B to me…she looks so sweet, I just want to hug her...congrats on your adoption and welcome to the wonderful, exciting and never dull world of Basenji parents.
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Welcome!! What beautiful babies
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Such a pretty girl with beautiful eyes - She looks so fun!
My two also like taking over in my office chair. I think they'd rather I played with them, than to stare at that silly computer screen.
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Awwwwww… I am so glad she found you!!! She is such a beautiful girl! Welcome to the forum and your new life with a Basenji dog. Depending on how many Basenji characteristics she has, she should keep life from ever being boring! But once you are hooked, you can't trade 'em for the world... I don't know how anyone could have left her loose and shelter bound as cute as she is. She deserves good owners who will love her and take good care of her. Congratulations on your new B-baby!!!
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What an impressive girl!! She is gorgeous and definately basenji. At least the vets KNEW what she was!!! Congratulations on the new family member and I thank you for adopting her!!!
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What an impressive girl!! She is gorgeous and definately basenji. At least the vets KNEW what she was!!! Congratulations on the new family member and I thank you for adopting her!!!
This same shelter had a dog listed as an "Alaskan Malamute" mix. I called the dog over, and with one look, I turned to my roommate and said- That is NOT a Malamute. It was a beautiful black and white Akita. How these people can confuse these dogs is beyond me… And they have one labeled as a Pit Mix, but I know it isn't, and they won't listen to me. That one sucks, because a lot of people can't have Pits and that is probably keeping that beautiful dog from being rescued.
I'm a big fan of rescuing animals, and after Lucy came into my life, I've been looking at other Basenjis. There is a Basenji/Pit mix at the same shelter I got Lucy from, and if it's still there when I get my house in August, I might go back for it.
Thank you for all the welcomes! I'm learning a lot so far. At least I know now that my Lucy is just "being a Basenji" and isn't just plain crazy.
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Adoption is so great! Good for you. She has TONS of adventures in store you. This is just the beginning of life with a Basenji, your world will never be the same again!
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She most definetly looks like a B. You will find by reading some of the stories on here that she will do the same things as other dogs do.
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At least I know now that my Lucy is just "being a Basenji" and isn't just plain crazy.
LOL!! I too was relieved when I found out that Duke is Basenji-mix. He was found abandoned with a brother. We brought him home when he was maybe 12 weeks old. I did not know what breed he was until he was 6 mos. old. That is a very long time living with a "crazy" puppy dog. He is now 1 yr. 5 mos and he turned out to be the BEST and smartest little guy. He was close to unmanageable until I found this forum. The help and advice I got was like a miracle with lights on training Duke.
He's still a little nuts, but he's just "being a Basenji". -
This same shelter had a dog listed as an "Alaskan Malamute" mix. I called the dog over, and with one look, I turned to my roommate and said- That is NOT a Malamute. It was a beautiful black and white Akita. How these people can confuse these dogs is beyond me… And they have one labeled as a Pit Mix, but I know it isn't, and they won't listen to me. That one sucks, because a lot of people can't have Pits and that is probably keeping that beautiful dog from being rescued.QUOTE]
Remember, most shelters are manned by good hearted people who want to help dogs. They don't go through extensive breed identification training. It is not at all uncommon for dogs to be listed as breeds that are way off the mark. USually it seems that any larger brown dog w/a long muzzle is a German Shepard; any bulky dog with a large head is a pit bull.
I have a friend whose older dog recently wandered off and was lost for three weeks. She called the local shelter every day to listen to their listing of found pets. Her dog -- a 13 yr old Shi Tzu -- was never listed.
Later however, she DID learn that her dog WAS there -- listed as a Lhasa Apso. Her dog was actually adopted out to another family, but through a long, complicated, and expensive {the shelter made her pay for 3 weeks boarding!!!}, she was able to get her dog back. -
She is lovely, and her eyes add to her charm! Good for you, adopting a shelter dog. All 3 of my basenjis are rescues and they have wonderful personalities. Lucy looks very happy, I know she has found a great home. Congratualtions!
Anne
MacPack -
Hi Larka and Lucy, what a fun story about your adoption. I'm in the same boat as you – only three days a basenji owner and learning fast what it entails! Rowdy is also a rescue dog that a friend adopted for me and brought to me this past week. Rowdy is an interesting combination of mischief and gentleness.
