Subject: BRAT-CHAT: adopting a feral Basenji
Because of our experience with our Sana, I've been asked by a
few people to try and describe what it has been like to adopt a "feral"
Basenji. As many of you know, Sana was taken from the same man in
Florida who just lost custody of all his dogs. In the winter of 05/06,
Sana and one of her pups were turned over to BRAT. We think that she was
four at that time, and that the surviving pup was from her third litter.
Keiki, the pup, came to NH, and Sana was fostered by Dana Cole until we
adopted her in May of 2006. It was the start of one of the greatest
adventures of my life. I can honestly say that there were times that I
agonized over whether or not we were doing right by her, but I don't
think there were more than a very few minutes that I felt even a shred
of regret that we had added her to our family. I just never dreamed how
much work would be involved, or how long it would take to see her
progress.
Adopting a new dog is always a challenge, especially with dogs
as unique as our Basenjis. Adopting an extremely fearful dog was a
different challenge from every dog I've ever met. Dana Cole was
wonderfully, almost brutally honest about Sana's behaviour, and stressed
that progress with her would proceed in the tiniest of baby-steps. I was
confident about two things. The first was that Bill and I could offer
this wild little creature a safe, fairly quiet and routine home, and the
second was that we were committed to helping her discover that life
really was good. Our goal for her was that she become happy - simply
that - and that she be able to relax and enjoy life. Anything else would
be a bonus - we already had a dog who loved us, and Sana's life now
would be all about Sana. God knows she had already paid her dues, and
she deserved peace.
NOTE: because we were dealing with one feral dog in our own
home, we had the luxury of allowing her to set her own schedule and
develop at her own pace with as little pressure from us as possible. And
it IS a luxury - one that most foster homes may not be able to offer.
There are different methods that can be used, especially for dogs in
transition between their rescue and their forever homes that include a
shortened timetable and more intensive conditioning. In no way do I mean
to imply that there are not multiple roads to success. Everything else I
say is nothing more than generalities about ADULT feral dogs learned
directly from Sana and from all of the research I still do on the topic.
I am not an expert, except in terms of our one special dog. Each and
every dog will come with its own issues and own schedule of development!
Generalities:
A feral dog is hyper-sensitive to everything. Every tiny
movement, every change in tone of voice, every sound from another room,
EVERYTHING is a potential danger. With time, this eases, but I doubt
that it will ever go away because it is exactly what was needed for
sheer survival. It doesn't take long at all to learn that humans produce
food and supply warm, comfy beds. It does take a very long time for an
adult dog to learn broader concepts - that human touch is not only
non-harmful but can actually bring pleasure, that "home" is a real place
that will remain constant, that gentleness exists and will not go away
and (most importantly) that the good things will happen every day.
By "it will take time", I do not mean that after the customary
6-8 weeks of adjustment time, a feral/un-socialized dog necessarily will
be comfortable in their new home. The tiniest of baby steps are things
to be celebrated - eye contact, choosing to approach even when there's
no food, learning any basic obedience are huge signs of progress that
MIGHT very well take months - or even years - not days or weeks. Feral
animals truly are the closest things to visitors from another planet
that most of us will meet. Again, they lived in a totally different
world where every action and sound had to be instantly noted and
analyzed, because danger could return at any moment. After about a year
with us, we carefully began to refer to Sana as "extra-vigilant" rather
than "extremely fearful" not only because it was a more positive
description but because we were finally realizing that this was
something that would remain part of her character forever. This
characteristic also requires extra care in terms of protection. A feral
dog will react INSTANTLY to a perceived threat - usually by bolting. It
might be extremely difficult to retrieve a frightened, loose dog because
every one of their instincts will be telling them to run and hide, and
it's quite possible that no stranger without a net would be able to
catch them. We are fortunate that Sana, from the first day we had her,
is highly motivated to stay safely in the comforts of our home, and to
do her best to return there as soon as possible whenever stressed. It is
actually more likely that feral dogs will incline to get AWAY from
whatever frightened them, and to run, dig or climb if necessary. Bolting
out a door or ripping a leash out of a hand may be a constant threat, so
owners will need to be as "extra-vigilant" as their dogs to keep them
safe - always and forever.
Becoming adjusted to a human household will come in time, with
gentle routine being one of the best tools. Love, however, is an art
best learned when young, and it is not a natural concept for a feral
animal. Food can be a major motivation in learning the extra perks of
living with people - Sana's first true breakthrough came by way of
"pizza bones" - and here again time will be involved. These dogs CAN and
WILL learn to love, but they're starting very late in terms of
development, and it can feel like forever. After three and a half years,
Sana will now (almost always) come to me when she feels threatened, or
her leash is tangled around her legs, or she's hurt, etc. She always
sleeps pressed against me, fully expects to share any meal I eat, and in
the last few weeks has finally begun to come to me to ask for petting.
I know that she loves me, as well as relies on me and trusts me, and it
fills my heart in ways I can't even begin to describe.
Time - it all comes down to time and patience, and the desire to
do it both FOR and WITH the dog. These dogs will be a challenge to even
the most experienced of Basenji-folk, and many households will not be a
good match for them. We all want to help in this extraordinary rescue
situation, but unusual care will need to be taken in matching these
survivors with their forever homes. I can't wait to see how they'll all
be in five years or so!
I would be happy to discuss the details of our experience with
anyone who might be interested. I can be reached at: bcomvp@yahoo.com
or laura_whitney@harvard.edu or 781-643-5497.
Laura Whitney
Arlington, MA
P.S. Other than our usual Basenji resources, there are two sources of
help I would recommend VERY highly:
Laura Whitney
Arlington, MA
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Here is the mahogany colored female, Kizzie, with green-gold eyes…stunning!
This is Afrika, the boy, and he is all boy!
I think anyone interested in these dogs needs to read Laura's message (above) and take it to heart. These dogs, especially the adults, are not impossible, but they are not going to be easy. They will be rewarding and interesting though!
Here is the mahogany colored female, Kizzie, with green-gold eyes…stunning!
She is beautiful….
Thank everyone for setting the foster homes up for success. If you know it's going to take time, you don't expect anything more than what the dogs can give.
Subject: BRAT-CHAT: adopting a feral Basenji
- There is a Yahoo-group called "Shy-K9s" that got me through
my most discouraged moments. It is a wonderful group, even if you only
read the archives. Only positive methods are discussed, the support is
tremendous, and reading about professionals who are willing to spend
YEARS helping dogs that they still cannot touch is humbling beyond
words. These people GET IT, and I cannot recommend them highly enough.Laura Whitney
Arlington, MA
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have been a member of Shy-k9s for many years now. I do not post any more, but they were indispensable when I first got my Katie.
There is a good discussion going on there right now about dogs pulled from a similar, but worse situation as the Florida B's. The suggestions given would be very good for people working with, or hoping to work with these dogs to read.
-Nicole
They are both so cute, Kizzie is stunning.
A basenji person shared these photos with us, and I want to share them with you.
Pam wrote..
I was in FL last week and photographed the Basenji as best I could in my two day stay! I met a Basenji in foster care at Pam's house. Pam said the Basenji was a year old and had came from Holland's house as a pup. The dog had a very high play/toy drive! He was doing the tug game and did not want to stop. The boy was Large, I measure him, 19 ? inches tall. Want a crazy basenji. I saw several of the older dogs in the kennel with high play/toy drives too. Would be nice to select an even tempered puppy and work with them from this group of basenji.
I started a web page about the Basenji, still in the works. Will update soon
http://www.ottaray.com/PICDog/wimauma/index.html
Terry Cox Fiedler
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 7:02 PM
To: BasenjiBreederRoundtable@yahoogroups.com; BNTPP Basenji Hunting; Basenji List
Subject: [BNTPP] Wimauma Basenji in Shelter Pics
WARNING! Some of these pictures are disturbing.
Here is a web page with Pictures of Wimauma Basenji at the Shelter.
http://www.ottaray.com/PICDog/wimauma/Doginshelter/index.html
Terry Cox Fiedler
http://www.ottaray.com
Although so tough to look at (I have to convince myself to look), thank you Sharron for sharing these stories with us. It is only through awareness and education that we have a hope of lessening these sad stories.
Thank you for sharing Sharron.
Although very sad to see, I am glad they are being taken care of, even if for the first time in their lives.
I got to chat with Judge Nick Wed. about the Wimama basenji pack. . He
was the presiding judge at the Feb 11th hearing in Tampa, who granted
custody to Hillsborough County Animal Shelter. Of course I thanked him
for saving the basenjis, saying how wonderful that they would be turned over
to BRAT. He spoke highly of BRAT, impressed that BRAT members were
in attendance from not only Tampa but from around the country. Awesome !
Ginny Padawer
Callie and Jack
Tampa, FL
Hi Ginny, Welcome to Forum!
Welcome, we look forward to your input.
Greetings!
Sorry that it has been such a long time since our last update - we've been a bit busy here in FL! Here's the latest:
As of Thursday, all basenjis have physically been released from HCAS (they delivered!). Moms and pups are still HCAS-ownership dogs until they have been spayed and neutered. The adults are decompressing here in Basenji-Town after a month and a half in isolation in cement runs that amplified the sounds of constantly barking dogs. They are visibly more relaxed, though the fearful ones obviously are going to take much more time to believe that humans are really good. They definitely became accustomed to having a heated floor at HCAS - they do not appreciate the unusually cold temperatures we've been having in FL. Crates provided by BCOA (THANK YOU for your generosity!) are beginning to arrive and will be appreciated by the basenjis who'd like a den in their kennel runs. While they are out during the day, their routine includes moving inside every night. They are getting pretty good at following directions. The five five-month-old pups that were doing so well with socialization at HCAS are in three different foster homes (Susan, Jeanetta and Erin are foster moms) and are all doing well. While they will generally be more timid than the younger pups, they are already suitable for placing in the right forever homes.
The dynamics have changed with the adults and older shy pups - they are back in a more pack-like setting, able to see each other and visit through rigid wire kennels, though they remain separated while I get to know who is okay with whom. Unlike what we generally expect in basenji-world, the male-male aggression is much greater than the female-female aggression. Many of the females really seem to enjoy each other's company - the first two moms I've been fostering play together, sleep together, mother orphan pups together, etc. Most of the dogs now whimper in anticipation when they see me coming. All Wimauma basenjis are beginning to soften towards human males (early at HCAS, staff had noted how threatened all of the basenjis were by the male staff, so most required interaction was with female staff). Backed by the power of the pack, the male basenjis were more aggressive towards men when they first arrived. Regular treats by John and Chris (my dad and my husband) are winning them over.
I've had help from Jeanetta and Jacquie from Tampa when the basenjis first arrived and the routine was a bit more labor-intensive. The basenjis have settled into an easier routine, so my workload is finally easing a bit. We will be ready for visitors to come in for more socialization shortly, to be followed by moving many of the adults into foster homes further north. I know Anne and Donald miss the kids at HCAS and are eager to work with the adults. These basenjis have some really neat personalities. It is great to see them blossoming. All of the adults will play with toys and/or each other, though the most shy of the lot will stop if they realize a human is watching…
Everyone in the nursery is doing quite well. The nine oldest pups are ready to place soon. Their ears are starting to go up again, though there is one whose ears are starting to go down again as his ears have hit another growth spurt. Now that they are getting older and bigger, I can see more of a difference in sizes. There are three "smalls," five "mediums" and one "large." There were three lactating females when they were first brought into HCAS, so these sizes may be an indication of three litters all born within a couple of weeks of each other. Koka, who was initially a very defensive mom, has become quite eager to get some rubbing and scratching. Her seven pups are very plump (Koka has an enormous supply of milk...) and are just starting to walk around a bit. They are about 4 weeks old and have an unusual variety of beautiful coat colors. Keondra was initially fairly fearful of humans at HCAS, but now accepts attention quite well. She is still very submissive towards humans and usually prefers to follow when on leash - it seems strange to not be dragged around by a basenji... Her nine pups are just a couple of weeks old. They appear to all be tris and are just beginning to open their eyes. Kenyatta's four surviving pups are doing great - against the odds! At three weeks old, they are plump with eyes wide open and beginning to stagger around. One is a beautiful tri with a fair amount of white - will she have a blue eye or two? The coats on the other three are changing.
Unfortunately, Kenyatta's pups will be forever orphaned. We had to humanely euthanize Kenyatta Saturday. She had been plagued by serious health problems for some time. Late Friday night, her vomit became very dark and foul, prompting me to take her in early Saturday. Unfortunately, one of the issues may have been ulcers. She had a rupture along her intestinal tract, resulting in waste being dumped into her torso. There was significant scarring of her tract, so much that the exit scarred shut. She was so incredibly stoic throughout her time with us. Palpations should have prompted a significant, negative, defensive reaction from her - she never even flinched. She is no longer suffering - waiting patiently for us at the bridge. My vet, Dr. Rumore, was kind enough to do a necropsy that confirmed her condition - we made the right decision. At least she received a lot of love and comfort in her last weeks. Her exceptional personality prompted more help from HCAS vet services than they can usually give to most dogs that pass through - she received their first successful transfusion! She became part pit bull, receiving blood from an ambassador pit bull named Cherry.
As always, we appreciate everyone's moral and monetary support. Anyone wishing to make a donation towards this rescue project may do so through this link:
http://basenjirescue.org/donations/FLBasenjisDonation.asp
Pam Hamilton
FL District Coordinator
Advisory Director
Basenji Rescue and Transport
Debbi Johnson
BRAT Treasurer & Director
Germantown, TN
Hi, everyone,
I was notified that the link to the donation page that I included in today's
update was not a good link. I apologize. Here is the correct link:
http://basenjirescue.org/donations/FLBasenjisDonation.asp
You can also go to BRAT's home page www.basenjirescue.org , scroll down to
the lower left corner to the pictures of the two pups, and click on the link
under the picture.
Sincerely,
Debbi Johnson
BRAT Treasurer & Director
Germantown, TN
debbijbasenjirescue@comcast.net
Hi, this is my first post, although I've been lurking around reading for a while. My husband and I became interested in Basenjis when we adopted a half Basenji/half Sheltie last year. Fido is a wonderful dog and looks just like a red and white B. with short hair,tail curl, up ears, wrinkled forehead and all. Just a narrow Sheltie face. I have worked with animal rescue groups for years and thought I would apply to be a Basenji foster. We went through the application process and home visit, never expecting that there might be a puppy available. This was before we got word of the Wimauma dogs.
Long story short, I got the call from Debbi Johnson two nights ago and my dog loving husband Mark and I drove up to Seminole from Sarasota to Pam Hamilton's yesterday. We spent a wonderful afternoon visiting all the wonderful Bs. Pam is a miracle worker. A much younger, prettier version of a Basenji Mother Teresa! We spent some time with the older shyer dogs first, helping them get used to strangers, offering treats and talking to them. They are very wary but you can see how well they respond to Pam. Then we got to see the first batch of older puppies. Well, there are no words to describe how beautiful, healthy and full of vitality they are.
Pam then brought out the younger ones. Oh those babies tug at your heart strings. Each one more adorable than the other. They are also shiny and bouncing bundles of joy.
When it came time to chose a forever pup I was torn. An older boy was a favorite, but we had wanted a girl. I would have had to wait another 3 or 4 weeks for an available girl. Finally, (after changing my mind several times) we chose Jabu, a stunning tri male with a charming "laid back dude" sort of personality.
He slept in my lap on the way home while my husband Mark drove. Fido loved him right away and showed him around the yard and house. Roxie, our 15 year old chi/doxie is more grumpy, but accepting. The cats are curious and Jabu seems to think that they are "alien dogs".
Last night we took Jabu out for his first walk on a leash, with Fido. Jabu just didn't know what to do and sat down in the street until Seymour the cat came up and just led him along. We were in hysterics.
He slept like an angel in his crate and pottied outside like a champ. We are in love with him already and he fits right into our family.
Pam Hamilton is a remarkable woman and I can't say enough about how much she is doing for these dogs.
Sorry this is so long, I know I am gushing.
I've put pictures in an album on the site if you can get to them.
Looking forward to being part of the "Basenji family"
Annette
Sarasota, FL
That is a WONDERFUL story. Thank you for sharing. 
enjoy and God bless.
I agree with JohnnyB..what a wonderful story..lucky you.. I hope to see lots of pictures..soon.
