It's been about 13 weeks now since we got our basenji. We just love her. She's so sweet, and very different from our first dog-baby. It hasn't been easy taking a good portrait of both together since Bowpi is usually very deferential to our shiba. If their muzzles meet, she turns or crouches or slinks away. I think she's still a little scared of Bowdu from a couple eruptions he had during their first while together, when they were still really unsure as to what was going on. They still haven't really bonded to each other – they don't cuddle together or seek each other out for anything, though they're content to nap on the same futon or sun themselves in close proximity in the backyard.
One thing they do that's terrifically cute… Bowdu is very effusive when he greets us at the door. Both of them now come to greet whomever returns home, and Bowdu is so happy, he will start licking HER instead of us, as is his custom. When he shoves his nose into her face and his tongue into her ear, she just freezes with her head down, like she's uncertain if he's going to suddenly try to bite her (I interpret this from her posture and her ears). But if he turns away, she'll lean closer to him again, as if she's asking for more tenderness.
The other day, for some strange reason (perhaps because I just got out of the shower and smelled too fresh), Bowdu rushed up onto the futon and hunkered down right against Bowpi when I entered the room. It was almost a protective/guarding maneuver, but I'm really not sure what he was doing. Bowpi certainly thought it was weird (airplane ears!). It was a rare moment where I was able to get them together and still long enough to take a few portraits… even if both dogs look slightly... stiff... and then wilted. Reminds me a bit of those awkward, highly composed Victorian portraits from back in the day.
"It's tiring work looking pretty and posing for the camera!"
So one last tidbit… and question. Does anybody else have a basenji that sleeps in this position?! Her head is basically folded into her chest. I haven't seen a dog sleep like this before, and I didn't know if this was another basenji specialty or some quirk of hers she developed from sleeping in a crate that was too short for her to fully stand up in before.
