Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Talk
  3. Basenji on cover of essays on poet John Tranter

Basenji on cover of essays on poet John Tranter

Basenji Talk
  • curlytailsC

    An Australian friend sent me this link to a recently published book about John Tranter, an Australian poet. Gracing the cover is a photo of the poet and his Basenji:

    "Book cover photo, above and right, by Elizabeth Gillam: John Tranter with his basenji dog ?Biscuit?, Stanmore, Sydney, late 1989. Basenjis are African barkless dogs, though they are known to yodel and howl when they think they are alone. Owning a basenji is not like having a canine companion; it?s more like having an antelope as an occasional acquaintance. The Pygmies of Africa used basenjis to hunt small game, and often carried them on their shoulders, which the dogs seemed to like. Look up "basenji" on Google and in Wikipedia."

    … I'm afraid I don't know anything about the poet, but I'm more inclined to keep an eye out for his work, knowing his preference in dogs.

    M.C. w/ Bowdu (shiba inu) and Bowpi (basenji)

    0
  • P

    Although a poetry fan I'd not read John Tranter but am now going to find out more and try to get hold of his books.

    0
  • MacPackM

    How delightful, I love the description of life with a basenji.

    Anne in Tampa

    Chipley, Missy & Lucky

    Topper, Nicky & Eddie in the clouds

    0
  • ArwenA

    This is very cool. Thank you for sharing!

    Mom to B.R.A.T rescue, Nayru. 4 yrs in 2010\. Tail-waggin' is her middle name.![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile") And failed foster, Batman, the chiweenie(?) boy.

    0
  • agilebasenjiA

    Interesting. I know Roy Blount Jr wrote a poem about basenjis; I wonder if Tranter did as well.

    0
  • ArwenA

    BASENJI: "A small dog having a short
    Smooth coat, and not uttering the barking sound
    characteristic of most dogs"
    So what does it do? Snort?
    Utter the croaking sound characteristic of most frogs?
    Make an occasional snappy remark?
    Can it bark,
    And just demurs?
    You aren't going to tell me it purrs.

    From Webster's Ark by Roy T. Blount, Jr.

    I never heard of that one. Thanks for mentioning it!

    Mom to B.R.A.T rescue, Nayru. 4 yrs in 2010\. Tail-waggin' is her middle name.![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile") And failed foster, Batman, the chiweenie(?) boy.

    0
  • MDSPHOTOM

    OMG, I love his description of owning a B it is describes Dolce to a "T".

    0
  • curlytailsC

    I'm pretty certain Bowpi would purr if she could…

    M.C. w/ Bowdu (shiba inu) and Bowpi (basenji)

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    Wow Arwen was going to look up the poem but you did it for me! Thanks.

    Debra

    0

Suggested Topics

  • C

    Is she a basenji ?

    Basenji Talk
    50
    4 Votes
    50 Posts
    22k Views
    KembeK
    Looks can be so deceiving- here is an article of a woman who adopted a rescue dog in N.J. Dog looks like a basenji - even her vet thought it might be basenji. She did an Embark DNA test - no basenji. Turned out the dog was a mixture of Mountain Cur, Rat Terrier, Beagle, and Boston Terrier. link text
  • W

    Is this a Basenji?

    Moved Basenji Talk
    5
    1 Votes
    5 Posts
    8k Views
    D
    @weedtrek Possibly Basenji mix, nose looks a bit wider and the eyes are less oval. Could well be a Basenji mix though.
  • K

    Basenji

    Basenji Talk
    4
    -1 Votes
    4 Posts
    9k Views
    D
    Where I am it costs about $2K+ for a dog from a breeder for just about any breed. Goldens may be less because the litters are so large. That may seem like a lot, but, as Debra mentions, dogs cost money to care for. After vet bills and boarding fees and food, it matters little what the dog cost to acquire. Leaving true puppy mills out of the discussion, given the costs of being a responsible breeder -- testing, vet bills, feeding -- and how much work breeding is, I can't imagine anyone doing it for the money. That leads to two problems for people looking for dogs. One is that since breeding isn't really lucrative, there aren't a ton of breeders, which means the supply of pups is low. Second is that most Basenji breeders want to place their pups in the best possible homes -- remember they aren't doing it for the money -- which means they're looking for people who have had Basenjis before. Something of a Catch-22.
  • ?

    My Basenji

    Basenji Talk
    2
    0 Votes
    2 Posts
    6k Views
    krunzerK
    ….is a wingnut, but can spot a squirrel a mile away.
  • S

    The Other Basenji

    Basenji Talk
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    8k Views
    KipawaK
    I read your blog and find it kind of confusing and ….. your comment about "messing with ..." hmmmmmmm.... Anyhow, yes, it is so cool when you come across another basenji, because they totally understand each other and how they want to play. We were fortunate once to have another basenji play chase with Kipawa at a dog park. I just don't think there are many basenjis in the Lower Mainland. :(
  • tashaT

    Basenji Traits Your Basenji Doesn't Have…

    Basenji Talk
    32
    0 Votes
    32 Posts
    30k Views
    M
    My Rue is pretty perfect. She is mixed with something (I don't know what) so she doesn't look like a real B… and she isn't interested in anything in our house (chewing wise), doesn't bolt out the door, and licks like CRAZY! She also doesn't really like to play with other dogs at the dog park, she just smells them, occasionally chases them, then comes back and lays down by me (EXERCISE DANG IT!). The only normal B behaviors that I see in her are the little noises that she makes (she makes a lot of them for different reasons) and her BAROOOOOOO (which is fitting because we named her Rue before we even knew she was a Basenji) and it seems like she is stubborn about sitting. It's like she is saying, "yeah I know you want me to sit, but first I'm gonna spin around in a circle. Then maybe I'll sit if I feel like it." Haha! She is a character!