Posts made by AJs Human

I'll spread his ashes over the open road. It's where he was happiest.

My heart is absolutely broken over this. It's not a decision I've rushed into. At the point it reached,I had no choice in the matter. He turned on someone who he's been living with between short stints on the truck with me.

I believe dogs can develop a canine version of Alzheimer's and that this is what happened with him.

He progressively became more demonstrative over the past six or so months and exhibited impulse control problems. He began vomiting a lot, so I had him checked. There was nothing physically wrong with him. He just didn't feel good, he didn't know why and it made him grumpy.

When he lashed out with the severity he did, I realized there is nothing more that could be done. He was 10 years old, with a history of having been abused. He was reverting to that mentality.

Attitudes like "all he needs is love and work" are what cause children to be hospitalized with severe facial lacerations. There is NO WAY I'm going to have something like that on my conscience out of my selfishness of not wanting to say goodbye to a good friend. It would be irresponsible on my part to insist on hanging on, ignoring all of the signs that it's time to let go.

He is out of pain and no longer a threat to animals or people.

I 100% believe I made the right decision, despite the fact that it feels like my heart has been gouged out with a dull spoon.

Thank you to those who understand. Ms. Pat, I have always had great respect for you and your opinion, even if I didn't always agree.

I will not be getting another dog.

He had a checkup just a couple of months ago.

If it was anything less than a level 4, bordering on level 5 bite, …..if, if, if...

I can't pack a behaviorist around in a semi-truck with me. I don't have the kind of money it would take to pay for that.

I can't rehome him after this.

I can't trust it won't happen again...because it has happened before, although not to this level.

I would rather it be me with him than he be taken by animal control to a strange, scary place.

If this was the first bite, I might reconsider. If this was a nip or a single puncture, I might reconsider. If this was someone he didn't know, I might reconsider.

This bite was delivered in a sudden, unexplainable fit of rage. He has been around my friend for several years and has stayed with her for extended periods of time. He meant business with this one.

I can't, in good conscience, take a chance that this will escalate further. It has escalated to a single, very severe bite. What will be next? A permanently scarred facial bite to a child…even though he has loved children for as long as he's been alive?

He has had a good life. I've done the best I could for him. He's been my friend for the past five years, after I rescued him from the needle once before. I can only do so much. What was ingrained in him as a puppy, I cannot overcome.

The kindest thing, in my opinion, is to set him free and see him on the other side.

AJ will be crossing the Bridge later this morning. He has been dog agressive most of his life. I have carefully shielded other dogs from him and have never had any worries about his behavior with people.

Early yesterday evening, he delivered a Level Four bite to one of my friends. She didn't do anything aggressive toward him, nor did she move suddenly in his direction. She only reached for his collar. His bite was so fast and so vicious, it was completely unavoidable for her. He sunk his teeth into her arm and clamped down as hard as he could.

I cannot justify this bite and I cannot allow him another opportunity to deliver a similar bite, or worse, to anyone else. It is with a very heavy heart that I'm doing my best to make tonight the best night of his life. He's getting steak, potatoes, dog cookies, loves, pets and his choice of bed for the night.

when business opens later this morning, I will take him to the vet and say goodbye to my friend.

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/221644/2/Ft-Jacksons-Hero-Dog-Gabe-Dies-Trainers-Arms

AJ washes his face like a cat.

And yes, teeth are very important. I got AJ at five years old. He has had seven teeth pulled since I've had him and his breath is finally tolerable.

As mine proved with the original post. snicker

The people who say Basenji are not intelligent do not look at it the way we do. They equate instant, blind obedience with intelligence. In humans, intelligence is measured in problem solving abilities. This is how we see intelligence in our dogs.

@SyberSade:

LMAO!!!!!! He was just faking it????

Near as I can guess, yes. He was. Also, near as the vet can guess. Of course, everybody got a good laugh out of it except my friend as she was handing over my $90 for the vet's time. She was ready to strangle him. Me? I find some entertainment well worth the price. This kind of takes the cake and therefore, IMO, was worth the $90. I haven't laughed this long and deep over any comedy show I have paid the same or more to see.

I know these dogs are smart. I had no idea they could be as dedicated at being hypochodriacs as this one did for over 24 hours.

AJ has been kind of semi retired for the past few months. He spends time at my friend's house for a few weeks and then comes out on the road with me for a bit. This past weekend, we stayed at her house.

Friday, we had arranged a girls' day with another of our friends and so, AJ went into his crate while we were out. When we returned, I let a yelping, limping dog out of his confinement. His crying was alarming to me, so I checked him over carefully for injuries. He appeared to be okay, so decided maybe his arthritis was bothering him. He limped around all evening and whimpered occasionally, so my friend and I discussed it and decided he would stay with her at least for this week.

The following morning, his crying and limping was even more alarming. My friend made a same day urgent care appointment with his vet and I drove off, very worried about my boy. She reported later that he continued to limp and whine until she loaded him into her car for his visit with the doctor.

Upon arrival at the vet's office, he was miraculously and instantly cured. It was like he had been touched by Jesus Himself. He tugged eagerly at the lead, happy to be at the vet's office and gleefully prancing around. Well, not to take chances, he was taken in to be seen anyway.

The dog was in perfect health, down to his obligatory 25 pounds, in beautiful condition and wonderful mood. He even willingly allowed a nail trim, offering up each foot in its turn. Little stinker never did that for me. My friend was given a small supply of doggie pain pills in case his arthritis flared up.

The behavior was explained to the staff and the $90 nail trim paid for. As my friend led AJ to the door, she asked the vet, "Will these pills help with his broken neck, too?"

For anyone who is in the area and is interested, Gramma's service will be at the Brooks Assembly of God, 9165 Portland Road NE, Salem, OR at 2:00pm tomorrow, Dec 10. Take exit 263 and go east about a mile to Portland Road and turn left. Go about 1/4 mile. AJ will not be there, but I will be. I'm the 40's year old woman with dark hair that falls past my belt. It would be an honor to me to have other Basenji people there.

Thank you for your responses. Eclipse was one of my Gramma's favorites. While there is no way to know for sure, I believe she was a Fanconi affected. Her time was quite a bit before testing was available, but she showed many of the symptoms of Fanconi. Gramma developed her own protocol that made "Ekie's" life pretty much normal. She had to be fed separately from the other dogs and Gramma shoved various vitamins down her neck that the others didn't get. Ekie was a pretty happy girl despite being so thin.

I love the idea of starting some sort of foundation to help support families with affected dogs. Since I'm on the road so much, it would be difficult for me to directly administer something like that. Anyone with the passion and savvy to help, I'd like to maybe put some heads together and see what we come up with.

How does the name "Nonpareil Foundation" sound?

Just an idea I'm tossing around and I would like to get opinions.

I'm thinking of starting a memorial fund in my Gramma's name to be used for Fanconi testing rescue dogs under BRAT's care. I wouldn't be able to start with much, maybe $1,000 and control of the fund would be given exclusively to BRAT with the caveat that money be used to test unknown Basenji before placing them into homes.

I remember how devastated Ms. Sharron was when she found out a. Basenji she placed developed this terrible disease. It would be great if that was able to be avoided in the future.

Comments and ideas?
Thanks.

I'll see if I can get some pictures scanned in.

@dcmclcm4:

You have my condolences. Did your Gramma have a kennel name?

Jennifer

I believe the kennel name was Nonpariel. One of her girls, Bubbles, was found in the registry. My cousin is going to save any other records of Gramma's dogs for me if she finds them.

The dogs I remember are:

Asta (Star)
Bubbles
Chrystal
Echo
Eclipse
and
Hocus.

I don't think any of her girls were bred more than twice in their lives. I could be wrong on that and hopefully, we can find the records to send to Sue. If she's still compiling them.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts.

Okay, my dislexia is showing, as it tends to when something is up. The date 12/10/11 is, obviously, incorrect. The dates should read 10/23/1918-12/01/2011.

I tried to fix it, but I can't edit the thread title. Maybe one of the admins can fix it.

Gramma got her first Basenji in the early 50's and kept her line going for over 50 years. She was not a prolific breeder. In all that time, she produced a total of eight litters of pups. There was never any time I went to my grandmother's house and not been greeted by yodels and baroos from at least two Basenji. I learned my love for the breed from her. I never, as an adult, owned any dog until I got AJ second hand. The reason I agreed to take him is to rescue my Basenji boy from the needle. I could not allow a Basenji to go that way without giving him a chance. The love for the breed.

After I had AJ for a few months, the same lady needed to rehome a little red and white bitch. Gramma had lost her last Basenji a few years previously and she seemed so…..incomplete without a Basenji by her side. Melody was rehomed with her. They were instantly inseparable. Melody was with her to the end. It seems only appropriate that her last dog would be a Basenji, her very favorite, a red and white bitch.

Gramma, your Melody girl will be looked after. She will either stay with my cousin or with me. You can rest well, knowing your work is finished. You added so much to the Basenji breed by bringing them to the NorthWest and showing what beautiful dogs they are. You taught us, your grandchildren, how special and wonderful they are.

Your legacy lives on.

A trucker's Pug is in the Jackson County Animal Shelter. The owners have contacted the shelter and can be in Medford in two weeks to get him. But the shelter only gave them until the 11th and he will be PTS.

This dog only needs a foster home for a couple of weeks. I have contact information for the owners…but I don't know forum rules as to how to pass that on.

If anyone can help, please let me know.

Or, if anyone knows of a Pug rescue in the area??

Thanks, all.

I keep saying, the only reason I keep that dog fed is to keep the meat fresh.

Funny how nobody believes me. Nope, not even AJ.