My Basenji.

Whisky the poser and Whisky on his bed.

The best yet.

@Nexa:

Leo recently developed a rash on his belly. The spot is red and dry, but he doesn't seem to be trying to get at it. We aren't sure if we should wait to see if it goes away, or just go to the vet. He gets derm caps (fish oil) in his food already for flaky skin. We weren't sure if it is just the bitter cold weather or something we need looked at. Help or advice?

Dan

I know exactly what that rash is and what’s causing it.

My dogs were getting this very often. At first became quite concerned. I waited and observed the daytime habits of my dogs for a while and started to notice that they liked to lie on damp patches of grass and cold tiled flooring. They do this as a way of keeping cool. In fact it’s very similar to a baby’s nappy rash.

So I rubbed the rash in with Calamine lotion using my bare clean hands until it was absorbed into the skin.

Within 2 days the rash was gone.

It is very difficult to stop the dogs laying on damp or cold ground. Every now and then the rash returns. I just repeat the process, no problem.

@chiya:

Welcome aboard Anthony!!
Both Whisky and Pudding are very cute!
Is that a dewclaw on Whisky back leg???
They look like they are good size kids.
How much do they weight and how tall are they??

I don’t know how much they weigh. Whisky is very heavy and quite a solid dog.

They are dew claws on the back of Whisky’s feet. Our vet did offer to cut them off when he was a puppy, but at the time I couldn’t see the point of putting the dog through unnecessary pain, and have caused no problems. But now I think it may have been better to have had them removed.

Cute and loveable

I have just been viewing and really enjoying these forums.

My name is Anthony, I am an English guy living in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

In December 2003 my daughter brought home 2 Thai Basenji puppies who were given to her by a school friend. They are brother and sister from a litter of 10.

The dog is great, he has almost human characteristics and is extremely funny, a real clown sometimes. We named him Whisky.

The bitch is a difference kettle of fish, she is quite nervy and also very attention seeking. She will growl and snarl at strangers outside our front gate, but if anyone actually comes into the house, she will run and hide. We named her Pudding. Sometimes she will growl at my family and me but we know her moods well. To love Pudding requires lots of understanding and tolerance.

In January 2005 Pudding suddenly began to attack Whisky. We tried so hard later on to keep them together, but the fights were becoming bloody and serious.

This is Chiang Mai in Thailand and unlike in the West, there are no dog rescue centres. The only option here is to literally turn the dog out into the streets that would mean certain doom for the animal.

Luckily I have a large house, plenty of land space with two & a half metre brick walls surrounding the grounds. My family and I decided to go to the extremes and had a wooden partician built inside my house separating the 2 dogs. Many of my friends thought I was crazy, I don’t care, these dogs are firmly part of our family and spoilt something rotten.

In Thailand, the King is a great dog lover and his favourite is a brown Basenji that was rescued from the streets of Bangkok.