Posts made by CyrusVirus

Even the heat in Ohio has been a killer. Last weekend, a charity dog show was scheduled in one of our local parks. All dogs were welcome to participate, even those who are not purebreds. The dogs could win prizes, and all of the money raised was supposed to go to animal charities. Well, the temperature ended up being over 90 degrees, and no one showed up for the event. That is uncharacteristically hot for Ohio this early in June. I felt really bad that this nice event was ruined by the heat. I guess everyone thought that it was too hot for their dogs.

Great pictures. I am impressed that you got your B to wear hats!

Cyrus snuck a little lick of some wasabi while Cale and I were eating Japanese food recently. He hated it! He started sneezing and wiping his paws over his snout. Cale and I secretly hoped that would be a lesson to him about stealing food.

We had Cyrus neutered through laser surgery last year. Our vet prefers laser surgery for a variety of reasons, including easy and quick healing. Cyrus did fine and healed perfectly.

We have actually been really lucky in this regard. Our backyard is enclosed by a picket fence reinforced with chicken wire around the bottom. It was here when we moved in last year. Cyrus has never tried to dig or climb out of the fence at all. We are actually hoping to replace our fencing with vinyl this year, so it will be even more secure. Cyrus does not have access to the outdoors when we are not home, however. He is too clever for his own good, and we worry about what he would do if left to his own devices!

Cyrus sleeps in bed with us. All our boys actually sleep in bed. Cyrus tunnels under the covers or curls up with Hemi, his best friend. When Oscar touches him in the night, or if I startle him, he lets out this snarky growl. He will even open his mouth and put it on the offender, but he won't bite down.

Cale and I are currently in the process of adopting a senior dachshund through Almost Home Dachshund Rescue. Oscar is 11 years old and has a heart murmur. He has a little white "frosting" around his mouth, and he is lumpy. We meet the foster mom to pick him up this Saturday. This will be my first senior rescue, although it will be our fourth (and last for now) dog. This will also be our second dachshund named Oscar, but we think it is too late in life to change his name. Now we will have the Oscars.

I am actually really inspired by this little old man. Think about it - he doesn't know he is old, doesn't know he has a heart condition, and doesn't know that he might not last much longer. He lives every day to the fullest, which I wish I did more often. I am really happy that Cale and I can give a loving, safe home to a little old man who deserves it. I think he can teach us all a little something.

How do others coax their Bs to baroo? Cyrus is nearly one and a half year old, and I have never heard him baroo. Cale heard a baroo when he was working outside and Cyrus was shut inside, but Cyrus was pretty young then. Sort of a baroo of desparation. We don't have other Bs, so Cyrus has no role model to teach him to baroo. Any ideas to coax it out of him? I would love to hear it.

I realize this is probably old news, but has everyone read Marley and Me? It is the story of a man and his wife who adopt a puppy, a yellow lab, who grows to be enormous and unruly. The book tells of Marley's antics, and over time he becomes a cherished member of the family. I cried at the end of the book, but it was a great book for any dog lover, regardless of your favorite breed.

Welcome Jarod! Piper is absolutely adorable. What a sweet little face she has!

@Vanessa:

Its the exact opposite in our firm. Our clients love having dogs in the office and it helps ease their minds. So many times I hear my clients tell me how much they enjoy coming in. Now granted…no basenji's allowed

Its funny you say that because one of our non-Bs, Hemi, used to come to work with me when I worked with a different attorney. Most clients did love him, although many of my criminal clients seemed to be a little afraid of him until I assured them he is friendly. It certainly made me more relaxed and comfortable to have him around. Cyrus, on the other hand, does not inspire relaxation and comfort in me in the presence of paper!

You might actually have an argument that the ex abandoned Maggie. She was left at her mother's house, where the mother said the ex never was. The mother was going to take her to the pound, another sign that she was not under the control and care of the ex. Also, Maggie was obviously neglected, adding to the argument that the ex abandoned her. There is no way that I would give her back. Make sure you document all of the veterinary care that you are providing. Whose name is Maggie registered in?

Cyrus also "punishes" us in bed. Cyrus likes to sleep under the covers. Sometimes Hemi (55lbs keep in mind) and I (God forbid I would use the covers) are laying on the covers, making it impossible for Cyrus to tunnel underneath. Cyrus walks onto my pillow and starts digging in my long hair as if it is kitty litter. He has actually ripped pieces out! Very naughty!

@Vanessa:

My secretary brings her Malti-Poo to the office. Her little girl just sleeps in her bed on her desk. She is very sweet and stays out of trouble. I've taken our boy Chance into the office and it did not go so well. First off, I work in a law office and all chance wanted to do was chew my files and run all around the office. It was a nightmare. I ended up taking him back home. I have brought him in on my days off and he is a little calmer but he is not the type of dog where he will just sit there and stay out of trouble.

This is exactly why Cyrus will never set foot in my office. I am an attorney, and I office with one other lawyer. Clients are difficult enough, let alone a B eating their files! :eek:

Welcome! I strongly agree that you should meet a B in person. They are very catlight in their movements, and Cyrus even grooms himself like a cat. Cyrus is very independent, but also very strong-willed. To further complicate matters, he is clever and good at gettting his own way. If you want a challenging yet loving breed, a B is a good choice. Once a B decides you are a worthwhile human being, they are very devoted but not in a needy way like some other breeds. Enjoy the forum!

Please - no need to worry about standards. Our beloved (yet naughty) Cyrus was a pet store puppy. We have been really lucky that he is healthy and happy despite his bad origins. We are currently in the process of adopting our fourth dog, an 11-year old rescue dachshund, to alleviate our guilt about buying a pet store puppy. We love Cyrus anyway.

As to feeding, we feed all dry. With multiple dogs, it is more practical for us. I recently went to Pet Supplies Plus and looked at the ingredients in all of the dry dog foods. Oscar's ears were getting really dry and losing hair, and I thought it might be a nutrition problem. It turns out that most of the big name brands are primarily fillers like corn meal. After reading the labels and looking at the prices, I switched to the Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul Adult Dog Formula. Everyone is looking shiney since the switch.

Mirtillo is just beautiful! I wish I could find someone to take lovely pictures like that of Cyrus. I swear he strikes all of those same poses, but I am not good enough to capture him on camera.

He has great wrinkles!

Cute videos! Your Sheba has the same snarky growl as Cyrus.

Is anyone on this Basenji Forum involved with transporting Bs for BRAT? If so, who could I contact about becoming involved with the occasional transport? We live in Ohio, so we are on the way to and from a lot of places. From what I understand, the transports are like underground railroads for Bs. Each person drives a designated part of the trip then meets the next volunteer driver. Although we can't adopt any more dogs at our house, this sounds like a great way to help with rescue.

Thanks to anyone who has some information.