@tanza: Yes, it is a learning process… just like our own health... and you are right Holly... it is a learning experience... we are all conditioned to believe what we are told by doctors.. and Vets... but in reality, we all need to research on our own... Case in point... my Kristii (to be 15 in December) is in renal failure.... her RBC was down to 18%.... while SubQ fluids have moderated her kidneys to a reasonable level... she was still very anemic... there is a hormone produced by the kidneys that is directly connected to RBC's. So her Vet recommended a hormone replacement.. however one possible side effect is that she can develop antibodies and if that happens it will be totally not effective. I asked a couple of people that I know that are Vet Techs in Specialty Clinics and ER hospitals... and received info about a different hormone that has much less of a chance to produce/develop antibodies... I gave that info to her Vet... she had not heard of it... but was very thankful for the info... and said, yes that would be a better choice... By the way, her RBC is up to 40% which is up to the excellent range and now only on SubQ fluids 2x's a week and doing really well.. she has gained almost 2 1/2 lbs... and eating well (home cooked food..ggg)... Sometimes I think some of you all should be the vets! You definitely own a great wealth of knowledge about the breed.

congrats!!! and thanks or the explanation!

I looked up the dates for LGRA in August in Oberlin and I will on vacation that week in NC. I would like to meet up with you for a play date one weekend. Cody gets his staples out on Tues. (yeah) So after that I would be free most weekends until Aug 20. If you have suggestions on dog parks to go to let me know.

Thanks for the advice. I bought a small pack of unscented, alcohol-free Pampers wipes - so far, so good. If the Wet Ones are safe to use, then I'd like to try those - I use those everyday anyway (I'm a germ-a-phob). And as always, Trinity is so compliant - totally helps the process!

Some good advise here… add to that, when we talk about what they have to offer the breed, that doesn't mean just the gene pool.. It means, at least to me, first and foremost a family companion... because that is what our dogs are, part of the family first.. show/performance/possible breeding comes after. So if you don't have a good temperament to start with you are already behind the 8 ball. And while you or someone else with experience with a dog with a "questionable" temperament might be able to overcome problems, generally John Q Public can not...

@Shaye's: Shaye has never chewed on stuff she shouldn't until the last week or so - she's almost 6 months though, and lots of her behavior has gotten worse - if we go into the bathroom she starts chewing at the door jambs - she has also discovered carpet is a good toy - and if we are not paying attention to her, she purposely starts doing something she knows she shouldn't - my friend b owners tell me it's her "teen phase," pushing all the limits - hope she grows out of that soon…..maybe that's what your dog is up to - Exactly. Trinity was so good about not chewing on things she isn't supposed to until a few months ago - I thought I must have been blessed with the best behaved chewer ever! Ah-haha! It started with the base board corners & has moved to carpet threads. I would like to believe she doesn't realize what she's chewing on, but this isn't so. When I catch her in the act, there are no no toys around her, unless she's carried one over for a decoy. Otherwise, she sniffs around until she finds a spot. As soon as she stops & starts digging her nose in the threads, I know the chewing is not far behind, so at least I have an opportunity to nip it in the bud. I happen to think the chewing has also become an attention-getting mechanism. She wants to play ALLLLL of the time - it gets ridiculous! :eek:

You gotta love when your dog can be entertained by an almost free icecube for "ever", well until it melts at least. Otis hasn't figured that fun out yet, but our gloryfied mutt, Luna (she is a Schnoorkie…), she goes nuts. Unless you sneak the icecubes out of the freezer she will be climbing the freezerdoor trying to steal them from your glass, and it is not like we won't let her have any...but stealing them is more adventurous, I guess. Our little survivor pup... on a whole different note, my cat that I had ion the past, she would try to take them out of your glass of water...she hated getting wet, but it is like the icecubes were talking to her, she could not leave them alone...she had to get them out of that glass of water...and that too, was a funny sight. A cat whose head is completely soaked from all her rescue attempts.

That is usually one of the biggest problems… someone in the house is NOT good about remember to pick up after themselves... or putting things out of reach of the "Basenji"...

Ok - sure. I know she's in the middle of moving right now - not certain where to, but the last I knew, has only until the end of the month & still has to fence the new yard & all. Maybe she had her link removed for that reason?

@tanza: By the way, 80% of Basenjis have umbilica herinas… and there is NO emergency to get them fixed as 99% of the time they never cause problems. We show with them, we course with them, even the bitches have puppies with umbilica hernias... Your Vet is totally off base... that that he/she is the first... happens all the time. Also there is a Basenji breeder, who is a Vet (Tracy Leonard) in Beavercreek, Oh... maybe she could give you a referral? Our Basenji also had an umbilica hernia when he was little. Our Vet told us to just keep an eye on it but said it was pretty common. The umbilica hernia our basenji had took care of itself and the dog is completely healthy. Like Tanza has said your Vet is off base and you are doing the right thing by seeking another Vet. We chose to use a Vet that specializes in sports medicine for dogs. I would follow the advice you have received and get a referral from a breeder or contact your local AKC club and find out if there are any other Basenji owners in that club and ask them who they use for a Vet. They should be very willing to help you. Jason