@lvoss:

3. Positive reinforcement training. Working with your puppy in basic obedience helps to build a relationship between you and your dog and makes sure that you are speaking the same the language. By using positive reinforcement, you teach your puppy that when you are around good things happen which is just what you want for bonding.

Don't let your basenji practice behaviors that you don't want. Set your dog up for success.

Hear hear! Remember, Basenji's are a BRILLIANT breed and will look to out-think you. It's all about what is in it for them… so make it "their" idea in the first place and praise like crazy when they do it.

Good luck with your new puppy!

Never got to do this after Rocky passed, but wanted to give a place for a shou-out to our fantastic vets who love and work with our B's!

Dr. Dominguez at Bethany Animal Hospital… you helped make Rocky's life a full and quality one. Thanks for dealing with me and my never ending questions, as well as my "gut-feelings". And for never thinking I was crazy to own my beloved boy.

Thanks for knowing what breed he was when he walked in the door, what the breed was like, predisposed to, and knowing what Fanconi Syndrome is and how to treat it. We completely lucked out finding you right in our own backyard. Thank you!!!

All the crtters sleep in our bed… and hubby still doesn't like it! Rocky would become the immovable object and gain 50#'s the minute he feel asleep. he was also a blanket thief… we'd wake up freezing only to find all the blankets curled around him. Lucky pup.

Since he's been gone, our new pup, Titus Pullo (1/2 shepard, rest lab with a smidge of something we can't quite put our finger on) sleeps with us. He, truly, is 50#'s of immovable sleeping dog.

Rocky ate all beds… including the one I sleep in (which, in turn, he slept in!). Good luck!

I think it is a personal preference for you, honestly. Your B will learn to acclimate to whatever dog you bring in the house. (Our B fell madly in love with my MIL miniature longhaired doxen.) Just remember your basic doggie intro tactics and go from there. Good luck and let us know what you decided on!

Rocky really wasn't all that in love with them either. It was more of "I'll SACRIFICE merely to make you think you are doing me a favor". God I miss that dog.

If you are looking to go for loose leash walking you can look into the Gentle Leader and start from there. It is a head collar and has the same concept as horse halter - where the head goes the body will follow. This is a training tool and make sure you read the book and watch the dvd also, but dogs can do wonderful on the gentle leader when used correctly.

The first step though is always remember PATIENTS and TIME is key especially with hard headed stubborn breeds. Basenjis aren't dumb, they just want to do things their way and you have to find they way to work around their thinking.

I would highly recommend the Gentle Leader (speaking as a prior B owner and a current horse owner/trainer). It is a no-combative and gentle way to help teach your B to walk with you… not 20 leagues ahead of you sprinting left and right every-which-way. HOWEVER, timing is everything. Watch the video (comes with the head collar) and read the information. Just like clicker training, your timing has to be spot-on or they learn to pull against it also.

Keep up the patient work and remember, you can convince a B to work with you and not against you. Although in their mind, the "against you" is much more entertaining for them. grin

Hardy har har! I think you should go ask to claim the "stray dog"! Before you hand her a check though, talk to your insurance agent. If a claim was filed with your insurance in regards to this whole mess, it needs to go thru your insurance, or risk negating your policy or any further claims assistance from your policy (sorry… insurance agent in me speaking up here). Best of luck!

@etzbseder:

Well, I got the results back yesterday, and they say that Medjai is "PROBABLY AFFECTED WITH FANCONI SYNDROME". So, now I get about one more year of little worry before I start strip testing and waiting for the inevitable.

Hang in there. It is a tough road ahead. neither you nor your dog will understand the changes that can happen so suddenly… but know that it is not with malicious intent that they pee and pee and pee. There are so many supporting groups and people out there to help you and your B thru this. You can have a good life even with this sentence hanging over you.

Best of luck. Enjoy your B as they are today... don't worry about tomorrow. I'll keep you and your Medjai in my thoughts.

The Chicago Tribune did an article once about the most (and least) trainable dogs. Smartest article heading ever… IMO. And yes, Basenji's topped the least as one of the least trainable. But it is the only article where Basenji's were stated as often being too smart for their owners.

Oh how true. Let's keep this breed an unknown. At least then we know we have responsible breeders who are here to promote a healthy breed... and not in it for the fashionable money making aspects of this mis-understood dog.

Sharon, that is absolutely beautiful! Thank you…

I know Rock is up there picking out the next dog to come live with us. And I know it will be a test of patience... but never a test of love.

How crazy are we to allow our hearts to open and be broken repeatedly... all for the love of a dog. I am so lucky to have been loved whole-heartedly by the best of dogs.

Khanis… talk to me about the twins. We just had to put our guy down and I'm looking to add a "young male" to our household. I might even be able to add two if I play my cards right with the hubby... just send some info and I'll see what we can make of it.

I'm on the mend… each day gets easier. At least I'm at the point where I can talk about Rocky without breaking down. He wouldn't want me to mope. He'd be all out for the eating & sleeping & enjoying the warm weather that brings out the squirrels for him to chase.

Thanks to everyone here for their support. You guys (short of a few lucky people in my everyday world) actually know what it's like to loose those crazy companions of ours.

Anyone else have weird things they've found themselves missing about their departed furry friends? I know I'm not the only one to have gotten those weird stares.

Yeah Kenny! Blind is never disabled… just poses a different set of challenges (my grandfather was blind from the time he was 21... I thought everyone 's grandfathers were blind!). Bery glad to hear Kenny has found a loving home!

A couple thoughts to welcome baseni_fan to our pack:

1. Hold on… it's gonna be the wildest ride you have ever been on! Think of it like parenthood: you can read all the books and listen to all the sage advice... but nothing can really prepare for the real thing!
2. Older dogs bond fantastically.. our Rock was over 3 when he came to our home... and our lives were never the same. In a very short time, he became very loyal and bonded to our pack. Each dog is different. I truly think they choose us.
3. Enjoy the hunt! This is a fantastic breed... but be prepared. They can also be the most infuriating. grin I think that is half the fun. I love having a dog that makes me think.

Best of luck to you and your future pup (be it old or young)! Welcome to the crazy (dog)house!

Since Rocky's death, I have found myself missing the strangest things. I'm guessing these are things only a Basenji owner would miss…

... still freaking out when I realize I left a closet door open...
... coming home and not finding any clothes/paper products eaten and strewn across the living room…
...the grinning yodel...
... the lazy look over the haunches as they lay on the counch as if to say "you expect me to go potty outside today when it's only 55 degrees and partly cloudy? I don't think so!"…
... still checking the house to make sure all doors are closed before we leave to make sure no doggies accidents occur...
... when opening all exterior doors still bending your knees and doing a quick once over to check proximity of sight hounds who might be planning an escape...
... hearing the cat go on a running bender and realizing the dog isn't to blame...
... the dead weight in the bed and/or having to fight for every inch of mattress space and blanket coverage with a 20 lbs dog...

I'm sure everyone has the things they miss about their pet that has passed... but in recent conversations, the weird looks people give me when I tell them what I miss most makes me believe we Basenji people are definately a crazy breed apart.

So I raise a toast... To all those loved and owned by Basenji... and to the "Good Dogs" who have gone before...

It has been 24 hours now and I still wait to hear his nails click across the floor, with a grand run and jump! onto the bed.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and well wishes. I will always miss my Rock. What a wonderful introduction into the world of basenji's he was. He may have been my first, but he will not be my last.

My girls and I sorely miss him… as does his buddy, Torgun (Papillion).

Even knowing this was coming doesn't make it any easier. But I thank you for all your advice and comments the past year. You truly helped me to live with a very sick dog... we all know life with a basenji is never easy. But it's a wonderful ride while it lasts.

Rocky departed from this world today at 5:00 p.m. He screamed in his sleep the past two days… I couldn't prolong his suffering, nor mine watching him fade.

Today was a good day. He was upbeat and the weather nice enough to take a long, long walk. And then we said good-bye.

I will always love you, Big Dog. We will meet again.

To everyone who's been sending well-wishes and thoughts our way, a quick little sad update.

Rocky's disks between his spine have started calcifying. I camehome Monday night to him screaming in pain everytime he moved his neck. Rushed him to the doctor and after a series of x-rays, they found the calcified disks. Short of puting him on a heavy dose of steroids to combat the pain (which is not an option due to his kidneys and "starvation" mode when on any kind of pill), there is nothing we can do.

He screams whenever he moves… we gave him a pain shot that should last 24-48 hours and today he is acting a little less sore and screaming less... but this is no way for my boy to live.

He'll be put down Saturday morning. I don't want to do this but I have no choice. I can't let my boy live in pain just because I'm afraid to let him go. He's told me it's time... I just can't imagine my life without him.

Thanks again everyone.

Vet is of the opinion that as long as I feel Rocky is happy and still has a decent quality of life, that he's willing to go along with it. We don't have Rock on any medications and it's pretty much just regulating his diet at this point.

Like I said previously, we have our good days and our not so good days. I think Rocky deals will it all much better than I do. But he doesn't like feeling ill and being "wet" is definately not his thing. Thanks for the well wishes though!