Actually, the Springer is designed so the dog can't run too far forward or backwards. The dog essentially has to stay right beside the bike. If a dog was particularly persistent, as a basenji is wont to be, it could somehow get between the two bike wheels, in that area underneath the seat, to the other side. That has never happened though. Once the wheels are spinning, Rou seems to instinctively understand that they are to be avoided.
Rou says thanks for the bones!
-pamela

Hello JoeyQ's owner!
Rou's Dogster page is http://www.dogster.com/dogs/399665 Please make sure Joey leaves her a bone, and I'll make sure they share it. Ha! Do basenjis like to share anything?
Biking is so great. The attachment connects right to any bicycle and your basenji can run as fast or as slowly as they want, or as you cna pedal We've clocked Rou at 18 mph. It really helps keep everyone fit. And as you are probably well aware, a happy basenji is a tired basenji.
I am including the link to the Springer site for you: http://www.springerusa.com/index.html
In case you can't get enough of being on the computer, feel free to visit Rou's own website as well! www.roudog.com
Best wishes,
-pamela
P.S. Let me know when Joey has his own Dogster page!

Hello Doug & your dogs!

We are from Portland, Oregon, though we got our red & white girl from Battle Ground, WA. The family visited our breeder friends there this afternoon so that Rou could admire her sister's new litter of eight adorable pups. Rou was more interested in chasing her younger brother Stevie. As with you, it looks like our famliy might expand by one basenji. If the trial period works out to everyone's benefit, we'll be adopting Stevie in a few weeks. It is a little nerve-wracking to add a new member to a happy family unit but we are ready to share the love!

Best of luck with your newest addition,
-pamela

I have had several inquiries in regards to our basenji book, so I thought I would compose a few paragraphs about its origin. Sometimes I get carried away when I write, but Rou's book is not so verbose as this posting!

When my daughter Sophie was in second grade, she and I created a 36 page, full-color children's book entitled "Rou's Tips for Basenjis". Rou is our red and white companion basenji. Sophie and I were inspired to create a book showcasing many of the delightful aspects of owning a dog, in particular, a basenji.

I was a typical girl growing up. I loved all creatures, cute and furry. When I was seven, I had my tonsils removed. I dreamt about the moment my parents would enter the recovery room and present me with my get-well gift: a fawn. It was a real disappointment to receive an Etch-a-Sketch. The need to love a creature cute and furry seized Sophie approximately the same time. Our family never even discussed owning a dog until Sophie bought a complete set of Tintin books for her sixth birthday. Within hours, the girl was enamored of Snowy and pined for her own very clever, small dog. For the next year, we visited animal shelters and dog shows. We discussed the issue end-less-ly. Since several family members have allergies, we narrowed our dog search to include only hypoallergenic breeds.

At a Portland dog show, we met an enthusiastic, responsible breeder & her crew of award-winning dogs. We couldn’t even pronounce the word basenji properly. However, we were impressed that the breed is 5000 years old. It was no wonder the basenji had endured: they neither barked nor shed; they were intelligent, personable and clean.

Intrigued, we read a stack of great books about the history, the build and the show qualities of the basenji, yet we weren’t able to find much information geared towards children. We continued gaining knowledge about basenjis and their needs; we visited a new litter basenji puppies and fell in love with them. A sweet, beautiful, agile red and white girl was an ideal match for our family’s personalities and lifestyle. In February of 2004, our family was delighted to bring Roussi the Basenji into our lives.

It quickly became apparent that the name ‘Roussi’ was a bit too tricky for a young child to annunciate. Sophie’s front teeth were still in the process of growing in. She couldn’t say the ‘s’ sound. The poor kid repeatedly had to tell people “No, her name isn’t Ruthie! It’s Roussi!” It didn’t help that the two words were pronounced virtually identically. It drove Sophie crazy. Ultimately, the name was shortened to Rou.

At the tail end of the year, Sophie’s teacher assigned Challenge Projects to her second grade class. Although 'weather' was the theme for the month, her teacher encouraged her students to pursue whatever Terrific Idea inspired them. Sophie and I love art and books. Perhaps a Challenge Project could combine both passions. If Sophie and I were to actually compose a book, I was concerned about the battling temperaments of two independent, strong-willed females. However, I am fortunate that my daughter still wants to spend time with me. How long that will last, I can’t be sure.

We agreed to write Rou’s Tips for Basenjis. The To-Do list was a bit daunting. Sophie illustrated the entire story with her wonderful whimsical drawings. I’d say, “I need a bathroom scene!” Clipboard, paper, pencil and click eraser in hand, Sophie would disappear. When she returned with her mini masterpieces, I colored them and cut them out. Placement on the page was a mutual decision. We discovered that working as a team and having to compromise was not always easy. I have never had a tougher art director than Sophie. When you’re seven and a half, you know what you like and what you don’t and you’re not shy about expressing your opinion.

Once the drawings had been completed, we took advantage my husband's skills as a professional photographer. Though his specialty for the last fifteen years has been photographing inanimate high-tech objects, he agreed to take all of Rou’s pictures. We spent one Saturday afternoon in the studio with a hefty chunk of cheddar and a happily cooperative dog.

Countless hours later, we self-published Rou’s Tips for Basenjis. The book was made entirely in Oregon, printed on recycled paper, with a sewn binding for additional durability. You can visit Rou's website www.roudog.com. For those that can’t get enough of the breed, you can visit Rou at www.dogster.com/dogs/399665 and meet her fabulous Pup Pals.

Here are a few lovely comments about our book:

"I felt that the interpretation of Rou's thoughts may be the greatest insight ever into the Basenji mind." ~New York

"This is a great book that truly gives a true depiction of Basenji personality. A very entertaining book that will make you smile." ~A Registered Therapy Dog

"Sure, it might be a children's book (my daughter certainly loved it), but it's also a good primer on basenji behavior for new owners… sort of like "What To Expect With Your New Basenji" ;)" ~The Florida Coordinator of Basenji Rescue & Transport

So, if you made it all this way, congratulations! If you have any other questions, we are always delighted to respond. Thanks for your interest!
Best wishes,
The Rou Crew: -pamela, Sophie & of course, Rou

Hello from across the ocean! We live in Portland, which is no where near Poland but quite often, people pronounce the two places exactly the same Our family of four has only one dog, a three year old named Rou & she has as much energy as the moment dictates. Right now, she is leaning up against me in the sun, fast asleep. Ten minutes earlier, she was wrestling with us on the floor. It all depends on the mood.
Dog training classes are an excellent idea, and basenjis can be trained but it takes a great deal of devotion, positive reinforcement and for those basenjis that are food-oriented (isn't that the only kind?), treats can be especially effective.
Best of luck with your basenji search!
-pamela

So sweet! One of the great attributes about the basenji breed is that they never really lose that angelic face, no matter what they have managed to get themselves into. I think it has to do with their ability to wrinkle their expressive brow. You know they have chewed up a mechanical pencil or found the lint from the dryer when they purposefully seek you out to lick your face. Watch out for that Guru. He is going to be a heart breaker!
Best wishes,
-pamela

Thanks so much for the kind words! My daughter is delighted that her work has been seen all the way from California to Maine to Australia to Scotland. We have been so fortunate to find that basenjis owners are such a devoted, wonderful group of folks.
If you are curious enough to see what a Springer attachment on the bike looks like, there is a photo posted on Roussi's Dogster page. If I was a bit more clever, I would post the image directly on this site, but alas, I have yet to determine how that is done. It is such a fantastic feeling to bike with a dog that is in full sprint mode. I highly recommend giving it a try.

Hello everyone!
My name is Pamela and my family lives in Oregon. My husband & I have two children and we all adore our basenji Roussi. That is her full & proper name, but when Sophie was in first grade, she couldn't pronouce her 'S's. The fact that virtually everyone thought she was calling Roussi 'Ruthie' slowly drove her mad until we decided a shorter name was a benefit to all. We are the team that put together 'Rou's Tips for Basenjis' which one BRAT official referred to as "the greatest insight ever into the Basenji mind."
Now we are in the process of debating whether or not to adopt Rou's baby brother who is a year younger. He is also a total goof ball & doesn't mind when Rou gets all superior on him. He just rolls over and wiggles his rump. The main question though is this: how does one manage to exercise two basenjis? I bike Rou several miles every day, attached securely to the Springer, but I fear I would stop traffic with a dog flanking either side of my bicycle!
Thank you in advance for your input & for having such an informative site.
-pamela