sigh Poor little basenjis. :( This makes me all the more happier that I bought from a great breeder (FoPaws) who made sure I knew about the breed and who stressed returning Kipawa for any reason should things not work out (sorry Therese and Kevin, you'll never get him back! :) ). And kudos to Sharron and everyone here who patiently answered all of my questions for almost a year, prior to me getting Kipawa. With FoPaws and all of you, I knew what to expect, and I was able to determine if the antics of a basenji were acceptable for our home. And they are - we laugh at them, and every night when we first get into bed with Kipawa, we thank Therese and Kevin for all the time they put into their breeding program and the training and socialization they worked on to make Kipawa a very special little man.

Thank you for letting us know. I am so glad that all is now well and that Paco is back to normal.

Yogurt works really well for when they may have upset stomach…. P.D. is it unusually cold there as it is here?

@DebraDownSouth: I won't claim I have never smacked a dog… pop for effect not hard enough to hurt. But I also won't pretend it is good training or necessary. Is it abusive, no. But it is not good training. But then, I also think the best parents don't spank. I want neither my dogs or child to behave for fear of getting hit, even if the hit doesn't hurt. I want them to do what I want through training, rewards and punishments that do not include hitting. Good post!

Great to hear things have improved with Paco's toileting. We find that Malaika goes more when on the extending lead. Think she likes a bit of privacy.

Me too. and I also wonder how these films can be a blessing as well as a boon for breeders? I do know that we have a major problem here in Border Collie Rescue which initially arose after the television series of Sheepdog trials. So many thought what a wonderful pet such clever dogs would be!

Our rescue, Kell was so easy, he trained us. He has slept in bed with us from the first night. he would wake up to potty a couple of times a night at first. He would arf, and continue to arf louder & louder until one of us woke up and got up, took him outside, praised him while he pottied, and then we would go back to bed. He never had an accident in the bed. That has dwindled down to not going until my husband gets up to go to work around 5:45.

I dont know in terms of distance but mine usually go at least an hour and have gone 2 or more if its cool. I think they would walk all day if I had the time because they never want to go back home though once we get home they will plop down and go to sleep like they are exhausted. Gee mom is just so mean for dragging them all over the neighborhood and keeping them away from their sleep. As was mentioned chief being tri (9 months) feels the heat more than my r/w zoe but now that the days are cooler he keeps up with her fine.

Paco used to dig on the bed, but we started just taking him off the bed each time he did it. We also had to "teach" him how to dig in the sand at the beach…strange! He still digs at his dog bed, which he thoroughly de-fluffed his second week with us. I let him dig at that all he wants: I don't plan to replace it until it's literally in tatters.

Nice to see you back, Paco has grown into a handsome young man.

I'm in dreamland… the U.S. Virgin Islands. What a gorgeous place to raise a basenji! The 'father and son' pics are great.

There is normally quite a difference between a Basenji 'bark' and that of other dogs even when they try to copy dogs that do bark. I had a Basenji staying here who did in fact bark like other dogs and I suspected that he might have another breed somewhere in his pedigree.

@Kipawa: He's got so much character in his face! Quite the cutie. Does he take his half out of the middle of the bed? ;) Most definitely, lol. He starts out all curled up between us, but if either of us moves, he pushes his legs out and sleeps like he's in rigor mortis as if to keep us from moving into "his space". It's going to be interesting when he gets bigger…might have to use him as an excuse to get a king size :p

I just love that Barooooing baby :D

Since Sonny joined the family three years ago its seems everyone has invested in a pub style table! my house, my parents & my brother. he can't reach so he doesn't even try. sometimes its just easier to out smart them! :D The two things that just overwhelm sonny are cheese and steak…he'll do anything to try and get it and I swear he blocks me out and is lost in a trance! ;)

My Arnie who is 9 chews and destuffs bedding. He sleeps on the stuffing in his crate. I have been doing this since he was young.

Awesome photos! Looks like paradise- lucky dog is right where I would be too!

@Lenora: We can't keep brussel sprouts in stock at our house. She likes the little nasty bitter ones that would make people gag. She's never met a veggie or bean she didn't like but why brussel sprouts???? Cat poop is a delicacy to them, so go figure. :rolleyes:

Thanks guys :) Novice puppy owner question :P

Thanks for all of that, listeme! We're working on "leave it" and "drop it" (similar to trade, for now, hoping he'll start dropping without trading eventually). Leave it was more out of necessity, lol, while drop it he seems to find fun. I am truly convinced that he is a magic puppy today! Came home after having to leave him home alone in the crate for 5 hours (I felt horrible!) and expected to have a huge mess in the crate to clean up. Instead, there was a puddle of pee on the kitchen floor just OUTSIDE of the crate, and nothing inside! Either he was on his hind legs or learned to lift a leg, but either way - awesome!!!