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In Memoriam
"for M", by Erin Fogarty
Healing Dream by Erin Fogarty
Had the most amazing dream about Fern last night! For some reason (after all, it is a dream)
you had sent her to stay with me whilst she was waiting to whelp.
I got such a surprise when I went into the lounge and she was on Tutsi’s chair.
I crouched down to stroke her head and I was crying.
She was so beautiful, and she reached out her paw to me and pulled me close
and very gently licked the tears from my cheeks and when I looked at her she had a small tear, too.
She was so soft and gorgeous and calm. I haven’t stopped being teary all morning.
Please thank Fernie for coming to visit and give her a kiss on the top of her head.
M
Ch. Apu Little Red Lentil RE AX MXJ NF OAP NJP OFP THD GRC CGC TDIA MVB
20 Feb 1998 ~ 4 December 2011
She went where few Basenjis have ever been, and took me along for a great ride.
What those "Alphabet Soup" titles mean:
Ch. = American Kennel Club Breed Champion
RE = American Kennel Club Rally Obedience Excellent
AX = American Kennel Club Excellent Agility Standard
MXJ = American Kennel Club Master Agility Jumpers
NF = American Kennel Club Novice FAST Agility
OAP = American Kennel Club Open Agility Standard Preferred
NJP = American Kennel Club Novice Agility Jumpers Preferred
OFP = American Kennel Club Open FAST Agility Preferred
THD = American Kennel Club Therapy Dog
GRC = Large Gazehound Racing Association Gazehound Racing Champion
CGC = Canine Good Citizen
TDIA = Therapy Dogs Internatinal Therapy Dog Active
MVB = Basenji Club of America Master Versatile Basenji
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Missing M/ by Joe Stewart
Missing M
The clock still ticks and also tocks, but it does not tell the ti_e,
I cannot write any poetry nor co_pose any words that rhy_e,
The s_ile has left _y face she has gone to the_
The Rainbow pack has called for lovely M.
I recall her face so vividly and how she liked to Roo.
The soulful look that _elted a heart and rese_bled a kangaroo.
A red and white girl who _oved with grace and loved to be with _e
Especially when we traversed the land to co_pete in Agility.
The sun is out and the stairs are filled with curly tailed Senjis I love,
But a space I see for the one not there that left on the wings of a dove.
I know the Rainbow Apu pack has welcomed her back, _y darling little girl.
She’s showing the_ how to weave through poles and how to spin and whirl
The day will co_e that the pain will recede and partly fade away
And _e_ories of all our joyous ti_es will arise and gently co_fort _y day.
I’ll _ake a cup of Cappuccino with plenty of Spu_a for her spirit
Because that day is when M returns to me if only just to visit.
RENO
Stotka photo
for Reno/by Karen Stotka
We gave our sweet little man, Reno, passage to the Rainbow Bridge January 12th at 17 years old.
He remained a puppy to the very end, getting into mischief even a few days before we had to let
him go! It's hard to write about Reno without reference to Tess because she was the reason we
brought him into our lives. At just around year old, she was so full of playfulness, she would terrorize
our cats and we knew she needed a companion who could meet her on her own terms and of course
it had to be another basenji! Reno had such personality we had to be careful that he didn't steal all of the
attention. Tess was thrilled with her new puppy and they were constant companions, sharing toys and
chewies, cuddling together and running the B 500 with abandon. We would frequently flatten ourselves
against the wall in the hallway when we heard their feet thundering towards us and they would streak by
with shear joy on their little basenji faces. They chased squirrels in the yard, shared ice cream with us in
the car and went on trips to New Hampshire and Maine with us. Reno loved to barroo and his nose was
frequently in the air belting out loud, melodious yodels. Reno eventually decided he owned the house
and all of the toys in it and for the most part, Tess didn't object. Out in the yard though, Tess ruled and Reno
would always defer to her. It was fascinating to watch their dynamics. They became such a pair, we
frequently spoke of them in one breath as TessNReno. After we lost Tess in 2010, we showered
Reno with attention. Reno was having his own health issues by then and Mark slept on the couch with him
every night so that he could let him outside without having to carry him up and down the stairs. They had such a
wonderful bond and Reno loved his papa! Since there was no one to argue with over food, Reno
started sitting with us at our kitchen counter for meals. He would scarf down bites of food that we placed
on his plate and politely sit waiting for more. Sharing meals with him there became one of our favorite
times. I'm still too numb to capture a lifetime of cherished memories into words but what we will always remember
the most about him was his playful athleticism and sweetness. We miss our Leetle Boy terribly.
Petey
Hess photo
Petey
Nov. 19th/Donna Hess
It is with total sadness that I tell you we lost Petey yesterday. He had a liposarcoma removed from his shoulder this spring and was doing very well. On Thursday he would not eat. Friday he was better but about 10:00PM he was in distress and his tummy was a little distended. I took him to Animerge where it was found that his spleen was bleeding and he had several masses in his abdomen. The cancer had come back. Prognosis of a successful recovery was not good, so I sent him to the Bridge to watch over us.
He was not always the easiest dog to live with, but in his heart he was a good boy.
My husband bought me a refrigerator magnet a while back and it said "There are no bad dogs, just dogs that are not always good." That was Pete. He was my friend, and I miss him, and I will forever.
Gambler
by Kathryn Ladick - Jaroufa's Gamblin' Man- 1997-2012
Goodbye my Gambler.
On January 6th, I had to release Gambler to the Bridge. He was just too tired to carry on. Gambler was a dog I got back a year and a half ago. His owner suddenly died of a heart attack. He is with Rich now and also his brother who passed last month. Both Gambler and Butch were from my Slick x Honey litter. All are at the Bridge now.
My heart is very heavy as Gambler was a sweetheart, he was part of the program that goes into libraries where the kids read to the dogs.
Always patient with kids and a great dog.
Goodbye my Gambler.
Frannie
Carol & Paul Mount, “Said goodbye to Frannie this afternoon and a hunk of my heart is gone. The little dog that could, Fran the space alien. MACH Thianna's Flexible Frannie RN 12/14/97- 11/28/11. Almost 14 years old.”
Diamond
GCH TailWind DP Rockets Red Glare, SC, MAOM, CGC
(November 27, 2004 – September 3, 2011)/ by Dilys Blair-Bain, October 30, 2011
In September 2011, the world got a little darker when a very special basenji boy’s light was extinguished forever, just two short months before what would have been his 7th birthday. His death was due to complications of Fanconi Syndrome, which was clinically diagnosed in March, after testing in September 2007, using the earliest linked marker test, as a Probable Carrier of Fanconi. Naturally, his breeder and owner, Julie Leicht, TailWind Basenjis, is heartbroken over losing him, and his devoted friends, family, and fans mourn his passing, as well.
His formal name was GCH TailWind DP Rockets Red Glare, SC, MAOM, CGC, but those who knew him well called him “Diamond” (his call name) or “Dewey” (his nickname). When he was happy to see Julie or those he knew, Diamond’s curly little tail would flip-flop from side to side in sheer delight. Usually, when Diamond did this, Julie would chime in with a gleeful “ding, ding, ding,” to accompany Diamond’s rapid tail wagging. It was wonderful to witness even a small part of their joy at seeing each other again, and they were breathtaking in the show ring, as well. I have no doubt that Diamond was Julie’s best friend, and that the feeling was mutual. They adored each other. Despite all of Julie and Diamond’s impressive awards and titles, Julie would gladly trade all of them in exchange for having a healthy Diamond back with her.
Sometimes, it saddens me when I remember the very special bond that Diamond and Julie shared together that is now forever broken. Then, I stop myself and reflect on their time together, which was far too little, and I’m comforted by the knowledge that they made the most of every second they spent together. When I start to feel blue when remembering Diamond and the remarkable ambassador for our beloved basenjis, I remind myself that Diamond and Julie will one day reunite at the other end of the Rainbow Bridge, which makes losing him a little easier to bear.
In February 2009, Diamond became the first-time father of his only litter, two girls and one boy, all red and white like their father. Julie and I bred the litter together, and I have the honor of helping to bring the pups into the world. Their proud mother is my own red and white girl, CH Tambuzi Kelele, now age 10. Kelele whelped and cared for her little ones here at Samburu, with a little of my help doing clean-up and weaning duties, until they were six weeks old. Then, they went to Julie’s to be weaned, potty-trained, and evaluated as show prospects.
One of Diamond’s daughters, Truly, lives with Julie and is currently being shown. Another girl, Jazi, is living with a wonderful family on a farm in Oregon. Diamond’s son, Danno, lives the good life in California, and is also being shown. Both Truly and Danno have one major and a few single points. They’re a big part of Diamond’s legacy, and he’ll live on in them, and in future generations, as well.
Godspeed, dear Diamond. You were one of a kind, and will always live on in our hearts.
