My First Basenji

My First Basenji

Susan Marsicano's Bomabwa Blushing Bride, Sullivan Street roof, 1973

Very shortly after my Opu dog (1/4 basenji), also called Apu, died, I answered an ad in the Sunday NY Times.
As I remember that ad said, "Bouncing beauties raised with kids."
My dog show knowledgeable brother said, "don't rush into this; let me help". But I rushed right in.

I took "Conrail" up the Hudson from Manhattan with a portfolio of drawings I had made of my Apu.
My credentuals, as it were.

Bobby Abelson showed me around, introduced me to the mom of the litter (Bomabwas Flying Flurry),
and typed out a 5 generationpedigree by memory.
She gave me a long run down on the health and temperament issues of the basenji, and told me where they were.
She told me to go to a Match Show when Blush was 3 months old. "A Match Show?", I wondered.
She only showed me one puppy; Blush was screaming in an xpen by herself during all of this.

I showed off my drawings, and then wrote a check for all I had in the world: which was not much.
I went home with my girl in a Girl Scout cookie carton. Then I got a job as a waitress to pay off what I owed. :)

And, as you all know, every one of my Apu Basenjis come down from Blush. I never looked back; I was lucky.

Brenda Phillips' Ciara in 2003.

Ciara, Ali'is Petite Syrah, was my first Basenji, born in 1996.
She and I earned 24 titles together (too many to list), and that was before there were so many things to do with our dogs :)

The Stewart's Keisha

"Keisha joined us in Feb of 87 at 12 weeks old. She was our first introduction to basenji and became the mother
of three lovely litters."

Debby Mayer & Dan Zinkus' Cooper

We got Cooper from Gus and Roberta DiRoma, His name was Ginju Out of Africa.
He was our first basenji. Born June 27, 1986, died March 10, 2003.
Cooper’s dam was sired by Ch. Apu's Precocious Pickpocket. This goes back well before my time.

Roberta called him Junior, but Dan, sensing immediately that the pup was the strong, silent type,
named him Cooper, for Gary Cooper (we couldn’t have a dog named Gary).

Cooper at six weeks, home at Roberta and Gus DiRoma’s, in West Springfield, Mass.

Cooper was Dan’s dog. If Cooper was tired enough, like at this pro-choice demo in D.C., he'd ride across Dan’s shoulders . . .

they read the New York Times together . . .

they walked the beach together . . .

one rainy Wrinkler Match Show (2000), Dan showed Cooper for confirmation.

Cooper came in second in his obedience class, to the surprise of the trainer,
and he loved to trot around the agility ring, even at 16. Or sit on the table.

Bambi and Cooper, fall of '95.

Uschi Grewe's Lady

"Our very first Basenji - "Lady“
We wanted dog from the time our Lars read about this breed while waiting at the dentist.
In 1983 we visitied the breeder in Munich; Thomas Ammann
Lars war about 7 years old that time.
His assistant put us on her waiting list and we waited and waited……

After 2 years, when we nearly decided to get another dachshound, we got a call that a litter was born in Switzerland.
They said the mother is a bitch from US and father one of her male dogs.

Basenjis were a hard to get breed that time (did not know that then).
We agreed and a while later we drove to Switzerland to get our little Basenji girl, born 7.2.1985
with the registered name "Alexia Gordita del Restelberg," which we did NOT like. We called her Lady.
Lady was out of a bitch from Susan Kamen-Marsicano "APU Taxi“ and the father was "Hadshar d’Casa Regina" from the German breeder Berta Burkert who was also the founder of the German Basenji Club in 1977.

Lady turned our life really upside down (!!) as we did not know anything about Basenjis.
BUT – we all fell in love with her!
In 1985 she had a litter with 6 puppies and we kept 2 for us, having suddenly 3 Basenjis.

It's a very interesting line as it combines German/English/American and native stock.

Until today, 30 years later, they keep us up on our toes so to say,
and we are enjoying our retirement with our tri boy, AJ, with whom we go racing,
and meeting friends and Lela, his mom.

Imani, his granny, is gone over the Rainbow Bridge beginning of May and we dearly miss her."
Uschi Grewe
ti-n Abou Teka Basenjis reg. since 1987

Barb Kunze's Lucky and Mimi in 1988

"I bought Lucky (b/w) at 5 months old in 1986. I went back the next year and bought Mimi (r/w) at 7 months old in 1987. Lucky was my first Basenji and started my love for the breed. He had a great personality and was a fun dog. He would provide a distraction in another room and then slip back into the kitchen to enjoy your breakfast. He taught us to keep our food, clothes, toys, etc. picked up and out of reach. My Basenjis have enabled me to meet so many people and try lots of new activities. I can't imagine my life without a Basenji."

Jackie Dering' Kippy ~ KASAI'S KIMPEMBA

"Kippy was my first basenji. The one time he coursed he went Best of Breed. He could run like a dog and corner like a bitch. When we got our second basenji puppy he quickly realized she could go upstairs, but not down, so he kept leading her up to the third floor and leaving her there. I loved him and sadly he got Fanconi before the protocol. I believe he had a bucket list.

In the weeks before he died he made these list items known.
Here are two.
1. My teenage stepson had a friend who Kippy never liked. About three days before he died he very slowly walked up the driveway pausing for rests until he got to the young man, lifted his leg, and peed on him.
2. The next day he kept indicating with his head that he wanted to go to the end of our street to the sea wall. I picked him up, he looked over, and seemed very satisfied. I guess he wanted to know what was on the other side of the wall before he died. He was funny and clever and deserved better health. I'm so glad this disease has been solved.

Fanconi management- Fanconi Protocol 2016

OFA - DIRECT TEST for Fanconi test HERE: Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

Peggy Pick, "Our Firstborn Basenji
Reno Bambino, the Crown Prince."