`Uschi Grewe`

`Funny story - Yesterday while Friedhelm was babysitting the doggies, Lela came from upstairs with the toilette brush inher mouth, totally chewed! PFUI!! – you should have seen Friedhelm's face.`

Cheryl Silver

11-year-old Hank pushes himself up next to guests as they try and relax on the couch and then he throws his head back to give them the cue that it is now time for them to stroke his neck and chest. He will repeat this move more times than you can count, and if one stops stroking him for a moment he gives the cue again.

Dan Sailor

ABOUT MY DOGS

My first Basenji Nipper stole my toast right off the table when I got up to get butter. It was gone in seconds! Where'd that go?? I had to laugh.

Ringo, who was very fast and agile would get 5-6 dogs chasing him at the beach and he'd make these very sharp u turns and run right through them and these dogs would all try turning around trying to catch him. They would all collide and fall over each other. Everybody watching would be just totally entertained and in awe of the Basenjis speed and maneuverability.

Michael Primeau

Cairo is well. He did something new the other day. He wanted to go out so he went and got his leash. He's never done that before. My little man is also a complete bed hog, snores like Ralph Cramden and sleeps with his legs straight up in the air. At the moment he's savaging a stuffed animal trying to get the squeaker. He enjoys sneaking up onto the chair to get my milk, and coffee, and likes to look out the window.

Linda Stillwel

This past weekend at the Dallas Forth Worth shows, I was standing beside my crates, where Sulie & Lily were residing until time to be shown. A little boy, probably about 6 or 7, and his mom were walking through the aisles looking at the dogs. When they reached the basenjis, the little boy squat-ted down and peered at the basenjis and just as serious as he could be, looked up at his mom and asked, "Are they werewolves?" I smiled and had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing outright, and listened to his mom explain all about basenjis.

Jo Thompson

GROOMERS?

Many evenings after we finish supper and the kitchen is cleaned, my husband and I will sit in the side room and enjoy quiet "family time" with our basenjis. Lema is VERY attached to my husband. Frequently, she will lay on the back of the couch just behind him and groom him. She will lick and lick and lick his head, sometimes she'll nibble lightly on his scalp (not enough to hurt), and after about 1/2 hour, she'll tuck her head against his neck and sleep. Does anybody else see this behavior?

All four of my imports do actively groom each other. In fact, I've noticed that old injuries acquired before I took them from their natal villages have been groomed and cleaned until they scabbed up. Then the scabs are eaten and the wounds are visibly shrinking as a result of the special care. Has anyone else seen this? It is the most gentle, tender, loving exchange. I've never seen this before in dogs.

S K-M

I call this "Stealing Souls." Many of my dogs have done this. M is particularly apt to. Calliope, too. There are old photos of her.. with Jim Cummins. She is rolling on his head, after she's been licking it. Content, then, she took a nap, wrapped around his neck, like a warm fur piece.

Andrea Stone

My dogs all groom each other, especially Zep when the girls will let him. They can be a bit cranky with the little whipper-snapper. Zepar and Brenna will both groom my husband in the manner you described as well. Zepar has to do it after Kip has had a shower and will sit on the back of the uphol-stered chair to do so. He grooms Kip’s hair and then each ear in a very specific order and manner. Brenna does it when we all go to bed. Shane used to like to groom Kip’s hair as well and Delphi is a face scrubber.

Karen P. Christensen

Laser and I have radically different views on how to treat Ian's booboo -- I say scab, Laser says scabs taste too good to leave alone. There’s a small hole (though bigger, courtesy of Laser) just thru the skin on Ian's shoulder that appeared last Wednesday.

No amount of tea tree oil or bitter apple really repels Laser. I'd use hot sauce but fear it may burn! I crated Ian while I was at work today. When I got home I soaked Ian’s fur with bitter apple and Laser just sucked the scab off without even flinching.