Yodeler Jan Feb 2010 - Hi

The
YodEler
Hi-Country Basenji Club Newsletter
January/February 2010
2010 Basenji National
Specialty Greeley CO
2010 Officers:
President: Pat Bird
Presdient@HiCountryBasenji.com
P.Bird@comcast.net
Sept 1-5, 2010
Vice-President: Peggy Shifflet
Inquiry@ColoradoBasenjiRescue.org
Secretary: Shannon Smith
Secretary@hicountrybasenji.com
shannonasmith@comcast.net
Treasurer: Sam Walker
Treasurer@hiCountryBasenji.com.com
Board Members:
Carrie Bauer
carriebauer@mac.com
Joan Crawford
JCrawford@RockBottom.com
Judi Menching
JMenching@FullerCompany.com
Janie Konken
By Pat Bird
Colorado is hosting the Basenji National Specialty this year. The
dates are Sept. 1-5. A National Specialty is the ‘big show’ for the
year. This is a ‘Basenji only’ show. Basenji breeders and owners
from across the U.S. come to it. When we hosted it in 1997 there
were nearly 700 entries (the number of Basenjis entered in classes.
Keep in mind that some Basenjis were entered more than once). It
is amazing to see Basenjis everywhere you look!!
The site of the show is Island Grove Park in Greeley, Colorado.
Many all-breed dog shows are held there each year. It is the place
that the Greeley Stampede is held.
Here is the schedule:
Wed., Sept. 1:
Lure coursing which will be held right at Island Grove in a huge
fenced field. That evening will be Fun Night. One of the events
that night will be ‘Elements’ which will be a competition based on
parts of the body. The classes will be for:
Editorial Contributors:
Shannon Smith – Editor-in-Chief
Joan Crawford – Reading and Basenji Stuff
Sue Haner – Health
Peggy Shiffket - Rescue
Contents:
Editor’s Note/Reading List
Page 2
Topic of the Month
Page 3
Health Update
Page 4
Member Spotlight
Page 5
Rescue Update
Page 7
1. head;
2. neck, topline and body,
3. forequarters (front);
4. hindquarters (rear);
5. coat and color;
6. size, proportion and substance; and
7. gait
Anyone can enter their dog. A different Basenji breeder will judge
each class. There will also be a couple other events that night.
Thurs., Sept. 2: Agility competition, Sweepstakes (for puppies
and veterans) and Obedience (which will be held in the evening)
Follow Me to Page
2
The Yodeler
Fri., Sept.3: The regular conformation classes begin, African Stock Exhibition
(an exhibition of the Basenjis that are over ¼ African) and the BCOA meeting
(an evening meeting for BCOA members). The African Stock are those
descendants from the Basenjis brought to the U.S. after 1988. There will also be
present some of those brought over recently.
Sat., Sept. 4: Junior showmanship, more conformation classes, Judges
Education seminar and banquet/auction (in the evening)
Sun., Sept. 5: conclusion of the conformation classes
I hope you think about lure coursing your Basenji. There are 2 types of lure
coursing on Sept. 1. One is the ASFA coursing where your dog has to be certified
that it will run with another Basenji without interfering with it. There is also
AKC Junior Courser testing. This is a chance for your Basenji to run by itself. It
will be judged on how well it follows the lure (a plastic bag that is powered
around the field by a machine). It is a great chance for you to course your dog
without worrying about a Basenji attacking it. It is a fenced field. If your Basenji
does well in 2 Junior Courser runs it will then have a Junior Courser
championship. There will be 2 runs for each dog that day. If your Basenji
doesn’t have an AKC registration number, an ILP can be applied for through
AKC. Once you have an ILP for your Basenji, you can lure course it. Contact
me or Peggy Shifflet if you need an ILP application or go to the AKC website.
So start thinking about lure coursing your Basenji. They love it.
As soon as we have decided on the other Fun Night classes, I will let you know
because you might want to participate in them. Musical sit might be one of them.
Member Spotlight – Linda and Grady James
No doubt if you’ve ever been to a Basenji Club Holiday Party, Spring Fun Match
or Rescue Reunion you’ve talked with Linda and Grady James. I recently had a
chance to get to know them better:
Tell me about your Basenjis and any other dogs you’ve had. Did you choose the
Basenji breed for any reason?
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Grady and I have both had dogs since we were kids. I started off with a
Chihuahua. Grady had Doberman Pinschers. After we married, we got a
Dobie who was like our first child. Wonderful, beautiful dogs! Over the
years we've had a number of breeds including a Golden Retriever, a Cocker
Spaniel, a Westie/Poodle, and a Dobie-mix. All were special. We got our
first Basenji from our friend, Julie Williamson, who bred her little female
Basenji, Shivers, to Pat Bird's J.R. I was privileged to be there for the birth
of Shivers' five healthy puppies. At the time, we had 2 other dogs and were
planning some home improvement projects, so I told Julie, "No more
dogs." That lasted about 8 weeks. We brought home Puppy #3, Honey,
when she was 9 weeks old. I guess you'd have to say that we liked the breed
well enough at that time. It was after we got to know Honey better that we
discovered how amazing, loving, independent, intelligent, clever and
challenging Basenjis could be. All this -- and portable, too! (That last
became important to us, unfortunately. It is much easier to carry a Basenji
than a Dobie to the vet.)
January/February 2010
December 5, 2009 Minutes
Attendees from Sign-in Sheet
Thekla Wilson
Pat Bird
Linda and Grady James
Joan Crawford
Sue Haner and Al
Nick Hlpipre
Janie Konken
Lynn Konken
Judi Menching
Peggy Shifflet
Shannon Smith
Carrie Bauer
Julie Williamson
Rick Christiansen
VP Report – Peggy Shifflet Check out the
book Speaking for Spot – Being an advocate
for your dog with health management – how
to speak to the vet. Fund raiser for All Breed
Rescue Lecture by Dr. Temple Grandin next
Saturday.
Secretary’s Report - Shannon Smith needs
help with the Yodeler. Suggested sources for
articles: BCOA Roll call of lost dogs
Rainbow Bridge Need help with newsletter,
have a deadline of Second Saturday. Rick
suggests doing a survey on Facebook
presence. How do you want us communicate
with the membership Separate deadline for
ideas. Have special editorial assignments:
Books recommendations – Joan Crawford
Speaking of which:
Through a Dog’s Ear – how to
manage behavior through sound.
Basenjis are on the cover. Time
article on adopting out former fighting
dogs.
Nutrition/Health Sue Haner
Question of the Month
BCOA & Lure Coursing - Pat Bird
Rescue Update Basenji Story – Peggy
will provide Bogie’s story
Show Editor – Rick Christianson
Denver Post had an article about gift
guide and best places to buy stuff
Member Spot Light
Issues would be quarterly to bi-monthly
Send out paper with teaser and rest will
be on-line
Treasurer Report $1,300.00 in the bank.
Rescue – 6 dogs in rescue 1 has Fanconi, but
it seems under control
Website – Lynn would like old Yodelers but
needs to strip out contact info.
Old Business – Fun Day or Rescue Reunion
suggestions Chasing toilet Paper event
Meet the Breed February 15th
The Yodeler
Fun Days is April 25th
Election - Rick Christianson, Joan Crawford,
Judy Menching and Carrie Bauer were
unanimously elected Board Members.
Officers were reelected unanimously with:
Pat Bird – President; Peggy – Vice President;
Shannon Smith – Secretary; and Sam Walker
– Treasurer. Linda James proposed Janie
Konken to the Board. Joan Crawford
seconded, and it was unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned for presents and raffle
Sam and Rick are the winners of the
engraved picture frames.
Senior Dog’s Poem
One by one they pass my cage,
Too old, too worn, too broken, no way.
Way past his prime he can't run and play,
Then they shake their heads slowly and go on
their way.
A little old man, arthritic and sore,
It seems I am not wanted anymore.
I once had a home, I once had a bed,
A place that was warm, and where I was fed.
Now my muzzle is grey, and my eyes slowly fail,
Who wants a dog so old and so frail?
My family decided I didn't belong,
I got in their way, my attitude was wrong.
Whatever excuse they made in their head
Can't justify how they left me for dead.
Now I sit in this cage, where day after day,
The younger dogs get adopted away.
When I had almost come to the end of my rope,
You saw my face and I finally had hope.
You saw through the grey, and the legs bent with
age,
And felt I still had life beyond the cage.
You took me home, gave me food and a bed,
And shared your own pillow with my poor tired
head.
We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low,
You love me so dearly and want me to know.
I may have lived most of my life with another,
But you outshine them with a love so much
stronger.
I promise to return all the love I can give,
To You, my dear person, as long as I live.
I may be with you for a week or for years,
We will share many smiles, you will no doubt
shed tears.
And when the time comes that God deems I must
leave,
I know you will cry and your heart will grieve.
And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new,
My thoughts and my heart will still be with you.
And I will brag to all who will hear,
Of the person who made my last days so dear.
January/February 2010
What’s your favorite Hi-Country Basenji Club Event and why?
Our favorite is the annual Rescue Reunion. We got our second Basenji
because of Peggy Shifflet shortly after we lost Honey. Peggy called us
because she needed someone to go to Table Mountain Animal Center to pick
up a female Basenji for Rescue. All we were going to do was make sure she
was placed in Basenji Rescue. I thought it was too soon for us to adopt after
Honey's death. Taffy immediately showed us otherwise. She made it clear
that we were going to adopt her, that our house was her house and we were her
New Family. A few months later, we got a sweetheart named Rocky from
Peggy.
What is the most exasperating thing one of your Basenji’s has done and what was
the cutest?
Taffy: We had to figure out the hard
way that she hadn't received normal
house training -- and didn't like our
lawn. She urinated in various places
inside the house (usually on
furniture) until we discovered that
she would happily use a litter box
on the deck instead. We still have
to watch the back door to know
when she needs to go out. She'll
stand quietly by the door until she determines she's waited
long enough. Sometimes she still uses alternative facilities. We use far less
Petastic than we once did, though.
Rocky: He loves to play with Taffy, but his
response when she bites his neck is to turn
around and bite furniture instead of her. Two
couches and a few other snacks later, we
decided that when we go out we have to keep
the dogs separated. Both do well alone as
long as they can't play bite-neck/eat-thefurniture together while we're gone.
Cutest? That's a hard one. Rocky learning
how to open the cabinet beside the toilet
(where the toilet paper is stored)? Taffy
burrowing under an afghan until she
completely disappears? Rocky's joyful yodel
when we come home? Taffy's "smile" with
ears folded back? The two of them sunning
together in our front window?
What advice would you give to the novice Basenji owner?
Learn about the breed. Practice patience and positive reinforcement. Expect
the unexpected. Don't hesitate to ask for help and advice to solve any
Check It Out
Purina’s Friend Fetcher includes a Basenji:
http://www.petcentric.com/fun-games/friend-fetcher.aspx
There are actually 2 Basenji songs on iTunes. Just do a
search on “Basenji” and download these tunes!
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Want to see more?
Our Mission
The Hi-Country Basenji Club is a Colorado-based group of
owners and advocates of the Basenji breed of dog, who
are dedicated to the learning and sharing of knowledge
of:
•
Responsible and caring dog;
•
Dog healthcare and safety;
•
Enjoyment of dogs through activities such as lure
coursing, obedience, agility, field trials,
confirmation showing, etc.;
•
Intelligent and fair breeding and sale practices
Hi-Country Basenji Club
Newsletter
January/February 2010
Shannon Smith, 2009 Editor
12941 Vallejo Circle
Westminster, CO 80234-1523
shannonasmith@comcast.net
Check us out on the web!
www.HiCountryBasenji.com
Go to the NEW website:
www.HiCountryBasenji.com
You can see
• Complete issues of
Yodelers past and present
• Pictures from the latest
events
• Calendar of upcoming
events
• Communicate with the
Board
• Links to the greater
Basenji community
Mark your calendars now!
Spring Fun Day will be April 25, 2010
@ Katydid Training Center.
Check for upcoming details by e-mail
and on the website!
Remember to renew your Hi-Country Basenji
Club News. Your dues allow us to put on
important events during the year including the
Spring Fun Match and Rescue Reunion.
Also please consider a contribution to
Colorado Basenji Rescue with your dues.
Every dollar or in-kind contribution helps
abandoned or surrendered Basenjis find
forever homes.