Mankind’s very best friend
My best buddy, KIXX, whom I have written about before, passed away 4 weeks ago. Heartbroken, I was sliding into depression. My dear wife suggested that I take in a new dog – a shelter dog.
There were certain rules I laid out. (1) I could no longer lift a 138 lb. Dog to get to the Veterinarian service and no Vet would come out to this location. My next companion would be a smaller dog, one I could lift.
I also said I wanted a short hair dog as KIXX, being a Great Pyrenees had a coat 5 “ long and shed constantly. I remembered him just lying on ice and he would plow through the snow-this was his happiest time. In the summer I had the air conditioner on full cold.
KIXX was laid to rest in a special grave under a Maple tree; I built a cairn of rock over him. All my other dogs are buried in the front yard in a pet cemetery, but KIXX reposes where I can see his cairn everyday.
We visited the Humane Society of Montgomery County after researching the Internet for NO KILL SHELTERS. One of the pictures of dogs ready for adoption was a small, shorthaired spayed female. After paying a token fee, we took her home and researched her conformation on the Internet and discovered she was a BASENJI. Joy indeed. We found her to be housebroken, very active and smarter than us-well at least she was super attached to being with you, and learned commands quickly with my wife being the Dog Whisperer in our family.
Basenji’s originated in Africa and are thought to be among the earliest dogs, used by the ancient Egyptians, and the Pigmies in the Congo. She is a little huntress.
Although the front yard was enclosed with a chain link fence I thought to improve the security of possible escapes. They are known for their escape qualities. So I bought a hundred feet of 2”x3” coated fence wire, 3 feet wide. I formed this in an “L” shape. The top half was butted and secured to the chain link fence and the bottom half laid in the grass. The grass will grow up in the wire holding it down. In the mean time a few softball sized rocks held down the pop up spots. I mention this technique as on the Judge Judy TV Channel 27 Direct TV there are always dog fence problems and this small fence wire security system is the most inexpensive. Professional dog handlers, such as the US Army construct chain link fences that are sunk into concrete, butting up about a foot. This may be a consideration before raising security dogs.
Good fences make for good neighbors. However in Peppi’s case she is supervised when she is outside zooming about. She is a good bed buddy. She is fascinated by TV and remains right at your side. As an aside, Peppi does not bark or yap. She can make small sounds and I have yet to hear her yowl (sing) as the books say Basenjis may do.
Although I am a proponent of rescue/shelter adoption many dogs, about 8 MILLION a year are euthanized in the USA. Less are adopted. I bring up this sad fact as many places, such as in New Jersey, and big cities, the dead dogs, cats, and other pets that are euthanized are processed in rendering plants, boiled down into various sellable substances such as Tallow and “meat by products”. Be careful what you eat and what you feed your pets. Read the label. These by- products are also sold in dry dog foods and dog foods in cans. Beware-read the labels if you are concerned.
Another problem with dog and cat foods is that the first ingredient is corn. This is the filler and you can see the filler covers the yard in “Poop” They do not digest the corn so well. A pure modern dog food is best such as Evo and you have a healthier dog and less poop.
There is a new TERROR Threat for city dwellers from ISIS. A Fatwa was given to kill dogs and puppies by the Islamic terrorists in this country to instill anguish and spread terror. Country people that live on farms are at a lesser risk since the KORAN says not to kill farm dogs as they have value in guarding the farm animals. Dogs that are in the cities may be at risk. The Fatwa, an order to accomplish a task, says to eat the dogs and puppies. Disgusting.
Jamie Burton and other care givers at the Humane Society of Montgomery County, NO KILL SHELTER, 1183 Flanagan Drive in Christiansburg, VA. 24073 are available to help you in your quest. Their telephone number is: 540-382-1166.
The e-mail address is: hsmcshelter@hotmail.com and the website is: http://www.hsmcshelter.com/
Call and view the “ I need a home” dogs and cats.
May God Bless you for your kindness to the little folk. May you live long and prosper. May this be the best Christmas yet.
Old Timer
COPYRIGHT: Back2theLand.com 12/14/2015. Please forward this to your friends.