Story of a Four-Legged Bath Towel...The Basenji's War on Wetness.

It's a rainy, dreary day, and I've had plenty of time to sit & observe a phenomenon that has been a daily occurrence in our house ever since the day I brought puppy Jibini home, some 9 years ago.

Since the beginning, Jibini has assigned himself a very important role in our house- that of the Four Legged Bath Towel.

Like many Basenjis, he dislikes baths or swimming, hates going out in the rain, and has an obsession with making wet things dry again.

When one of us takes a shower, Jibini responds like the proverbial Pavlov's dog whenever he hears the shower turn off and the "sccchhheeenk!" of the shower curtain being pulled back. No matter where he is in the house, or what he's doing at the time, he will drop everything and RUN to the bathroom. There, he will stand politely, head slightly bowed as if to maintain dignity, until the human wraps him/herself in a towel & steps out of the tub. Then he will solemnly and dutifully proceed to lick our legs dry, from the knees down, until we finally bend down with the towel and finish the job ourselves.

Tana isn't quite as dutiful about it- I think she learned the behavior from Jibini; she will occasionally follow him to the bathroom and "help"....but she is far more likely to choose to remain in her comfortable sleeping spot instead of rushing to the bathroom for towel duty. I can't help but wonder if Jibini approves of her shirking her patriotic duty as a Basenji.

Jibini's "duty to absorb wetness" extends to the other dogs, as well. As much as he tries to treat Tana like a bratty kid sister...if she is unfortunate enough to be dragged outside on a leash in the rain to potty, he will hover over her protectively and lick her coat dry while shooting frosty glares in my direction. Same with Chloe, despite the fact that they have had a rocky relationship from the beginning, he does the same for her.

Not long ago, Chloe got a bath after being struck a "glancing blow" by a skunk. Jibini hovered protectively around the tub, clearly upset by the injustice being dealt to Chloe.

Oh, the humanity.

As soon as I took her out of the tub, toweled her off & let her loose in the house, Jibini and Tana both trotted after her, where they proceeded to give her a full detail with fluff-dry.

"You are damp; this is unacceptable, allow me to remedy this for you."

Today is no different- I just got home from the store & took everybody out to potty, in the rain, much to the dismay of the Basenjis. Once Jibini was satisfied that everybody was warm and dry to his standards, he curled up on the other couch where he has been giving me cold stares for about an hour. No amount of coaxing will bring him to the couch next to me- which is where he almost always curls when I'm home. No, he's upset with me...refusing to speak to me, but I'd be willing to bet if I hopped in the shower, all would be forgiven as soon as I stepped out.

Geezer Basenji drives us down memory lane (don't worry, he is a professional CDL driver)...

Last weekend I mentioned to my mom that Jibini would be turning 9 this year. Having known him since he was a puppy, she couldn't believe he was already 9. There are times when it seems like only yesterday I had a wriggling, 9 pound mischevous ball of curly-tailed terror wreaking havoc on my home. And there are days when I look back on the past 9 years- how far Jibini and I have come, and how many transitions we have been through together, and it seems like an eternity. Yes, we're taking a sappy, long-winded trip down Memory Lane, you have been warned.

I look at Jibini's face today, beginning to show a bit of grey in the muzzle, and it's hard to believe I was 19 when I first brought him home. My age was a fact I tended to downplay when among "dog people"- it seemed few people would take me seriously at 19, believing all college-age kids were flighty morons who'd dump a dog after the novelty wore off. I knew myself better than that, and thankfully I was able to find someone willing to trust me with a puppy. It was love at first sight the day I met him. And after reading all the Basenji horror stories, it came as a suprise when my apartment didn't spontaneously combust when Jibini crossed the threshold. In fact, overall he was a "mild" puppy, compared to some of the stories I've heard. Beginner's luck?

While I was smitten with Jibini from the start, it seems the rest of my family & friends took some time to discover Jibini's good points. If I recall, my mom was a bit baffled by the Basenji's odd manner- having been used to a butt-wagging, slobbery, fawning Boxer for the previous decade or so. Whereas Jibini was aloof but affectionate in his own way....and as a puppy, he was kind of a jackass. I don't think my mom really fell in love with Jibini until he began to mature- but I do remember coming home from the road with him one day and my mom was just raving about how "sweet and cuddly" Jibini had become. Of course, I had him 24/7 and I knew he had always been sweet and cuddly- it just took some maturity before Jibini could be sweet and cuddly for a larger percentage of the day.

Jibini was about 2 years old when I first started driving a truck. For about 2 years, it was just me and him. Together, we managed to travel through all of the lower 48 states, leading to Jibini's claim to fame- the Basenji with the most "territory" claimed for his own. Yes, he's peed in all the lower 48 states (and I believe he's pooped in 47; somehow we missed Vermont). Life on the road can be lonely, but Jibini kept me entertained. He adapted to the truckin' lifestyle quickly, and came to love meeting new people & exploring new places every single day.

My career in trucking was not always a basket of roses, and Jibini was there with me when I hit some hard times. When the day was long, miserable and I was questioning the point of it all, I had a warm furry body to cuddle with under the covers and somehow I felt that things would be all right, somehow.

Jibini helped me realize what a "catch" Fred was when we started seeing each other. I'd long since realized how invaluable Jibini was as a "date gauge". He would absolutely let me know if a guy I was dating was not worth my time...he told me who the jerks were. He left little doubt in some cases; doing things like getting up on the back of the couch, straddling the guy's head so that Jibini's nutsack rested prominently on the guy's forehead (this was before we had him neutered) or repeatedly jumping into the guy's lap and aiming his paws for a tender spot in the anatomy. Without fail, any guy who did not pass the Jibini test would show his true colors very shortly. Fred was the first guy who passed the Jibini test with flying colors- in fact, after Fred spent some time with us, I began to wonder if Jibini was a traitor, he became so attached to Fred. And sure enough- the one guy who met with Jibini's wholehearted approval is the one guy who ended up being the right one :).

Two years ago we adopted Tana, and part of me felt guilty for taking away Jibini's spoiled-rotten "king of the castle" status. I figured since Jibini was raised with another dog (Sweetie the Boxer) that he might enjoy having another Basenji around. He didn't warm up to Tana as quickly as I'd hoped, but gradually he developed a grudging acceptance of her, treating her as if she was a pesky "little sister". When nobody's watching, he will allow her to snuggle with him, and will lick her dry whenever she goes out in the rain.

And then came Chloe....her added presence in the "pack order" took several weeks to iron itself out. If Jibini was grudgingly accepting of Tana, he wanted nothing to do with Chloe for the first month. Today, he will occasionally clean her ears or lick her dry when she is wet...hey, it's progress. He has adapted to the idea that he isn't the "only dog"....but I still make sure to spend "one on one" time with him to remind him that he is still Number One, my main man. He and I have been together for half a million miles, and our time together is something I will always cherish. 9 years ago I never would have imagined- in a MILLION years- that I'd be living in South Dakota of all places, apprenticing to be a dog trainer, living out in farm country and shopping for a shotgun. Somehow, Jibini has seen me from 19 year old suburban college kid with no clue as to who I was- to the person I am today- and I will never forget that :)

Meet the Dogs (and Fred)

What would the Cattle Dog Manifesto be if there weren't any dogs?

(It would be an even more odd title, for one thing.)

So, here's a glimpse of the critters who are My Inspiration for this blog, and for life in general. And Fred, who is making it all possible. Dogs first, in order of seniority (since apparently this is a Teamsters-run operation; or so they claim):

Jibini the Basenji. Registered name Hacker's Mister Bean. Almost 9 years old. Tricolor male, neutered. I have had Jibini since he was a puppy- but he'd tell you HE'S the one who has been in charge all this time. Jibini is my first Basenji. He has taught me patience, humility, and to always put the toilet paper out of reach. Jibini is a CDL-holding Truck Driver; he owned his own trucking company (Bean-Dog Trucking) from 2001-2003 and apparently had "ladies" in every town from Miami to Tacoma. That is, until he got in trouble for unpaid puppy-support and his involvement in a Colombian cocaine-smuggling ring. After his assets were seized, I got my CDL and occasionally let him drive- as long as he behaved himself. Jibini has kept his nose clean (pun intended) for the better part of 4 years now; he is maturing into a dignified older gentleman and has even grown out of his habit of eating underwear.



Tana the Basenji. Adopted from Basenji Rescue and Transport (BRAT) Almost 4 years old, former puppymill breeding female. I have had Tana for about a year and a half now. She was scared of her own shadow when I adopted her; she has fully blossomed and is now a playful, confident dog. She is tiny for a Basenji at only 14 pounds- but she is feisty, fast and tough- having "asserted" herself to both Jibini and the much-larger Chloe (see below). Tana is the best "snuggle-dog" out of all 3, and conducts herself as if she were a princess. If she were human she would wear designer clothes with a diamond tiara, have a perfect manicure, and would be hiding a switchblade in her stocking, ready to disembowel anybody who looked at her cross-eyed. :)


Chloe the Australian Cattle Dog/Basenji mix. Also known as The Abomination. Frighteningly intelligent; I've been formally warned by Homeland Security to keep this dog away from military bases and nuclear power plants. Chloe was adopted from a shelter in Connecticut where she was picked up as a stray. She came to my attention through an online friend who knew I was familiar with Basenjis. Chloe was energetic, neurotic and frustrated living in a kennel and it was evident she needed the "right" home. Knowing the traits of both breeds & fully aware of the potential NIGHTMARE that the "wrong" combination of breed traits could create....I agreed to take her. (Of course I'm crazy, I have Basenjis.) Initially I agreed to FOSTER her, and she was flown to Omaha (4 hours away from me) so I could bring her to my home. Within a couple weeks it was apparent I was going to KEEP HER. She is intelligent, affectionate and tons of fun. My house is hairier, my carpet is vacuumed much more often and my ass is forced up off the couch twice as often to keep The Cattledog well-exercised. I love it. Seeing Chloe's potential and watching her blossom has been more motivation to pursue my goals in South Dakota. I plan to take her for a Herding Instinct test soon- perhaps she will prove to be the City Cattledog who realizes her heart's desire :).



And I can't forget my "better half", Fred....Jibini insisted he be listed last because he's not a Teamster (we are both card-carrying OOIDA members thank you very much). Behind the scenes, he's the main one keeping this all together while I am in the learning phase of becoming a dog trainer. Financial, moral, emotional and mechanical support. He also lifts heavy objects, blows the jake brakes for me on his way into town, and prances around naked when necessary. Everything I could ask for in a man. If I know him (and after spending the better part of 3 years living with him in a truck, I think I know him fairly well) he won't be at all offended at being included with the "dogs" post in this blog. He knows how much I love the dogs & he should also know I love him at least 10 times more ;)