Five Things I Learned from My Basenjis

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAI’m a dog nut.  Specifically, I’m a basenji nut.  They’re very unique dogs.  Think of a cat trapped in a dog’s body, and that’s pretty much the sum total of a basenji’s personality.  Not to mention, what with their pointy ears and curly tails, they have a regal air about them.  Steve and I have two in our house, Wallace and Aspen.  Wallace is our brindle  boy and is now thirteen, while Aspen is fourteen and our red and white girl.  They’ve taught me a lot over the years, and here’s five things.

  1. Sleep is highly underrated. All dogs like to sleep. Some, like Wallace excel at it. He’s turned sleeping into both a sport and an art. A sport because he puts in lots of practice. An art because he’s come up with different ways to contort his body. Regardless of how he does it, he makes sure to get his eighteen hours. We humans don’t need that much, but maybe we can learn something from Wallace and get the amount of sleep our bodies need.
  2. If it smells good (or bad), roll in it. Dogs have very keen noses. Wallace and Aspen are polar opposites. Wallace will find the stinkiest thing possible, like fox pee, and roll in it, especially if he’s recently had a bath. Aspen, on the other hand, prefers nice smells like Dove soap or the shampoo I use. It’s not uncommon for me to hang up my bath towel and find her rubbing against it. The key is, they see the opportunity and seize it. So should we. If God presents us an opportunity, like a job we’ve wanted, we seize it.
  3. Get your exercise. Our dogs love their daily walks. Oftentimes, as soon as we get home from work and let them out, they’re ready to go. Those twice-daily walks have kept them in shape. We need to move as well. It may only be a walk around the block at times, but moving helps us to stay in shape.
  4. Be loyal. I like to joke that basenjis are cats trapped in dogs’ bodies. They have the independent nature and bizarre eccentricities of cats, but they have the loyalty of dogs. They’ll stay by your side no matter what. Who couldn’t ask for a better friend? We can be that way with our own friends. Let’s be there for them, not just when it’s easy or convenient but no matter what.
  5. Love unconditionally. Finally, basenjis also have the love of dogs. They don’t love us only if we’re nice to them or give them what they want. They love us no matter what. They give and receive love openly. So should we with others. Take them at face value, and love them despite their imperfections.

There you have it.  When you see a basenji, talk to the owner.  Find out about it.  And realize that you have much to learn from our unique canine friends.

Question:  What can you learn from your pet?

This post does not mention any products.  Therefore, I am not receiving any compensation for writing this post.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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