Bushy is a classy six-year-old black and white male Basenji currently located in Oklahoma. Bushy loves, loves, loves people. In fact, when the BRAT volunteers evaluated Bushy, he greeted them as they walked into the room by asking for pets and treats. When they stopped petting him, he would nudge their hands with his head to say, keep going. Bushy’s coat is like silk, soft and pillowy. He follows his humans around the house and as soon as they sit down, he jumps up beside them to get close. He snuggles and cuddles with his humans whether they are in bed or on the couch. Even though Bushy left the only home that he had ever known when he came into BRAT, he settled in quickly and bonded almost immediately with his fosters. Bushy loves humans and wants to sit with them, sleep with them, cuddle with them and always be around them. He is a classy guy, very polite and the perfect gentleman.
Bushy is a gem in the car. He rides loose and likes to stand with his back feet on the backseat and his front paws on the console. He watches out the window and does not react to any dogs that he sees. At his recent vet visit, Bushy sat and watched the other dogs and the activity around him while waiting in the lobby for his appointment. He did not lunge or react towards any of the dogs in the reception area but sat quietly watching. Once in the exam room, the staff picked him up and put him on the table and examined him all over. Bushy was a perfect gentleman until they needed to get a stool sample. The poking was a bit too much, and as Bushy turned to look at the vet tech’s intrusion, his foster said to muzzle him. Even though the vet techs thought it was unnecessary, Bushy had no issue being muzzled and they were able to collect the stool sample. Bushy weighed 29 pounds at his recent vet visit, but he is not overweight. His nails were trim and neat, his coat is soft and silky, he is a classy gentleman, so no wonder he did not like them collecting a stool sample.
Bushy dislikes being crated and will howl and cry when his humans leave the house and cage him. However, his foster left him in a bedroom with a gate separating Bushy from the resident dogs. A couple hours later, the foster returned home to see Bushy and the resident dogs looking out the front window waiting for their humans to return. Somehow Bushy opened the gate to get some playtime with his companions.
In his previous home, Bushy lived with a shy, submissive female Basenji and never had an issue. In his current foster home, he lives with three other dogs including two male Basenjis. He will run the Basenji 500 with them in the backyard. They will play and chase each other. When they come inside the resident dog will clean Bushy’s ears and face.
Bushy enjoys his walks and jumps up ready to go when he hears his human jiggle his leash. He is always the first dog out the door. He walks well on a leash and pulls slightly, because he is excited to sniff all the smells. He walks well with the other dogs and even the smaller neighbor dogs. He does not react to other dogs they encounter even if they are barking from behind a fence as he walks by.
Bushy will bolt out an open door, so extreme care needs to be taken with exterior doors. His current foster home has a gate that blocks access to every exterior door, so it prevents any mishaps. Otherwise, even after looking around for Bushy, he will suddenly appear and slip through a human’s legs to get out a door. His new home will need to set up a similar system of double doors or gates to prevent Bushy from escaping.
Bushy lives to be with his humans, so his perfect home would have someone around most of the time. Bushy is adaptable and could be the only dog in the household or paired with a non-alpha dog. He needs a home that is willing to put up gates or has doors that prevent Bushy from bolting directly out an exterior door and getting hurt. Bushy needs a home where the humans love to cuddle and pet Bushy and give him attention. In return Bushy will be your best friend and companion and worship you. He will follow you around, sit by you, sleep with you, and cuddle with you. Bushy is a classy Basenji who will adapt quickly to his new home and new humans.
If you think you could provide Bushy with love, activity, and evening cuddle time, please read the data sheet below carefully, complete the BRAT adoption form (if you have not previously done so) and contact the BRAT coordinator, Brooke Stephens.
The coordinator's link will take you to a form that will ask you your name, email address, the city and state you live in, why this dog is perfect for your family, a typical day in your household, and, if applicable, how you plan to transport Bushy.
There is an adoption fee of $375.00 for Bushy. This fee is used for the extensive costs associated with vetting and otherwise caring for Bushy and future Basenjis in rescue. BRAT adopters receive a dog that has been spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, treated for fleas and internal worms if necessary, DNA tested for Fanconi syndrome (dogs under 10), and heartworm tested. Our dogs get recommended dental work. When indicated, we test our dogs for thyroid deficiencies. They are also temperament evaluated. In addition, BRAT provides free lifetime post-adoption counseling to help deal with behavioral or health issues. Finally, we provide a free lifetime identification tag connected to our "lost dog" toll free number.
ABOUT THE BASENJI
Dog's name: Bushy
Dog is currently in: Oklahoma
Birth date: 06/07/2018
Gender: Male
Color: Black and White
Weight: 29 pounds
Neutered/Spayed: Neutered
Tattooed: No
Micro-chipped: Yes
VACCINATIONS AND MEDICAL TESTS
General health information: Bushy’s recent wellness exam was excellent. The vet said his teeth were in great shape, no lumps or bumps, weight is ideal, and he was very nice and did a good job on the exam table.
DHLP: DAPPL4 on 11/25/2024
Parvovirus: 11/25/2024
Rabies: 11/25/2024
Rabies certificate: No
Coronavirus: No
Bordetella: 11/25/2024
Lyme Disease: No
Fecal: Yes, on 01/31/2025
Fecal test comments: Negative for parasites
Heartworm: Negative test on 01/31/2025
Regular heartworm given: Interceptor
DNA test for Fanconi: Negative
Other tests: None
Other regular medication: None
Other medical issues: In his earlier years, Bushy suffered from recurrent urinary stones that blocked his urethra and caused pain and discomfort. To permanently fix this issue, he had successful surgery to create a new permanent opening in his urethra which allows him to urinate through this opening. Now several years later, Bushy has had no issues and no painful blockages. With the risk of future urinary stones greatly reduced, Bushy enjoys a more active and healthy life. During his recent examination, the vet said that the surgeon did an excellent job, and there is no effect on Bushy from the surgery.
EATING HABITS
Eating schedule: Once a day in the evening
Type of food: Kibble
Brand(s) of food: Blue Buffalo
Begs for food: He is a polite beggar. He will stand by the chair while his humans eat.
Food dislikes: None
Favorite foods: He will eat anything handed to him by a human. Bushy is currently eating dog food that his foster home feeds their dogs. Bushy will easily adapt to any brand of food in his new home.
TEMPERAMENT
Temperament description: Bushy loves people. His perfect day is spending time with his humans and cuddling on the couch with them. Bushy loves to be petted.
Lived with children: Yes
Likes children: Bushy is fine with older children who show him respect and treat him in the manner that a Basenji should be treated.
Lived with cats: Yes
Likes cats: Unknown, but suspect that he would chase a cat
Lived with dogs: Yes, Bushy previously lived with a shy Basenji girl in his previous home
Likes dogs: Bushy would be fine with a submissive dog, but he is an alpha and should not be paired with another alpha.
Prefers men or women: Either men or women but warms up to men more quickly.
Likes strangers: Bushy is a people person. If people are respectful to him, then he is respectful to people.
Nips (playfully): No
Bites (in anger): No
Crate trained: He stays in a crate when his foster leaves the house, but he does not like being in the crate. Bushy wants to be with his humans.
House broken: Bushy had potty accidents in his current foster home the first several days but now goes in and out the doggy door by himself and uses the bathroom. His foster attributes the accidents to all the changes that Bushy had leaving hie previous home.
Destructive outdoors: No
Dog is a climber: Unknown
Easily startled: No
Rides well in car: Yes
Gets carsick: No
Rides in crate: No. Bushy likes to stand with his back feet on the backseat and his front paws on the console.
Yodels: No
Screams: When he is caged and his humans leave the house, he will scream
Dog sleeps where: In the bed with his foster. He likes to crawl under the covers.
If you are interested in Bushy, please use our coordinator contact form, to email our BRAT coordinator, Brooke Stephens. Thank you!
There is an adoption fee of $375.00 for Bushy. This fee is used for the extensive costs associated with vetting and otherwise caring for Bushy and future Basenjis in rescue. BRAT adopters receive a dog that has been spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, treated for fleas and internal worms if necessary, DNA tested for Fanconi syndrome (dogs under 10), and heartworm tested. Our dogs get recommended dental work. When indicated, we test our dogs for thyroid deficiencies. They are also temperament evaluated. In addition, BRAT provides free lifetime post-adoption counseling to help deal with behavioral or health issues. Finally, we provide a free lifetime identification tag connected to our "lost dog" toll free number.