Star, with the “mesmerizing golden eyes,” is a six-year-old brindle and white female with socks currently being fostered in Minneapolis. Once this beautiful girl accepts you, in her own time and on her own terms, she will be your best Basenji friend. Star always has one eye on her humans and is curious about activity inside the house and outside where squirrels, rabbits, and birds run and fly free. As she gets to know you, she will let more and more of her fun personality shine through. She is playful in the mornings as you wake her up in her crate. She will snuggle and let you know if breakfast is taking too long. She is intelligent and well-trained, knows many words, and enjoys rising to the challenge of new cues and training.
Star is crate-trained, loving this space where she feels comfortable and safe. She slept in her crate in her owner’s bedroom and sleeps in her crate in her foster home. She is house-trained and not destructive in the home. Star rides well in a vehicle (uncrated) in her dog bed with a harness and seat belt.
To help Star thrive, her ideal adoptive home must be committed to understanding Star’s unique needs and anticipating triggers in her environment. As she spends more time at her foster home, Star is learning the ropes and trusting more each week. This girl is reactive under stress and the transition to her new home will take time and patience. She sleeps deeply and startles awake frequently. When napping next to a human, great care must be taken to gently wake Star to avoid snaps.
Star is most reactive in new and unpredictable environments and displays a range of behaviors such as nipping, air snaps, lunging on the leash, and snarling. Her foster home finds that as Star is more familiar with the household AND the household becomes better at anticipating Star’s reactions, the behaviors have decreased. Star needs a Basenji-savvy caretaker who can be a strong leader. Someone who understands not to push her boundaries and utilizes positive and patient reinforcement. She needs consistency, exercise, and mental stimulation and love for her to blossom.
Star will likely be placed in a home with no other pets. However, her foster and coordinator believe that Star could do well in a Basenji-savvy home who have experience helping other Basenjis overcome this type of reactive behavior. Homes with a resident Basenji who can help Star learn appropriate ways to communicate will be strongly considered. She has moderately tolerated the resident dog (not a Basenji) at her foster home but displays ongoing bullying tendencies.
Star also is reactive to young children and will not be placed in a home where children live or are present on a somewhat regular basis. Star needs a brush-up on leash training to better enjoy her several walks each day. Her new home should continue her training, work with a vet on medication and diet, and a behaviorist to address her reactivity. Star responds well to guidance from her human(s) and will melt your heart as you both work together.
If you think you could provide Star 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, Lois Krawczyk.
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 Star.
There is an adoption fee of $300.00 for Star. This fee is used for the extensive costs associated with vetting and otherwise caring for Star 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 THIS BRAT DOG
Dog's name: Star
Dog is currently in: Minnesota
Birth date: 12/3/2016
Gender: Female
Color: Brindle and White
Weight: 27.8 pounds
Neutered/Spayed: Yes
Tattooed: No
Micro-chipped: Yes
VACCINATIONS AND MEDICAL TESTS
General Health: At vet appointment on 7/20/23, she was said to be in great physical condition and not in need of dental work or teeth cleaning. Requires muzzle during vet examinations, vaccinations, and nail trimming. She is given oral sedation (Gabapentin and Trazodone) before vet appointments.
DHLP: Yes, next due 7/20/26
Parvovirus: Yes, next due 7/20/26
Rabies: Yes, next due 4/16/24
Rabies certificate: Yes
Canine Flu: Yes, given on 7/20/23
Bordetella: Yes, next due 4/28/24
Lyme Disease: Yes, next due 4/28/24
Fecal: Yes on 7/28/23. Negative for intestinal parasites.
Heartworm: Yes, Negative, next due 4/28/24
Regular heartworm given: Yes, Heartgard
Flea and Tick Prevention: Seresto collar
DNA test for Fanconi: Yes, Clear/Normal
Other regular medication: Yes
Regular medication info: Prozac (Fluoxetine 1 tablet 10 mg, once nightly, started 10/8/21); Gabapentin (half of a 50mg tablet); and Trazodone for vet appointments, fireworks, thunderstorms. Most recently Star was very calm without medication when a thunderstorm came through.
Additional testing: A senior panel with urinalysis was performed and Hemopet Thyroid Profile 5 testing was done. Senior panel and urinalysis and thyroid test results were normal.
EATING HABITS
Eating schedule: Twice a day
Type of food: Both
Brand(s) of food: Pedigree High Protein Chicken & Turkey Flavor, Adult Dry Dogfood (Dry) & Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner Chicken & Rice (Wet)
Morning Treat: Greenie (medium size)
Feeding instructions: Half a cup of dry food in the morning with a Greenie. Half a cup of dry food at night with a quarter of a can of warm wet food mixed into it.
Training Treats: Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Tasty Chicken Recipe Soft-Moist Training Dog Treats
Begs for food: Star is not allowed in the room when humans are eating.
Food dislikes: Unknown
Favorite foods: Cheese, ice cream, peanut butter, chicken, bacon, parmesan crisps.
Favorite treats: Purina Beggin’ Strips, PetShoppe Chicken Wrap Biscuits, Pooch Creamery Ice Cream Mix - Peanut Butter or Vanilla Flavor.
TEMPERAMENT
Temperament description: Well-trained (sit, stay, come, down, off, lay down, go to your crate, go to your spot, up, high five, paw, drop it, leave it). Potty trained; crate trained. Very affectionate and loving. She is particular about invading her space near her hind quarters. She is especially reactive if she has been resting or sleeping up against her human(s). She has been known to attack dogs she doesn’t know, bullied the resident dog at the foster home, and snaps at young children. She doesn’t like water or to be bathed. Needs to be muzzled when bathing. Gets her nails clipped by a professional. She needs a home with no young children and no small animals.
Lived with children: Yes
Likes children: No
Lived with cats: No
Likes cats: No
Lived with dogs: No
Likes dogs: No, not especially, but could do well in a home with Basenji-savvy humans and a resident Basenji who can help train her.
Prefers men or women: Either, prefers the company of her human(s).
Likes strangers: No
Nips (playfully): Yes
Bites (in fear): Yes, has bitten another dog. Has air snapped at children and other people.
Crate trained: Yes
House broken: Yes
Destructive indoors: No
Destructive outdoors: No
Dog is a climber: No
Dog is an escape artist: No
Easily startled: Yes, this is a big trigger for Star that can result in her lunging or air snapping.
Wakes up grouchy: Yes
Rides well in car: Yes
Gets carsick: No
Rides in crate: No
Yodels: Yes
Screams: Yes
Dog sleeps where: Crate in bedroom with owner. Star should not sleep in bed with her human(s). She has had severe startle reactions after being woken from sleep from slight movements of her human(s) and this can result in lunging and snapping.
Other information: Needs a securely enclosed yard. Cannot be off leash in open outdoors.
If you are interested in Star, please use our coordinator contact form, to email our BRAT coordinator, Lois Krawczyk. Thank you!
There is an adoption fee of $300.00 for Star. This fee is used for the extensive costs associated with vetting and otherwise caring for Star 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.