RooGrr's Puppy Tail

Roo-Grr's Puppy Tail
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I am a Basenji who’s name is Roo-grr. I was born in Kelowna on Friday December 13, 1996 as Downwright's Black Magic. I met Bryan and Donna who came to visit with us on February 15 for 3 hours. They wanted me to go home with them, so 2 weeks later I joined them. When I got to my new home I went potty outside and then began to investigate my new home. There was this weird furry thing that made strange rrowling sounds, her name is Keyta Kat. She is kinda grouchy so I stayed away from her for a while. My new parents put me inside a huge cave and I did not like it, so I cried and screamed so no one could get any sleep.
March 2, 97 We went visiting. I met this really skinny pup. Her name is Sabrina and I hear she is from Mexico. (What’s a Mexico?) I also met Tiny, she is the same size as me. Both girls are che-wow-wow’s. There was some hoomans who tried to uncurl my tail. So I just stood there and looked cute. That night I had a warm body (hot water bottle) to cuddle up to, inside my cave and I actually got some sleep.

Monday March 3/97 Today I went to the Vet for a check up because I have an ear infection and Ma & Pa kept putting this watery stuff inside my ear. (It tickles). Pa took the day off work to spend some time with me (see, I already got them wrapped around my little paws -giggle giggle).

I have this great set up…at 10pm I go outside to potty. Then I go to bed and sleep with this warm body called a hot water bottle inside my kennel cave until 2am or so, then I start yelling because I have to go potty again and I don’t want to wet my bed. Pa comes to get me and we go outside, then he gives me a cookie and I go back to bed. Then at around 5am I start yelling because I have to go potty again. But this time Ma comes to get me and we go outside, and I get another cookie because I sat at the door when she told me to. I get to go back inside that darn kennel cave. But everyone wakes me up around 7:30 am...how am I ever going to get some sleep around here?

Sat March 15/97. I am 4 months old and have ben living with my new parents for nearly a month. I am teaching them all kinds of basenji stuff. I can reach the countertop and today I found a steak knife. It smelled real good so I picked it up and ran into the living room. Ma saw me running with the knife (blade pointing out) and tried to catch me. Yahoo...a new game..try and catch me. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom. But,Ma and Pa stopped me before I accidently stabbed anyone.

Fri Apr 18. We had company stay overnight. Ma’s brother Ben. I helped Ben in the morning by sneaking in his room, jumping on the bed and giving Ben a face wash so he could wake up refreshed.

Fri July 11/97. We are going to Vancouver today for a wedding. Ma & Pa took me for a walk around the campground we stayed at. I was checking out things as we walked and I heard Pa say "I have some cookies for RooGrr". Ma replied "I'll make him sit". So I sat right away before anyone had a chance to tell me. Ma & Pa started to laugh and I got my cookie.
Sat July 12 Ma and Pa let Sabrina the che-wow-wow stay with me in the travel trailer while everyone was at the wedding ceremony (here is a picture of me with Ma at the wedding). The next day a lady was walking a golden retreiver in the campground. The lady started to cry when I played with her dog...she said I reminded her of her departed basenji. So I let her hug me.

Sun July 13 We left the campground to travel home. We stopped for a potty break and the truck was having motor problems so Ma took me for a little walk. There was no one around until a man came out from the bathroom and walked extremely close the Ma. He whispered something into her ear. Ma jumped (I could tell she was scared). I started to pull on my leash and made wierd noises. I pulled and pulled hard to get Ma away from the man. Ma started to scream "NO NO NO" and reached down to pick me up. I struggled and bumped Ma's glasses and scratched her leg. She held me in her arms and turned toward the man. I think he got scared of the racket I was making and he ran away into the bushes. Ma was shaking so bad she almost didn't notice I was choking from the leash and her squeezing me so tight! Pa heard the noise and ran over to see if we were ok. There was 4 huge gashes on Ma's leg and lots of blood dripping from the scratches I made when I was struggling.

I heard Ma telling Pa she was frightened cause she could feel the man breathing down her neck and then she was screaming "no no no" becuase she was terrified I would escape my leash and run. That is why she picked me up and squished me so tightly. Then we we got home, we had dinner and watched the news. The news man said the police were warning that a rape suspect was thought to be in travelling in the same area we were at. The picture on the TV looked like the man we saw. Ma called the police. Afterwards, Ma said I saved her life.

Sat Nov 8/97 I am getting older...nearly 10 months old. Ma & Pa took me for a walk after dinner. When we came back my sister "Miss Marie" the cat was bugging me, so I tried to bite her and she slapped me back. I tried again and this time she hit me when I had my mouth wide open and her claws got stuck on my tongue. I was screaming and yelling for help and Miss Marie was yelling too (I tell ya, we were having a tug-o-war with my tongue). Pa came over and had to unhook her claws from my tongue. "Ouch!" that hurt. I could hear Ma snickering as she asked "Cat's got your tongue?" (silly Ma)

Here is a picture of Miss Marie when she was 17. She crossed over the rainbow bridge soon after this picture was taken. I miss her...

Friday Dec 26 Boxing day morning; my home was a complete disaster from all the Christmas festivities beause this was my first Christmas event. I was making the house even messier by taking out wrapping paper that was in a big recycling box and shredding the Christmas paper all over the place.
Ma tried to clean up some of the paper and told me that I needed to help her. Each time Ma put paper in the box, I helped by pulling the Christmas paper back out onna floor. Ma was laughing at my antics and decided that since I was not destroying anything I could have fun with this paper.
Ma went upstairs to wash her hair. I got tired and was trying to have a nap beside the fire place when the doorbell rang. Ma quickly grabbed me and put my leash on. There was police men at the door and they told Ma that there was a 911 phone call from our house, and when they tried to call back, they couldn't get through the phone line.
Ma looked shocked. Then she glanced at me and picked me up. We waded to the living room through all that shredded Christmas paper. Ma found the telephone and discovered the phone was indeed, off the hook. Well of course the phone was off the hook! I picked up the phone and pressed the speed dial button for 911 because Ma needed help cleaning the house, she told me so.
The police men checked out the house (to make sure that no one really phoned 911 for help). The police man radio'ed back to dispatch that "it was the dog". And after the police left, Ma had a little talk with me. I was told that I was appreciated for trying to get help, but this was not the kind of help that was needed. I think this day made Ma realize I am not going to be an ordinary dog!

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