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Here, remembered, are some of the Colorado Basenji Rescue dogs who, before leaving this world, etched a special place on their owners' hearts forever and always...

Jack

Nimbus

He passed peacefully at home on August 30, 2023

Roo Gomez

Roo was bigger than life. So much so, I almost didn’t get her. I always believed dogs should be in twos. I had just put to sleep my first Basenji, a female I had since a puppy named Kili. She was my heart and it was severely broken when she died of cancer. I knew Hans, a standard schnauzer needed a companion so I visited the Colorado Basenji Rescue site.

The ad captivated my attention, “Tall, slender redhead looking for love. Will provide hours of entertainment in exchange for tummy rubs, two square meals, and a warm bed (preferably with humans). Humans lacking a sense of humor need not apply. Roo is short for kangaroo; it seems she can jump 5 feet in the air from a standing position! She is also a climber and will climb wire fencing of any height.”

Boy howdy! Did I ever see and respond to a challenge. This is a picture of me holding her the first time and her trying to climb out of my arms to get free.

almost stopped the adoption process since she seemed so wild and I didn’t know if I had enough energy for her.

When she came to my house for a visit, she seemed to take charge with extreme curiosity investigating everything in all rooms of the house. When we came to the bathroom, she did something I had never seen, and quite frankly, startled me. She pulled my damp towel off the hook, threw it on the floor and started to rub in it. Roo washing

When she met Hans, she played hard to get and indifferent, so I decided to take her home. I took a week off of work to stay home hoping to integrate them and it went surprisingly well. She was so well-behaved. Little did I know what was coming.

Roo was 6 years old and I was her 3rd owner. She was so smart and scrappy. When we moved from Boulder to Arvada, she got out of the fence twice and I had to put in coyote rollers and spikes so she wouldn’t climb up the side of the fence and hop over. She could open doors and drawers. Opening drawer

Early on, I took her to a dog park with a new basenji friend and they both climbed up a tree. And they also were so sweet and cuddled each other.

Roo was fastidious in her grooming. She loved to wash her face at bedtime when I was doing mine and to floss her teeth. Roo flossing. She had a couple other strange habits like chomping her teeth when she got nervous and putting her front paws on the wall and circling her head behind her. Peggy called it owl head.

She also loved begging. But Roo was so dramatic. Hans used to bully her and she would come screaming to me like he was killing her. Roo, like Hans was very athletic and we’d go for some long and hard hikes.

When Hans passed, I rescued Jack. Jack had the misfortune of being returned to the rescue organization 3 times, so I was his fourth owner. He was the sweetest boy, but Roo liked to bully and bother him. There was constant barking and growling and when Jack passed, Roo loved being an only dog. Dogs arguing

She slowed down quite a bit in the last year, but still escaped a couple of times. She started to become incontinent while sleeping so I kept diapers on her. One day, I got a text from a neighbor that Roo was up the street in her “fancy panties”.
Just 3 months shy of her 17th birthday, she let me know it was time for her to go to the Rainbow Bridge. She was just so tired and having a hard time standing.

Save the best for last. Roo was my best dog of all the 6. I think it’s because she was a scrappy underdog. We had 10 great years together. Thank you my Roo, my Roster, my Roulette, my Rooey, my Ruler for all the love and joy you gave me. You touched my heart deeply and I miss you already.

Sammy

Sammy Girl (fka Zandi) came to us just to be fostered in January 2010 after we had just lost our very first basenji. Soon enough, she won our hearts and her third home became her forever home for the next 13 years.  We never understood why her first 2 homes gave up on her.  She was the most gentle and loving girl you could ever meet; as a matter of fact, the perfect basenji, if you will. Sammy Girl only had one incident where she tore up a knitted cap which was a gift from Austria. But, it was left on the bed in plain view sight of a basenji; so it was fair game.  She was independent,  clingy when she wanted to be.  She was also a true hunter. One day, she came into the house with a half-eaten squirrel to get away from our other basenji who was trying to take it away from her.  She was quietly eating her kill in the backyard when he tried to take it.  We started hosting foreign exchange students in 2011. Through 18 students, she won the heart of each one.  She would go and sneak into their rooms and spend the night with them. She would cuddle on the sofa with them while they're watching television. Sammy Girl lived through 3 generations of fur babies in the house. She came right after we had just lost our first basenji; but D'Ogee's companion from that generation, Sasha Girl, would be around for another year.  Sammy Girl's companion from her generation, Elliott (another basenji) lived from 2009-2020.There were times they were inseparable, and there were times they could not stand each other; like true basenjis. When Elliott passed in December 2020, 2 months later, we took in 2 male basenji pups (Olli and Hasso) which meant Sammy Girl lived to see 3 generations in our home.  Like a true queen, all the fur babies knew she was the head of the household.  At the end, at 16 1/2 years old, her frail body could no longer handle the stress of old age.  Even though she still enjoyed her long walks and smelled everything thoroughly (which annoyed Elliott when they walked together) on her last day, she told us with her beautiful brown eyes, it was time to go even though she tried to stay strong for us her last few days.  She went to sleep peacefully in our arms as she took her last breath.  It comforting to know from this quote I borrowed from a website:

Jack

Tribute to Jack Gomez

Our tri-colored baby boy went to the Rainbow Bridge Tuesday night. He was such a sweetheart. I was his fourth owner and got him when he was 8 and had him just under 4 years.

He made a huge impact in our lives. While he was sweet, he also hated to be moved and had a “devil” growl. It was long, deep and he would move his mouth so it sounded like he was talking.
Jack was a sleek and silent except for his growl. He walked with a pep in his step and seemed to
always have a smile on his face.

When he first came to us, I took a whole week off to integrate him with my female Roo, a bossy R/W 3 years his senior. But they adapted quickly. The only thing they fought over was the cave bed although in the last few months, I caught them sleeping in it together.

The first week he was here, I was in the garage and heard a siren in the distance, then heard howling in the house. Jack’s yodel got Roo yodeling too, her first time and the last time I heard them yodel.

I loved his beautiful seagull marking and his handsome face. We miss him so much. Amazing how such a little guy in such a short time had a huge impact on everyone he met.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar, affectionately known as Zanzi, Zeba, Goofy Girl and Poop Head, came to us in 2016 when she was about 9. We had a bit of a rough start, but we eventually came to terms with the fact that she was very independent and there was no convincing her to do anything other than what she deemed necessary.

Cally

In memory of Cally Gowan
December 23, 2004 – June 20, 2021

Cally, also known as Zindika’s Curtain Call, daughter of Arubmec’s Encore and Zindika’s Definitely Danielle (Nelly), was a champion show dog bred and shown by Cecily Rappe of Zindika (Basenji breeder) in Idyllwild, California. We have been told that Cally also was a champion lure courser (racer). We don’t know all of Cally’s story, but we know she lived for a time in Arizona and eventually moved to Boulder with her owner and her mother, Nelly, where they lived in the same senior apartment where Mike’s mom, Sandy, lived. We saw Cally and Nelly there once or twice.
We adopted Cally through Colorado Basenji Rescue in 2019 when she was 14 years old, after her owner moved to a long-term care facility, and her mother Nelly died. Cally lived to be 16 and a half, the longest any of our dogs have lived, although Sparky (also a Basenji) lived almost that long.

Cally was a very tough puppy! Soon after we adopted her, while we were walking in the neighborhood, two bulldogs escaped from a yard and attacked Cally. She fought back like a tiger, but received a bite on the head that required stitches (yes, the owner was ticketed by animal control and had to pay restitution and fence his dogs). While living with us, Cally had many other adventures including hikes at our cabin, around the neighborhood, and at Star K Ranch. She always walked with a jaunty spring in her step, and loved sniffing everything along the way. She loved treats and treat puzzles. She was a sweet little pup, and we will miss her.

Cinnamon

2005-2021

Full of personality, Cinnamon loved food and treats, quickly learning that sit, stay, down and roll
over all meant rewards! She even stood on her hind legs and would twirl around for treats. This
all probably gave her an advantage over her competitors at the annual Basenji Rescue Reunion,
where she demonstrated exceptional hot dog bobbing skills.

Cinnamon also participated in a few dog sports. The main sport was flyball, a dog relay race.
As long as cookies were involved, she would play. She received the Iron Dog award for 10
consecutive years of racing in flyball, and also the Onyx award for earning 20,000 individual
points.

Cinnamon left us on May 15, 2021. She was somewhere around 16 years old – a good life led, I
have to believe. I miss her big dog attitude.

Ballerina from a Basenji Halloween party

Her Iron Dog award from Flyball

Her Onyx award from Flyball

Pete

On Thursday, 01/14/21, we lost our sweet basenji boy Pete, he was 15 years old. We adopted Pete and his brother Charlie two years ago from Colorado Basenji Rescue. Pete was a Mama's boy, a dog gate crasher, a sunbeam napper and a toilet paper shredder. He was sweet natured and lovable and we will miss him! Pete suffered from severe arthritis the last year of his life and although we were able to keep him comfortable with meds and chiropractic laser treatments, his hind legs finally became too weak for him to walk or stand. Pete joins the rest of our Basenji pack; Prescott, Pip, Presley, Kylie and Allie that have already crossed the rainbow bridge. 

Fero

Fero was adopted in 2007 from Colorado Basenji Rescue

A TRIBUTE TO FERO
(July 13, 2006 – August 27, 2020)

Fero was a rescue dog who in turn, rescued me. He had a difficult start in life—having been rejected by two previous homes--and came to us when he was just one year old. His name came with him (sounds like Pharoah), and it comes from the Gaelic and means “wind”. And he really could run like the wind! He was a mixed breed of Basenji and Italian Greyhound and carried distinctive traits of both breeds, such as speed, agility, intelligence, and affection.
Fero was an incredibly handsome brindle-coloured boy, with bright, intelligent eyes and the wrinkled brow that make Basenji’s look like they are both curious and worried about something serious, like World Peace The graceful way he carried himself—light on his feet with an alert, proud posture--gave him a perpetually youthful appearance and he was often mistaken for a puppy, even into his double-digit years. In a word, he was a crowd stopper and people never failed to stop and ask, “What kind of dog is that?!”

He knew he was strikingly handsome and took for a given that people should make a fuss over him: he liked that in people. With short hair and a lean build, Fero got cold easily and so required many coats. People said he was the best-dressed dog in the neighborhood!

Fero had a distinct personality and a great sense of humor. Like most Basenjis, he was an independent thinker and problem-solver, and would decide on his own terms whether and/or when he would listen so was a challenge to train. But Basenji’s are trainable. His habit of opening my sister’s doors in the dead of the Okanagan winter didn’t go over so well, so he learned how to shut the door from the outside (which was no small thing!).

Of course training treats were always involved. Fero had a strong food-drive and treats helped persuade him to learn to do some things my way. Since he was a pup we gave him vegetable and fruit treats. He loved it when I cooked and would sit politely at the edge of the kitchen and be happy to accept every very manner of vegetable thrown his way--from broccoli to lettuce. He even liked apples. But by far his favorite treats were carrots and cucumbers and he’d go to great lengths to get them! Even though he wasn’t a voluntary swimmer or particularly fond of water (except baths), he would wade into the lake and put his face underwater to “fish for carrots.” It was hilarious to see him put his head underwater, blowing bubbles through his nose!

In the last two years of his life, Fero’s taste for treats changed and cucumbers became king! All you had to do is mention the word cucumber, and Fero would pull out all the stops, doing every single trick he’d ever learned even before you could even open your mouth to give him a command. What antics!!

Fero was one of the best communicators we have ever met and a total creature of habit. He liked his routines and he expected them to be kept. His need for structure and keen sense of time meant that if you happened to miss that it was 8:00 a.m., he would prance and gesture towards the kitchen—with his whole body if necessary—and then sit perched right beside his dish until you got the message that it was his breakfast time, NOW! Five o’clock was his dinner time and heaven forbid if you were 10 minutes late! In his later years he seemed to get hungry earlier and would start agitating for food, or “fake-starving” as we called it, by 4:00 p.m. and he could only be distracted with training and—you guessed it—cucumbers.

Fero was also particular about bedtime and preferred to go by 8:00 pm. Ifwe were away from home he would and it was past 8 he would signal that it was past his bedtime by pawing the furniture (making his own bed) on the softest surface in the room. And then he wanted his head to be covered by a blanket. Quirky but clear.

With one look and an unequivocal flick of his head Fero could tell you that he wanted to go outside. He had an impressive understanding of the English language and also knew two Italian words: “toilette and grazie”.

All of Fero’s exceptional communication skills were conveyed without barking, but like most Basenji’s you couldn’t say he wasn’t vocal: he would growl, yodel, whine, baroo, and even scream to get his message across. And then one day in his 9th year, to our utter astonishment, Fero apparently decided he was no longer a barkless dog! He actually started barking occasionally, and it was a proper, dog bark! Go figure! Maybe it was the Greyhound trait in him rising?

One of Fero’s most striking characteristics was his inordinate level of affection. From his warm morning snuggles in bed to his nighttime spooning against you with his head perched on your pillow, you never needed to call Fero to come to you.

He had a talent for spreading himself out over an impossibly large percentage of your body, and whether that meant on your lap or your back, he insisted that most of his body be touching you at all times!

Fero was a real leaner, and if you weren’t touching or stroking him with one of your hands, he would stretch up on his haunches and lean in to you with his entire body. He would literally pull your hand toward him with his nose or paw and then cross his paws over your arm. And he had the sweetest way of making “little squeezy noises” of approval once you started petting him.

Fero was a very social creature and loved being around people: his motto was, the more the merrier, because to him that just meant more hands and more opportunities to be snuggled. He shamelessly shared his affection with everyone and was thrilled when he got to go spend time with his many aunties, uncle, cousins, and grama.

Fero mostly liked other dogs and off leash could run circles around almost any dog. On leash he could be grouchy towards other dogs and for some reason, he had a dislike for small white, fluffy dogs. Although he could be protective of his people he didn’t get jealous and never begrudged his animal friends getting attention from his humans. That is, just as long as he was also getting some.

Fero loved going to his “DayPlay” where he could run off leash, play with any size of dog, and know that he was safe and protected. He even posed with one of his friends, Sissy! A sure sign that he was both happy and relaxed was when his ears would flatten against his head and his tail would uncurl.

At those times he looked most like a little Italian Greyhound!

Fero was a truly exceptional being and for 13 years he led a charmed life, in the lap of luxury, with a comfortable bed in every room, and surrounded by loved ones who lavished affection on him.

Fero’s warmth, comfort and palpable love was unparalleled by any pets I’ve ever known—he was like a soul mate who gave his love completely. Fero was adored by his Mama Kelly and his Andrea.

Fero died of a presumed brain tumor on 27 August 2020. He was 14 years old--the rescue dog who rescued as much as he was rescued. I know I was blessed to have him as a companion for these 13 years, but my grief runs so deep and comes from my core, that even after four months, just writing about him in the past tense takes my breath away….

Fero was “The Light” and the world is just so much greyer without him in it.

Juniper

Flash

We lost our beautiful little boy today.  He was truly a gift in our lives that we will be forever grateful for. Flash was a wise old soul. He was a 20 pound physical being that had the spirit of a giant. He lived without fear, forgave quickly and loved every day. He was like a master of living that taught lessons to everybody he loved which seemed to come from knowledge of living a thousand lives. Honestly to know him was to be in a bit of awe of him. We are so thankful for every minute we had with him; he was truly a gift.

Flash arrived at Colorado Basenji Rescue during the summer of 2007 after being found by a hiker in a remote area, emaciated and with a broken leg.

He was adopted that year by Samantha and Wayne, who loved and cared for him until his recent passing in October 2019

Lucy

Texas Lucy passed away today peacefully at home with her family, just short of her 17th birthday. For nearly 14 years, she has been a constant companion and added so much to our lives. We can little imagine life without her and will miss her desperately.

She was a good dog.

Dixie

Sarah

Hi, this is Kristin Day. I adopted, basenji-mix Sarah, from you...maybe 2004/2005? Well, sadly, just about a month ago she crossed the rainbow bridge, and she is dearly missed. Sarah-Bear as we called her, was a very loving, kind and loyal dog. Most recently she lived up in the mountains of Summit and Lake counties with us, and loved the life of a mountain dog. Sarah loved camping, hiking, and lazing around too! A very special dog came from your organization, and I am so glad to have had her in my life. Much Love, Kristin Day

Bentley

Our sweet little girl, Bentley. You left a footprint on our heart the day we met you, December 31, 2010. You’ve left a void in our hearts with your passing and short 7 years with us. 

We know you fought a good fight, Bent. And, the cancer eventually took a toll on your little body. We think of you every morning when the sunrises, casting sunrays through the trees and onto the deck knowing exactly where you would be. 

Run with the sun our little girl. Your spunky and playful personality will be in our hearts forever. 

We love you very much-

Carlos, Kyle and Benz 

Callie

Bambi

Sadly we had to say goodbye to sweet Bambi after a long battle with Fanconi.   Bambi had been doing well on the Gonto Fanconi protocol until mid summer of 2016 when her kidneys took a downward turn.  In spite of all the medical care provided, she was unable to rally and passed away peacefully on the morning of January 21st.  She is missed by her foster family and all at CBR that knew her.

Tessie

We had to say goodbye to our sweet little Tessie girl in January. When Peggy brought her to us in 2006, we were just going to foster her, but that didn't happen. Tessie gave us one look with those " flirty" eyes and we were hooked. She has always been a sweet girl, not requiring anything but love from us! She was very quiet, never " yodeled", or made many sounds, but she was a great companion and we miss her terribly.

She went deaf the last year and a half of her life, and it might have been due to the mass of unknown origin behind her eye, that was found in January, plus she had a mass in her adrenals, as well. She never complained and she adjusted to the hearing loss . She lived her last few weeks with her little basenji brother, Niko, looking after her and getting lots of special attention . She brought us such joy and taught us about how sweet basenjis can be. Run free, sweet Tess with your " brothers, Cowboy and Lance at the Rainbow bridge.

Mila (Milo)

On November 11, 2016, I lost Mila (formerly known as Milo) to cancer. It broke my heart - she was with me for only about nine months. I felt that we were just getting started together.

Rest peacefully, my sweet Mila-girl. I miss you❣️

Allie

On Monday last week, after 13 years of giving us her love, loyalty, and protection, Allie finally let me know that it was time for her to leave us. It was truly the saddest day of my life. Allie was more than the BEST dog, she was truly my BEST FRIEND.  Since I work from home, Allie and I were together 24/7. We had so many great adventures together. So many walks. So many mountain bike rides. So many bunnies/squirrels chased.
 
I can’t thank you enough for bringing her into our lives. 
 
The first picture was taken on the night I brought her home from your house. The second picture was her last day on earth. She and I ate triple cheeseburgers on the patio. 
 
BEST DOG EVER!!

Bao Terry (November 28, 2006 - June 21, 2016)

Bao was complicated, loving, affectionate, sensitive, and caring. Bao allowed very few people to pet him, but those he allowed in were his treasures. If you were one of those people he trusted, you had the best friend you could imagine. He did not merely twitch his tail for those he loved, he wagged his whole body. He loved to sing when he greeted us. HIs favorite place was anywhere he could find a sun puddle. I miss and love you Buddy, and cannot wait to see you on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. I hope you and Karma found each other and are together again. Dad loves you both.

Karma Terry (December 13, 2005 - August 1, 2016

Karma was just shy of her 11th birthday when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She graced our lives for 10 years and is missed so very much. Karma was affectionate and kind to everyone (human and canine). She never met anyone she did not like. At the same time, she was brilliant, determined and head strong, exuding confidence and character. If I had to pick one word to describe my wonderful, sweet girl, it would be regal.  No day goes by that I do not miss her, especially that beautiful yodel she gave me each time I came home from a trip and her gentle kiss each morning. I still reach for her in the morning. Karma — you will live in my heart for the rest of my days. 

George

My Papa Bear, George, came to me from Colorado Basenji Rescue in 2007 - the first dog that was truly my own. He had been a stray, so his birthdate and past were unknown, but he found his way to my heart and Forever Home. I was so blessed to have this gentle yet mischievous character in my life! He was diagnosed with Fanconi Syndrome in March 2010 and survived 5.5 years with this terrible disease. But now he is free! No more infections, medications, pain or suffering! He peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge in December 2015.

Oreo We were so lucky to have Oreo in our lives since adopting him in December 2003. He was a remarkable guy - kind, loving, funny and smart. He and I got through the loss of my husband together, and I'm sure they are back together again. Oreo crossed the rainbow bridge February 23, 2015 at the age of 15.
Indie Indie was adopted at the age of four by Kristen and Jesse, and was loved deeply by his humans and adopted Basenji sister, Roxy. He crossed the Rainbow Bridge in the fall of 2014 at fourteen and one-half years of age.   Skinner Our dear Skinner left us in January 2014; two days shy of his 14th birthday. He came to us in 2007 from CBR and we were so honored to have him as an important part of our family for the past 7 years. A sweet, loving dog, with "warm eyes" and a loving heart, he will be a part of our lives forever, and we will miss him very much. We are so glad we were able to provide for him and love him. He enriched our life so much. Robyn & Dan
Tiger was the best co-pilot a man could ever have!
Denzi	Angel
Both Denzi and Angel were loved by the Center family, Ken, Lara, Ian and Quinton. Angel was adopted from Colorado Basenji Rescue in August of 2012 and had the best year of her short life with the Centers. She passed away from Fanconi Syndrome in August of 2013. Denzi lived with the Centers from 1995-2012. He was 17 years old. Kiki Kiki was adopted by Mike and Shelley in 2007. They shared 6 years together until her untimely death from an intestinal mass. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge on June 29, 2013 at 9 years of age.
Keno was the loved Basenji of Cynthia and Dave for 13 years.
Kyro was the loved Basenji of Cynthia and Dave for 13 years.
Kona was loved by Mary and Kyle for the last 10 years of her life. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge at age 15.
Here is a photo of Cody who passed away recently at the age of 15. He was loved by his owner Shannon Smith who adopted him from CBR a number of years ago.	This is Bushbaby, owned and loved by Leslie Lord and her husband Suha.
This is Frank, adopted by Joan and Dave. Frank passed away at 16 1/2 years.	This is Poochie, adopted by Yvette and Mary Kimball. Poochie recently crossed the rainbow bridge at age 14.

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