Good-bye, Little Ishmay!

Ishmay, a small red and white basenji, was born on the island of Barbados. Her parents, owned by a local veterinarian, had come from Africa, so that Ishmay was not related to any US Basenjis stock.

She was born without siblings, which may have accounted for her strong-willed, bossy, alpha personality. At any rate, throughout her lifetime and wherever she lived, she managed to rule the roost. Since she had come from an Arabic speaking country, she was given an Arabic name, the spelling later changed to "Ishmay."

Her early life was nothing short of exotic, being the darling of the American embassy on a tropical island and having the complete run of the place. Each morning when her owner, Jeanne, rode to her office , Ishmay could be seen sitting with her in the embassy's limousine. Later, when Ambassador Jeanne was chauffeured home again, Ishmay was along for the ride. Everybody on the embassy grounds knew Ishmay as did half the people on Barbados. She was a very familiar sight on the island.

This idyllic life ended when the ambassador and her husband left to return home to Florida during the winter months and to the Carolinas in the summer. Ishmay was then introduced to two little Italian greyhounds left behind in the US when Jeanne was appointed Ambassador. Unfortunately, this was not an ideal situation. Ishmay, who had been used to all the attention, was unwilling to share . The greyhounds were delicate and Ishmay was sturdy and bossy. It was feared the fragilelittle greyhounds would be injured in play with a rough and tumble basenji.

Jeanne's close friend, a member of the state legislature, loved the feisty little dog and a reluctant Jeanne handed the little dog over to Rita she soon found herself in a new home in what seemed a happy situation. This worked out fine for some time and Ishmay and Rita became inseparable. Rita petted and indulged Ishmay, cooking her her favorite chicken and rice, feeding her at the table on a chair beside her like any other person..

Because Ishmay enjoyed ripping up paper. Jeanne would tear a tissue in two which Ishmay would rip up, then eat. Unfortunately, eating paper became an ingrained habit and later all tissues, toilet paper and even cloth handkerchiefs found their way into Ishmay's digestive tract. Ripping up tissues is common among all basenjis, but it became a lifelong fetish for Ishmay. She'd fly half-way across the room to snatch a Kleenex from an unsuspecting hand as well as rummage in any purse left sitting within reach..

The transition from Jeanne to Rita took place when the legislature was not in session and Rita had plenty of time to devote to her little adoptee.. Later, however, when Rita got busy, she was gone for periods of time and Ishmay was pretty much left to her own devices. It was a lonely time for a little dog who was used to being showered with attention. When Rita was home, it was fun and games. but when she was gone, Ishmay was disconsolate with Rita's sister in charge. This meant going back and forth for the sister to feed and care for the dog. Ishmay did not take to her new caretaker and the feeling was mutual.

Ishmay lived long enough with Rita for the two to become very attached to each other and when Rita came home from the legislature to learn her sister had called the Basenji Rescue group to take Ishmay away, she was heartsick. When Jeanne found out, she was unhappy with Rita for allowing it to happen. In the meantime, Ishmay was placed in foster care with a kind volunteer named Randy. Randy's dog and Ishmay did not see eye to eye, however. But there she remained until a new home could be found for a very unhappy and traumatized little dog.

Ishmay was my 7th basenji. I had just lost my two beloved basenjis, Sam and Kiki, who died within a few weeks of each other. Sam and Kiki were inseparable and had lived together from the time they were puppies. Their deaths were premature, both poisoned by a combination of "harmless" insecticide and weedkiller used on the park-like grounds of my apartment complex in Florida. After moving to Ohio I missed my dogs so much that I decided to check with the rescue group that now had Ishmay listed for adoption.

She was almost 10 years old at the time and because the rescue group was aware of her traumatic experiences and knowing Ishmay was an alpha dog, they were very careful to place her only with a person who would be home a lot and who had experience with alphas. When I applied to adopt her, they had turned down several applicants but found me acceptable. So one September day in 2005, my brother and I drove down to southern Ohio to meet a volunteer who had offered to deliver her and little Ishmay joined me in her "forever home" where she spent the remainder of her life.

Both Rita and Jeanne expressed surprise that she would adjust to having another dog in the house, but when Rufus joined us after I'd had Ishmay for a year by herself, she accepted him without protest. It was Ishmay who took Rufus under her wing, so to speak, and taught him the ropes and had him completely housebroken and whipped into shape within less than a week. They had many happy hours together romping and playing games with some very definite rules which Ishmay enforced. As the alpha dog, she was always in command, but Rufus had no problem with that.

What made Ishmay truly unique was her vocal repertoire. Not every basenji is vocal. Of my 8 basenjis, 2 never made a sound and Sam was vocal, but only yodeled once all the years he lived with me. Ishmay was the champion. She made a wide variety of sounds--yodels, crows, chortles, baroos, growls, grunts, songs, and contented little "purrs." She was the most vocal basenji I've ever met. That's what I miss most. She was exuberant and joyful and she let you know when she was happy. Her enthusiastic greeting when I walked in the door announced to the whole world that I was the most important person alive. She followed me from room to room, never allowing me out of her sight for more than a short time.

I believe in the "Rainbow Bridge." If there is a heaven for humans, then there must be a heaven for dogs who have so many better qualities than the run of people. When my days on earth are finished, I cannot imagine a greater reward than being reunited with all the dogs I've known and loved through the years. In my imagination I can envision the greeting I will get when 8 little basenjis break away from the crowd and a wave of excited dogs rush forward to welcome me home.