Welcome to Possum Creek Basenjis!  We are so glad that you have taken the time to come,  meet, and get to know us. Come on in, sit a spell, put your feet up and visit with us for awhile. Currently Possum Creek is home to 4 adults (3 brindles) and puppies from the current litter. I have been truly blessed over the years with the Basenjis I have bred and owned and the people I have met.  Here’s how Possum Creek began.

In 1981 I was introduced to my first Basenji.  Little did I know that almost 10 years later I would be ‘chosen’ by my first Basenji and begin an adventure that continues today.

In the early ‘80s while working on a horse farm in Florida I was taken to my first dog show by friends who showed Akitas.  I was completely fascinated by the scenes that unfolded before me.  Growing up on a farm in Ohio we had farm dogs but I had never seen anything like what lay before my eyes.  A short time later these same friends called me to come with them to help a friend in Clearwater.  I walked into this lady’s home, met a pretty little red & white Basenji named Honeybun and fell instantly in love.  Due to my job I was unable to even think about getting a dog so my dream of owning one of these fascinating creatures had to be put on hold until “someday”.

Fast forward to 1990.  I had moved to Kentucky in 1987 to accept a job and was looking for something to fill the void in my life that was created when I moved because I was unable to bring my horses with me.  I had made friends with some of the local kennel club members and was volunteering at my first dog show when my “adventure” begins.  I had made up my mind that “someday” had arrived and I would start looking for my Basenji the following year, little did I know that I was about to meet the little lady that was to change my life.

While stewarding at the Basenji ring I met and spoke with a gentleman showing Basenjis.  This gentleman took the time to talk to me a little bit about the breed and I asked him for a business card.  Checking with some friends I found out that he had a good reputation and that he had puppies, something that he had neglected to tell me earlier.  I tracked him down and asked if it was possible to see his puppies.  I told him I wasn’t really interested in getting a puppy at this time but would like to just see a Basenji puppy as I had never seen one.  He was obliging and told me how to find him.

As Bob brought the puppies out and set them down each ran over to the side of the exercise pen where I was standing, said “hi” and then moved off to play and explore.  All except for one little girl.  She followed me wherever I moved.  To make a long story short, this little girl ended up coming home with me and even though I didn’t know it at the time Possum Creek Basenjis had begun.

Chance (aka Alpha-Centauri’s Lady Luck) introduced me to a world that I knew little about - the world of dog shows.  I had shown horses for a number of years at this point and even worked in the business professionally but neither had prepared me for the world that I had just stepped into.  As I felt uncomfortable showing Chance because I knew little about showing dogs and ring procedures I enlisted the help of a professional handler.

After showing Chance for about a year, it became apparent that her heart wasn’t really in it and I made the decision to stop showing her despite the fact that she had not earned enough points to complete her AKC conformation title.  A long hard look was taken at my little girl and in spite the fact that she did not possess the CH. in front of her name it was felt that she did have a number of good things that could be passed along to the breed.  I started looking around for the right dog to breed her too and found myself entering the ‘African Adventure’.

When I made the decision to breed Chance I did what I had done with the horses.  I sat down with her pedigree and starting looking for a dog with a pedigree that seemed compatible.  I was quite concerned to find that Chance’s pedigree contained a number of linebreedings and inbreedings and was looking for a dog that I felt I could safely outcross to.  I had started to hear about these “African imports” and drove the 4 hours to Mike Work’s home to take a look at a young ½ African male that he had there. 

When Chris (Kibushi Get Sirius) walked through the kitchen door I knew that here was the dog for Chance.  Chance and Chris’s litter arrived on December 5, 1991, and consisted of 5 puppies. One red/white male, two red/white females, one brindle male and one brindle female.  These 2 brindles were the first brindles to be born in the state of Kentucky and were some of the first brindle Basenjis shown in this country.  This litter also produced my first AKC conformation champion, Ch. Possum Creek Gamblers Choice (aka ACE, red/white male) who lives with a family in southern Kentucky.

Other Possum Creek notables from this first litter are:

Ch. Possum Creek All The Marbles, JC, F.Ch. (aka Flash) 

Possum Creek Joker’s Wild (aka Joker) 

Chance was bred to Ch. Kazor’s Vim N’ Vigor for her second litter.  This litter of 1/8 Africans arrived on December 12, 1993, and consisted of 4 puppies - 2 brindle bitches, 1 red/white bitch and 1 brindle dog.

Possum Creek notables from this litter are:

Ch. Possum Creek Just My Luck, JC (aka Justin)

Possum Creek’s Nitro - Best of Opposite Sex, African Exhibition, Basenji Club of America National Specialty, September 1994. She also placed 2nd in her class at the National Specialty that year as well.   She has won Reserve Winners Bitch to major wins at shows.  However due to her having her owners wrapped  tightly around her little paws Ms. Nitro does not have  to “endure” dog shows any longer.

Most of my time is taken up by my Basenjis or the many dog activities that I participate in.  Besides showing I lure course (I am a member of the Bluegrass Coursing Club) and a member of the local kennel club besides being a member of the Basenji Club of America. 

I am also a founding member and one of the managing directors of B.A.R.K. (Basenji Admirers Residing in Kentucky) a Basenji rescue, education & support group formed about 4 years ago.  Last year our group helped to rescue and place 6 Basenjis.  We participate in a pet fair held each year in Lexington by setting up and manning an information booth.  I also help teach a puppy kindergarten class 2 nights a week.  As you can see, life in the Possum Creek household is anything but quiet and dull!

And while I am excited about the puppies from this year’s litter and can’t wait for them to step into the ring for the first time I am also proud of my puppies from my previous litters that have not set foot into the show ring.  My owners are good about keeping updated on about prior year’s puppies and I am always happy to hear from them. 

One of these puppies is Possum Creek’s Tuff E Nuff owned by Nick Russell.  “Tuffy” is the proud owner of an AKC Junior Coursing title as well as a couple legs of her Senior Coursing title.  She has also competed in obedience and is a registered therapy dog. I am currently trying to persuade Nick that he and Tuff need to give this obedience thing another go.  I had such fun watching them and felt such pride in them. 

Well, I’ve certainly taken up enough of your time.  Thanks for stopping by and visiting us.  If you have any questions or comments please feel free to drop me a message.