The Barney and Buster Show

Meet Barney and Buster Bowman.

Cathy and Bill Bowman have had Basenjis since 1985. First there was Burt, then Betty and Binky. And now there are brothers Buster and Barney.

Cathy had had cats, and was living in Florida when she narrowed her search for a dog to either an Akita or a Basenji. Since Basenjis were from Africa, she thought they would fare better in south Florida's heat.

"That first Basenji was horrible," laughs Cathy, fondly. "He went to boarding school and everything, and he was horrible there and horrible every day of his life until the day he died. God, I loved him." Buster and Barney were kept in line by their elders, and are "great little dogs."

"Barney should have his own talk show," says Bill. Cathy agrees. "The Barney and Buster Show, except Barney would do all the talking. He would have guests — he loves guests — only they would never get to say a word, other than how great Barney is!"

The couple agrees that Basenjis aren't for everyone. "They're extremely willful," Cathy says. "But they're clean, like cats, and they don't bark. They yodel."

What ensued was a howling session, with your writer, Bill and Cathy, along with a good friend of theirs who had just arrived, all howling to the heavens. Yup, howling woo-woo-ahwoo for all we were worth. The dogs did sing along. It was grand!

Barney and Buster turned 13 on December 23. "They were from Betty's one and only litter," Cathy says. "She had five of the most darling puppies."

Both boys have bladder cancer. Buster was diagnosed with diabetes five years ago and has had insulin injections every day since then.

"My vet, Dr. Church at Ceglinski Animal Clinic, found a nerve sheath cancer three years ago," Cathy says. "We had to go to Nashville to have it removed, but he's done really well."

Cathy worries about Barney should Buster pass first. "Barney grieved for six months when their mother died."

She credits the Basenjis with her very sanity. "I didn't have children. I had an antique shop in Florida, which was robbed. All I had left with was the dogs."

Cathy and Bill left Florida and returned to the beautiful Paducah West End home that Cathy's parents built. She now has an antiques booth at Courtyard Antiques in downtown Paducah.

"I love all animals — cats, even birds," Cathy says. "I just can't imagine being without a Basenji. I love them."

Rock on Barney and Buster!

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