Alpha Male or Alpha Female?

Basenji Talk

  • Are basenjis ruled by the alpha male or alpha female? Mister Two Dicks is a 3 1/2 year old male basenji that I have had for 2 years. Three days ago I adopted Pepper, an 18 month old female. No wonder they call them bitches. Although they seem to have accepted each other, Pepper has "stolen" Mister Two Dicks' favorite lounge spot. I have a single lounge with an old blanket laying across it. Until she came along it was his spot. Yesterday she was laying on it and he was trying to pull the blanket and her off the lounge chair. She just stood her ground and growled at him. He gave up. The same thing happened today. It seems that although she is younger, she will rule the roost with him. Is this normal for basenji packs?


  • Yes, its normal, and things will go best if you back her with this behavior.
    Bitches most always rule.
    The males expect it.
    If you support her, there should be little conflict.


  • I agree… typically bitches rule


  • Its funny that you mentioned this…

    Kylie, (my breeder), told me that Ochre would definately rule over Saba, once she matured, possibly after her first season... Well she is 17 months old now, and she appears to have no inkling to rule, at all... In fact he is definately 'the boss', she is VERY respectful of him, all the time. I guess she could be boss over him at anytime she wants, but right now she is happy being 'number 2', in the pack of 3 :)

    Vanda, on the other hand, pushes Saba to the limit, she has been told off by him a number of times, and is gutsy enough, (read stoopid...), to answer him back. Funnily enough she actually doesnt push Ochre, (much), when they have a tiff :). Need to keep an eye on the 2 girls, methinks !!!


  • The lead dog or bitch is usually the least snarky of the lot. At least that's been my and my gramma's experience.


  • Rally most definately is believes girls rule and so though Nicky is the eldest in the pack, in almost all situations he is the low man on the totem pole. In some situations, he takes the lead but they are rare.

    In my mom's household, TC has never really pushed for much and integrated into the household fairly easily. Baby Bella on the other hand believes the same as her cousin Rally, Girls Rule, and she expects both my mom's boys to acknowledge that. This usually isn't too big a deal but every so often it creates friction.


  • Thanks everyone. Great answers. I think Mister Two Dicks is in for a hard life. LOL


  • Cheyanne is defiantly the "little momma" here LOL when the boys are playing and she thinks there to rough she steps in and they both have that deer in the headlight look and stop in there tracks :)


  • @tanza:

    I agree… typically bitches rule

    Yaaaaay !!!!!!!!!!!

    Sorry couldn't resist :D

  • Houston

    Our itty bitty 10lbs non B, Luna, is our alphabitch, she rules those boys like it is nobodies business, and they let her..

    Seems to be very harmonious in the pack, so I am not going to interfer..


  • My 11 month old bitch, Shaye, is definitely the alpha female - when we adopted her 18 month old companion girl, Gemma, it took no time at all to establish that no matter that Gemma was older and bigger, Shaye rules this roost. Of course, Gemma is only about 90% basenji, with a little sheltie thrown in somewhere back there.


  • Im beginning to think my Ochre is broken :o:o:o

Suggested Topics

  • Female adolescence age

    Basenji Talk
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    2k Views
    ZandeZ
    @jkent So take extra care !!!
  • I got 2 girls, want a male

    Basenji Talk
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    4k Views
    tanzaT
    @Maca: i need to ask, do you have several bitches, do you have all locked on cages? i was checking several kennels, and all have several females so they are separate all the times? These 2 dont fight often, i mean the last fight was on january, before that, on september, and the first one was one year and six months, i mean they fight only on season.. these season Laika will be on a cage to protect her, or maybe not because Maca will flight to Mexico City to be breeding.. sure if she dont acept the male, wont breed, im not a believer to force the female.. so if she acepts the male will breed with him.. thats one plan. other plan is not breed her.. but i want to breed her so i can get spayed soon. why breed her? well, if i breed her will be with the best male actually on Mexico, the other nice male are his dad.. so its not an option, the other plan is to get a foreigner male.. but that will take more time.. i like the idea of wait to check laika get 3 years old. At this time I have two in-tact Bitches… there (fingers crossed) have not had ever any problems, even with C-Me whelping a litter in November... but when I brought them both home, I was super, super careful with their temperaments. I have had a bitch that was 5yrs, one of my other bitches whelped a litter and I kept one of the bitches. At the time I had 3 in-tact bitches, one neuter males. All was great until the puppy bitch I kept at 5 months wanted to challenge the 5yr old (not her Mom)... it was totally down hill from there. While I didn't keep them separate, we had way to many fights... and since the oldest was the first in the house, the youngest needed to be placed... she had a litter and got even worse, so it worked out perfect with one of my puppy people that really wanted two pups... I place the pup and her Mom in that home. It was a match made in heaven. I will not separate my house into packs... I will place problem makers in other homes....
  • Looking for basenji female.

    Locked Basenji Talk
    32
    0 Votes
    32 Posts
    14k Views
    AlexA
    Thread closed, pending further investigation.
  • Male Basenji Found in Spring, TX.

    Basenji Talk
    2
    0 Votes
    2 Posts
    1k Views
    S
    I hope that someone contacts you soon re this b. Thank you for opening your home to a dog in need.
  • Very aggressive female!

    Basenji Talk
    30
    0 Votes
    30 Posts
    10k Views
    MantisM
    that is great news!!
  • Help - will a male basenji fit in?

    Basenji Talk
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Renee, I am very sorry that my answer is not going to be a happy one, but it is honest and it is said with great concern. You have a 4 mo old pit bull mix. Do not add another dog. PB are bred to be dog aggressive. They almost ALWAYS do great with other dogs until they mature. I cannot begin to count even in just one year the number of people who post on the aol boards about their maturing PB or PBmix killing their other pets. They are always SOOOOO shocked as they just LOVED EACH OTHER… til that day. Many PB and PB mixes do great with other dogs and pets. But you don't know til they mature if they will. It is the one reason I support shelters euthanizing them all (and Rotties and chows) except when a breed rescue takes them. There are dogs (and btw I have chows and rotties) who simply need homes that are experienced with that breed to own, and PB are one of them. People with PB experience get them KNOWING that when the dog matures, they may have to safely keep them away from every other pet... and they are physically, emotionally, and financially able to provide that type of separation. IF you are, then you might consider another pet now. But get the pet for YOU, not for the sad PBmix. And frankly, because Basenji can also be snots about other dogs, I would consider a much much more "pack" oriented dog breed that is KNOWN to not be dog aggressive if you want a new pet. And please, let Basenji rescue know about this fellow so they can help with him.