Do you have more pictures of him? Some that show his whole body?
I tried to post other photos earlier but they were all either too large or not an accepted format. This is attempt number two! 
ummm…is he standing in water in that first pic? If so, NOT a basenji. Just kidding! The subsequent pics of him look more Basenji-like than the first one. He may have some Basenji in him, most likely you will never know But regardless, he is super cute!
Short legs are a dominant trait so at least one of his parents had to have had them. Based on how heavy-boned the legs are, the body shape, and the coat texture, I would say one of his parents was possibly a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The ears are too small and erect for a Cardigan and they also tend to carry their tails down. Corgis are herding dogs, by the way. I see no Dachshund or Border Collie in this dog. Could one parent be a Basenji? Maybe, maybe not. Both Cardigans and Basenjis come in black/tan but both have white "irish" markings. The lack of white markings on this dog throws me off a bit. If there is Basenji in this dog I don't think it was a purebred one. Either that or the possible Cardigan parent was a mix.
He could also be a rat-terrier/jrt mix. That could account for all of the traits, short legs, basenji-look, etc.
He could also be a rat-terrier/jrt mix. That could account for all of the traits, short legs, basenji-look, etc.
Yes, google "Decker Rat Terriers." They look very basenji-like, but are a bit shorter and heavier.
It's possible there's some basenji in your boy, but no way to tell for certain. He's a cutie!
no idea… but just wanted to say he's cute!
He could possibly have Basenji in him but i would say unlikely as the other mixes would cover what I can see in the pictures. However welcome to the forum - he's a lovely boy whatever.
Google 'lancashire heeler' and I think you might find your dog. :O)
For what it's worth, if you don't mind spending a bit of money, you could have one of the mixed breed DNA tests done. I had my old shepherd mix tested and the results, although not without a bit of a surprise, all made sense. One of my vets and one of our clients also tested their dogs with similar results. The company we used is here: http://www.dnamydog.com/ They do include basenji in their breed list.
I know there are skeptics out there (I was one until I got Sassy's result), but it's a simple cheek swab and $60 and I don't regret doing it. I only wish that the test had been around when my (presumed to be) basenji X border collie mix was still alive!
Google 'lancashire heeler' and I think you might find your dog. :O)
It certainly resembles one but those are extremely rare.
From the AKC website:
"The Lancashire Heeler is a rare breed, numbering only around 5,000 worldwide."
Yes, google "Decker Rat Terriers." They look very basenji-like, but are a bit shorter and heavier.
Deckers do not have thick, stumpy legs and a low-slung body like this dog has. There is a short-legged, long-bodied version of Rat Terriers called Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. I could see one of those as a parent of this dog.
*Disclaimer: This message was written B.C. (Before Coffee) and the author cannot be responsible for lack of clarity caused by cobwebs being interwoven through brain cells.
It certainly resembles one but those are extremely rare.
From the AKC website:
"The Lancashire Heeler is a rare breed, numbering only around 5,000 worldwide."Deckers do not have thick, stumpy legs and a low-slung body like this dog has. There is a short-legged, long-bodied version of Rat Terriers called Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. I could see one of those as a parent of this dog.
*Disclaimer: This message was written B.C. (Before Coffee) and the author cannot be responsible for lack of clarity caused by cobwebs being interwoven through brain cells.
I was envisioning some sort of terrier mix, that at some point involved a short legged JRT
His coloring is a lot like a tri basenji, but whatever he is, he is a really nice looking dog. I have a mix also, mostly basenji in her traits, but lots of extra skin around her neck, much thicker than a true basenji weighing 33 lbs. If her legs were shorter I'd definitely say corgi - yours probably has corgi in him.
