I have had the pleasure of owning both breeds. There is another forum member here who also has a basenji and a Shiba. Lol, they are both very stubborn breeds. Depending on what you want they are very different though. Shibas need a lot of care for grooming, they blow a lot of coat and can get matted fur, on the other hand they make a very good watch dog. Basenjis don't bark but make a multitude of other noises. Their coat is nice and short for less grooming, though they too blow coat, just not as bad as a Shiba. They both maintain puppy characteristics their whole lives and live long lives. I think our Shiba was 16 when we lost her. Both need a lot of socialization, with both people and dogs. This is a must. Good luck with whatever breed you choose. Look at parents for temperament and do your reading on health problems and make sure you adopt from a reputable breeder.
Hello from Philadelphia!
-
I just got my first Basenji's (which I have been wanting for about 15 years now) and expect to be on this site quite a bit! About 8 weeks ago I met my two new pups (yes two, but they were both "left overs" from a breeder and needed homes!) and so far it has been a bit of a whirlwind.
Hudson is my tri-male from a litter 1/2015. He is super willing to please, is very excited to learn new tricks, but has been having some interesting bowel issues. (I plan on posting on the health board in a bit). He snores, but boy is he a cuddle bug.
Hazel is my red female from a litter 12/2014. She is much more "textbook" basenji (from what I read). She is the only dog I have ever known to run AWAY from the dog park in the midst of having fun. After being gone for 4 days, and then to the doggy ICU here in Philadelphia, she is now regaining strength, even though she has a little doggy cast (that has been replaced 5 times in the last 2 weeks along with 6 different cones of shame). I cannot wait to get this cast off to get some of this puppy energy out!
I plan on posting on the health board re: putting on weight, intermittant bowel issues, training, crate training, agility, and possibly lure coursing. Looking forward to pick your brains!
