Could Princess Iris Be A Basenji Mix?
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When we rescued this baby, we were told she was a dachshund/Chihuahua mix... Obviously, this is not the case.
She is now almost 4 yrs old and weighs 32lbs.
She runs so unbelievably fast.
Doesn't shed, basically bald on her belly/chest.
She's so stinking smart.
Cleans herself every morning and evening, especially legs/paws/face.
She has this silly high pitched bark/howl.
She is an absolute hunter. We have lots of bunnies in our area, when hunting them, she'll either get low to the ground and stalk like a lion, or stand motionless pointing in the direction of the animal with one paw up.
Her tail is like a hook when hunting or focusing on something.
I really think she has a good amount if Basenji in her, probably mixed with some kind of terrier like rat, Boston or jack Russell.What do you all think?
Does she have Basenji in her? -
Please provide a picture of her, side view, standing and looking straight ahead (but not at the camera). The slope of her forehead relative to her muzzle and the shape of her body along with leg length have a lot to do with "Basenji" traits. None of your pictures allow us to see those things.
From what I can tell... her ears are way too large in proportion to her head, and her overall head shape is probably a "no", due to the slope from her forehead to muzzle. I'm seeing more Rat Terrier than Basenji. (Rat Terriers and Basenjis are very similar.) Send the side view photo, a different perspective may change my mind...
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Thank you for taking the time to explain this all to me. I really appreciate it! Here a side view just taken. Her ears aren't sticking straight up in these
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This one was when she was a puppy
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DNA test is the only sure way to figure her out. Here is a fascinating article, Dog Breed DNA Survey Results & Images, where it shows that simply looking at a dog for breed traits is not always useful. https://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/research-studies/past-projects/dog-breed-identification/dog-breed-dna-and-survey-results/
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We get a lot of people asking about dogs that look more or less like Basenji crosses, some with what seem to be Basenji traits, but short of DNA testing or personal knowledge of the sire and dam, it's pretty hard to give an opinion, since phenotype is often quite a bit different than genotype in crossbreds. Considering that Basenjis are relatively rare, I would be surprised to find very many crossbred or mixed breed dogs with Basenji lineage. Most Basenji breeders would not deliberately cross their dogs with another breed, although there can be accidents, one reason why a lot of breeders insist on neutering. That said, DNA testing is likely the way to go if one really wants a definitive answer.
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Thank you for sending the additional pictures!
The only part I see that really says, "Basenji" to me, is her toes. The way she's standing on her feet. But, dang... I'm having a really hard time deciding what I do see in her. Basenji's form a square-ish appearance with the length of their legs matching the length of their back. Your girls back is either too long for her legs, or her legs are too short for her back. The dimension just isn't right.
Maybe (only maybe) a mix of Rat Terrier and Blue Healer?
If you choose to do the DNA test, please let us all know the results. It makes our guesses all the more fun! And no matter what you find out, enjoy this little blessing!
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Thank you all so much for your responses! I appreciate it so much! I'm definitely going to do a DNA test on her.
Does anyone recommend a specific brand of DNA test?
