@alm:
Hi there..
Great looking dogs. I haven't seen either of the two breeds in Nina, from all the looking I did on-line. Her white blaze is just down from her ears on the back of her neck. She has some Shepherd in her, but everything else from feet, ears, and all the perfect colorations are Basenji, from all I've looked at!
Nina is very cute… and there are many, many breeds that have the same type of colorations as Basenjis... same with ears...
If you read the Basenjis standard they are supposed to be small and hooded. From the breed standard: Ears--Small, erect and slightly hooded, of fine texture and set well forward on top of head.
Hi Terry-
We've used the Alga Vet Hospital in La Costa for many years. They've had Basenji's as patients, and told us what we know, such as it is! It's hard to prove a negative, much less a suspicion. I did a lot of research, and it's possible something else might have snuck in…but I don't see it or have a guess. What I'm intrigued by is all the second guessing of this dog's lineage! We're just glad we saved her from a needle.
I can tell you this as an aside, having handled and trained some mean, roaring, sentry dogs in the Air Force...fifty years ago...this Nina of ours is the closest thing in terms of an aggressive, protective dog I've seen since! She's not friendly or sociable. Maybe someday...I think she came from some bad people, had never been on a leash, or lived in-doors, and certainly looked abused. She was starved for attention, and needing someone to care for her, and we're delighted she chose us.
As always, I appreciate any thoughts you have. Please stay in touch-
Al
Hey, Lovemybaroo, do I notice a tatoo on the underside of your B? The reason I ask, is my B Tosca (who we got from a shelter in Iowa) has one almost identical to it, but smaller and darker on her stomach. I am not sure if it is a tatoo or not (or am I looking at a um…male part? The pic was hard to tell 
) but if it is I was wondering how he got it. I am asking because even though we got Tosca from a shelter she is originally from California, so I didn't know if it was a common breeder symbol or anything. And if its not a tatoo, just consider me dumb, but like I said the shape (Cross with circle) is almost identical to Tosca's tatoo. I have just always been trying to figure out why she was tatoo'ed, since the vet said a breeder would usually just tatoo a number on her, not a picture. Thanks!
Hi Jylly18-
Nina is a female who had a litter of ten pups just before we got her seven weeks ago, when she was fifteen months. There is not tattoo as she is chipped on her back. I'm not sure what you thought you were looking at. She is, we're reliably told, a Basenji/Shepherd mix, now about 38 lbs.
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Well, if it makes you feel any better, it is nothing personal. Lots of people come here to ask if we think their dog might be part Basenji. Those of us that see hundreds of Basenjis per year, and those that have been students of the breed for decades give our best educated guess. There are breed traits that stand out for every breed to give us an indication what is in there in a mix...but it certainly isn't a science. Lots of us, dog-people, just love to speculate on mixes, and lots of us are probably wrong, as much as we are right.
With Basenji-like mixes, it is possible that a dog that is several generations of mixed dogs will eventually go back to looking like what is called a 'pariah dog' shape. Although domesticated, Basenjis are considered a pariah dog in some classificiations.
So if someone says or asks if their dog is a Basenji mix...the usual answer from us is either maybe, or I don't know. Particularly if the traits that we usually use to ID Basenjis (ear shape, eye shape, wrinkle, tail curl, lack of barking) are off or not present, then it is possible that although the dog kinda looks like a Basenji, it isn't really.
Not that that matters AT ALL to you, or me, or the forum. You are welcome here
Hey, Lovemybaroo, do I notice a tatoo on the underside of your B? The reason I ask, is my B Tosca (who we got from a shelter in Iowa) has one almost identical to it, but smaller and darker on her stomach. I am not sure if it is a tatoo or not (or am I looking at a um…male part? The pic was hard to tell
Breeders/owners that tatoo Basenji typically use their AKC reg #, not typically shapes/pictures. Mine have tatoos, inside hind leg. However now with the Chips for ID, tatoo's are not that common even with breeders any longer. When my person that used to do tatoo's local retired… I went to the chip
Hi Andrea-
I really appreciate your thoughtful answer. Makes a lot of sense to me. Many thanks for taking the time to share it. I'm sure it will help other owner's as well.
Al
Hey, Lovemybaroo, do I notice a tatoo on the underside of your B? The reason I ask, is my B Tosca (who we got from a shelter in Iowa) has one almost identical to it, but smaller and darker on her stomach. I am not sure if it is a tatoo or not (or am I looking at a um…male part? The pic was hard to tell
lol! no, he doesn't have a tattoo. Thats his "male parts" you are looking at! And although I don't know much about his breeder, I do know he didn't come from this state. Interesting that your dog has a tattoo though…
And if its not a tatoo, just consider me dumb, but like I said the shape (Cross with circle) is almost identical to Tosca's tatoo. I have just always been trying to figure out why she was tatoo'ed, since the vet said a breeder would usually just tatoo a number on her, not a picture. Thanks!
My guess is that it is a tattoo to indicate she has been spayed. I've seen it before in other shelter dogs.
These comments about tattoos have nothing to do with my dog Nina. They relate to another dog's picture sent to a post of mine.
Here's our mixed boy!
Hi there-
Great looking dog…we found our Nina is most likely a mix of Aussie Kelpie and Aussie Cattle Dog, maybe! After two inconclusive DNA tests, because they can't yet test Kelpies/Cattledogs, we do know she's not Basenji. We recently had her do a herding test and she drove the sheep all over the pen! I think we now have a clue! Best of luck-
Al
That's interesting. When we adopted him, the shelter said he was Kelpie and Shepherd, but our vet said Basenji and Shepherd. We gave some thought to the DNA testing, but we weren't curious enough for the cost.
I don't see the Kelpie, but Vets, god love 'em, don't seem to be experts about breeds…being in Colorado, you might have Kelpies or Australian Shepards or even Cattle dog mixes as they have in the Kingman, AZ area where Nina came from.
Welcome and what a cute girl.. she has a great face!!!
