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.
New Basenji mix owner
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Good afternoon!
My name is Wes and I have recently adopted a little basenji/mix puppy named Anne. Her and her brother and sister were rescued from Taiwan and had all their shots and were sent over to the states to find a good home. Since the pups were found abandoned in Taiwan they weren't exactly sure what breed they were, but they looked and acted enough like Basenji that it's probably a safe bet. The people at the rescue agency suspected they were basenji/labs since Anne's sister was completely black and their tails aren't quite as curly as normal.
Anne definitely has the basenji personality. She's stubborn as a mule, but an extremely quick learner. Since we adopted her (one week ago exactly), she has already learned come, sit, down, going from down to sit, and leave it… however, she only performs these tasks when it is convenient for her, hahah! She loves to run and has already tried to escape several times... but she's very good about not chasing. She tried chasing my cat the second time she met him but quickly learned "leave it" and doesn't bother him (if I'm watching to tell her not to at least).
I haven't had a dog since I was very young and I am twenty years old now. When I was diagnosed with depression, my doctor asked me if I liked animals. Since I do, he suggested I look into getting a dog. After spending about a month researching dog breeds I decided that a basenji was a good match for me. However, I wasn't aware of the challenge they presented!
I absolutely love Anne, but she's quite the handful! So much energy and I need to keep my eyes on her constantly to make sure she's not chewing on a rug or investigating the cords behind the TV. But at the end of the day she wants nothing more than to curl up next to me on the couch and take a nice long sleep. So sweet.
In any case, as a novice dog owner and a first time basenji owner I figure it would be good to have contact with those people more experienced and skilled with the handling of these lovable crafty little dogs.
Nice to meet you!
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I'm so glad that you and Anne found each other. Between the unconditional love that a dog offers and the funny antics that they provide, it is difficult to get too deep into a depression with one around. Also…gives you a give reason to get up. Looking forward to hearing Anne stories.
Pat
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Welcome to the forum, nice to give a pup a new and nice home!
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Hi Wes, welcome to the forum, Ann certainly sounds like a basenji, they certainly are a challenge!
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We welcome you and Anne to the forum.
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Wes and Anne, welcome onboard. We are glad you found us. That is a really neat story of how Anne got here to the states. Not many people can say they have a dog from Taiwan. I am very glad you found her and I know she will make you happy.
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Welcome to the forum!
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Welcome to the forums, I look forward to seeing pictures of her!!!:D
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Oh, I found your photos on another post…;)
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Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Looking forward to getting to know you all and learning from you.
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Welcome to our pack! Since dogs are new to you, feel free to ask questions (no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to basenjis). There is a tremendous amount of information, experiences, and funny stories here.
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Welcome Wes and Anne, i'm sure you will love this forum.
You are right Basenjis are certainly a challenge but definately worth it. Perhaps the other bit of her will make her a bit easier to train?
