Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Talk
  3. Basenji or...not?

Basenji or...not?

Basenji Talk
  • D

    @yodelma As a rescue advocate you should be very glad that there are so many caring and responsible breeders. My first B came from a pet shop, developed diabetes and had a very hard life health wise. He died of cancer at eleven years. My second and third are from a reputable breeder and the eldest is now eleven with very few health issues. If there were more responsible breeders and owners, the shelters would not be full of suffering animals who are caged.

    1
  • D

    @heidiace Sounds like your son is very smart and a basenji is the perfect match. The saying that in order to own a basenji you need to be at least half as smart as the dog is very true. Which is why people either love them or hate them.

    HeidiAceH 1 Reply
    2
  • DebraDownSouthD

    @HeidiAce

    Please don't think you have anything to do with the drama. Some people just wait for an excuse to pet their peeves.

    We have some wonderful breeders here, many who do help rescue and none that look down on mixes. While those who rescue and/or breed hate the irresponsible folks who create badly bred dogs or mixed, that has nothing to do with the dogs or with the wonderful people who adopt them. It sounds like you found a wonderful addition to your family. If I can help in any way, let me know. I have friends who train therapy dogs and if there are things your dog could do that would help your son, let me know and I'll ask or put you in touch. My daughter got her Samoyed with a goal of teaching him to be a therapy dog to visit with the elderly or programs for special needs kids. Right now he's a wild year old boy but we hope he'll soon mellow. He already is very gentle with children.

    Debra

    HeidiAceH 1 Reply
    2
  • RugosaR

    With that description, and that photo, I'd say definitely a BASENJI mix.
    Addie is very fortunate she gets to live with you!

    Does she smell like a dog when wet? If not, that's some basenji DNA making its appearance.

    Vickie Perrine

    HeidiAceH 1 Reply
    2
  • HeidiAceH

    @dagodingo I'm sorry I have not responded sooner. Since getting Addie, I feel like I have a new full time job. 🤣 I wholeheartedly agree with having to be at least half as smart...and one step ahead. I'm exhausted at the end of the day... sometimes, the middle of the day. I do feel more and more that she HAS to have some Basenji in there. She's so incredibly smart at what she wants to be smart at and VERY stubborn on things she has no interest in. To answer your question, she doesn't seem to smell like a dog, but I may be biased. Lol. Thank you so much for your time. It means a lot.

    1
  • HeidiAceH

    @rugosa Thanks so much for your input. I accidentally answered your question in a different response, but I don't think Addie smells like dog at all, but I may be biased. 🤣 Lol.
    We are very blessed to have found her regardless of what she is or isn't. She's been a great fit for our son. They're cuddled up together right now watching the Avengers together. That's all we wanted or could hope for. I appreciate everyone's opinions and encouragement. Thank you.

    2
  • HeidiAceH

    @debradownsouth Hi Debra. Thank you so much for the offer. I may take you up on it if our progress slows down or stops. Addie was jumping and puppy nipping/biting at our son for the first few weeks we had her. We tried ignoring and turning away and praising when she had 4 on the floor, "no jump", keeping her leash on so he could step on it to keep her down, etc. Nothing was working. One day about a week ago, I had enough and taught her "time out" to go to her crate as soon as she started. And she did. It took 5-6 tries and I think she's broken of the persistent, insistent need to clobber him. Now, do you or anyone else have suggestions, about how to get her to walk nicely? This is another challenge area. If we can get that under control, I feel life with 2 ADHD family members will drastically improve.
    Thanks again for the offer to help with therapy training. That's very sweet of you.

    DebraDownSouthD 1 Reply
    0
  • elbrantE

    @yodelma IMHO, I don't really "see" a Basenji either... now, a German Shepard Mix - definately! But, like I said, "in my honest opinion".

    elbrant.net

    1
  • DebraDownSouthD

    @heidiace said in Basenji or...not?:

    @debradownsouth
    Now, do you or anyone else have suggestions, about how to get her to walk nicely? This is another challenge area.

    Teaching loose leash isn't hard, it just takes persistence. Having worked with feral dogs who had never been on a leash, I promise you can do it. The other things on her page can help your son. :) Clickers are remarkable for anyone who has issues with timing rewards to mark a behavior. But with you and a clicker, he can teach her most of these. Teaching helps to bond. Mary is wonderful and her instructions very clear. You can do the exercises with or without a clicker, but your son really may love the clicker part.

    http://www.clickerlessons.com/index.htm

    Lessons on left; behavior things on the right

    Debra

    1
  • HeidiAceH

    @debradownsouth Thanks you so much. We'll give it a try.

    1

Suggested Topics

  • P

    Basenji for me or not ?

    Moved Basenji Talk
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    1k Views
    ZandeZ
    @planetsaver said in Basenji for me or not ?: Will be a problem to leave him alone, let's say 10 days / month an average of 9 hours a day. Also I do not want to have to much trouble with the neighbours, but I understand he can make some noise sometimes, maybe he can be trained to stay alone and not to bark that much. Why would you even think about training a hunting hound to stay home alone ? I would never let my Basenjis alone for more than 4 hours, and even that is very rare. 3 hours is absolute maximum. Like @tanza, I have sold puppies into apartment environments as long as all other boxes ticked positive. Someone there all the time, proper attention to training, not just leaving the dog alone, especially not as a puppy. btw, he won't bark at all. As you would know if you had really researched the breed. He will cry and scream but not bark ! No. At least you are asking questions but I really think you should find another breed.
  • C

    Is she a basenji ?

    Basenji Talk
    50
    4 Votes
    50 Posts
    7k Views
    KembeK
    Looks can be so deceiving- here is an article of a woman who adopted a rescue dog in N.J. Dog looks like a basenji - even her vet thought it might be basenji. She did an Embark DNA test - no basenji. Turned out the dog was a mixture of Mountain Cur, Rat Terrier, Beagle, and Boston Terrier. link text
  • M

    Is she a Basenji?

    Basenji Talk
    16
    2 Votes
    16 Posts
    3k Views
    J
    @melduff I for one think this is FANTASTIC news! You guys are so lucky! You have a one of kind super dog with the papers to prove it. Walks around the neighborhood and trips to the dog park are going to be very much fun... Friendly neighbor: Oh, she's so cute! What kind of dog is she? You: Thanks you so much. Why, she's a Staffy Chow Lab Rott Russell Husky. (Ya haff ta memorize that) :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: :thumbs_up: Thanks a bunch for letting us know. Very much enjoyed your thread.
  • K

    Basenji

    Basenji Talk
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    3k Views
    P
    @ktiefen1 You would be correct!! Potty Training eventually came easy because ours is so treat motivated....lol. Basic obedience is a challenge for us......ahe is definitely her own girl....and please dont disturb her sleep. You could lose a limb. ::)))))
  • K

    Basenji

    Basenji Talk
    4
    -1 Votes
    4 Posts
    2k Views
    D
    Where I am it costs about $2K+ for a dog from a breeder for just about any breed. Goldens may be less because the litters are so large. That may seem like a lot, but, as Debra mentions, dogs cost money to care for. After vet bills and boarding fees and food, it matters little what the dog cost to acquire. Leaving true puppy mills out of the discussion, given the costs of being a responsible breeder -- testing, vet bills, feeding -- and how much work breeding is, I can't imagine anyone doing it for the money. That leads to two problems for people looking for dogs. One is that since breeding isn't really lucrative, there aren't a ton of breeders, which means the supply of pups is low. Second is that most Basenji breeders want to place their pups in the best possible homes -- remember they aren't doing it for the money -- which means they're looking for people who have had Basenjis before. Something of a Catch-22.
  • BasenjiDivaB

    Basenjis are -

    Basenji Talk
    3
    0 Votes
    3 Posts
    2k Views
    QuercusQ
    ooohhh…so true!!! Good observation!